On a recent Coaches Corner, we had two professional stagers join us to discuss the benefits of staging a home for sale. In most cases, staging is a great idea when preparing a home for the market.
According to the National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400. Said differently, if you spend $2,000 to stage a home, it will increase “curb appeal” by $8,000 for a total net gain of $6,000. A staged home will sell for 17% more on average than a non-staged home, and 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less. Furthermore, a staged home will sell 73% faster than a non-staged home.
Assuming staging is in a seller’s best interest, here are
7 Simple Rules for Staging a Home:
Keep décor neutral; neutral does not mean boring, but it does mean staying away from shocking colors.
Remove clutter; clutter makes people feel uncomfortable and may give the appearance that the home isn’t well cared for.
Remove personal items; all personal pictures, family plaques, framed certificates, etc. should be packed. We want the buyer to envision themselves living in the home.
Never sell an empty home; most buyers cannot visualize furniture in an empty room. Staging helps give the room a sense of scale. Also, empty rooms feel smaller than they are and reveal minor imperfections.
Don’t remodel before you sell; you may think you have great taste but the new owner might not agree. It is better to spend the money on structural or cosmetic fixes (carpet, neutral paint) than an extensive remodel.
Avoid divisive décor; when staging an occupied home, it is best to remove religious or political items, as well as other items that might be offensive.
Stay timeless; it’s good to be “on trend” with pops of color in, say, pillows and curtains, but avoid anything that is trendy.
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