Whether you have a small amount to spend on staging your home or are willing to spend up to 1% of your home’s value, you will be able to find a stager that meets your price limit.

Home staging can be broken down into 4 general price categories. Each stager may charge differently and may not provide each level of service, but this breakdown will give you an idea what to expect.

1. You can have the stager walk through your home and give you a consultation. The consultation ends with a list of recommendations that will help you show your house at its best. Such recommendations may be removing clutter, painting the walls, or hanging some art in specific places on the wall. This is typically the cheapest service and can range anywhere from $75 to $350 depending upon your location.

2. For a bigger fee, the home stager can come in and redecorate your home by changing around your furniture, removing pieces that do not fit, and even bringing in some of their own props.

3. Some home stagers will charge an hourly fee to do the cleaning, decluttering, and packing for you, as well as doing the redecorating.

4. And finally, some stagers will not only redecorate and bring in a few props, they will also bring in complete furniture suites with furniture from their own warehouse or from a rental store.

The cost of fully staging your home will depend upon the size of your home and the condition of your home. It will also depend upon whether the stager charges a specific fee per room or home or whether they charge by the hour. The more you ask of a stager, the higher the price will be.

No matter what price range you choose, home staging will make your home sell faster and for more money.

Teri B Clark is a professional writer and published author. Her most recent book, 301 Simple Things You Can Do To Sell Your Home NOW and For More Money Than You Thought, explains these tips in more detail and offers many, many others. To learn more about Teri’s latest book, visit http://staging-your-home.blogspot.com or sign up for a free newsletter

Many sellers ask the question, “Why should I stage my house?” Here are a lot of great reasons to put a little pizazz in the appeal of your home, inside and out. Remember, first impressions are so important. Take a look around your home with a buyer’s eye. You want all walls, base boards and doors to be clean. Are there big obstacles in the entry way? Is the entry narrow? If so add a mirror on the right wall to make it look more spacious.

Don’t over fill a room with furniture. Keep photos to a minimum–take them off your refrigerator! Make sure the lawn and front walkways are kept clean and get a new mat for the front door. Put large plants at the end of a room and add coordinated colors to the white rooms. The master bath, bedroom and kitchen should be very eye appealing.

Put a lot of those counter nicknacks in the cupboards. Remember, the outside of your home is very important because it is the first impression when buyers come. You need to make sure that the front of your home is well kept, your lawn should be mowed, and you should find some colorful plants to place in the entryway to attract buyers from the beginning of their visit. There are many other ways to make your home sell faster by doing simple things. Changing even the smallest details in your home can dramatically help to sell your home. Happy Staging!

Hello, my name is Linda Dayen, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Conroe, TX. I love meeting with and caring for people and their families in the buying and selling of real estate. I consider myself a hard-working, energetic, and friendly person and do my best for clients in acheiving their real estate goals. I strive to make my clients feel comfortable all through the process of relocating by communicating with them all along the way.

If you would like to contact me, visit one of my websites at http://www.ConroeAreaHomes.com or at

http://www.HomeInTheWoodlands.com

If you want to sell a property, you can choose to sell the home yourself or you can choose to sell your property through a real estate agent. A professional real estate agent can attract buyers, market a property, and can get you a great price on your home. On the other hand, an agent takes real estate commissions that can average 5-8% of the selling price. By using a real estate agent, you are also effectively giving another person control of the selling process. If you are having a hard time making your decision, ask yourself a few questions:

1) What is my time commitment? If you are in a hurry to sell your home or don’t have a lot of time, you may want to let a real estate agent handle the many tasks associated with selling a property. An agent will generally screen buyers, market your house, show the property, do all the paperwork, and negotiate on your behalf. If you don’t know how to do all this, you will have to factor in learning time, as well.

2) What is my knowledge of real estate? Real estate agents rely on an agent network and previous experience to sell a property. If you do not have knowledge of real estate but want to sell your home, you will want to research the market before you place your property up for sale.

