Selling your home is a long and stressful ordeal. Not only are you packing up your belongings and bidding farewell to a place that was special to you, but you also need to make sure you come out ahead on the financial side.
For that reason, home staging is a great option. In fact, staged homes sell for up to 25 percent more than similar unstaged homes. This is a process that is proven to help sell real estate.
Staging has a powerful effect on home buyers. Here’s everything you need to know about staging a house to sell, what you can expect from the staging process, how much it costs, and how to find a great staging company.
What is Staging?
The purpose of staging is to allow potential buyers to envision themselves in the house you’re selling.
If you hire a professional staging company, they’ll likely view your home as a blank canvas. First, they’ll perform a walk-through of the property and develop a plan they believe will be attractive to buyers.
Then, the company will bring in their own furniture and accessories. They’ll use a quality sofa and coffee table in the living room, set up a bed and dresser in the master bedroom, and breathe life into your empty kitchen and bathroom with thoughtfully placed accessories like towels and cookbooks.
Staging usually involves minimalistic design choices. The point is that the design inspires a buyer to imagine what their life would look like if they bought the property. That’s much harder to do when they’re staring at an empty room.
You should note that you’ll be paying to rent the furniture stagers use and that some rooms won’t be staged at all.
The Benefits of Staging a House to Sell
When it comes to selling a house, few things can have a greater positive impact than staging.
A whopping 85% of staged homes sold for over their listing price, with many homes selling for at least 10% more than the price they were listed at. That’s an incredibly solid return on your investment.
Staged properties also sell much quicker than properties that haven’t been staged. A staged house, for example, sells around 73% quicker. The average amount of time a home spends on the market is around a month, so it’s possible you’ll find a buyer in a week or two.
There aren’t many ways to sell a house faster.
The Cost of Staging a Home
There are many variables that affect the price of home staging. A good rule of thumb is that it will cost you around 1% of the home’s listing price.
If you hire a professional company, expect to pay at least $2,000 for a fully-furnished staged home. This includes the stager’s fee and the cost of hiring movers to bring in the staging furniture.
You’ll have to pay for the initial consultation, which is usually a few hundred dollars. Then, you’ll be charged staging fees, which are around $500 per room.
Of course, the price could end up higher than you might expect. Remember, you’re paying to rent the staging furniture, and the costs associated with that could add up if the house doesn’t sell quickly.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that the size of your property has an effect on the cost of staging it. The larger the property, the more it will cost.
However, if your furniture is in good condition, you may not need to rent furniture from the staging company. Instead, the stager may simply rearrange what you currently have to better accentuate the positive attributes of your space.
Many sellers opt to use items they already own, and as a result, see the cost to stage their home drop to under $1,000.
Virtual Staging
As the home buying process moves to the digital world, virtual staging is growing in popularity.
Virtual staging involves taking photos of your empty home and digitally adding furniture and other staging elements. It affords online buyers a similar experience to walking through a staged home.
This is a wonderful option for frugal home sellers who still want to reap some of the benefits of home staging. While the price varies depending on the size of your home and the company you contract, it typically costs less than half the price of staging.
Of course, virtual staging has its limitations. It’s difficult to accurately represent a space that’s been digitally altered.
How to Find a Staging Company
The world of home staging isn’t governed by a regulatory body, so virtually anyone can call themselves a stager. You’ll need to do some work to find the company that’s right for you.
Your ideal stager is professionally trained in home staging. Staging takes a different set of skills than traditional interior design, particularly when it comes to marketing, so look for a staging company with plenty of experience.
They should also carry the proper insurance and be able to draw up a contract. These ensure that that you, your home, and the members of the staging company are all covered by legally binding agreements before they enter the home.
Finally, you should ask about your prospective stager’s industry credentials. While they aren’t a barrier of entry, the Real Estate Staging Association and the Internation Association of Home Staging Professionals provide quality home staging companies with professional certificates.
Your real estate agent will likely be able to get you in contact with a proper staging company. Start your search by consulting with them.
Home Staging is Worth the Effort
Staging a house to sell is a proven way to sell property quickly and make more money. While empty, unstaged homes can sit on the market longer than sellers would like, many staged homes sell in about a week.
Staging allows potential buyers to see the utility of your home and imagine what their life would be like if they close the deal.
If you’re in the Nashville area and looking to sell a house quickly, reach out to We Buy Houses. In as little as 24 hours, you could have a cash offer and closing date.
