Staging has been a buzzword for many years in the real estate business, but it’s important to understand that staging goes much further than placing furniture in a vacant home. In an industry where making a great first impression can make all the difference, it’s easy to see how staging has become such an integral part of the selling process.
In the National Associations of Realtors’ (NAR) 2019 Profile of Home Staging report, they lay out a pretty good case for how staging a home offers benefits for both sellers and buyers.
- The Digital Difference
A home being camera-ready for today’s swipe-left buyer population is crucial. How a house looks in photographs or videos is often very different than how it looks in person. If it does not resonate with a buyer online, chances are they will not even make the trip to see it. As a seller, you have a lot to gain from making it easier on the buyer to see the true potential of a space. When a home is staged and in good condition, it moves to the top of the list.
Here’s a recent example from our team. We took over this beautiful 4 bedroom condo listing from another real estate agency because it sat on the market for 6 months! Our staging team went straight to work and replaced the dated verticals with airy curtains which enhanced the ceiling height and natural light. We also replaced the flooring and added modern fixtures throughout.
- Staging focuses on the potential, not the present
According to the NAR report, 83% of buyers’ agents, staging a home makes it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. Meanwhile, 38% of buyers’ agents say that staging made buyers more likely to go for a showing at a home they saw listed online.
Considering that half the battle of selling a home is just getting buyers in the door, it makes sense that staging would be a major help. Because while you can’t predict what everyone’s taste is going to be, you can stage a home so that it has much more broad appeal and is more likely to be attractive to potential buyers.
- Prioritize key rooms
All rooms in a house aren’t equal when it comes to the importance of staging, says the NAR report. While 47% of buyers’ agents note that seeing a staged living room is important to their client, just 19% buyers’ agents say the same for bathrooms and 8% for guest bedrooms.
This is good news for sellers, who may have limited http://www.slaterpharmacy.com/ resources to put toward a full staging. Knowing what rooms are important (the next three after living rooms are master bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms) allows sellers to prioritize specific areas when staging to make the biggest impact for the least amount of work—all while avoiding those rooms that don’t appear to make much of a difference.
- Staging can increase the value of a home
If you’re not convinced yet that staging a home is crucial, this might be the kicker. One-quarter of buyers’ agents told the NAR that staging increased the offering price by 1% to 5% compared to homes that weren’t staged. Among sellers’ agents, 22% say the same and 17% say it actually increased the offering price by 6% to 10%.
- Staging can decrease the amount of time a home is on the market
No seller wants to find themselves sitting on a stale listing. The longer a home sits on the market, the harder it can be to sell, meaning there’s a lot of incentive to get your home sold in as few days as possible. 28 percent of sellers’ agents note a slight decrease in days on the market for staged homes, and 25% report a substantial decrease.
Staging questions?
We’ve seen firsthand how a well-staged home can sell a property quicker and for more money. This is especially true for vacant properties. Our team offers staging or staging consultation on all of our listings! Give us a call to learn more 703-651-5655.
SOURCES: Moving.com, Forbes.com