3) Am I qualified to screen buyers and negotiate contracts? If you want to go the “for sale by owner” (FSBO) route, you will need to hire professionals to run background checks and research sellers. In general, you will want to hire someone who can ensure that buyers qualify for financing and you will want to hire a real estate attorney to negotiate and draw up contracts. However, you will still have to rely on your own instincts about which offers and which buyers are a good fit for you.

4) Do I need to stay in control of the buying process? Many property owners choose to sell their home as a FSBO property because they want full control of the selling process. As the seller, you can choose the price, advertising strategy, open houses and much more. If you sell your home yourself you can choose to see buyers by appointment and manage every aspect of the sale. A real estate agent may have their own ideas about the best way to sell a home. Also, consider that you know more about your property than an agent. If your home has special qualities that a real estate agent does not appreciate, you may be able to offer more information and help to potential buyers.

5) What is the market like? If it is a seller’s market, you may not have any trouble finding buyers and good offers for your home. In fact, you may have potential buyers lined up before you even put your property up for sale. If your home is in a very desirable location or is highly desirable for some other reason, you may face a buyer’s market, no matter what is happening with real estate. If, on the other hand, your area’s real estate market is a buyer’s market or if your home is undesirable to potential buyers for any reason, you may have a harder time selling it yourself.

6) Could my emotions get in the way? Selling real estate is all about emotions. You must engage with buyers and be pleasant in negotiations. If you want to sell your home, you can’t be too attached to the property or a particular price.

7) Would a hybrid route make sense? While most property sellers think that they have to choose between a real estate agent and a FSBO strategy, this is not the case. You can offer your home for sale yourself but hire professionals such as discount brokers, “paid-for-services” agents or settlement agents to help you. You retain control of the selling process but pay a commission to these agents to help you find buyers.

Selling your home can be nerve-wracking. Deciding whether to do it yourself or whether to hire a real estate agent is a big step. Think carefully and answer all the above questions before you decide. The right selling strategy can save you a lot of hassle, so choose wisely.

This article is free for reproduction provided that the author biography, complete with links, is included along with this disclaimer.

Eric Bramlett currently manages his Austin Real Estate website, his Austin Real Estate company’s website, & his Austin Lofts Guide.

Alright, so the multitude of TV shows about home flipping have worked you into a massive money inspired home renovation craze. No problem, just stop frothing at the mouth over the prospective money and realize that some REALLY careful planning is required to make this process work for you. On the TV shows of course the homes are going to be purchased, after all, they have featured on a national TV show right? Nothing will attract buyers and interest like a bunch of television cameras.

So without national TV coverage you are going to have to be smart about home flipping. Start planning long before you even look at homes. You should have the whole process outlined and the funding in place before you even make a preliminary offer on anything, Now, when considering how the repairs and renovations to the home will be made. If you are doing them yourself, make sure that you have enough time built into the schedule to allow for the completion of everything you need to do. If you are contracting the work, make sure that you have quite a few bids and take the one that can guarantee their work and their end date. Nothing is worse then having contractors put your job off to finish others. You should be able to agree on a finishing date for your project, in fact, you should write it into the contract that you will have with the builder.

Stick to your plan as the renos progress, maybe try listing the home earlier on in the process. It is possible to get good offers before the upgrades are complete. Remember that your bottom line has to justify the time, effort and money that you have put into the home. If it does not, you will operating at a loss and the whole point of this process is lost. Try to plan out your total expenditures ahead of time so that you know what you need to make on the sale to turn a profit. Keep a target number in mind for your profit and do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Charlie Pigeon is a real estate agent specializing in Fort Myers Condos . Fort Myers features some of the best waterfront and standard condominiums in the Southwest Florida Real Estate area. Let Charlie Pigeon help you find the condo of your dreams.

If you have a home that you need to sell quickly there are specific steps you must take in order for this to happen. Some people have more time to spend before they actually sell, but if you need to move quickly then follow these 5 tips and you will make a fast sale at a fair price.

