Mystified, Muddled, emotionally Max'd out. I don't know where to begin. Suffice it to say, I've decided to sell my house and move. No, not me, but maybe you are.

Caught up in the throws of the 5 w's, we're met face-to-face with the "how am I going to get my house ready for showings"?

Having heard of the 10 second rule, people will be coming into your house and intrinsically make a decision within 10 seconds. They like or they don't like the house.

Let me introduce you to a great solution, bursting with enthusiasm, turning your house into a show home worthy of the over 10 second threshold.... A home stager!

Home staging is not a new term, for many homeowners and real estate agents the concept of professional home staging is shedding new light on how to promote a home in the marketplace. Professional home stagers are practiced in the art of preparing a home for resale. They work with the "flow" of a home, eliminate clutter, edit and arrange furniture, and even assist in enhancing curb-appeal.

This means that your home can make a notable first impression on potential homeowners.

I met with Kathyrn Sobko, owner of her own home staging business, Creative Living Spaces. Together we talked about getting a house show-home ready. She'll develop the plan and prioritize the jobs that would provide the biggest return on your investment. She would even set up and manage the sub contractors if this was your wish. As a home stager, she will take care of the details so you can focus your energies elsewhere. What a bonus.

Kathryn shared with me a true story of a recent home staging experience for a local couple. Planning on renovating their basement, kitchen, and sunroom in preparation for the sale of their home, they estimated the cost of $15,000. Their REALTOR suggested hiring a home stager prior to starting the renovations. The home stager indicated that the renovations would not necessarily increase the value of the home and made some alternative staging suggestions that the home owners were able to implement themselves. The total cost for both the staging consultation and the improvement costs was $2,000 as opposed to $15,000. The result was that the vendors actually received their asking price, upon the sale of their home. The combined difference that this home staging service made for these vendors was $13,000.

Here's another advantage to hiring a pro. A home stager could help you sell your house quicker which translates into less time you need to keep the house in "show-home shape". Further, we certainly could go on to say that a home stager reduces the risk of having to lower your asking price.

Kathryn's home is here on Gabriola, but her business is taking her to Nanaimo, too. She can be reached at 247-9312. Think about it: "The 10 second rule. Make the best impression their first impression."