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I don't think you need to stage it--You need to hire a realtor who can get it sold. Staging is great when you want to take the eye away from the house, but when you're not trying to hide the house, you don't need staging. Sometimes it's helpful if the rooms are strange shapes or sizes but generally it's a waste of money. I know some agents will disagree, but you're better off lowering your price than by spending money on staging.
Personally, I love looking at empty houses, because I love imagining what I can do. However, I realize that most buyers aren't like that. If you have an open floor layout or awkward/unusual spaces, I would definitely stage it. It's hard for most buyers to visualize how a room is going to feel to them and if their furniture will fit if a house is empty.
I have to disagree with my colleague on this one. Home staging can be very important. I am assuming that your home is priced above the median for your area. I would recommend that you speak with your REALTOR about hiring a home stager. There is a reason why builders will stage model homes; It works. Patrick is absolutely correct, if you home is over priced it still won’t sell but a properly staged home priced correctly will seller fast then a similar home that is not staged.
Perhaps selective staging (i.e. a bit in the entry, kitchen, family and a bedroom) would add a bit of warmth to the house. While I am quite happy looking at empty houses, some need help with their imagination. My least favorite is a house that is so crammed with stuff that I have no idea of room sizes, garage etc.
Unless your selling a multi million dollar house, you don't need to stage it. Personally, I would not stage a house unless the asking price is at least $3 million.
when did this whole staging thing start?? i really wonder how old this strategy is and wether or not it was born or made popular due to the housing bubble. i wouldn't know, i'm too young and have never bought a house
if the above is true, many buyers in the past decade would've bid more or made an offer faster on a house because of visual appeal, in my opinion, mainly because of lax lending standards inflating the amount they thought they were able to pay for a house and/or by eliminating the need for a down payment which in turn further distanced the buyer from the actual price and affordability of a house.
with a return to stricter lending standards and requirements for downpayments i would expect that buyers will now be paying more attention to homes and their integrity and not so much how or what theyre furnished with.
I think it's great for the really high end homes. But for everyone else, clean and neat rules. If I go in to a not expensive home that is staged to the hilt I wonder what they are hiding and is it overpriced?
Then there is that anti staging staging. Remove an appliance or 2 and put a few holes in the wall. That helps you compete with the REOs.
"Studies have also shown that buyers make a decision within 30 seconds of entering a house. A good book on this subject is "Blink". "
That is why you only need to pay close attention to the rooms closest to the front door. You don't have to stage the bedrooms upstairs because the buyers won't see them until they have been in the house for at least 5 minutes. If your going to spend $$$ on staging, then only do the first rooms you see. It will work well and you will save money by not doing the entire house.
There is a company that will stage your home for free if it is over a 300,000 $ house. A home manager moves in pays the decor company a small rent rent amoint + pays your utilites and they decorate your house to sell. They are very successful and they charge a success fee if your house sells in less than average market time. Thanks! Teia VanHorn
Staging works. As a Professional Home Stager, I get results. My average contract for sale is 16 days.. Even in this market.
By giving your home a warm welcoming feeling, the Buyer will be more likely to stay longer in the house, ask more questions of the agent and have more time to fall in love with the house. Furnishings give the house a sense of scale because ony 2% of buyers can imagine themselves in a room. If you are looking for results without any investment, you may be on the loosing end. I have no experience with House Sitters but I would get references and a sold agreement if you try them. But try an experienced Realtor and a Home Stager first. The house I finished last week sold at the first Open House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
staging works. people will say "oh, i love empty rooms" or "i can look past wall colors" but psychology says otherwise. for example, ever see a restaurant decorated in blue? you won't, because blue suppresses appetite. you see so many red restaurants because red increases appetite. it's not something people are consciously aware of, but trust me, it affects you.
as to empty rooms, looking at an empty room is like looking at a picture of a man. without anything else in the picture, you can't tell how tall he is. is he 7'2" or 5'2"? you can't tell. a bedroom without a bed makes it hard for a person to tell if their queen size bed will fit. some people, admittedly, are very good at judging how big a room is. (contractors tend to develope this ability) most people can't, so you need to show them.
so, should you spend thousands on staging? no. will staging make up for a high price? no. will staging help sell your home? yes.
A professional home stager says that staging works! Wow, what a suprise! That's it, I am going to go out and spend $30,000 staging my house so that I can sell it for $100,000 more! YEAH!