• Use a realtor that is a top producer in your neighborhood - The best realtors are the busy ones. Interview several people to find someone who is a good fir for you but make sure you use the services of someone who is actively listing and showing homes like yours every day.
• Price your home right - Use the services of a residential appraiser, along with your realtor, to determine the right price for your home. These professionals can inspect your home and compare it with similar homes that have sold recently in your immediate neighborhood. Do not list you home for more than 5%more than this amount. Allow a small amount for negotiation but know what your home should sell for before you put it on the market.
• Make your home easy to show - Make sure your realtor uses a lock box and allow your home to be shown on a few minutes notice. Allow your realtor or the buyer’s realtor to show your home when you are not there. Make arrangements to visit a neighbor or go to a local store for awhile so that your home can be shown easily and freely. Buyers like to be able to speak openly about the home they are looking at without the seller overhearing their conversation.
• Offer to help with the closing costs or other items - Buyer’s love to receive cash back at closing but rules will apply. By paying some of the closing costs or offering a carpet or window treatments allowance they will feel like they have done better with their negotiations. It is better to let the new people choose colors and styles anyway so this is a win-win for everyone.
• Get rid of any clutter - Put away your valuable items and begin to pack up things that you are not using at this time. Stack the boxes neatly in the garage and begin to move them away from your house as soon as possible. Go through each room and pack up or give away anything that you will not be taking with you to the new house.

By following these tips your home should sell quickly in any type of real estate market. You will make it easy on yourself and your buyers by being fair, efficient, and logical. You will also receive a fair price and the buyers will feel that they have received a reasonable deal on their home purchase.

Connie Ragen Green is a Real Estate Broker and State Certified Residential Appraiser in California and has bought and sold over 100 properties since 1983. Visit her at http://www.BuyRealEstateforProfit.com for more information about buying and selling real estate.

Have you ever why some homes sell faster than others? It could be the very same model in the same neighborhood, and one home moves quickly whereas some just remain on the market with disinterested buyers. Here are some tips to stage your home to not only sell it, but to get top dollar.

First, examine your home from the curbside as though you had never seen it before. It may be difficult to really put on your objective glasses, but if you can, you will be surprised of how accustomed we become to that broken gate, the damaged garage door, or the garden hose that isn?t rolled up. These may sound like minor issues, but to the home buyer, they?re touring your home with a magnifying glass and a white glove. Begin your evaluation by writing down everything you notice that could improve your property in the slightest way. Here are some inexpensive, easy tips to enhance your home and get top dollar!

Be sure to replace or trim trees and plants and try livening up your garden with some colorful, fragrant flowers near the entrance. In some cases, you can even use beautiful silk floral pieces in large pots as long as they look real!

Varnish or paint the entrance door with subtle colors such as black, burnt brown, gray, forest green, or white. If you?re home is older, replace the old door with a glass entrance door. If you have a screen door, consider purchasing one of the newer models and make sure the latch works for easy entry. First impressions and anticipation of walking into your ?dream house? begins here.

The first thing people notice is if the home is bright and cheery. The last thing homebuyers want to do is walk into a dark hole and depend on a realtor to turn on (and off) the lights and open (and close) all the blinds or shades. The cheery greeting your home gives to people will give them an immediate impression as to how they FEEL about your home. If you have pets, be sure to pack away all their toys and dog foot or kitty litters. Keep your home smelling fresh and clean that doesn’t repel the prospective homebuyer.

Flooring is one of the most important features homebuyers will judge. Clean the carpet and don?t request that buyers take off their shoes. Do everything in your power to welcome visitors and keep them there. Any excuse you give them NOT to view your home will lower your numbers. Remember the more people who view your home, the better chance you have in selling it.

Replace bathroom fixtures with the newer ones ?Hollywood lights are out. Make sure the bathtub is scrubbed clean as well as shower stalls. Buy a new shower curtain, if necessary and caulk around tiles in the shower and tub. Be aware that bright colors or children’s colors may be a turn-off to new buyers. Paint your walls with neutral colors such as beige or off white.

