If you live in a house in a neighborhood that has a lot of foreclosures you will appreciate this. As I have been showing homes to clients in the Southwest Florida market I have become more embarrassed by what I am seeing. Where is the Home Owners Association management in this process? I am seeing lawns and driveways overcome by weeds and un kept landscaping. Not only is this a severe eye sore for potential buyers it becomes a natural habitat for critters like snakes and even the occasion gator.

If you are a home owner and you are paying your HOA dues you need to get involved. Just the comments my potential home buyers are making, not only on the property that I am showing but also the neighborhood in general puts a pit in my stomach. You have all of these hardworking home owners (and renters) taking care of their lawns and then you have sporadic patches of overgrown jungles with homes that have broken windows.

I was talking to a couple a few days ago and I think the wise man who happens to teach high school here in Lee County said it best. He told me that he mows his neighbor’s yard, which has been foreclosed on, just so that he does not have to look at the overgrown jungle.

I think that the HOA needs to take some ownership and even charge the bank back for lawn maintenance. Unkempt properties not only invite critters into the yards but also squatters which I know I have written about in the past. Until we are able to sell through these foreclosed and short sale properties we need to ensure our neighborhoods don’t look like Somalia. We will never be able to sell this look to a potential client. In fact, if a client is looking at a property that is overgrown with weeds the client sees dollar signs.

I know that it is unfair to the “good” folks out there that do take care of their own property and lawns. However, until ownership is taken by someone that property will continue to sit vacant and when the offer does come in, it will drag your property value down even further. Take the 20 minutes; it is an investment in your property value.

Staging a home for a sale is as important as being priced ahead of the market. Staging is the art of preparing the house for sale. Staging is what you do after you've cleaned, decluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it's all about dressing the house for sale. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more habitable and, best of all; it makes home buyers want to buy it!

The staging process starts when you search for a qualified listing agent by asking the questions regarding staging and preparing your home for sale. Some Real Estate Sales Professionals are had earned an ASP RE Certification which is an Accredited Staging Professional for Realtors designation. Other Real Estate Professionals will have a certified ASP Staging Professional on retainer or on staff.

According to statistics, 94.6% of ASP Staged homes sell within 35 days. Additionally, the cost of staging a home can have a 300% return on that investment during the sales process. Using a Realtor that has these resources for you will reduce the days your home is on the market and get you a much better price for your home.

The “Seven C’s Of Home Staging” include clean, clutter free, color, compromise, creativity, commitment and communicate. Remember that the investment of staging your home is far less expensive that the possible price reductions on your home may incur during it’s time on the market.

For more information on staging homes for sale visit my website at www.GreatSWFLHomes.com.

In today’s Real Estate marketplace it is important to set yourself up to sell your property quickly and for the most money. There are four basic ways to do this: Pricing ahead of the market, utilizing a world class REALTOR, Staging your home and Intense Marketing. One of the least expensive is home staging.