Should I Stage My Home? It Depends…

One of the questions I get asked all the time by sellers is ‘should I stage my home?’ 

And I always answer, ‘that depends.’ 

That depends on if you want to sell your home faster and for more money. 

If you want a faster sale and more money in your pocket, then the answer is: YES!!! A THOUSAND TIMES YES!!! Stage your home!! 

I get the fact that selling a home and moving into a new home possibly thousands of miles away creates one of the most stressful, miserable times in a person’s life. I get you are overwhelmed with every little decision and freaking out about finding boxes and a new place to live. 

But…

Remember, selling a home and moving may only be an activity you do a few times in your life. So if ever you go all-in on a project this is it!! 

Depending on whose research you check, a staged home sells an average of 4 weeks SOONER and always for more than a non-staged home. 

Read that again…faster and for more money. 

The reason this is such a no brainer in the Real Estate world is a staged home puts the buyer in focus. You may be stretched beyond words, but a staged home tells the buyer “relax…come in…we’ve been expecting you…your desires and future are what is important here.” 

In homes that are un-staged, every buyer has to work through your memories, furniture, tastes, quirks before ever thinking about what they want and need. Un-staged homes do sell…eventually. 

With all that being said, staging your home doesn’t have to be a major production. But there are a few essentials: 

1. Neutralize your home. Take down photos. Paint the walls a more neutral color. Get rid of the beloved couch passed onto you by Grandma Shirley. You love these things, but that doesn’t mean anyone else will. 
2. Have some furniture. Some…not a lot. Give people a general idea of how the room can be used but not so much furniture that the room looks cluttered or small. 
3. Increase lighting everywhere! Any mood lighting will make buyers think you are hiding something. So, brighten up all your corners and let people imagine how awesome their life will be when they make your home…their home. 

The bottom line is, a staged home gives a better first impression and photographs better for social media. You want your house to be a ‘must-see’ that has all the realtors in town buzzing. 

And, who are we kidding, we want the buyers to line up with offers. Staged homes give buyers the impression that their lives will be as awesome as your staged home looks. And those are the impressions that motivate buyers to offer aggressively and quickly. 

As your real estate agent, I will walk you through the options and opportunities that exist for every home sale. I have years of experience seeing good homes and not-so-good homes. 

Please send me an email and we can start talking!