Homeowners wanting to sell their home are in for some good news as many real estate markets are showing signs of rebound. For example, Denver, Colorado is one such market that is seeing homes in the $100,000-$300,000 range sell quickly and for more than expected. However, despite these positive trends, sellers remain cautious and competition is tough, especially since foreclosed properties continue to saturate most markets.

One way to maintain the competitive edge, increase the desirability of your home and set it up for a quick sale is to have your home professionally staged. The main idea behind staging is that it depersonalizes the style of the home so it appeals to a more broad range of buyers. You want a prospective buyer to picture himself living in the home.

Although there is no guarantee, history has shown that staged homes spend less time on the market and sell for far more than non-staged homes. And yet, many homeowners are reluctant to take advantage of this proven sales strategy, for several reasons.

1. It is too expensive. The cost to professionally stage a home can fluctuate. As the objective of home staging is to emphasize its positive features and downplay the negatives, a house that is already in terrific condition will have a lower bill to professionally stage it. Most professional stagers will meet with you and provide a cost estimate, and many are even allowing creative payment options to meet your particular needs.

2. It will be too difficult. The reality is that home staging can be as simple as de-cluttering your home or rearranging or updating accessories. It can also be as complex as updating every single room. Luckily, the latter is hardly ever necessary; you can often achieve excellent results by highlighting a few key rooms or areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or the master bedroom. A key factor is to de-clutter the entire house, in order to best display your homes unique qualities.

3. It will take too long. Actually, the average time spent is one to three days, with even the most complex staging projects getting done in less than a week.

Selling a home is still very tough, particularly since there are bank owned properties priced to sell competing with your home. Having your home professionally staged may be just what you need to give you that competitive edge and to sell your home fast and for a great price.