Does Staging a Home Really Work?
There is a great deal of strategy that goes into selling a home, and a huge part of that strategy is staging. However, you must understand what staging actually accomplishes before you put too much faith in the process.
Raising the Perceived Value of a Home
Raising the perceived value of real estate is not the purpose of staging. Unless the staging furniture and accessories are a part of the deal, no savvy buyer is going to be fooled by an extravagant arrangement into putting more value into the base home and paying more for it. As a matter of fact, suggesting this even indirectly may offend a more experienced type of buyer, and it definitely should not be done for higher level properties.
What is the Purpose of Staging a Home?
Instead of looking at a home staging operation as a value grab, look at staging as a way to improve the quality of the potential buyer. Because you are showing how a home could look when properly furnished, you give a strong visual to a buyer with the money to actually make that look happen. Although you be less likely to squeeze more dollars from the buyer as a result of staging, you WILL have more buyers with money looking at your property. This puts you in a better position to sell over or above asking. You end up gaining money from a shorter time on market, a smoother closing process and less negotiation over repairs and other particulars.
The Difference Between a Home Stager & Staging Photographer
Properly staging a home is done in two separate steps. A professional home stager is the equivalent of the merchandising agent for your home; this is the person with the interior design experience to properly match colors, space the home, offer the advice to remove family photos from the stage, etc.
A staging photographer will find the best angles and lighting for the staging once it is set. You should not look to the photographer for tips on interior design; this is done during the first part of the process! Make sure that you understand the two distinct stages of staging so that you get the best look for your impending sale. Home staging definitely improves your chances of making a real estate deal smooth and profitable.
If you have any questions about home staging, give me a call. We can connect you to the right people, and I certainly integrate some home staging guidance into my support for clients. I am here to help you improve the volume and the quality of buyer looking at your property so that you have an easier time selling!
Warmly,
Sharon
