Let’s face it, not many of us can easily envision the lifestyle that an empty room might provide. This is why paint stores offer clever apps that allow us to see how a new color will look in our space and why model homes and condos are staged.

Yes, selling a vacant home is a bit more challenging than selling one that is occupied. These are homes that offer no promises of sanctuary and not even a hint of the simple, blissful moments one might realize under their roofs.

That lived-in, well-loved appeal left the home when you did.

It doesn’t matter why you had to move out of the house before it sold. What matters now is how you’re going to sell it — how does one market a vacant home?

You’ll need to spend some time – and some money – getting it right. But, since studies demonstrate that it takes significantly longer to sell an unfurnished home, the investment of your time and money will be completely worth it.

Want to know how to jazz up a vacant home? Read on.

DIY home staging

If you have an eye for design, consider staging at least the most important rooms in the home. Even if you aren’t particularly decorating-inclined, you’ll find brilliant DIY staging tips online at Better Homes & Gardens, HGTV’s “Designed to Sell” and A&E’s “Sell this House.”

The key to successful staging, however, happens before you decorate. Cleaning the home, from top-to-bottom and removing your excess belongings gives you a clean slate on which to work your magic.

Often, just a few well-placed pieces of furniture and accessories will help a home look lived-in.

Hire a professional home stager

If you have more money than time, hire a professional home stager. For one fee, the designer will bring in furniture, accessories and arrange them in a manner that shows off the home’s interior for maximum appeal to homebuyers.

Most homeowners spend between $433 and $909 to have their homes staged, according to statistics posted at ImproveNet.com. Prices vary by region and according to the size of the home, how much staging you require and the home’s price point.

Don’t neglect the yard

The front yard landscaping is especially important when a home is for sale. It’s what entices (or repels) people to enter the home. Keep the lawn green and mowed, the beds free of debris and shrubs and trees trimmed.

Studies prove that a furnished home sells 78 percent quicker, and for closer to asking price than a vacant home. Yes, selling a home with no “life” in it is challenging, but not impossible.

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