The Concept of Home Staging

Home staging has become very popular in the real estate industry.  Most people are now familiar with its concept.  As a matter of fact, staging has been receiving a lot of very positive press lately.  The most recent high-profile coverage was a two part segment by Matt Lauer on The Today Show.

Let's start by explaining a little bit about what home staging is for those of you who aren't familiar with it.  In a nutshell, home staging is the process of turning a home into a highly desirable, marketable product.  It's a proven fact that staging can help sell your home quicker and for more money than a comparable property that has not been staged.  The point of this article, however, is not to inundate you with statistics.  If you are interested in reading about the statistics, they are readily available on the internet.  Rather than going into that in great detail, I would prefer to show you the 'before' and 'after' photos of homes that I have staged and let you decide for yourself whether or not there is any value in having a property staged.

Staging Can Make a Room Appear Larger 

The two pictures below are of a family room that I recently staged.  The sectional sofa was much too large for the space.  The sofa was therefore taken apart leaving only one piece.  A throw was put over the remaining piece to hide the clips that attached all three sections together.  A smaller coffee table was brought in from another room in the home as well as a smaller area rug.  The result is a much larger looking room.

Before                                                                    After

Vacant Homes and Empty Rooms Are Harder To Sell

There is a school of thought amongst some people that vacant homes are easier to sell, as potential buyers can more readily envision their own furniture and accessories in the space.  This is, in fact, not true.  A vacant home will stay on the market longer than one that is suitably furnished and accessorized.  Further information on these statistics is also available if you are interested in doing a little more research.

I think you will agree after looking at the two photos below, that the furnished living room is much more welcoming than the empty one.  The key when potential buyers are viewing your home, is to keep their interest and have them want to spend a little more time looking around.  Certainly the 'after' photo accomplishes that.  Which room would you rather be in?  By the way, these are the two other pieces of the sectional sofa that were in the family room.  No other furniture was needed.  I brought in some of my accessories to dress up the living room and add a little more warmth.

Before                                                                    After

Staging Does Not Cost As Much As You Think

I have heard people say that they don't want to spend their money on home staging because it is too expensive.  This is a preconceived notion that is totally incorrect.  Home staging does not have to cost an arm and a leg.  Quite often, the most dramatic changes to a room are accomplished by simply rearranging the existing furniture.  In the following two pictures, you will see the huge difference in this living room.  The 'before' picture shows a room that feels disconnected.  There is no flow and it is certainly not conducive to entertaining.  After staging, the living room now has a cozy feel to it.  No additional furniture was rented.  The cost of this transformation was just my time only.

Before                                                                      After

Getting Rid of Clutter 

Look at the difference in the 'before' and 'after' pictures below.  Clutter eats up space.  Even such a small thing as removing all of the overhead baskets made a big impact on this kitchen.  It's a good idea to also keep the counters clear.  One of the most important features of a kitchen to buyers is the amount of counter space.  Buyers must be able to see that.  It will appear that there is less counter space if the counters are covered with appliances and unnecessary items. 

Before                                                                        After

Staging By the Owner

It's always a good idea for the homeowner to de-clutter and de-personalize their home before listing it for sale.  I also can't stress enough the importance of cleaning your home from top to bottom.  However, as the owner, you will not be as subjective as an outsider.  That is where hiring a home stager comes in.  He or she is professionally trained to see the positive and negative features in your home and maximize impact.  For example, you may not notice certain items around your home that are in need of repair or that should be packed away.    

After Staging

Remember that it is up to you to keep up the appearance of your home once it has been staged.  Many stagers offer services to maintain the look for you.  As well, many offer a sprucing up service on the day of Open Houses to make sure that everything is at its best.

Summary

In closing, I hope that this article has been of some help to you in understanding the value of staging.  Not so much with statistics and repetitive claims, but with visual proof of what staging can do for your home.  Why stage?  To make your home appeal to the largest number of buyers.  When should you stage?  In a hot real estate market staging can make your home stand out from the rest.  Who knows, you might even get more than your asking price!  In a slower real estate market, your home has to be even more memorable than the others.  You want yours to be the one that gets an offer!

Dezigner Digz is a home staging company located in Burlington, Ontario and serving Hamilton, Ancaster, Burlington, Aldershot, Bronte and Oakville.  'Make Your Home or Listing the One Buyers Will Fall For.'