Let’s talk about staging and why we feel it’s critical to getting the most money when selling your home.

Most people have heard the term but not everyone knows what it really is or why it’s so important.

Simply put, home staging is using things such as art, greenery, lighting, accessories, furniture pieces and other accent objects to improve a home’s appearance and create a more attractive first impression for potential buyers.

And whether you’re trying to sell a house, apartment, or townhouse, professional staging can help sell your home faster.

Working with a Realtor who offers staging as part of their listing service is critical.

It takes the stress off you as a seller and ensures the job is done well and efficiently.

Most agents won’t typically offer staging as part of their service, because stagers can be very expensive, so it’s important to find a Realtor that will. In fact this should be one of the first questions you ask when you are choosing your Realtor. Our team for example, stages nearly every listing, totally included in our service because we understanding the huge value in it.  The only reason WE don’t stage a property would be if it’s tenanted or if it’s a tear down.

For every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400 – so it just makes sense!

The first step when you’re working with the stagers is the consultation. This is where the stagers go room by room, taking notes and pictures so they know exactly what sort of items to bring into your home.  This is very important because every home is very unique.  They also list any suggestions for you, the homeowner, regarding decluttering, and removal of furniture and personal items. They will also determine what existing things they can use. A great Realtor will be very involved in this process also, working hand in hand with the stagers.

After the consultation, the amount of time needed for actual staging and the staging date can be set, giving the homeowner a chance to review the suggestions and prep their home.  Again, your Realtor will help you put together a timeline for this, but often it is between 1 to 2 weeks.

On the scheduled day, they’ll arrive with everything needed to transform your home into a beautiful, welcoming space that allows buyers to visualize themselves living there.

How does this help to sell your home more quickly and for more money?

Staging helps your place look its best and makes your home much more appealing to the buyer at first impression, when they are typically viewing the photos online!  This makes it much more likely they will book a showing or come to the open house.  Half the battle is just getting them through the door!  Once they come in, a perfectly staged home has an strong emotional effect on the potential buyer and this is exactly what will lead to them making an offer!  This means you could sell your home faster at a better price, without added months of carrying costs.

Statistics show that 95 percent of staged homes will sell in 11 days or less, which is 87% faster than non-staged homes.

And it’s important to remember that in most cases, the longer a home is on the market the lower the sale price.

These are few of the reasons professional staging can make a difference when selling your home.  Remember, most agents won’t talk about this because they don’t want to pay the bill, it’s important to find an agent that will!  Don’t settle for less!

Hope this video helped you see the importance of staging and how it can help you!  As always if you have any questions or comments, give me a call!