Staging Your Home For Sale - Is It Worth The Investment?

The short answer is YES. And pictures tell a story too. The two 'before' pictures above are actual examples of transforming a house from dark and unappealing to light and bright.

For the past three months the average selling price of a staged home was 19% above the listing price while the unstaged home was only 15%. The 4% difference more than paid the staging cost. The above staging was done very modestly as these sellers paid $1700 for two months of furniture rental and I oversaw the staging as a certified REALTOR Accredited Staging Professional.

The above house had very poor curb appeal. People could stand on the street and look down upon the house specifically into the kitchen. Inside the kitchen all anybody could see was the outdated, dark kitchen looked out at the driveway despite it opening to a wonderful side deck and smaller picture window into the wooded back yard. The rest of the house had just been painted with white walls with a blue undertone that even in the middle of summer seemed cold. People came into the house and left quickly. Most focused on how much work was needed to the house even though it was truly only minor cosmetic work this house needed. The "feel" of the house left people cold and unexcited. Initially the owners did not want to do a thing to the house as they spent the time and money they did have replacing a deck and addressing some deferred maintenance issues (which they did before they retained me. I would have advised them to have focused differently on the preparation of their house had they brought me in much sooner in the process).

Once on market, the house languished until I convinced the sellers to stage. The house was repainted, with warm designer colors throughout the living/dining area, kitchen and bathroom. The bedrooms only had one focal wall painted to soften the coldness of the white paint. Window coverings were added to the bottom half of the large picture window to soften the kitchen view of the driveway and in the bedroom with valances to hide unsightly electrical wires. Now people were oriented when they walked into these rooms away from the objections and towards more pleasant views that we created internally for them. (Note: the eye tends to travel to problem areas first!). Third, a furniture rental company was called in to strategically place furniture, especially vital in the upstairs great room area. By placing furniture to "show or tell" a story, people actually ended up thinking the space was larger! Same space, only the eye was tricked by redirecting it towards how they could use the space instead of thinking about what had to be done.

Once staged, prospects lingered in the house, commenting about the coziness of the house. Three offers came in over asking price within two weeks of putting the house back on market.

And here to tell you some of the top ten secrets to successful staging is a home stager Marelen Wharmby:

• Freshen up the home by painting walls a light, neutral color, such as antique white. Lighter colors appeal to a wider range of buyers and make each room look larger.
  
  
• Take a close look at the floor coverings in each room. If you have hardwood floors under the carpet, you will always make money by removing it, even if the floor is not in perfect condition.
  
  
• Allow as much light as possible to enter the room. Open up or remove all draperies, blinds, shades or other window coverings.
  
  
• Removing the clutter of everyday life - all utilitarian items, stacks of paperworks, toiletries, kitchen utensils, electronic equipment and television sets.
  
  
• Remove furniture from each room that does not go with the decor, such as items that stand out too much and items that are worn or of an unappealing color.
  
  
• Place the remaining room furnishings in a way that makes best use of the character of the space. A room should be balanced so that people do not focus on one particular piece of furniture.
  
  
• Now that you've removed the clutter from your home, adding some nice but inexpensive accessories will greatly elevate the perceived value of the home.
  
  
• Clean, clean, clean. Every crevasse within the home should be spotless and gleaming. Even your normal weekly cleaning can not come close to the quality of clean you need.
  
  
• You can't over spend on fresh plants and orchids, elaborate floral arrangements and landscape plants. All these provide a strong addition to the ambience you want to create.
  
  
• Go on vacation! The houses that sell for much higher prices are homes that do not have the slightly disheveled look which comes with showering in the morning and cooking dinner in the evening. Being gone also will lower your level of stress and make the house easier to sell. Think of it this way: Your vacation will actually make you money.