Take out the clutter, garbage, stinky shoes, and put your dirty clothes in the hamper. It’s very important to have those beds fixed in the morning too! Clean the sliding glass door to the patio as well as the patio furniture. Cut and trim the grass often for a fresh, clean smell.

People want to imagine their families living in their future home and you have the ability to set the stage. The home should be complete with bar stools at the breakfast nook, soft lighting, and nice furniture. Remember, the backyard has become an extension of the home. Show off your BBQ, patio furniture or children’s play area in a way that they feel their own family would enjoy.

If you have a pool, have the pool guy come over so your pool is sparkling clean. Buy some Tahiti candle torches for a tropical look. If you have a bar, place plastic glasses and trays as though you were ready to have a party. If you don?t have a covered patio, you may want to make a small investment by buying a canvas cabana that warms the heart and sets a romantic mood. Put some candles on your patio table and accentuate with lots of plants surrounding the patio.

Blinds, plantation shutters, and Roman shades are in. The least expensive, but most popular choice, is to replace your verticals or outdated mini-blinds with wooden blinds. They?re easy to install yourself and will make a big difference in the overall look of the home. You may find some very nice Roman shades that are reasonable and can be used in lieu of curtains as a trim. Curtain panels from the high ceilings will serve as a window treatment and add elegance or magnitude to your room also.

Make sure your kitchen and bathrooms are always clean and remember that homebuyers will look in your pantry and closets. You can always fake it by cleaning the sinks every morning before leaving for work and wiping down the mirrors if there are any noticeable spots. Never leave dirty dishes or pots and pans in the sink. Just hide them in the dishwasher.

Dare to be open enough to get opinions from your friends, neighbors, and realtor. Ask if they have any suggestions as to how to arrange your furniture and be willing to give it a try to see how it looks. Their perspective may make a big difference in your entire floor plan. People are looking for space so you want to do whatever it takes to make your home look open and spacious.

If you feel that your bottom line can handle more expensive upgrades to compete against other newer homes, you may want to replace old carpeting with 18″ tile and new carpeting in the bedrooms with a thick pad. I wouldn?t suggest changing your countertops to granite or changing the kitchen cabinets as that would be very expensive and may not be compensated unless you are doing a total renovation.

Make sure your realtor is marketing your home with brochures, advertising, open houses, and flattering PHOTOS on the MLS. This is a big, emotional purchase for the homebuyers so make your home stand out and shout ? WELCOME HOME!

Doris Piña is a successful licensed realtor in Las Vegas, Nevada and offers buyer-seller resources at http://www.LasVegasHomeSellingTeam.com. She also is the publisher and webmaster at http://www.dorisjeanpina.com providing information and sources to develop entrepreneurial skills in a successful and productive way. She promotes building innovative online businesses with visual instructional resources and topics of http://www.dorisjeanpina.com/thesecret

If you are trying to sell your home you will want to try to see it from your prospective buyer’s point of view. Whether you have lived in your home for a year or two or for over twenty years you see it from a different angle than anyone else would. There are small things that you can do so that people coming to look at your house will see it with the best possible “curb appeal”. A small amount of time and money can make a big difference in how the buyer perceives your home. If the front looks well cared for they will automatically feel that you take care of the property.

Stand on the sidewalk or curb in front of your house and try to imagine it as though it were someone else’s home. Look at the front door, the landscaping, the windows, the driveway, the front porch and the mailbox. You want the buyer to make an emotional connection to your house. What jumps out at you as being in need of some attention? Look for these things:

• Is the front door painted and clean? Has the doorknob been replaced in the past few years? You can polish and clean this area and it will look fresh and new. Remove any shoes or other items that may be in the way as the buyer moves toward the front door.
• What about the driveway. Is it stained with oil? Are there toys, bicycles or trash cans blocking the way?
• Is the lawn neatly manicured? Some fresh flowers can be very inviting and do not cost very much. Choose colors that will compliment the colors of the house. Avoid too much red or orange.
• If you have windows in the front of your house open the curtains and turn a light on, even if it is the middle of the day. Take a damp rag and wipe out the windows, inside and out.
• Get a new door mat. Sweep or hose off the area so that it looks nice and clean

All of these things will add to your home’s curb appeal. No one can say exactly what curb appeal is but we know it has to do with the feeling someone gets when they first pull up in front of a home. People buy for emotional reasons and then rationalize the decision later. If the front of your home looks well cared for, clean, and inviting then it is more likely that the buyer will enter the house with a good feeling.

