The Conversation Continues - Frequently Asked Questions about Home Staging

We asked for other frequently asked questions about home staging.  Here is a really good one that requires a longer response.  It has become today’s total blog post.

What are the benefits of home staging?

·         Accentuate the home’s best features and provide a nice, easy and consistent use of space and movement.  The professional home stager focuses on the house curb appeal, focal points, flow, furniture arrangement and accessories.  They decide what is unique and distinct about the house and finds ways to accent those focal points.  They build a flow in the house to carry an even pace from room-to-room.  Most importantly, the professional stager streamlines the furniture and arranges it to lead the buyer’s eye around a room.  Finally, they remove clutter and use an assortment of useful and ornamental items to decorate the house.

·         Appeal to as many buyers as possible.  The Smith-friendly home appeals quite well to the Smith family but not to every family.  The benefit of home staging is that it creates a more universal appeal for the house.  Home staging makes the house more buyer-friendly and much less Smith-friendly.  If done correctly, buyers imagine their best selves in the house. 

·         Sell the house quicker and for the highest price possible.  CORT, the world’s largest provider of rental furniture, estimates with an investment of $3700-$5700 in home staging for a home in the $225,000 price range, a home seller gains a net of $40,000+ and a return on investment exceeding 700%.  CORT also notes that based on 2009 industry data, the average days on market experience of 10.4 months for homes without staging versus 1.35 months for homes with staging.

·         Price of home staging is much less than the first price reduction.  Using the figures provided by CORT, we can imagine the first price reduction on a $225,000 to be $10,000 (4.4%).  This conservative assumption is supported by the National Association of Realtors which cities a 10% lower sales price associated with more than 24 weeks on the market.  The cost of home staging in the CORT example was $3700-$5700 which would be less that the first price reduction of $10,000 or more. 

·         A professionally staged house dramatically improves the pictures for the online listing.  One of the most amazing developments in the buying and selling of a house has to be the online photos and visual tours.  With a professionally staged house, the online photos show a house that buyers can visualize how they would live in that house.  If not staged, the online buyer will either see empty rooms and blank spaces or the lifestyle and tastes of the home sellers.

Keep the questions coming and we will continue this conversation.

Dwell in possibilities

Cindy