If you're ready to put your house up for sale, you'll have to do more than just clean up the clutter to attract a buyer. Randy Florke, a contributing editor at “Country Living" magazine and a real estate developer, was invited on the “Today” show to share tips on how you can get your asking price, or more.

‘Staging’ can help sell your home faster
Across the country, sales figures of existing homes are up, but that doesn't mean the homeowner should sit back and expect his or her home to sell itself. Staging — a term used by both realtors and interior design firms — suggests that your home and property are, in effect, a stage, and the props of paint, home furnishings, fresh flowers, even sparkling windows, can hasten the time it takes for the “SOLD” sign to appear on your lawn. Some realtors swear that increasing your home's selling price doesn't take a major renovation but just a few thoughtful cosmetic alterations.

Increasing your property's curb appeal
The sense a perspective buyer gets of your home starts at the curb. You can't turn a brick house into a cedar bungalow, but you can make sure that your lawn is tidy, the shutters are straight and the porch is swept. Consider the following in terms of your home's exterior:

• Freshen the front door with a coat of paint and make sure the doorbell works
• Banish clutter, toys and tools from the lawn
• Remove dead plants or trees
• Place new mulch around shrubbery and flank the doorway with freshly blooming flowers in interesting cache pots
• Adorn the front porch with a welcoming outdoor chair or two
• Clear gutters and spouts of leaves or debris.

Help the buyer imagine herself in your home
Ideally, you want perspective buyers to be able to picture themselves in your home. The object of staging is to create an openness and accessibility that encourages a buyer's sense of belonging. Key elements in creating that sense of longing are cleanliness and lack of clutter. Buyers should be able to maneuver freely through the house while getting a clear notion of its structure. Basic staging of the home's interior should include:

• The cleanest house possible: Hire a professional if you must and pay particular attention to the kitchen and bath
• Neutral, neutral, neutral walls! Read beige or off-white
• Organized closets with doors that close
• Clear counters in the kitchen and bath
• Furniture tops free of photographs
• Refrigerator without magnets and drawings
• Exposed hardwood floors if in good condition
• Worn carpeting banished or covered with neutral area rugs
• Sparkling windows, mirrors, chrome, and linoleum
• Outdated window treatments removed and replaced with plain blinds or shades
• Drapes or blinds open unless the view is abhorrent (in which case transparent scrims of white are recommended)
• Interior temperature at a comfortable setting
• A weekend getaway to the boarding kennel for pets: Homes with pets can be deal-breakers to buyers with allergies

Where to spend money
Skim decorating magazines for ideas on broadening the appeal of specific rooms. Remember that something as simple as removing a piece of furniture can open up a room. Some sellers hire decorators to stage an existing home for sale; here's the sort of accessories they would invest in.

• Paint, in neutral colors
• Door pulls for kitchen and bathroom cabinets
• Fresh shower curtain and fluffy new towels
• Decorative throw pillows or a new bedspread for a lackluster room
• Fresh flowers or live houseplants in decorative pots

For more information, visit Randy Florke's Web site www.theruralconnection.com or email him at rflorke@attglobal.net

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