Do I NEED to stage my house?

staging

What if I told you that $500 in staging could bring you back up to 4 times the return?  It’s true.

Staging a home is more than just ‘making things look pretty’ after spending hours shoving your ‘real’ furniture into a storage locker.   You want to make the very best first impression possible when selling your house.  We’ve talked about curb appeal and its importance before so you get all that.  Staging, is that spark that excites a potential buyer when they walk in your front door.

Why stage your house? The reason you stage your home is to make it look larger and more inviting.  When done well, a staged home is appealing to a broader spectrum of people and helps them visualize themselves living there.  Space is used in a way that accentuates the positives while covers up the negative aspects of your interior.

The economics of staging

Professional stagers can range in price from $500 to a few thousand dollars – but it’s worth it. Spending $500 on staging can typically yield $2000 in return. Staged homes also sell faster.  The Real Estate Staging Association says on average, a home will sell 50% faster when it has been staged – that’s half a mortgage payment that you don’t have to worry about!

Overall, the cost of staging a house is dependent on the size of your home and the number of rooms that may need attention.  Larger homes can cost upwards of up to $6000 to stage well. But, before you scoff at the price, remember that an investment in staging your house may net you thousands more at the close of escrow and fewer days spent marketing the home.

How to find a good stager

Start with your Real Estate Agent.  Many agents work with a couple of home stagers who they trust and call on regularly.  Ask friends and family who have used a professional home stager in the past.   Clean things up before the stager arrives so he can get to work (remember, tidying up is not the same as staging).