ASK SHIRLEY!

Dear Shirley,

My husband and I are about to list our home with a real estate agent, and we'd like to know, how important is "staging" a home before putting it on the market? - Rose Eggars, Thousand Oaks

Dear Rose,

Excellent question. "Staging" your home refers to making it as presentable as possible to potential buyers who come to view it.

Find a realtor who has experience with interior decorating, or works with one who does.

Often cosmetic improvements can be made that will greatly enhance its salability. This can be something as simple as a good carpet cleaning, painting, or putting a new tile floor down in the kitchen.

Cleanliness is very important. A major housecleaning by a qualified cleaner can make a big difference in how quickly your home can sell.

Plants, furniture, appliances and their placement in the home is an art form, and I have seen these elements composed in such a way as to make or break a listing's success.

- Shirley Hertel

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