Home staging is the act of preparing and showcasing a house for sale to attract a large pool of prospective buyers. Professional staging is a powerful marketing tool, not only giving a seller a marketable advantage over the competition, but potentially fetching a higher sales price and reducing the number of Days on Market (DOM) for a listing. As competition in the housing market increases, a growing number of real estate agents and home sellers are enlisting the services of professional home stagers to meet the high expectations of buyers and help sell a home fast for the highest price possible.
The longer a home stays on the market, the further its price drops, inviting bargain hunters and low offers. Hence, for the best return on investment, sellers should stage their homes prior to listing. Staging accentuates a home’s best features and downplays its flaws, ensuring it shows well and makes a good first impression on prospective buyers.
Staging is often done by a staging professional hired by the listing agent or the seller. Trade associations, such as the International Association of Home Staging Professionals®, Real Estate Staging Association®, and the American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners are good starting points for finding stagers in an area, as are sites like Home Staging Resource.
Several studies, including the recent National Association of Realtors® 2015 Profile of Home Staging report, back the merits of home staging. In the infographic below, we have highlighted why staging has become a key selling strategy for agents and sellers, along with the associated costs and tips on how to hire a professional stager. Considering the potential payback, staging is indeed a smart investment for home sellers!
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