10 house-selling secrets

It's a tough market for selling a house. Maximize your chances of a sale at a good price with these house-staging tips from an expert.


Secrets of a house stager
Who knew that getting rid of family photos and clearing off countertops could help you snag top dollar for your house? These are just two secrets from Debra Gould, founder of Staging Diva. Gould, a professional home stager, has helped scores of homeowners clean up, rearrange, and style their homes to command top price.


That can mean anything from putting extra books in storage to getting rid of moldy caulk in bathrooms to renting furniture to fill up too-bare spaces. "The goal is to make your home clean, organized, and welcoming so potential buyers can picture living there," says Gould. Thus the no-family-photos rule: "They make people feel like they're invading your space," she explains.

Some of Debra's other ideas to help your home look more inviting to buyers:

1.  A neglected front door gets fresh paint and new fixtures.

2.  A disorganized corner nook is recast as a reading spot.

3.  A chaotic living room feels larger once the toys are put away.

4.  A too-bare family room benefits from a little more furniture.
5.  A messy, underused space becomes a gathering spot for meals.
6.  A cluttered kitchen feels bigger once the table is gone.
7.  A bathroom with everything in view gets a scrub-down and clean-up.
8.  A neglected guest bedroom benefits from the kiddie treatment.
9.  A messy master bedroom is transformed to an attractive resting spot.
10.  An unfinished basement is revamped into a mini-gym.

Source: “10 house-selling secrets”, CNNMoney.com

www.debbiecheney.com