Source: Investopedia —
When real estate agents talk about staging your home, they’re referring to a method of preparing a property for sale on the real estate marketplace. Staging is designed to showcase a home’s best assets, impress buyers, and sell it quickly for the highest possible price.
Because not all sellers stage their homes–especially homes in lower price ranges–you’ll be at an advantage if you elect to take the extra step of staging your property. Here’s how.
What Is Home Staging?
Good staging is “a form of visual merchandising that draws on some of the fundamentals of interior design,” says Gordon Roberts, a broker with Sotheby’s International Realty. “The object of staging is to flatter the property but not be too obvious about it, like being dressed without drawing particular attention to what you’re wearing.”
Melinda Massie, who owns a Fort Worth home organizing firm, says that good staging lets the buyers imagine themselves in the home, shows off its good features and hides its flaws, turns weird spaces into usable spaces, creates a mood (stagers call it “emotional” staging), and makes the home look significantly better in photos.
Home staging is not the same as decorating. Decorating is about personal style, while staging makes your home appealing to the largest pool of buyers.
Why Home Staging Is Important
When dealing with such a significant financial transaction as selling a home, you don’t want to settle for a lower selling price or a longer marketing period than you have to.
Relative to the amount of time and money involved, staging may be one of the most lucrative projects you ever undertake. Potential buyers aren’t just looking for a structure to inhabit—they’re also looking for a way to fulfill their dreams and improve their lifestyles. Staging can create a more emotional purchase for the buyer, which ultimately can generate more money for the seller.
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