Is Home Staging Worth the Cost

Discover whether home staging is a worthwhile investment for selling your home faster and at a higher price. Learn about the benefits, costs, and strategies to make your home more appealing to potential buyers.

You’ve decided it’s time to sell your home. Congrats! But before you put that “For Sale” sign in the yard, there’s one important question to consider: Is home staging worth the cost?

Home staging has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to make a property stand out in a competitive real estate market. By showcasing your home’s best features and creating an inviting atmosphere, staging can help attract more potential buyers and even increase the selling price. But it does come at a cost. So is it really worth the investment?

Let’s take a closer look at what home staging involves, the benefits and costs, and some expert tips to help you decide if it’s the right move for your home sale.

Key Takeaways

• Home staging can increase the selling price and reduce time on the market
• Average cost of staging varies based on home size, location, and services
• Professional stagers provide expertise but DIY is an option to save money
• Virtual staging is a cost-effective alternative for vacant or outdated homes
• Decluttering, depersonalizing, and highlighting key features are essential staging tips

What is Home Staging?

Simply put, home staging is the process of preparing a home to be sold by making it look more appealing to potential buyers. It involves decluttering, depersonalizing, rearranging furniture, and adding decor to present the property in the best possible light.

The goal is to help buyers envision themselves living in the space. By creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that highlights the home’s unique features, staging can make a powerful first impression that leads to faster and more profitable offers.

In fact, according to a 2021 survey by the National Association of Realtors, 82% of buyers’ agents said staging made it easier for their clients to visualize a property as a future home. And 23% of agents said that home staging increased the dollar value of offers by 1-5%, compared to unstaged homes.

Benefits of Home Staging

So what exactly are the benefits of staging your home before putting it on the market? Here are a few key advantages:

1. Increased Selling Price – A well-staged home can command a higher asking price. Staging helps justify the list price by showcasing the property’s full potential.
2. Reduced Time on Market – Staged homes typically sell faster than non-staged homes. By making a great first impression, staging can generate more interest and encourage buyers to act quickly.
3. Improved Online Presence – With the majority of buyers starting their search online, professional photos of a beautifully staged home can make your listing stand out. It may lead to more showings and open house attendance.
4. Highlighted Unique Features – Every home has some unique features that make it special. Staging can emphasize those desirable aspects, like a cozy fireplace, a luxurious bath, or a chef’s kitchen.
5. Minimized Flaws – On the flip side, staging can also downplay a home’s less desirable features. Strategic furniture placement and decor can minimize awkward layouts or outdated finishes.

Costs of Home Staging

Of course, all those benefits come at a price. The cost of home staging can vary widely depending on factors like the size of your home, your location, and the level of services you choose.

According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost for home staging is between $745 and $2,659, with most homeowners spending around $1,500. However, larger homes or those in competitive markets like San Francisco or New York City may pay $6,000-$10,000 or more.

Some of the main factors that influence home staging costs include:

As you can see, the cost of staging can add up quickly. But many real estate agents and professional stagers view it as an investment that can pay off in a higher selling price and quicker sale.

How Home Staging Can Help

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what staging is and how much it costs, let’s dive into some of the specific ways it can benefit your home sale process:

Enhance Perceived Value Staging is all about presenting your home in the best possible light. By making it look like a model home, staging can increase the perceived value in buyers’ minds. They may be willing to pay more if they fall in love with the space.

Improve First Impressions You only get one chance to make a first impression. From the moment a buyer walks through the door or clicks on your online listing, staging can help your home make a positive, lasting impact. A cluttered, empty, or outdated space may turn them off before they even get to the good stuff.

Highlight Unique Features Every home has some unique features that make it special. Maybe it’s a cozy fireplace, a luxurious soaking tub, or a chef’s kitchen. Staging can emphasize those desirable selling points through furniture placement, decor, and lighting. You want buyers to see your home’s full potential.

Encourage Emotional Connection Buying a home is often an emotional decision. Most buyers want to envision their life in the space. Staging creates an inviting atmosphere that helps them make that emotional connection. A family may fall in love with a cozy staged living room that feels like home.

Compensate for Flaws Let’s face it, no home is perfect. Maybe you have an awkward layout, a tiny bedroom, or outdated finishes. Staging can minimize those flaws by drawing the eye to the more positive features. The right furniture arrangement can make a small room live larger.

Provide a Competitive Edge In a crowded real estate market, you need every advantage you can get. A staged home can be the difference between blending in and standing out. If your home looks better than the competition, you’re more likely to get the showing, the offer, and the sale.

Professional Home Staging Services

If you’re considering staging your home, one of the first decisions is whether to do it yourself or hire a professional. While DIY staging can save you money, it also requires a lot of time, effort, and an eye for design.

Professional home stagers bring expertise and experience to the process. They know how to highlight your home’s best features, compensate for flaws, and create an atmosphere that appeals to buyers. They also have access to high-quality furniture, artwork, and decor that can really make your home shine.