So, I have done some research - still doing some more. Found out that Stagers charge up to $500 for the consultation. For staging 1 living room, 1 family room, 1 dining, 1 kitchen, it is looking about $825/month rental. This would include some artwork, greenery/silk tree, etc. Approx $100 delivery/pickup fee. Plus tax on the rental. So, looking like about $1500 for first month, 825/month - additional months. This sounds better than dropping price on house - which I feel is already a fair price! Now, what I have found by looking at 30+ websites is that I only like 1-2 stagers designs out of 30 or so. You really need to understand what style of furniture they can get, how good they are at staging, etc BEFORE going with them. sigh...
I've read all the replies and I am wondering if you have to sell your home because you can't afford it otherwise, (my issue) how do you then afford a stager? I can barely afford to store my extra stuff until my home sells let alone hire and pay for staging? What are affordable things one can do that lend itself to staging? Do realtors have relationships with staging companies and/or storage facilities where the clients they work with can get some type of discount to do these things? It's just not enough to offer all sorts of suggestions that cost money with no practical way of doing them.
maybe you can negotiate with a stager to be paid at closing.. the fee around here is 1% at closing.. so it may be more expensive.. but no out of pocket till d day.. the kicker is.. you have to really be confident of the range your house will sell in.. to make sure your going to be ok with the chunk.. and the stager will have to be confident with your price.. so they'll get paid.. and yes.. make sure its a real stager with taste.. not just someone putting towels in the bathroom and loads of cheesy silk plants around..
Stage it yourself! Watch HGTV and get some tips. I did and yes, I do believe it worked.
I do believe I was the last person to sell in California.J/K
Shanny
I have a friend (former roommate) who bought a condo in Richmond CA in early 2007. He always says, "I was the last person to buy in California at the height of the market."
I feel soooo lucky to have gotten out. Even though we took a spanking, it was far from a beating.
Shanny
Worth it or not? If the house sells quickly and close to the asking price, then it is worth it. If not, then it is not.
If you are trying to find someone other than a bottom dweller, Absolutely.
I went to the effort to stage our home and it sold for full price in a quickly dwindling market last summer. That being said, I believe each homeowner has to evaluate their individual situation. Did any of the feedback you received from the realators include criticism of the empty house? If it did then you may want to selectively stage. I agree that your home sounds like a lot of space to stage. Perhaps recreating a "Pottery Barn" entryway would be a good place to start. Then add a few touches to the kitchen. Set it up to look like dinner is going to be prepared in the next 10 minutes or so. A big pot on the stove with water in it, a canister of spagetti nearby. Fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs (put these in a canister of water and change out every few days) on butcher block cutting board. A loaf of french bread on the counter with a couple of wine glasses and a decent (unopened) bottle of wine waiting to be poured. Create an emotional connection to the room. Play up its best features. Maybe you have a killer baking center. Stage it to appear you will be making cookies with the kids after school instead, including the backpack hanging on the back of the counter stool. Then move on to the next big "emotional" room, the master bath. Play up its assets too. Big jacuzzi tub? Have a stack of fluffy white towels, a loofa, a bath oil collection and a good book near by. Create the atmosphere of relaxation. Make your potential buyers want to come home to this room to unwind.
A little can go a really long way. You want your buyer to imagine their life to be absolutely perfect in this home.
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Da Kitteh Stagers of 'Merica DEPLORES your tasteless remarks on our speciality, Cheesy Silk Plants! Fie on YOO!!!!!!
Staging a House - worth it?
PrjMgr
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I have had my home on the market for 6 weeks now. 2 other homes near me have moved and I have had decent traffic and very favorable feedback from realtors. However, I realize that since most of my house is NOT painted (off white walls), that the others that sold DID have paint. One beat over ours since their yard was larger, but our home backs to forever open space (1,000's of acres of open land, mountain views...). So, I have decided that I should invest in painting the house the Neutral "Pottery Barn" type colors (light and medium taupe colors). I have my painter starting tomorrow. I do believe it will help with the first impressions for sure.
The question is - do I need to go further? My house is empty - so, should I go that extra step and stage it? Is that worth the investment?
How much does staging usually run? I have a 5 bedroom, 5 bath, 2 story with full walk out basement. living room, 2 family rooms, and entertainment area. That could really add up depending on what the stager is suggesting to put in the house to show it better.
Once I have it painted I plan on re-posting all my photos and updating all my websites, MLS, brochures, etc (I am listing it myself - owner). I will also take these updated brochures around to agent's offices. I will also contact all the agents who have already seen the house to re-invite them back to see the new/improved look.... Will this be enough? Or do I really need to stage it? We are asking $590k
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