Connie Ragen Green is a Real Estate Broker and State Certified Residential Appraiser in California and has bought and sold over 100 properties since 1983. Visit her at http://www.BuyRealEstateforProfit.com for more information about buying and selling real estate.

Staging your home for a quick sale, is as important as picking the right realtor to represent your home. It is imperative that your home appears clean,warm, and inviting. This peaks the potential buyer’s curiosity giving them the desire to see more of the house as they move from room to room. Proper staging and tasteful decor is what could make or break a deal.

Depending on the condition of your home, you may or may not have your work cut out for you. If your home is an older home, or has been neglected, it is important to make major repairs, especially to any holes in the walls, water stains on ceilings, etc. Everything that is visibly broken or extremely worn should be fixed or replaced.

Once all of the obvious problems have been remedied, take a look at your walls. Do they have hand prints, food splatter, and dirt all over them? Try wiping the walls gently with baby wipes or a warm soapy cloth . Remember to clean the doors, light switches, and trim as well. If the job is too big, or wiping doesn’t work, consider a new coat of paint in a neutral color. Nothing freshens up a house more than a new coat of paint. By choosing neutral colors, the potential buyer will feel like they have options when it comes to decorating their new home in their own style and taste, without an added expense.

Once the house has been repaired, and the walls are bright and clean, its time to declutter. People tend to feel claustrophobic or tense when a house is dirty and messy. You will want to give the appearance of spacious counters and shelves, so leave the bare minimum on dressers, desks, counters, and shelving. Dress up long tables and dressers with runners. Fresh flowers, bowls filled with fruit, river rocks, lemons and or limes are always a nice earthy touch. Be creative, anything goes, as long as it looks good.

Ample closet space is always very desirable. All closets should be neat and fresh smellling. Now is the time to get ride of anything you do not want or need. A good rule of thumb is, if you haven’t touched it in a year, you won’t miss it when it’s gone. Organize shoes by type in an organizer or on the floor. Hang all slacks together, short sleeve shirts together, etc. This will help the closet look roomy and tidy. Be sure all beds are made. Throw pillows on the bed give the room a luxurious look and feel. Night stands should have only necessities such as a clock, phone and lamp on it. A stack of two or three hard covered books are a nice touch. If the lamp is not too tall, you can set the lamp on top of the books. Everything should be picked up off of the floor. Remove any piles of “stuff” from the corners, this will only detract from the space and the whole appearance of what should be a relaxing sanctuary.

In the kitchen make sure counters are wiped clean and not cluttered with appliances, baskets, toys, etc. Again, you want to convey a spacious work environment. Appliances should be wiped clean inside and out. One never knows who will be opening them up for a little look inside.

The bathrooms should be clean, have matching towels, and clutter free counters. The commode and shower should be wiped down, especially the floor around it. Set up some candles and you will be all done in there.

Before showing your home consider have the carpets cleaned. Although it’s an easy fix, dirty carpets are a BIG turn off to potential buyers. Vacuum rugs, mop the floors, and dust the furniture as often as possible or as needed to ensure that the house comes across as being cared for. Lighting candles and spraying rugs with foam carpet spray gives the house a fresh smell prior to a buyer’s arrival.

Don’t forget about the outside. The front of your home gives off the very first impression. It’s the cover to your book. The walkway and driveway should be free of bicycles, skates, gardening tools, etc. Plant flowers to add color and curb appeal. If you can not afford to add flowers, a potted plant or two along with a nice welcome mat will do the trick. Mow the lawn, and edge as needed. Keep trees, plants, and bushes pruned. Keep the flower beds free of weeds. The same applies to the backyard.

