{"id":12143,"date":"2019-09-04T09:04:33","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T16:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12143"},"modified":"2024-11-04T08:56:51","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T16:56:51","slug":"how-clever-staging-affects-home-prices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-clever-staging-affects-home-prices\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Shopping? This Is How Clever Staging Drives Up Home Prices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying a home is an emotional endeavor. It\u2019s likely the biggest purchase you\u2019ll ever make, and when you tour a home that feels \u201cjust right,\u201d you can\u2019t wait to put in an offer.<\/p>\n

Of course, savvy sellers in hot housing markets<\/a> know that appealing to homebuyers\u2019 emotions can help sell homes quickly and at a high price point. And a beautifully staged home makes it easy to woo potential buyers.<\/p>\n

Think about it: when you\u2019re touring a home, you\u2019re imagining what the next stage of your life will look like when you move in. Sometimes it\u2019s hard not to get a little swept away. Especially when you\u2019re looking at a home that\u2019s so perfectly decorated it looks like it\u2019s been torn from the pages of a magazine.<\/p>\n

That’s why it’s important to understand the art of staging and how to look past the story a seller is telling you, so you can see the actual home underneath.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how clever staging can affect the price of a home, and what you need to know when you start shopping:<\/p>\n

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Source: (Francesca Tosolini\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why home sellers stage<\/h2>\n

A main advantage of staging is that it allows potential homebuyers to imagine their own lives in the home.<\/p>\n

In fact, 77% of buyers\u2019 agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize<\/a> the property as a future home, according to a 2017 study from the National Association of Realtors.<\/p>\n

Another advantage of home staging is that it gives the impression the home has been well-maintained. Once buyers get past the curb appeal, they want to see that the house they\u2019re considering investing in has been well taken care of, so updated light fixtures and furniture that looks like it\u2019s customized for the space can help.<\/p>\n

With that said, staging a home can cost the seller thousands of dollars. While stagers will oftentimes incorporate some of the owner\u2019s belongings, they may need to rent artwork, furniture and other home goods to give the house an enviable appeal.<\/p>\n

So, what are we getting at? Sellers expect that a well-staged home will net them a good return on their investment in the terms of sale price and how quickly the house moves off the market.<\/p>\n

This is a good thing for buyers to keep in mind as they shop. You don\u2019t want to come in too high with an offer because you were swept away by impressive staging.<\/p>\n

Remember: you\u2019re not buying the house as-is. All of that fancy artwork and decor is going back where it came from.<\/p>\n

How staging works<\/h2>\n

The first step for stagers is to de-personalize the house: remove family photos, clutter and other personal belongings.<\/p>\n

That way, those touring the home can have a fresh canvas to picture what their daily lives would look like there. It\u2019s common for buyers to imagine entertaining for the holidays in the dining room or enjoying family movie nights in the living room.<\/p>\n

Professional stagers understand that it\u2019s more challenging to picture your life in a new home when you\u2019re surrounded by reminders of the family currently living there.<\/p>\n

A seller\u2019s collection of knick-knacks from their global travels might make their home feel lived-in and personal. But, that\u2019s not the goal when it comes to home-selling. Rather, more neutral home accessories and furniture will appeal to a broader base of buyers.<\/p>\n

Staging can also help buyers assign purpose to rooms. Let\u2019s say there\u2019s an odd nook in a house. Simply setting up a desk in the space could resonate with buyers who need a small space to work on the days they telecommute.<\/p>\n

Again, staging is about creating a story for home shoppers to buy into. The more effectively that story is told, the more likely you\u2019ll be to fall in love with the home and put in a competitive offer.<\/p>\n

How staging affects home sales<\/h2>\n

You probably know staging a home can help improve its value. But you might be surprised how much it can drive up the selling price.<\/p>\n

Staged homes tend to sell for 6% to 25% more than homes that have not been professionally staged, according to Home Staging Resource<\/a>, a staging and redesign training company.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s do the math: Say you\u2019ve got a $750,000 house on the market. A good staging job could drive up the price by an extra $45,000 to $187,500.<\/p>\n

This is why sellers pay thousands for quality staging in the first place. Let\u2019s be honest: no seller would make the investment if they didn\u2019t think it would pay off in the long run.<\/p>\n

In addition to potentially netting a higher price, homes that are staged tend to move off the market more quickly<\/a>. In fact, 62% of sellers\u2019 agents say that staging a home shortens the time it spends on the market, according to the National Association of Realtors\u00ae study.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s safe to say staging can be the ace in a seller\u2019s pocket. Buyer, beware!<\/p>\n

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Source: (Liana Mikah\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What buyers should look out for<\/h2>\n

Buyers, you can expect to see living rooms the most staged.<\/p>\n

According to the National Association of Realtors study, 39% of buyers found staging the living room to be the most important<\/a>, followed by staging the master bedroom (36%) and staging the kitchen (30%).<\/p>\n

Of course, you don\u2019t want to let a well-staged house overshadow the property\u2019s faults\u2014which 27% of buyers in the survey admitted to doing.<\/p>\n

A couple staging tricks to be on the lookout for?<\/p>\n