Recent changes in the Real Estate market have made sellers concerned about getting the most value for their home. If you want to sell your home faster and for top dollar, consider the following guidelines used by professional real estate stagers:

Are you selling your space or your stuff? The clutter that you collect eats up the valuable space that you are trying to sell, making it hard for buyers to look beyond your personal items and see the selling features of your home. Start preparing your home for sale by packing up personal items such as awards, trophies, collections, and family photos. Not sure about a specific item? A good rule to follow is to pack up anything with eyes such as stuffed animals, doll collections, photos, figurines etc.

Is your home ready for a blind date? First impressions do matter. Just as you would not answer the door on a blind date with curlers in your hair, wearing a tattered bathrobe and slippers, you do not want your home to make a bad first impression on potential buyers either. Consider repainting the walls and trim in your home a neutral color that will appeal to the most potential buyers. Make sure to have your home professionally cleaned and focus on problem areas such as the grout in the bathrooms and stains on your carpets. Washing the windows, and edging and mulching beds, will also leave a lasting impression on buyers.

What is the purpose of each space? The way that you currently live in your home may not be the best use of each space. Take for example a home with three bedrooms upstairs and a small den on the first floor. In a neighborhood where other homes boast 4 bedrooms, perhaps it is best to show the den as a bedroom so your home measures up to the competition. If your older home lacks a great room off the kitchen as found in new construction homes, consider turning your formal dining room into a more casual eat in family room, or make the living room more family friendly so buyers can see this as a multi- purpose space.

Overwhelmed or in a time crunch? Seek the help of a Real Estate staging professional to prepare your home for a faster and more profitable sale. For more tips and ideas visit http://www.hartstaging.com/ to learn more.