Holding Open house events is one of the ways Real Estate Agents use to sell houses. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners of Show & Sell. This team set up their own business staging homes for sale.

They work to accentuate a homes positive features and minimize the negative features. This increases its attractiveness to potential buyers. The team sells their services to the public by advising sellers on how to show a home properly. Of course, they also offer their services to set up the house.

For more than twenty years, staging has been popular on the West Coast. The International Association of Home Staging Professsionals cites a study saying the average unstaged home spends more than five months unsold, while houses that are staged after being on the market sell in an average of 14 days. While I have not verified the accuracy of this statement, I must conclude that homes staged by a professional will sell faster.

While staging is certainly an investment, perhaps owners who cant make this investment, can have a consulting service look at their home and make suggestions. Show & Sell provide this service in Atlantic County, New Jersey.

If you are one of the owners who does this themselves, consider the following:

1. Reduce clutter. Clutter reduces equity.

2. Remove personal effects.

3. Improve your curb appeal.

4. Paint those dreary rooms. Improve appearances.

5. Do your spring cleaning. A little sprucing up works wonders.

6. Turn the lights on when the house is being shown.

7. Check other houses for sale in your area to determine what others are doing.

You can improve your chances of selling even if the market is slowing. Do your due diligence prior to putting up your for sale sign.