Tina Vervoorn, 5/4/09
An online survey to more than 60,000 RE/MAX agents* across the U.S. conducted by PODS Enterprises continues to demonstrate the importance of decluttering a home in a slow housing market.

PODS survey of RE/MAX Realtors found 95 percent of its agents stated decluttering is critical to selling a home at an optimal price. The results showed nearly 40 percent believe decluttering increases the sale price by 6-10 percent and shortens the sale time by one month.

"RE/MAX agents are known for using the best tools and techniques to maximize customer value," said Randy Morse, Vice President at RE/MAX International based in Denver, CO. "As a RE/MAX Approved Supplier, PODS provides a convenient way to declutter homes with the advantage of off-site storage in a PODS Storage Center until the home sells."

As the housing market and property values decline throughout the U.S., innovative strategies are put into place to facilitate a quicker and more profitable sale. A do-it-yourself tip all homeowners can take advantage of is decluttering, or removing unnecessary personal and bulky items to make the home appear larger and more inviting to potential buyers. The bright red and white PODS® containers have been hailed as the perfect solution to homeowners´ decluttering and storage needs.

"PODS is one of the most uncomplicated and flexible solutions in the moving and storage industry," said Christine Pierce, Chief Marketing Executive Officer of PODS. "Our portable containers can be placed in a homeowner´s driveway during the decluttering process, and then stored in a PODS Storage Center, where the containers are housed in a clean, secure facility for as long as needed."

According to a national study in 2008 of 2,000 real estate professionals conducted by HomeGain®, a leading provider of online real estate marketing solutions, sellers typically see a return of approximately six dollars for every dollar spent on improving and decluttering their home.

With many homes sitting on the market for three or more months, PODS has designed a Fourth Month Free program targeted at home sellers and professional stagers. According to a recent National Association of Realtors release, total housing inventory remains at a 9.7 month supply at current rates, and even in the stronger Los Angeles County market the average listed time on MLS is more than 70 days.