Some of the services that professional home stagers typically offer include:

• Initial consultation to assess your home’s needs
• Developing a customized staging plan
• Decluttering, depersonalizing and cleaning
• Furniture selection and arrangement
• Art and decor placement
• Lighting and curb appeal recommendations

Of course, all that expertise comes at a cost. Hiring a professional stager is generally more expensive than going the DIY route. But if you’re short on time or design skills, it can be a worthwhile investment.

Virtual Staging

If you have a vacant home or one that needs a lot of updating, virtual staging may be a cost-effective alternative to traditional staging. Rather than physically filling the space with furniture and decor, virtual staging uses 3D modeling and photo editing software to digitally add furnishings to photos of empty rooms.

Virtual staging offers several benefits:

• Lower cost – Without the need for physical furniture and decor, virtual staging is often much cheaper than traditional staging. You typically just pay for the digital design service.
• Flexibility – Don’t like how a certain room is styled? With virtual staging, it’s easy to swap out furniture and decor until you get the look you want. There’s no heavy lifting required.
• Convenience – Staging a vacant home can be a logistical challenge. With virtual staging, you don’t have to worry about coordinating furniture delivery and setup. It’s all done with pixels.

However, virtual staging isn’t the right fit for every home. Some buyers may be put off if they show up to a home and find it completely empty. It’s important to clearly state in your listing that the photos are virtually staged.

Virtual staging also can’t compensate for flaws or dated finishes in the same way physical staging can. It’s best for homes that are already in good condition but need help showing off their potential.

Home Staging Tips

Whether you opt for professional staging, virtual staging, or a DIY approach, there are some key principles that can help make your home more appealing to buyers. Here are a few expert tips:

Declutter and Depersonalize One of the most important aspects of staging is creating a blank canvas that buyers can imagine their own life in. That means removing personal items like family photos, collections, and bold artwork. It also means decluttering to make the space feel larger and more inviting. Consider renting a storage unit to get excess belongings out of the way.

Focus on Key Rooms You don’t necessarily need to stage every room in your home to make an impact. Focus on the spaces that tend to be most important to buyers, like the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen. Make sure they’re spotless, well-lit, and styled to impress.

Arrange Furniture Strategically Furniture placement can make a big difference in how a room looks and feels. Avoid pushing furniture against the walls, which can make a space feel smaller. Instead, create cozy conversation areas that show off the room’s functionality. Also consider the flow of traffic through the home.

Use Neutral Colors Bold, bright colors can be polarizing. To appeal to the widest range of buyers, opt for a neutral color palette in shades of white, gray, and beige. Use pops of color sparingly in the form of throw pillows, artwork, or accessories.

Add Finishing Touches It’s the little details that make a house feel like a home. Finishing touches like fresh flowers, a bowl of fruit in the kitchen, or plush towels in the bathroom can go a long way. Think about ways to engage the senses, like baking cookies before a showing or playing soft music.

Don’t Forget Curb Appeal Finally, don’t neglect the outside of your home in the staging process. After all, it’s the first thing buyers will see when they arrive for a showing. Make sure your lawn is neatly mowed, trees and shrubs are trimmed, and the front door is clean and inviting. Consider adding some potted plants or a fresh welcome mat.

Real Estate Agent’s Perspective

We’ve talked a lot about the benefits and strategies of home staging. But what do real estate professionals have to say about it? According to many agents, staging is a key tool in their marketing arsenal.

In a survey by the National Association of Realtors, 31% of agents said they stage all their listings prior to putting them on the market. The top reasons for doing so were to improve the home’s appeal to online shoppers (83%) and to help buyers visualize the property as a future home (81%).

Agents also report that staging can have a significant impact on selling price and time on market. A quarter of agents said that staging increased the dollar value of offers by 1-5%, while 12% said it increased offers by 6-10%. And 22% of agents reported a slight decrease in days on market for staged homes compared to unstaged ones.

Of course, staging isn’t right for every home or seller. Some homeowners may not have the budget or desire to invest in staging, especially if their property is already in good condition. And in very hot markets, homes may sell quickly even without staging.

But for many agents, staging is an essential part of the listing process. It’s a way to make their properties stand out, attract more buyers, and ultimately achieve a faster, more profitable sale.

Conclusion

So, is home staging worth the cost? The answer depends on your specific situation, budget, and goals. But for many sellers, the benefits of staging can outweigh the initial investment.

By making your home look its best, staging can help you attract more buyers, reduce time on market, and even increase your selling price. It’s a way to present your property in the best possible light and give it a competitive edge.

If you’re considering staging your home, start by assessing your needs and budget. Determine which rooms are most important to focus on and whether you want to hire a professional or take a DIY approach. Virtual staging may be a good option if you have a vacant or outdated home.

No matter which route you choose, keep the key principles of staging in mind. Declutter, depersonalize, and use neutral colors to create a blank canvas. Highlight your home’s best features and compensate for any flaws. Add finishing touches to make the space feel inviting.

With the right staging strategies, you can make buyers fall in love with your home before they even step inside. And that can translate to a faster, more profitable sale in the end.