In recent years there has been a new industry that has grown up around “staging” homes to sell.  Simply put, this means that someone with some design sense comes into your home to rearrange things or add things in order to make your home look like a picture from a magazine.  The idea is to make your home as appealing as possible to potential buyers.

In general, I agree that staging is a good idea.  If you’ve ever gone into a model home for a new subdivision, you know what I’m talking about.  The model home is awe inspiring.  Everything is “just so”.  It’s clean, neat and not a speck of dust anywhere to be seen. The accessories are perfectly placed and the art on the wall is both neutral and attractive. It makes you want to buy the home!

The Upside To Staging

Professional stagers will tell you that creating just the right ambiance and atmosphere in your home will help you sell the home more quickly and for a higher price.  That’s all true.  At least, I believe it is.  It makes sense.  After all, a home is much more appealing if it’s clean and clutter free than a home with dishes in the sink, dirty laundry on the floor next to the washer and the carpets in need of a good vacuuming.

If someone comes in and simple rearranges your furniture so that your house looks a little more spacious and welcoming, it’s worth it.  If a stager brings a few knick knacks to highlight your color scheme or make a bedroom or bathroom more inviting, there is a great chance that a potential buyer will become emotionally attached to your house and want to buy it.

I have worked with sellers that have had their home professionally staged and kept it that way until a buyer came through with an offer to their liking.  It is almost always a great offer.

Almost.

The Downside To Staging

The catch is keeping your home in the condition the stager left it in.  That means you have to keep up with the dishes, make the bed, dust and all the other mundane chores of keeping you house looking like Martha Stewart came by to visit.

The other downside is that having your home professionally stage to sell costs money.  That’s right.  Ain’t nothin’ free in this world and the person who comes into your home to make it look pretty is gonna charge you something. How much really depends on what they do or need to buy to make you place look spectacular.

To Stage Or Not To Stage

In my mind, the real deal with staging is this: “Will anyone see it?”

You see, if you spend a lot of money on staging and no one is walking through your front door to admire the great and wonderful ambiance of your newly decorated home it is really money down the tubes. So you have to do something else.  You have to price the home correctly!

If you have equity in your home and you have the ability to price your home so that it is both attractive and affordable, staging may not make a difference.  Someone will buy it anyway.

If you spend a lot of money on staging and you want to “make it back” in the price of your house, you’ve just thrown your money away.  No one will walk through the front door.

So, it’s really a combination of both price and condition.  Price is key.  Condition is where staging comes in and where you need to make the decision to:

a) spend the money and

b) keep you home in “staged” condition.

If you are wondering more about how professional staging can help sell your house, drop me an e-mail or give me a call.  I can refer you to a great professional stager.