Myths and Facts of Home Staging

Selling a home is overwhelming and making the decision to stage is an important one. There’s a lot of information out there and it’s not always clear which advice is best. To help make the decision to stage, here are some facts about how home staging can help the sale be to your advantage!

• Myth: “I can stage it myself.”

  • Fact: While one can argue that a homeowner knows their home best, there also is a natural bias and lack of perspective when putting a home on the market. Living in a home leaves one to become accustomed to certain things (sights, smells, sounds etc.) that a prospective buyer may not mesh with. A professional stager can evaluate a space and work with a client to figure out how best to highlight the good and downplay the less favorable features of their home.

• Myth: “It is too expensive.”

  • Fact: Yes, home staging can be costly. More often than not, however, it ends up paying in the end. Statistically, homes that have been staged tend to sell before a price reduction is needed and often costs less than any reduction might end up being. Some studies have shown that between 10 and 15 percent can be added to the final sales price! Ultimately staging ends up saving money.

• Myth: “I can decorate, it’s the same thing.”

  • Fact: Decorating a home and staging a home are completely different. Decorating brings in an owner’s personal style and flair. Prospective buyers don’t have the context of either the person or the things they are seeing. Staging makes the space look appealing but neutral. Taking the personal touches out makes it more appealing to a broader audience and their expertise uses marketing strategies as well as design.

• Myth: “I will save time if I list first and then stage.”

  • Fact: In reality, first impressions in real estate really are everything. When a home hits the market, the number of eyes on the listing is quite a bit more than one that’s been on the market a while. Statistics show that homes that are staged first sell quicker than those staged later.

• Myth: “Home staging is just a fad.”

  • Fact: Recent popular media and shows like what you see on HGTV have increased the interest in staging, but the process has been around for decades. Staging has become more popular in recent years because agents and sellers are seeing that it helps sell a home faster and at a higher price.