To Stage or Not to Stage?
We get asked this question all the time and we know the importance of having your home ready for selling. Let’s dive in to what home staging really is. According to the Google definition, home staging is “the activity or practice of styling and furnishing a property for sale in such a way as to enhance its attractiveness to potential buyers.” There are also different levels of staging and different ways this can be done to fit you and your homes needs.
Occupied Home Staging: Often times our listings are currently being lived in with kids, pets, grandparents, you name it. We understand not everything can be rearranged, nor should it. When a home is occupied we may have our stager come and look at the home and make recommendations. Staging may just include an extra cleaning or decluttering to make the home look more appealing. We also make sure to do this before we take photos of the home. Adding small elements to the home can also make a difference, fresh flowers, added design elements. Your real estate agent can help you with this.
Vacant Home Staging: These homes are not currently occupied and can be easier but more expensive to stage. There are different levels within vacant home staging too, including staging a few rooms, soft staging, or staging the entire home. While we do not recommend staging the home in it’s entirety, research has proven that homes that are staged do better than homes that are not. Soft staging may include adding things to the walls and not adding furniture. Staging a few rooms can help make the home look more livable without furnishing an entire home.
Virtual Staging: This is another option more for the marketing of your home. There are programs and photographers that can virtually stage your home without adding any actual furniture to the home. This is a great option for those that may want to be more cost efficient. Virtual staging is great to make the home look more appealing, virtually, but once the home is showed it may look completely different empty.
The goal is to help buyers envision themselves living in the home and ultimately sell the property faster and for a higher price. Staging a home has been shown to be a worthwhile investment in many cases. Not staging a home means leaving it in may not be as appealing to buyers. This could lead to the home sitting on the market for a longer period of time and potentially selling for a lower price. Ultimately, the decision to stage or not to stage a home should be based on individual circumstances and the advice of a trusted real estate professional. If you need help deciding, give us a call!