As a professional home stager and listing agent, I have heard all the arguments for why staging isn’t necessary when selling your home. However, I have also seen the tremendous impact staging has on a sale, from the time spent on the market to the price it’s sold for. If you care about your time and money, staging matters.
Here are five of the most common myths about staging, debunked and deconstructed.
Myth #1: You don’t need staging in a seller’s market
We have been in a seller’s market for the past couple of years, so finding a buyer for your home won’t be impossible. However, if a buyer is choosing between your home and another, it’s likely that the staged home will win. We know that staged homes spend 73 per cent less time on the market than non-staged homes and can force bidding wars even higher than expected. For more on this, see my Instagram post on why you SHOULD stage during a seller’s market.
Myth #2: Staging is the same as decorating
Staging is about so much more than pillows and couches. It’s about highlighting the best features of a home and not letting them be obstructed by the owner’s personal style.
There’s intricate strategy that goes into staging, such as deciding which lighting makes the space look best, which paint color creates the feeling you want buyers to have, and how to optimize the traffic flow for open houses and showings. Stagers think about maximizing visual presentation for listing photography and capturing your home’s unique features optimally.
A professional home staging company will also create an easy-to-follow customized plan for your home. This plan outlines room-by-room suggestions on how to quickly and cost effectively add value to your home with minor upgrades such as kitchen hardware or switching out lighting. Most importantly, it will tell you where to source these items from. Following one of these home staging plans can add tens or thousands of dollars to your bottom line!
Myth #3: I can stage my home myself
Can you look at your home objectively and from a potential buyer’s point of view? Most homeowners can’t. You have too much emotion tied to your home because it’s where many of your memories were made. Not to mention all the intricate aspects of staging that the average person isn’t aware of.
When you hire a professionally designated home staging company, you’re hiring experts who have been trained and educated on how to properly market and showcase a property based on specific target markets, neighborhoods, market trends, photography, successful showing strategies, and more. There are so many facets of staging a home for sale that a homeowner doesn’t even realize.
You can learn more about this in my blogpost, Behind the Scenes of a Listing.
Myth #4: Staging means all my stuff has to go in storage or I have to move
There are a few types of staging services that don’t require your belongings to go into storage or for you to move out of the home. Stagers can sometimes redesign spaces with the existing furniture. Nothing new comes in and nothing that belongs to you has to leave.
For virtual staging, the stager takes photos of your home as is and through the magic of editing, stages your home for photos. Occupied staging is also an option where you can continue living in the home with the staged furniture. Stagers may also optimize your home’s other storage spaces, like your garage or basement, to store items that aren’t part of your customized staging plan.
Myth #5: Staging is too expensive
Staging services do cost money but they are well worth the investment. Not only does staging reduce your stress but it can help you get top dollar for your home. On average, a staged home sells 88% faster and for 20% more than non-staged homed. You can actually make more than you spent on the staging service when selling for a higher price.
Plus, when you work with me to list your home, my staging services are FREE. This is something I’ve offered since my first day as a realtor. Staging a home can cost anywhere from $1500 to $6500 upfront, followed by monthly furniture rental fees. However, when you work with me to sell your home, you get my expert staging services complimentary.
Interested in Staging Your Home for Sale?
Through my expert staging services, I can help you get top dollar for your home. Contact me today to learn more.
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