David/Annie:

We seldom take a listing, especially on the higher end, if the sellers aren't willing to bring in our team stager. For severals reasons:

1. On a practical level, staged homes sell faster and for more money. We spend a lot of money on professional photography for our listings, and it's imperative that they present as pretty much perfect. It's a price war and a beauty contest out there right now...and we want to be ahead of the pack on both counts.

2. Staging - and working with a stager - helps many sellers walk through that door of commitment and helps them buy into the selling process. Now, selling their home is no longer a fuzzy possibility, but a solid reality they've embraced. If they won't embrace it, we don't want the listing.

3. Our buyers are required to pay for staging out of their own pockets - a basic fee of up to $400 for a large home. We always test a seller's resolve this way. If they're not willing to put some skin in the game up front, it's not a good sign. If/when the home is sold, we reimburse the sellers the table.

I've had to learn some of these things the hard way. Anyway, that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

Ken Haedrich, Keller Williams Select Realtors, Annapolis, MD www.AnnapolisHomeDigest.com