To Hire a Home Stager or Not

And just when you think you’ve dealt with all major decisions that selling a house presents you with … the question of home staging comes up. Of course everyone wants a beautifully depersonalized space for pristine selling conditions, but is it worth the money and time? 

Pros:

It’s Not Empty!

If you are having to move your belongings before selling your house, having an empty home without furniture is not an appealing or inviting look. If the options are to have nothing in the house, or have minimal staging - go with the staging! (This is especially true with larger homes).

A Small Investment for a Bigger Return?

Depending on what you spend on a home stager, and how much the perceived value of your home goes up, you could spend a few hundred, and gain a few thousand depending on the numbers.  According to The International Association of Home Staging Professionals, homes that have been staged sell for 17% above the asking price compared to those not staged.

Mass Appeal

Most people don’t do a great job at looking past what’s currently in a home to visualize their own things in the home. If your home is a very specific style, is incredibly personalized, or you have very unique furniture - staging your home to create a mass appeal will be a huge help in selling your home.

Quicker Timeline

According to The International Association of Home Staging Professionals, 95% of staged homes sell on average in 11 days or less. By saving time, you are not only saving yourself the stress of a lengthy timeline, but saving a decent amount of cash on the mortgage, utilities, etc. that come with keeping the home in your name.

Cons:

Cost

While if done right, home staging can make you money, there is always the risk that you spend money on a home stager and sell the home for no more than you would have without. The cost, while sometimes built in as a commission, can also be an upfront cost meaning that if you don’t have the money to front, it is out of the question. There is a huge range with home staging costs, so if you decide you would like to go with a home stager, be sure to look into a few with different pricing before deciding.

Delay

Because it is ideal to stage a home before going on the market, factoring in home staging to the timeline is a must. Depending on how much needs to be done, and what the process is - you want to make sure you leave plenty of time before going on the market - which not everyone has. One tip is to hire a home stager that does it all. Working with a “group” or a home stager that has multiple people tag-teaming the project often takes longer with delays more likely.

Waiting too long

If your home has already been on the market for 30 or 60 days, hiring a home stager at that point could help, but you have already missed a large part of the most eager audience you’ll have. Just because you hired a home stager in no way means they will come back! Timing is definitely something to keep in mind.