Staging Your Home In A Down Economy (NAPSA)— It’s a tough time to try to sell a house, but Realtors say there are inexpensive ways to stage your home that might make for a faster sale. In fact, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmentreports that a staged homewill sell at a higher price than an unstaged home. And a recent survey by the Real Estate Staging Association reports that staged homes sell much faster than unstaged homes. Home staging is the act of preparing your home andits contents for sale, with a special emphasis on presentation and appearance. According to Realtor.com, the first thing you want to dois clear out the clutter. If your house holds too much furniture, your closets are overflowing, your kitchen and bathrooms are crowded or you have family photos and knickknackscollecting dust, it’s time to pack them up. You also might consider donating unuseditemsto charity or even selling them at a tag sale or on eBayfor somefast cash. “This is also a good time to take a close look at your closets,” says HGTV and CedarSafe home improvement expert Pat Simpson. “A cedar-lined closet in the foyer, master bedroom or secondary closet will create a great look and provide a relaxing, cedar scent that will make a positive first impression.” Cedar planks or panels will also protect the items you store away. They’ll prevent silverfish and moths from damaging your A cedar-lined closet will make a positive first impression. expensive wardrobe or even from eating books or important papers. They work with any closet organization system, or even metal or cedar shelving. It'll cost a few hundred dollars to line a closet during a weekend project. Learn more at cedarsafeclosets.com. While the cedar will provide a fresh scent, Realtors say be sure to bathe your pets and deodorize their living areas, shampoo your carpets, clean your drapes and always empty trash cans and recycling bins. Another suggestion: “Curb appealis critical,” says Simpson. “A fresh coat of paint using neutral colors, plus neat landscaping, will go a long way.” Visit cedarsafeclosets.com for more information.
