Staging vs Not Staging

How valuable staging is depends on who you ask. A survey of REALTORS® suggests a majority of buyers’ agents – 58 percent – believe staging positively influences homebuyer decisions, with another 31 percent saying it has an effect sometimes but not always.

The vast majority of buyers’ agents, 81 percent, did say that staging makes it easier for people viewing a home to envision their belongings inside the home.

The perceived value of room staging also varied from room to room, with the living room, master bedroom and kitchen ranking highest as important rooms for staging. Most buyers’ agents in the survey still considered professional photography for listing purposes to be more important than traditional staging, which they ranked slightly higher than video listings. Virtual tours (16 percent) and virtual staging (five percent) lagged behind those other options in perceived importance.

All that being said, buyers’ agents were divided on whether staging had a measurable impact on home sale price. According to the survey: 34 percent believed it had no impact on sale price

• 23 percent were unsure if staging increased sale price
• 20 percent believe it results in a one to five percent increase
• 14 percent believe it results in a six to 10 percent increase
• 5 percent believe it results in an 11 to 15 percent increase
• 3 percent believe it results in a 16 to 20 percent increase
• 2 percent believe it results in a 20 percent or greater increase 

Although a slight majority of buyers’ agents aren’t sold on the concept of staging as an effective way to increase home sale price, a large enough percentage believe it makes a difference that it’s often worth putting in a little bit of added effort to stage a home.

The Cost of Staging

In the survey, only 23 percent of sellers’ agents said they staged every home they listed. Another 10 percent said they stage homes that are difficult to sell. Half said that, although they don’t stage homes, they do provide advice to sellers on decluttering or ways to fix small issues to make homes more appealing to prospective buyers who may come during open houses or for a walkthrough.

Of the agents who do stage homes, 24 percent paid for a staging service to do it, with another 22 percent saying they personally do the staging.

The cost is one of the potential downsides of staging, with survey respondents saying they spent a median amount of $600 for professional staging and $400 for REALTOR®-provided staging.

The Benefits of Staging

Better First Impression

Even if the offers aren’t higher, on average, an argument can be made that a well-staged home leaves potential buyers with a better first impression. Making a space look more inviting and lived-in without being off-putting can help buyers imagine their lives in the home. This could give the staged house a leg up over comparable homes that aren’t staged or are empty.

Faster Sale

A little under half of the surveyed seller agents believed staging a home decreased its time on the market. Only 14 percent believed staging a home increased the home’s time on market. Staging is likely not the biggest factor in the speed of sale, but it may have a marginal benefit in some circumstances, especially if the interior is particularly unattractive prior to staging.

Highlight Features

Professional stagers or real estate agents familiar with interior design can use staging to highlight the positive attributes of an interior while deemphasizing potentially detrimental features. They could use furniture placement or décor to draw attention to attractive architectural elements or to enhance flow and make a small space feel bigger.

The Potential Disadvantages of Staging

Cost

The primary drawback of staging is that it’s not free. If it’s purely a value-add offered by the real estate agent as part of their service, the cost may not matter to the home seller. If the agent wants the seller to pay for professional staging, it may not be worth the investment.

It’s Intrusive

If you’re still living in your home when it’s being shown, you may not want professional stagers or your real estate agent moving in a bunch of temporary furniture or décor and moving out your personal belongings just to show your home to a handful of potential buyers.

No Guarantee It Will Help

Although a slight majority of REALTORS® seem to think staging can be beneficial, nearly half aren’t convinced it has a measurable impact. Many of the ones who do think it is beneficial seem to believe the advantages are marginal at best.

Staging Requires Effort

Part of staging may include painting walls, repairing damage (like scuffed floorboards or dents in drywall), decluttering and emptying staged rooms of furniture. All of this requires effort on the part of current homeowners if they’re still living in the home when it’s being staged.

Our Agents Develop the Right Strategy for Your Home

At 72SOLD, we’re committed to taking the necessary steps to get you the highest possible offers in eight days or less. We know our process works because we have studies that show our sale prices are 8.4 to 12 percent higher than the average of other local MLS home sales. One of our local agents would be happy to discuss staging with you and give their advice on whether it’s necessary for your home.