Michael Khouri, 49, is a partner in Buckner Khouri Chavos & Mirkovich, an Orange County (CA.) law firm. He has a busy law practice focusing on federal court, criminal defense, and administrative law. When his father passed away last year, Khoui became trustee of a triplex in a very desirable area of Marina del Rey, California, only a block from the beach.

But like many professional people at the peak of their careers, Khouri didn't have time for a property over 60 miles away. The 1,400 square foot top floor that Michael had grown up in was in serious need of cosmetic repairs in order to make it leap out at buyers and get top dollar. The home needed a new kitchen, carpet, painting, and more. Either Khouri had to make repairs himself, or find the right people to do so and oversee the work as well.

Mr Khouri hired a local real estate agent to take care of the problem. Anthony Marguleas and his company, Amalfi Estates , specializes in services for absent owners to help them make their homes desirable, easier to sell and to obtain the best price possible.

Marguleas did the following for Khouri:

• assessed what needed to be done via a home inspection

• consulted with an interior designer on paint colors, flooring choices, style and amount of furniture needed

• interviewed several tradesman to get competitive quotes

• hired all the workmen required

• supervised the work

• coordinated all the different sub contractors

• brought in a homestaging company to 'dress' the property.

After the initial assessments and consultations, the team had a handyman do the minor repairs, had the trash and the old carpet removed, the place repainted, and new appliances installed in the kitchen. When that was done, Marguleas brought in a staging company to furnish the property in a neutral but contemporary style that was sure to win the votes of potential buyers.

The total cost of the repair work along with staging was $7,500. The costs were paid for by the client.

Marguleas' team spent over 100 hours doing this work -- at no extra charge. Their time and efforts were included in their standard commission.

"Too many agents just stick a sign in front of a home and wait for the phone to ring. At Amalfi Estates, we feel we should earn our commission by serving the customer's needs," says Marguleas. "Experience shows that the typical return on investment is usually 4-5 times, which is well worth it."

He explains, "Most buyers when they walk into a neglected home cannot see past the old paintwork and stained carpet and have little or no vision, which is why staging a home is so important. Buying a home is an emotional purchase which is why this service is so valuable because a home that looks amazing grabs the buyer emotionally. I am always amazed when I go to an Open House and see a run-down home. It makes me wonder why someone who is trying to sell their most valuable asset does nothing to fix it up -- or doesn't ask their realtor for assistance."

And the results? At the Open House weekend, Mr. Marguleas had four very strong offers. The triplex sold for almost $2 million, one of the highest prices per square foot of any comparable home in the area. The whole process from start to finish took just over three months.

And the client was thrilled. Khouri says, "I couldn't have been happier. I barely had to think about it. Anthony and his team kept in contact with me -- and got on with the work. He is providing a really useful and necessary service to people like me -- and I know of many -- who just don't have the time or ability to deal with this sort of situation themselves."

Marguleas continues, "For me it's a no-brainer to provide this kind of service for my clients. But sadly, many agents believe that once they have the paperwork signed for the listing, their work is done. Then all they have to do is wait for the phone to ring."

Currently, Orange County is at about zero inflation for its housing market, which means housing prices have plateaued.