How Does Home Staging Actually Work?

Okay, we’ve ALL heard it before. One of the most important parts of selling your home is staging it the right way for potential buyers. We’ve all seen the pictures, too. A home that once housed a family with kids and toys covering the ground now looks like a luxury model home that’s never been lived in. Sign me up for that! 

Staging your home to sell is important because it gives potential buyers a home that they can see themselves living in, rather than a home you’ve lived in for the past decade. They can visualize having friends over for dinner, playing catch in the backyard, and hosting family for the holidays. Sounds like the good life, right? 👍 

But here’s the real question: How does staging really work? Do I have to do all that moving and shaking or can someone do it for me? Can I actually live in my home while we’re staging and showing it or does it need to be spotless and perfect? How long does all of this last?  

These are all questions we’ve all asked at some point or another. Having your home staged not only helps you make a better first impression, but it also can decrease the time your home is on the market (and hopefully increase the price 💰). So, let’s start at the beginning!  

What is Home Staging?  

Most people think staging your home is a simple and easy process. But done right, home staging is so much more than rearranging your furniture and décor. It includes paint colours, traffic flow of the home for open houses, maximizing visual appeal for photographs, depersonalizing, decluttering, targeting specific buyers, and highlighting the unique features that are specific to your home.  

With the rest of the home-selling process being so demanding, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to staging your home.  

Is it best to hire someone? 

In short, the answer is yes. As with most things, you can do some research and try to stage your home for sale yourself.  I know what you’re thinking, “I’ve got great taste and it could be a fun project!”; however, DIY staging can actually cost you a lot more money and time!  Hiring a professional to take care of everything for you will ensure that you are on time and on budget, leaving you free to focus on the many other details of selling your home.  
 

Here’s some good news, as your Realtor, I not only pay for staging your home but I organize the whole project - from furniture rentals, to delivery trucks, to the staging team!   With a background in professional home staging and interior design, I fully support my clients in getting top dollar in record time. Let’s do this! 

Do I need to leave the house? 

 
Not always. Once the home is staged and ready to go, it will need to be showing ready for each booked showing appointment.  Ultimately, you will have to decide what this will look like for you and your family. Do you have pets? Do you have children at home or in school? Do you work from home? For most homeowners, the thought of making beds, doing dishes, wiping down bathrooms, fluffing pillows and following everyone around with a duster in between every showing sounds exhausting (This is another reason to stage as staged homes sell quicker!).   

And this is why many homeowners are choosing to move out of the house during the selling process - at least for the first week.  The first week is critical and is when majority of the showings will take place.  This usually means staying with a family member, grabbing a little R & R at a local Airbnb, or planning the sale around a family vacation. 

What’s the timeline look like?  

If you are planning on staging your home yourself, allow up to 17 days for project: Up to 7 days of deep cleaning, organizing, and rearranging for basic set up, 5-7 days to arrange for any furniture, art, and decor sourcing & delivery (rentals or purchases), 2-3 Days for actual Staging Days.   
 

If you’re working with a professional Home Staging Company, you should allow 5 - 7 days for the entire process, starting with an initial consultation. 

So…Is it worth it?  

The numbers tend to speak for themselves. According to a 2021 survey by the NAR, more than 80% of agents representing buyers said staging made it easier for their clients to see themselves in the home. 23% of agents said that home staging led to increased offers between 1% and 5% compared to similar homes that weren’t staged. 

We’re in the midst of a BIG TIME seller’s market - which does play a part in how you should consider preparing your home for sale. As always, better safe than sorry on the front end. Make the process easy by hiring a professional home stager to do the heavy lifting! 

It’s always smart to talk with a Realtor before jumping into any big projects - so if you have any questions or want to learn more, give me a call at (905) 977-8385 or send me a message through my website. Happy home staging!