With some time, effort, and creativity, you can make your home a show place you will be proud of.

It is typical for people to face, at same point in their lives, the prospect of selling or buying an investment property or a real estate. Because of the innate complexities accompanying the deals and conditions, and even the system of buying and selling itself, people need to seek the assistance of real estate agents to do for them all the works. In return, such agents would be sharing a small percentage of the total earning from the sale.

Normally, the percentage would run from 4% to 6%. However, this could still vary depending on the agreement between the broker and the homeowner.

Why enlist real estate agents? Why not sell or market the house on your own?

Well, as we have said earlier, the process of buying and selling real estates does not fall on elementary conditions. It is bounded by complex tax regulations, marketing and advertising schemes, and complicated mediums of selling. Thus, for ordinary people who have no orientation on either sales or laws, selling real estates is not just difficult, it is undoable.

Besides, real estate agents are in a way the authorities in the market within their communities. They know exactly how to give prices on various properties and they know exactly which property would best suit a future owner. They also have the access on financing as well as the laws and local zoning.

In a nutshell, real estate agents are the intermediaries between the sellers and the buyers.

Real estate agents are normally independent workers who work on a contract basis with real estate brokers. Brokers are the business people who sell other people’s real estate properties, or manage them for a fee. These brokers would give the agents commission on the sold properties.

However, both agents and brokers could go beyond the sales. They also spend significant amount of searches and time to obtain listing of properties that would agree to fall under their firm. This may sound easy enough since there are lots of people who always search for assistance but this is further from the truth as you might have first perceived. Often, this would set the difference between succeeding and failing. In the absence of properties to sell, there is logically no earning. But that doesn’t stop there.

Even with some listing of properties, there is still no assurance of succeeding unless they have established themselves enough. This will vary depending on the credibility the agents and brokers have gathered, the accomplishments, the years they have existed and their fang with competition.

Most real estate agents and brokers contract and sell residential properties. However, some focus or at least specialize on industrial, commercial and agricultural types of real estate. Each specialty would need a great extent of knowledge on the field.

As with the process, this often starts with the meeting between the agent or the broker and the client. This would supply enough information and the feel of what property suits the client. This would also establish rapport between both parties which would help them become transparent with each other. His qualifying stage would also help determine the extent of how much the buyer could afford. In fact, the acquaintance between both sides would help create a good environment. After the initial meeting, they might meet for several times more and discuss on the agreements and issues they both would be facing.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on href="http://www.soldin36hours.com">selling houses fast checkout his href="http://www.soldin36hours.com">home selling tips.

If you are planning to flip a home, then hiring an experienced contractor is very important. Besides, you will have to make sure that everyone; you, the contractor, the subcontractor, and the workers, are on the same page. You must sign the contractor contract for flipping houses.

A contract signed between you and the contractor or the sub contractor ensures that all the parties involved in the project understand their obligations and that there is nothing left to interpretation. A written contractor contract for flipping houses or any written contract for that matter is legally binding. Therefore, as the owner of the house, your contract will protect you against any inferior quality work or damages resulting due to negligence. The contract will also act as the most effective tool for settling any disputes if things get out of hand and end up in the court of law.

Drawing a contractor contract for flipping houses is easy. Just about, anyone can draw up a contract, and you do not need to hire a lawyer. Also, the standard blank contracts can be bought at office supply stores, and you can use this as an actual template or a guide to make the necessary adjustments so that it meets your home remodelling requirements and desires. Do not sign any pre-printed contract given to you by the contractor unless you have read and re-read every word or have it examined by a lawyer.

Remember, by signing a pre-printed contract, you may be inviting troubles for present or future. You must draft the contract yourself.

George Christodoulou,

If you have any questions about contractor href="http://HouseFlipBlog.com">contract for flipping houses,

please visit, http://HouseFlipBlog.com for more information.