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Have a home for sale? Having a tough time getting it sold?

You may want to consider what is know as "home staging."

Home staging sets the scene throughout the house to create immediate buyer interest in your property, said Peggy Baker, founder and owner of Advantage One Day Home Staging, Altoona.

"When staging a home, you decorate the home for sale; you make the home into a showcase," Baker said.

Lisa Fry, owner/broker of Lisa Fry & Associates GMAC Real Estate, Altoona, said the point is to think of your home as a piece of merchandise that you want to make appealing to the most number of people.

"We tell people staging is an art of decorating a home to improve its appearance and function," said Emily Decker, co-owner of Infusion Interiors, Hollidaysburg. "The ultimate goal is to sell the house quickly for the highest possible price."

According to the book "Staging to Sell: The Secret to Selling Homes in a Down Market," 95 percent of staged homes sell on average in 35 days or less. Homes that are not staged take 172 or more days to sell.

There are several things that can be done to "stage" the home to make it sell quicker. Dianne Stultz, Realtor with Stultz Real Estate, Hollidaysburg, offered several tips.

"Sometimes it is just a matter of taking things people have and re-arranging," Stultz said. "Sometimes it is just as little as putting clean towels in the bathroom. A few decorative pieces can make a huge difference - chairs and tables in a corner, place mats and dishes on the bar."

To Holly O'Connor, Realtor at Howard Hanna Johnston Realty, Altoona, removing clutter is important.

"Sometimes there is too much furniture in a room. That makes the room look smaller than it is. You need to just keep key pieces and accent pieces to go with [them]," O'Connor said.

She also said the seller needs to de-personalize the home. Potential buyers need to be able to walk into a room and visualize themselves and their belongings there.

Kathy Seymore, an accredited staging professional with Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate, Altoona, agreed.

"You need to put yourself in the buyer's shoes as you look at each room," she said.

For example, dirt and clutter will attract a buyer's eye in a negative fashion. That detracts from them looking at the home's potential.

Kerrie Kinzle, owner of Kerrie Kinzle Design, Hollidaysburg, said she starts at the curb and goes through a home with a critical eye to help set the stage for buyers.

"I look at everything a prospective buyer would look at, including closets and the attic," Kinzle said. "You have to make it appear almost perfect for prospective buyers."

Ryan Decker, co-owner of Infusion Interiors, Hollidaysburg, also advised paying attention to the exterior of the home.

"That is as easy as removing leaves, adding mulch to the flower bed and putting new potted plants on the porch or the sidewalk," Decker said.

He added that trimming hedges and making sure lawns are green and neat are also important.

Even though it seems that there is a lot that goes along with staging, experts say it's worth the investment of time and money.

"It costs money for that house to be sitting empty," Kinzle said. "That investment you make will make your home sell faster and you will get more for it."

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.