Written by Loreena Yeo
Realtor/ Broker/ ASP Realtor-Stager
3:16 team REALTY

While I do not stage houses for a living, I am a realtor that does understand the value of staging and how it can affect the outcome of staging. Keep in mind that Buyers do not purchase the furnishings, however in staging, the furnishings do make an impact on whether a Buyer decides to place an offer on the property or not.

In my experience as a realtor, furnishings make or break a sale. I am discussing beyond the need to stage. Where I work, to make that sale in the Frisco TX real estate market, staging is a must. But to dig on this idea deeper, staging must also complement its price point. To understand the numbers I use, please note that you can purchase a starter home for around $100,000 here in Frisco, TX.

If I was selling a $150,000 starter home in Frisco TX, I could use some basic rental furniture. Perhaps even contemporary design because chances are strong that my target buyers are in the younger, starting-out-in-life crowd. I could stage a formal dining as an office if I did not have the expense of renting a formal dining set. If I was selling between a $200,000 - $300,000 property, I may need to include some formal dining furniture and stage that space as a formal dining. An office/ study could also be important in this price point. I could stage it in a contemporary mixed with traditional furnishings. It can be done beautifully. If I am selling a $500,000 or more, clienteles of this category expect the top of the line everything. I may go more traditional (here in Frisco TX at least). Contemporary may work but it needs to be done with style. Minimal staging at this price point may not suffice. Elegance and sometimes depending on the community, extravagance is the norm.

Thus, stagers must also be in sync with what to stage and how to stage in a particular community. This is where partnering with a realtor that understands what is expected in a particular community is important. It may be public knowledge what price points to expect from one community to another, but it also important to understand the staging concepts (and its furnishings) in each particular community.