Calie... I book marked this one.

I am intersted in reading what people have to say.

THANKS for asking the question.

Me

Calie,

 I have to say staging makes a huge difference. I had a listing earlier this year that was vacant  and we had several showings but no offers, Then I have a professional stager stag the unit and it sold in less than 30 days! I am a believer.

Scott Gerami

Craig, I smiled when I saw you were the first to respond to Calie's post. Why? Because I came here to see what you wrote. ;-) I'll check back later.

Calie, nice website you have.

Scott, thanks for speaking up. 

Craig - you're the master!  I stand in awe of your blogging. 

Is staging truly a valuable service or merely today's "hot" real estate trend?  Is is worth the investment of $2,000 (or Oprah's $10,000!) ... 

Calie, I think this is a great question.  Being a home stager, my answer may be biased but I know staging makes a difference. 

Your point that it isn't a miracle cure is very true and we have to be careful not to promise results, but staging works.  That is why builders set up model homes, furniture stores set up "rooms" within the store, fabric stores have upholstered samples, fashion stores have mannequins and on and on.  The majority of people need well merchandised -merchandise to "see it". 

I think its obvious that houses that have been on the market for several months need SOMETHING.  Maybe a price reduction?  But I contend that staging can also give a property added perceived value and costs less than a price reduction.  And when a house sells faster because it was well staged that is worth real money.

Calie,

 I am biased as I am a home stager.  I think I have never feel so committed and passionate about anything before because I've never felt like what I do make such a big impact. 

Whether it's trying to help a single parent move out so they can go on in a bad situation, or a family who is struggling to make 2 mortgage payments to move on to their bigger home, or even, an older couple downsize from their big home to a condo unit.  Staging helps. Staging helps sell a property for people to move on, it helps them to declutter and downsize.  Another stager told me, "Clutter eats up equity...and energy."  It is so true. 

By staging the house, you are not only preparing it to sell in the shortest amount of time for more money, it is helping the homeowners destress their lives a little bit more by helping them get rid of all the stuff.  People have waaayyyy too much stuff. 

The current stats on staging is staged homes sell for 7% more and sell in half the time than a non-staged home!  It really works!

Marcyne Touchton, Domaine Staging

I know that this is an old blog post, but I just read it and wanted to comment. As a Realtor, I think staging is so important that I spend a ton of time with homeowners to get their house ready- at no additional cost!!! I spent a whole afternoon on my last listing to get it ready...and it sold to the first people who saw it!!!  If I had been their stager I would have felt totally justified in asking them to pay me to do the work. As their Realtor, I did what was in the best interest of my clients to get the house sold. 

Thanks, Pamela for your *insight*.  There's never a time limit on my blogs and opinions are ALWAYS welcome.