Photo by Jason Reynolds

Chattanooga homes have held their value during the national real estate downturn, Realtors say.

“In this market, it is to the seller’s advantage to do everything he can to make his house stand out from the competition,” said Sherri Pratt, an agent with Prudential RealtyCenter who holds the Certified Staging Consultant designation.

The National Association of Realtors said the median home price fell a record 15 percent in December 2008 to $175,400, down from $207,000 a year ago, according to The Associated Press. But in Chattanooga, the December median sales price was $136,600, up 4.9 percent from $130,250 a year ago.

Homeowners can continue to enhance their home’s value through a combination of practical investments and using a little elbow grease, Realtors and other experts say.

“Scrub the porch, make the windows sparkle, paint the door and trim the shrubs,” Mrs. Pratt said.

Staging a home can range from doing a thorough cleaning to rearranging furniture, up to removing decor to depersonalize the house to let a potential buyer envision herself living in the home, Mrs. Pratt said.

Enhancing the exterior is crucial since first impressions are so important, said Marty Hilliard, president of Home & Lawn Care Services Inc. A homeowner doesn’t have to spend a lot of money to make a huge difference, she said.

But spending a little money on landscaping can add to the home’s value when it comes time to sell, she said. Chattanooga homes typically have less landscaping than the national average, which can hurt at resale time, she said. Nationally, 10 percent to 12 percent of a home’s value is in the landscaping, on average, Ms. Hilliard said. In Chattanooga, landscaping typically represents 5 percent to 7 percent of a home’s value, she said.

“You would be surprised at how much more traffic a home with landscaping gets than one that doesn’t have it,” Ms. Hilliard said. “With home sales being slower, it can make a difference.”