With the Austin real estate market booming as it is, staging a home for sale has become an essential step in the marketing of properties. Austinites are lucky to reside in a part of the country that naturally lends itself to a great home showing environment. With the great weather that Austin enjoys for much of the year, home exteriors can be detailed and improved with little concern for bad weather. The exterior of a home is always a good place to start when preparing a property for sale. As the exterior will form a huge percentage of the viewer's first impression it is critical that the home's exterior is clean and the yard is landscaped, organized and attractive.

Try to consider your home in terms of curb appeal. That is, it's visual impact when seen from the street. The lot should be empty of junk and clutter, with trimmed hedges, cut lawns, clean and tidy walkways and colorful gardens for a nice accent. Without a properly tended exterior, many prospective buyers will simply pass over the home; thinking that if the outside is messy and unkempt, the inside will be likewise. If people never make it to the home's interior there is very little chance of the home selling in any kind of timely or profitable fashion.

Once you have the attention of buyers by utilizing the exterior charm of your home, its time to "WOW" them with the home's interior. Staging the interior of your home is a process that should be broken down into individual rooms with a focus on the main areas of the home. Cleaning like a maniac is a reliable starting step. Any excess clutter and items of furniture that congest the feeling of a room should be removed to provide an open and airy feeling. There should be enough room for viewers to move about rooms without interference from furniture, personal belongings and knick-knacks. Be sure to give this same treatment to every room. Make sure that counter tops are free of items and that there are no odd smells in the home. It's a good idea to avoid the cooking of any foods with strong smells in the time leading up to any show as well as making sure that if you have pets, there are no odors associated with them. Really take the time to consider every aspect of your home from the viewpoint of a buyer. It may be difficult but it is necessary in order to receive the maximum profit from the sale of your home.