Products sell faster and for more money when they are properly showcased, or as those of us in the real estate business like to call it, "staged."

Auto dealers wax and polish a car and detail the interior before parking it on the lot. Department stores meticulously dress their manikins to flaunt the latest fashions. Yet, when some Realtors and homeowners put a $100K+ home up for sale, they completely overlook the staging process, cheating themselves out of potentially thousands of dollars.

As a Realtor, you can't force your way into your client's house and start rearranging the furniture and decluttering the kitchen. You have to sell them on the value of staging and then teach them the techniques and tips they need to do it right.

First, convince your clients of the need to stage their home. A brief visit to any of the top staging company websites can provide you with the facts and figures you need. In about ten minutes of searching the Web for "staging a home," I learned that a professionally staged home sells in half the time for seven to ten percent more than a comparable unstaged home.

Given those numbers, a home that would normally take two months to sell at a price of $500,000 would sell in a month for $535,000 to $550,000 with professional staging! With the housing bubble quickly deflating and competition to sell homes heating up, those numbers are enough to drag even the most unenthusiastic homeowners out of their recliners to start cleaning house.

Once you have a motivated homeowner on your team, the next step is to educate that homeowner on how to properly stage the property. Hiring a professional stager is one option, but most homeowners are quite capable of staging their own homes for a fraction of the cost. Staging is not about spending a lot of money. It's about clearing the clutter and creatively rearranging the stage. Here's a guide to help homeowners cover the basics:

Landscaping: Mow and edge the lawn, pull weeds, fix any cracks in the pavement, and sweep up after yourself. Lay fresh mulch and plant fresh flowers (if in season).

Entryways: Sweep the porch and stairs, lay down an attractive new doormat, fix the screens, wash the windows, polish the doorknobs, and clear the clutter out of the entryways. Make sure the doors open and close with ease.

Interior: Scrub and shine the house throughout. Hide family photos, religious icons, or political paraphernalia. Prospective buyers need to envision themselves living in the house, and this stuff clutters their minds.

Kitchen: Clean and polish everything and clear off the counters, especially knife racks, dish drainers, towels, and soap. Clear out and clean the inside of the refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher; people do look inside.

Living room or den: Clear the clutter and dust everything. Rearrange the furniture and place excess items in storage. If your furniture is an eye sore, you may want to rent something that's more attractive and tasteful and that makes the room look larger.

Bathrooms: Empty the trash, scrub down the tub or shower (especially any mildewy areas), keep the toilet seat down and covered, and get those toothbrushes off the vanity.

Bedrooms: The master bedroom should have a good-sized bed and a small dresser. The other bedrooms should follow suit or be empty.

Just before showing: Do a final walkthrough to tidy up the place, turn on all the lights, and open the windows to let the fresh air in. Most stagers recommend against using heavy air fresheners, scented candles, and potpourri. Instead, set out a bouquet of fresh cut flowers to bring the outside in.

The best way to get a first-hand look at a properly staged home is to visit a builder's model home. You will quickly notice that the model is impeccably clean, sparsely furnished (though not completely empty), and tastefully decorated. That's your goal. With a modest investment of time and effort and very little money, you significantly boost your chances of selling the house fast and for top dollar. Don't be a staging stooge.

Published: August 11, 2006

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Once dubbed by TIME Magazine "the best-selling REALTOR® in America," Ralph R. Roberts, CRS, GRI is an award-winning and internationally recognized real estate agent, author, coach, and speaker. Throughout his career, Ralph has proven his commitment to helping other real estate and sales professionals build upon their past and present success, grow and expand their businesses, and provide a rich and rewarding future for themselves, their customers, their employees, and their families. As president and CEO of Ralph Roberts Realty, Ralph has personally helped thousands of consumers realize their dream of homeownership. While selling over 10,000 homes (and buying and selling over 3,000 investment properties) throughout his 30-year career, Ralph has made the time to mentor and coach hundreds of professionals in real estate, sales, and a host of other fields. Ralph is a recognized authority on Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud; Residential Real Estate; Personal Salesmanship; and, Sales Force and Office Management, Motivation, and Design. Ralph's numerous websites, blogs, seminars, and speaking engagements engage, entertain, and educate both consumers and professionals. Ralph is also an accomplished author with several successful titles to his credit, including: Power Teams: The Complete Guide to Building and Managing a Winning Real Estate Agent Team Mortgage Myths: 77 Secrets That Will Save You Thousands on Home Financing (John Wiley & Sons) Foreclosure Self-Defense For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Protect Yourself from Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud: Preserving the American Dream of Homeownership (Kaplan) Foreclosure Investing For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Advanced Selling For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Flipping Houses For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman (HarperCollins) Real Wealth by Investing in Real Estate (Prentice Hall/Penguin Group) Sell it Yourself (Adams Media) 52 Weeks of Sales Success (HarperCollins) To learn more about Ralph, visit AboutRalph.com or check out his daily insights on real estate and mortgage fraud prevention at FlippingFrenzy.com. You can reach Ralph at RalphRoberts@RalphRoberts.com or by calling (586) 751-0000.