No doubt you’ve heard of home staging, and you may have some idea about what it means. But did you know that 95% of homes staged by a certified staging professional sell in an average of 11 days or less (compared to 90 days for non-staged) and sell for 17% more?* We’d like to talk a little in this post about what staging is and isn’t, how much it might cost, and why or why not to invest in staging.
What is home staging?
First off, here’s what home staging is NOT:
cleaning, de-cluttering, painting nicked woodwork, tidying landscaping, and making minor repairs
Now, here’s what home staging IS:
creating a mood in your home and helping potential buyers see themselves living there
De-cluttering and taking down all but a few impersonal knick-knacks is certainly a good idea. You don’t want potential buyers to feel as though they’re visiting your house, you want them to be able to imagine themselves living there. But staging goes a step beyond tidying and de-cluttering to create an attractive but neutral look and feel to your home – to accentuate the positives and make your home appealing to a broad variety of tastes.
How much does home staging cost?
In the US, home staging costs vary widely, from a low end of about $150 for a consultation (stager makes suggestions about how to stage your home) on up to several thousand dollars for a comprehensive home staging (stager designs the home, moves furnishings, provides props, and more). A seller’s investment in staging depends on quite a few factors, including home size, number of rooms staged, condition of the home, existing décor, neighborhood, experience level of the stager, and the real estate market.
When should I hire a stager?
Before you consider staging your home, be sure these conditions are met:
- your home must be priced appropriately for the market
- your home must be in well-maintained, clean showing condition
- your real estate professional must be doing (or prepared to do) an exceptional job marketing it
- you have access to a qualified, experienced home stager
If those conditions are met, THEN staging can be the icing on the cake that speeds up the process of selling and/or makes you more money in the sale of your home.
Finding a Home Stager
There are several organizations that accredit home stagers and provide ongoing continuing education, and there are most have “find a stager” options on their websites. Here are a few to get you going:
- International Association of Home Staging Professionals
- Certified Home Staging Professionals
- Real Estate Staging Association
- Accredited Staging Professionals
Or, ask your real estate professional if he or she recommends any local pros. Many real estate offices have stagers either on staff or on retainer to provide staging services; but if not, they certainly will know which stagers have good reputations in your selling market.
If you have any questions about home staging, or you'd like us to assess your home for sale and give you our opinion about whether or not it would be a wise investment for you, please give us a call or send us an email. It's in our mutual best interest to sell your home as quickly as possible for the right price!
A full-service real estate company, The Vincent Group at GreatNest helps buyers and sellers in Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Jamestown, and other Piedmont Triad areas get the results they’re looking for. We charge a low set fee instead of a percentage commission, saving you money. Please get in touch with our experienced real estate professionals by calling (336) 790-5210 or by emailing Steve Vincent. Visit our website at greatnest.com.