Is Professional Home Staging Worth the Cost?

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR)…95% of consumers use the Internet when searching for a home. That means, if your goal is a sales success, then your home photos need to impress when compared with similar-priced properties in your area.

The days of assuming that a good scrubbing is all that is required to adequately prepare a home for marketing are over. In the internet age, home staging has evolved from a marketing technique used just for in-person home showings, to one that is used to make homes and spaces look appealing online too.

Professional, impactful staging offers sellers a variety of important benefits. An experienced agent and stager can advise and assist in prepping your home to appeal to a wider range of buyers. The goal is to create a blank canvas of colors and décor that will create a positive emotional response and bond with a high percentage of buyers who can more easily envision themselves living in your home. Many sellers don’t appreciate the mistake of having décor, finishing or paint colors that are too taste-specific. Buyers can be turned off by your bright yellow kitchen or lavender bedroom. Effective marketing helps buyers envision a home as their own…rather than through the lens of a seller’s personal tastes.

Professional staging can also help hide flaws and turn crowded or quirky spaces into more useful ones. There are many sources on the internet quoting the statistical benefits of effective staging…they include higher average sales prices, fewer days on the market, helping to create multiple offer scenarios, etc.

Most buyers these days also prefer a home that is move-in ready and will pay more when they find it.

Not all stagers or photographers are created equal. Experienced, elite-level real estate agents have worked with a variety of vendors for many years and can recommend stagers, photographers, contractors, etc., to their sellers who are the most professional or cost-effective resources in their field of expertise.

About Mary Pong

Mary Pong has been a successful award-winning agent in the Seattle area for more than 16 years. She brings a wealth of valuable marketing knowledge and advice to the table for her clients….and she also offers her seller’s Staging (up to $3,000) and FreeWorld-Class Photography,as well!