Home staging is quickly becoming one of the most important parts of selling a home, especially in this slow market. Home staging is the process of setting a home up in such a way that it looks as appealing as possible and move in ready. It also includes making the home have lots of curb appeal so it appears welcome and inviting from the street.

If you are selling your home and want to make the process happen more quickly, you should consider getting help from a home staging professional. There is an art and science to staging a home that goes above and beyond simply slapping up a fresh paint of coat or eliminating clutter in a spare room. Having a professional makeover your home for sale can help you stand head and shoulders over the competition in your area.

Home stagers have a few advantages that can make the difference when you are selling your home. Although there are some costs involved with hiring someone to stage your home, it’s greatly outweighed by the benefits. The first major benefit of hiring a professional is their in depth knowledge of home design. They know what to use to make your home attractive to the particular type of buyer you are looking for. Home stagers spend time learning what appeals to different buyers. They stage your home based on what the market wants. When you go the do it yourself route, you run the risk of choosing things that you like that may not appeal to the majority of buyers.

Professional home stagers can make your life easier. The last thing you want to do when you are trying to sell your home is spend hours and hours making things “just right.” You’ve probably got your schedule filled with packing up your home and getting ready for your move. Buying and arranging everything for a proper home staging takes up a lot of precious time…time that you could spend doing much more important things. Not to mention the time involved with fixing mistakes you may make in your home staging process. Professional home stagers know exactly what to do from the get go and they can save you a lot of time.

Finally, a professional home stager will help your home look professional and polished. Although you may know how to clean and tidy up your home, there is a certain look that is associated with professional quality interior design that is hard to match if you have little experience. Your potential buyers don’t care about your favorite chair or the paintings that make you so proud. They want to be able to envision themselves living in your home. Most people would love to live in a place that is professionally redecorated. The same room can be made less appealing or more appealing based on the furniture choices, the arrangement and the colors.

Professional home staging is an investment, but it is well worth it. If you want to sell your home more quickly and for a faster asking price, consider looking for a home staging professional in your area.

Guest post by Joe Cline.