Does Home Staging Really Work?

This is a question most Realtors and home sellers constantly ask themselves. In this market, I guess we cannot blame them for wanting to save there money.  A professional home stager is trained to look at your home objectively, address traffic flow issues, address maintenance issues, ensure there are no odor issues, make sure there is enough natural or artificial light in each room, depersonalize the entire home, create emotional connection points for potential buyers, and bring the buyer’s attention to focal points and your home’s architectural details.  Home stagers are also trained to create great curb appeal and which home improvements will give a home seller the best return on your investment.  After all, no one wants to spend thousands on a home you are planning on leaving.

According to a 2007 Home Gain Survey of 0ver 2000 Realtors, Home Staging has a 343% return on investment.  The typical cost for a half day of hands-on staging in the New York area is $45o dollars.  This includes moving furniture around, eliminating clutter, light cleaning, and addressing lighting and design issues.  A staged home typically sells for up to 10% more than an unstaged home and in less time. 

By creating emotional connection points, a home stager will help a potential buyer to connect to your home and picture themselves living in it.  This is a ‘Feel Home” philosophy that is so important in the selling process.  Just take a look at before and after pictures and you will see the difference.  In order to get a home sold today, your rooms need to be professionally staged and them your stager will take digital pictures for you.  These pictures need to be placed online because over 85% of home buyers are starting their search for a new home by using the Internet.  Your online photos must be clear, well lite, and staged.  The next thing a potential buyer may do is drive by your home, so please make sure you have great external curb appeal — clean lawn (no toys, debris on lawn), house number with light on it, trees trimmed. 

A professional home stager should be able to stage your home and be able to provide you with great digital pictures to be given to your realtor to be posted online.  This is a big part of your home selling process. Home stagers can also provide you with a virtual show of your home to be posted online as well.