As you prepare to sell your home, you may have heard that staging it can make a big difference in how fast it sells. It's going to cost money to stage your home but the return may be worth it. Let's look at who pays the price to stage your home, you or your agent.
Home staging is very popular and can help you sell your home faster and possibly for more money. Staging is a technique used to attract more buyers to your home by changing out furnishings to make the space more appealing. Staging can include not only new furniture but also art, carpet, accessories, etc. Some staging professionals may utilize a few of your existing furniture pieces and tie them in with new furnishings. The most popular rooms to stage are the living room, master bedroom and kitchen according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). All of this staging comes at a price. So who's going to pay for it?
Your agent might bring up the option to stage your home if he/she thinks it will increase buyer interest. According to NAR, only 18% of sellers pay for staging while 26% of seller's agents personally offer to stage the home. Although there are plenty of home staging professionals available to transform your home, some homeowners prefer to save money by staging it themselves.
What are the benefits of staging a home?
- Buyers have an easier time seeing themselves living there
- Creates more of a cohesive, inviting setting
- Decrease the number of days on market
- 1-5% increase in value (in some cases 6-10%)
- Buyers expect homes to look like those on popular HGTV shows so staging gives you an advantage
- Correctly sized furniture accentuates scale of room (ex. large furniture in large, high-ceiling room) whereas small furniture in a small room can leave it feeling out of proportion and uninviting
Whether you hire a professional or stage it yourself, leave a minimum of an 18" walkway between furniture. If you have over-sized pieces of furniture or an exceedingly large room, aim for 36" between pieces, according to Nathan Thompson, Pavilion Broadway staging services.
Conclusion
If you're considering putting your house on the market, talk to your real estate agent about having it staged. Staging could lead to more interest from potential buyers and a chance to make more money on the sale of your home. Concentrate on staging the main rooms in your house (living room, kitchen, master bedroom) then tidy up and simplify the others. You might want to incorporate some seasonal decorations too, but keep them to a minimum for best results. We wish you a quick and profitable home sale!
