Home Staging has become the buzz word in real estate over the last couple of years. Traditionally used in high end homes, Home Staging has found it’s way into main street real estate, which is the majority of houses, town houses and condominiums in the areas of Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Oakville and Burlington.

Whether it is a condominium or house, the goal of home staging is the same- to highlight the positive aspects of your home while minimizing the negative. In terms of return on investment (how much you spend vrs how much you get in return), if done right, Home Staging is second to none. Below are the top ten reasons to stage your home when you sell.

1. You will make more money.U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will sell, on average, 17% higher than an un-staged home.

2. Your home will sell faster, which equals less headaches and hassles.The average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 160 days, versus 31 days for a staged home.

3. The cost of staging doesn’t cost a dime.In a 2007 Home Gain Survey of over 2000 realtors, it was discovered that sellers who spent typically $500 on home staging services for their home recovered over 343% of the cost in the sale of their home.

4. Most home sellers cannot view their house objectively.If you can’t see objectively, you can’t package effectively. Have a staging professional get your home into its most advantageous condition for showing.

5. You’ll have less guesswork and “Do It Yourself “work. A professional home stager can manage your projects from start to finish. Or, they can give you a detailed enough report based on their extensive knowledge and training to have you “do it yourself”.

6. Only 10% of home buyers can visualize the potential of a home.This is why staging a home is critical! You don’t want the advantages of your home overlooked and left up to the buyer’s imagination.

7. The longer your home is on the market, the lower the price will be. So stage first!According to a National Association of Realtors survey, homes that sold after four weeks on the market sold for 6% less than ones within the first four weeks! Don’t be in a position where you have to lower your price. Have your house staged first!

8. There is a tangible value in being able to move on with your life.If you are ready to move, you should do everything necessary to make the sale happen quickly. Selling a house can be one of the most stressful experiences in life, and if you can’t sell, other areas of your life become affected. Home Staging will get you the results you are looking for – quickly!

9. Leaving your house in “as is” condition will help sell the competition. Competition is stiff and buyers have very high expectations. Agents will show your house even if it is not presented well, but only to show the buyer what better value they can get with another property. Don’t be the reason your competition sells before you!

10. You can relax.You will have the satisfaction of knowing you have done absolutely everything possible to enable a quick sale of your most valuable asset and for top dollar!