One of my biggest home staging tips is to look at it from a buyer and seller’s perspective. If you’re still on the fence about home staging, then let’s talk about the before and after of why home staging works.
You probably already know that you should stage your home when selling, but you might not understand the why of it. Why does everyone say that you need to stage your home? Why does home staging work? With the market being as hot as it is right now, you might think it’s not a necessity to shell out the extra cash for staging. This notion couldn’t be any more incorrect. I’m here to tell you- even with the market being the way it is right now, home staging works. Let’s talk about the why.
I’ve been home staging since 2009, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised over the past couple of years with the uptick in professional home staging services. Although not all home stagers are created equal, the industry is thriving with consummate professionals and design gurus. I’ve also been happy with the real estate industry acknowledging the importance of home staging for quick, profitable sales. Suffice to say, there would not be such a surge in the home staging industry if it was not a necessary practice. That is, in itself, pretty good proof as to why home staging works. But don’t just take it from me, let’s get into the nitty-gritty.
Home Staging From a Buyer’s Perspective
The ultimate purpose of home staging is to showcase your home as the best it can possibly be. This has a lot of benefits when looking at it from the perspective of a potential buyer. For starters, only 10% of people can picture themselves living in an un-staged home. That means that the other 90% of home buyers see a vacant or un-staged property and have absolutely no idea what to do with it. They can’t picture their family, or their furniture, there.
The beauty of home stagers is that the right ones are incredibly dedicated to their profession. They know the market trends, they know the design trends, they know what will look great in your home… see where I’m going with this? They know how to stage a home that the other 90% will picture themselves living in.
On top of that, home staging helps you justify your listing price. Fairly priced or not, buyers will always be looking for a deal (it’s a huge investment, can you blame them?). However, when your home is staged, buyers are less likely to try to negotiate down your asking price. This is because home staging showcases your home as the best it can possibly be. When buyers walk into a well-staged home, they perceive it as walking into a well-maintained home.
An un-staged home does exactly the opposite. Buyers will see a home that needs a lot of work before move-in day, and in turn they will see a smaller price tag. You want to get ahead of buyer expectations when you’re selling your home so that you can be in charge of the selling process. This means helping your home put its best foot forward, and staging is the best way to do so.
Home Staging From a Seller’s Perspective
First of all, professional home staging helps you stand out from the competition. This is especially important if you live in a hot area with a lot of homes that are similar in size and layout to your own. It can be difficult to stand out, and helping buyers see the value in your home specifically is the best way to do it.
Staging your home also helps you justify your home’s listing price. Remember what I just said about the perception of a well-maintained home? When buyers walk into an un-staged home they see all of the flaws, when they walk into a staged home they see all of the benefits. This is because you’re working with an industry professional who knows how to highlight all of your home’s best features and minimize all of the flaws.
In a hot market, home staging increases your chances of ending up in a bidding war (which is a good very good thing), and in a lukewarm market, it increases your chances of selling your home quickly, which is crucial when other homes in your area have been lingering on the market.
Home staging might seem costly, but when looking at how home staging works from a big picture perspective, it costs a lot less than accepting a bid under your asking price or waiting for half of a year before you even see an offer.
If you’re looking for a home stager, but are lost on where to start, let’s get in touch! I provide professional home staging consultations, where I use my industry expertise to help you declutter, clean, and showcase your home in its best possible light.
Home Staging Statistics
You don’t have to just take it from me- home staging works, and the proof is in the 2020 statistics.
RESA’s (Real Estate Staging Association) 2020 Consumer Guide surveyed 13,000 staged homes and found that…
- 85% of staged homes sold for more than asking price.
- 75% of sellers saw a return of 5-15% on their investment in home staging.
- Staged homes averaged just 23 days on the market.
Click the link above to read the whole guide. It’s a great resource for those who are looking to sell their home soon and are still deciding on whether or not to hire a home stager.
There are many different types of home stagers- some (like me) provide virtual consultations and some come in person and bring in furniture and decor from their warehouse. No matter which type of home stager is best for your needs, I hope I helped you to better understand the why of why home staging works. The way I see it, home staging is the difference between a peaceful selling process and stressing over your asking price. It works, and it’s worth it.
Do you want to get one step ahead of the home staging and selling process, or even learn how to stage your home yourself? Fill out the form above to download my free home seller workbook with the 5 tools that I use to prepare homes to sell quickly and for well above asking price.
Happy Staging!
