To Stage or Not to Stage

You’re getting ready to sell your home and your Realtor recommends staging it prior to going on the market. You think to yourself: ‘Why waste the money? We’re in a seller’s market, and I have a beautiful home that should sell no problem, with or without staging.’ Well, you might be right, but the question isn’t whether staging will be the difference between your home selling or not. The question is whether staging will increase the likelihood of your home selling quickly and at the highest price the market will bear. In cases where the home isn’t a complete fixer, the answer to that question is usually yes.

First impressions mean a lot in real estate, even in a highly competitive market like the Bay Area. For a buyer to feel confident writing their highest and best offer for your property, you want them to feel at home as soon as they walk through the front door. Needless to say, it’s hard for most people to feel comfortable in a dark and empty house. If one of our clients has a vacant home, we almost always hire a professional stager to furnish it before going on the market.

If you currently live in the house you’re selling, “staging” becomes more a matter of rearranging furniture, decluttering and hiding/removing personal effects. As much as your home feels like home to you, it might not feel that way to the next family. Whether vacant or owner occupied, it’s important to present a neutral living space that appeals to the broadest demographic of buyers possible.