Should you Use a Home Staging Company When Selling Your Home? Pros and Cons

Do you need your home to be professionally staged before selling it? No, you do not, but it can help increase the price you are seeking as well as make it look great for potential buyers. Everyone wants their house to look its best, and by hiring a professional staging company, you have a better chance of it looking so good that buyers cannot pass it up.

Some studies have shown that at least 30% of home sellers were offered more money from buyers due to the home staging process that the home went through. Along with this, over 75% of buyers were able to picture themselves living in the home due to the staging process. And finally, almost half of home buyers were willing to go visit a home that was properly staged that they found online for purchase. These statistics were brought forth by the National Association of Realtors.

What Does a Home Stager Do?

A home stager simply adds new decor, and rearranges your furniture, or brings in some new furniture. Home staging basically gives your home a temporary face lift for the sake of selling it. If home staging is done correctly by a company that knows what they are doing, your home will look like a photo out of a magazine.

Home staging can also make those boring real estate pictures that are featured in real estate advertisements look brand new and stunning. On top of that, it can help increase the value of your home and the price that buyers are willing to pay for it.

A home staging company can also help get your home more traffic from potential buyers which equals more offers and even more money as long as it is done correctly.

What Does a Home Stager Do?

As mentioned above, a home stager can give your home a temporary facelift for the sake of selling it. You can do the staging yourself, but if you can find it in your budget, hiring a professional is much more helpful. A few of the things to expect from a staging company include:

• Bringing in new furniture, especially if you are selling an empty home.
• Bringing in new decor to decorate the home with.
• They will arrange the furniture to give buyers the illusion of a more spacious area.
• They will also use your personal items and bring in more pieces that may help bring the room together such as throw pillows, covers, candles, vases, and even your silverware and food serving items. By adding some different decor or rearranging what you already have on hand and adding special touches, a professional stager can make your home seem like a more inviting place to live or visit, which is a huge selling point for buyers.

What is Expecting of Me Before the Staging Process?

An experienced home stage may give you a short list of things that should be done before they begin the staging. The list may include all or some of the following:

• A stager may suggest you do a deep clean on your home.
• They may also suggest that you move your current furniture around to give the area a more spacious feel.
• They may also suggest that you store at least ⅓ of your personal items, in each room, before they begin the staging process.
• Some may also suggest that you add a reed diffuser to give your home an amazing aroma.

These are just the top suggestions many home stagers will give you, but there may be more depending on the company that you choose.

What Are the Pros of Home Staging?

There are several pros to hiring a home staging company to help with selling your home. The list below will give you some idea of the positive effects of hiring a professional stager.

• Increase value of the home.
  An increase in what a buyer may offer for the home.
  Potential buyer traffic can increase with a staged home.
  Staging properly can increase the amount of money a buyer is willing to pay or offer for the home.
  Listing photos will look much better when the home is staged.
• Suppose you have a strange, small, odd-shaped room in your home, staging that room can make it look as if it has more value than it actually does.

What Are the Cons of Home Staging?

Obviously, the pros far outweigh the cons, but there are still a few cons to keep an eye out for when choosing to use a professional staging company.

Money is a big con, having to shell out even more money can be taxing to some sellers, but in the long run it will be worthwhile.

Another con at the top of the list is having enough time to do what you need. Some stagers can stage a home quickly and efficiently, while it may take more time for stagers to do what they need to give your home the value it deserves.

Removing the items used for the staging can take some time as well.

The unfortunate truth about staging is that it can cost hundreds of dollars or thousands depending on how much work is needed to be done. Be sure to ask your real estate agent about any staging ideas they may have to give.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

In order to sell your home, you do not need to hire a professional stager, you can actually do a lot of it yourself.

Do not let your real estate agent bully you into believing that the only way to sell your home for the price you’re asking, is to have it staged professionally.
Any agent worth their weight in salt, can sell your home whether it is staged or not. The actual staging is not what sells your home. Yes, it can help, but excellent marketing, reputable real estate agents, and a little work on your part and you can sell your home just like you would if it was staged professionally.

You Can Stage Your Home Yourself

Granted, hiring a professional stage can be a good idea depending on your personal needs and budget limit, but there are a few things you can do yourself to stage your home and get it ready for an open house.

• Move your furniture around, make each room look more spacious.
• Purchase new furniture or decor if need be, and arrange it to look more homey and comfortable.
• Remember to store at least ⅓ of you stuff from each room, to help with the illusion of more space.
• There are several staging ideas online you can use and adapt to your home.
• Clean everything!
• Declutter your belongings.
• Repair the little things that may be wrong with it.
• If a new coat of paint is needed, try to go with neutral or warm colors.
• Eliminate all signs of pets, including beds, treats, food, etc.
  Add some aroma or a diffuser to each room.
• Take some professional pictures to add to the listing once you are done staging.
• Update lighting and fixtures if needed.
• Don’t forget to spruce up the exterior for a more attractive curb appeal.
• Consult often with your realtor, they are there to help you with any questions or concerns you have as well as any advice you need regarding the sale of your home.