The cost of staging a home typically starts at around $500, with the average spent around $1,600 to $2,400 a month, depending on whether or not the home is vacant, how many rooms require staging and the level of service. That’s no small chunk of change, but it could very well pay for itself.
Here’s why you should stage your home before putting it on the market.
Your Home is Likely to Sell Faster, and For a Higher Price
After asking, “How much is my house worth?” you may be able to increase that number by staging your home to make it appeal more to buyers, and presenting it in the best possible light is likely to make it sell faster too. When it’s done by a professional, potential buyers tend to spend more time in the home, which increases the odds they’ll remember it, especially when compared to an empty house.
It’s Easier for Buyers to Visualize Themselves in the Home
People buy on emotion – if they can see themselves living in your home, it will leave a positive, lasting impression that makes it welcoming and unforgettable, increasing the likelihood of a sale. This is accomplished by removing clutter and any personal items so that they can make their own personal connection.
It Creates the Impression That Your Home is Well Taken Care Of
While prospective buyers want to make sure that your home will meet their needs in terms of things like the number of rooms, layout, and size, they’ll also be looking for signs of its true condition. If your home is staged right, those potential buyers will get the impression that it’s well maintained which reduces worries about having to make repairs soon after moving in, putting their minds at ease.
It Will Appear More Spacious
Removing that clutter and rearranging furniture so that it maximizes all usable space is part of home staging. It results in making the home look bigger than it actually is. If you’ve ever visited someone’s home with minimal furniture and have been impressed with how much space it had, you’ll understand how that works. Staging also means using the lighting, including both natural light and well-placed fixtures, which can also make it feel more airy and spacious.
If that same house is dark and filled with large pieces of furniture, knick-knacks, magazine piles, and other clutter, it suddenly has a cramped, claustrophobic feel.
Online Photos Will Attract More Potential Buyers
Photos are one of the most important factors in getting people to take a look at your home. But if it’s not staged, they’re unlikely to show your house in its best light. When looking for the right home, most these days search online and the photos are what get them to click in the first place. Once they get a closer look, the combination of those professional photos and staged rooms will help them connect, triggering a call to your agent.
You’ll Get a Jump Start On the Packing
Packing is one of the most time-consuming parts of any move, and it will have to be done eventually. Staging will give you a good head start as you’ll have to eliminate all the clutter and pack any personal belongings away. Once it’s time to move, your job will be much easier without having as much to box up.
