Whenever you are selling a home, whether one you have lived in, or one that you bought to make a profit, it is important that you present the residence in the best possible manner, so that it sells the quickest. You want potential buyers to feel come in and feel comfortable, invited, and be able to have immediate ideas of why they want the home they are looking at. Cold empty rooms, echoing hallways, and dull colors often deter people away. Because these homes are harder to sell, many real estate agents shy away from showing these homes.

Ironically, instead of lowering a listing price, spending some extra cash on the home can make a bigger difference in selling it. Planning ahead is the key to this. If you know when the next open house will be, something as simple as renting furniture can give your house some energy.

If you are someone who buys and sells homes frequently, investing in some cheap but tasteful furniture from a second hand store or garage sale is a smart idea. This can help you save money over renting furniture, and it also saves you time trying to find the right things. Having a couple matching sets is ideal, that way you can fit the flow of the home you are selling.

Your real estate agent can be a huge resource for information when staging homes for resale. There are also professional staging services that will come and assess the home and give you recommendations of what furniture is needed, what colors to paint rooms, how to arrange things, etc. If you are someone who does not have the time to do this, or someone who just does not have the right touch, many home staging services offer to make the changes that are needed themselves.

Staging the inside of the property isn't the only area where staging can be done. The outside of the home is the first thing buyers see when the approach the door. Garages that are repainted, doors fixed or replaced not only help to sell the house, but can also raise its value.

If the property is presented as a family dwelling, then it may be a good idea to stage the exterior to look more child or pet friendly. Setting up a small cheap playground, a few well placed toys, are all good ideas. Buying a cheap kennel or a dog house could make pet owners say things like; "look, even Fluffy will have his own home." This will draw people in, and make them feel themselves living there.

There are many other tips and advice for you online, or from any local real estate agent. Not only can they help suggest improvements you can do on your own, but what professional services are available for your needs. With a little staging, the home you are trying to sell will make more warm and friendly, and will probably sell much more quickly then emptier ones of the same value.

Jodi Lampert is an Accredited Staging Professional along with the proud owner of Home Spaces Staged, and she knows the differences between living in a home and selling a home. Find out the tips Jodi knows on selling a house quickly and the home staging services she offers.