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Staging is a relatively new concept in the residential resale market. But new-home builders having been staging homes with good results for decades. It's not uncommon for a builder to pre-sell an entire housing development of unfinished homes by using a few decorated models.
To understand why staging helps sell homes, consider why model homes sell new homes that don't yet exist. Most model homes are well decorated; they look inviting and livable. They fulfill a fantasy of the way many buyers would like to live.
Your aim when you stage your home for sale is to present it at its best. Staging can involve a minimal effort like painting a few rooms and rearranging furniture to show the home off to advantage. For some sellers, however, staging is a monumental project involving hiring a fix-up-for-sale decorator who rents a home full of furniture complete with art work and house plants.
Before buyers decide to buy a home, they mentally move in. If your home is loaded with too much stuff-as most of our homes are--this mental process may be impossible. That's why most sellers start with de-cluttering. Removing clutter and excess furniture will improve the salability of your home even if you do nothing else.
FIRST-TIME SELLER TIP:
A good real estate agent can help you to decide what staging projects you should complete before marketing your home. Be sure to work with an agent who has experience helping sellers stage their homes for sale.
Staging doesn't have to cost a fortune. You can develop a staging plan based on what you can afford to pay. Work with your agent to create a list of staging projects that you'll ideally complete before showing your home. Then get estimates for jobs you can't do yourself such as painting, household repairs or landscaping. If your financial resources are limited, ask your agent to prioritize the list.
Decorators who stage homes for sale work on several different payment plans depending on the services they provide. Some consult by the hour. This might run from about $75 to $150 an hour depending the decorator and on the location of the property.
Recently a seller in the Oakland Hills effectively staged his house by using a decorator on a per hour basis. He paid her approximately $1,000. The decorator advised the owner about what furniture to remove from the house and she created a list of improvements to make, such as landscaping, painting and carpet replacement. After this work was completed, she brought in house plants, accessories and moved furniture around so that the home showed beautifully. The listing received three offers and sold for significantly more than the list price.
Some decorators offer full-service staging. They arrange for all the fix-up work that has to be done. The seller does virtually nothing. Then the decorator brings in a house full of furniture and accessories so that the house looks like a show place. The cost is much more than a consultation-anywhere from $4,000 or $5,000, depending on the size of the home and on the going rate of the decorator. This full-service approach is worth it to sellers who can afford it but who have no time to deal with the project.
THE CLOSING:
Staging will help sell your home faster and for a higher price. It's not a must, but it makes good sense. Also consider that real estate agents like to show homes that show well. The more your home is shown, the more likely you are to have a quick, profitable sale.
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