The Housing Market is Pretty Good, Why Stage?
(Perspectives on Real Estate and More from a Home Staging Pro)
It is pretty easy to make the argument for Home Staging when the market favors the Buyer. The reasoning is that the house will sell faster if it is staged. So what if houses in your neighborhood seem to be selling within about 3 or 4 months like they are in much of Houston, TX? Is Home Staging worth it? If you can afford the extra mortgage payments and you’re not in a hurry to move on, maybe not. Of course there no certainty your house will sell in that period of time and you will likely accept a lower sales price than you would have preferred also.
What? You didn’t know that staged homes generally command a higher sales price? Kristen Kemp of TLC’s Property Ladder says that “Staged Homes generally sell for 6% – 10% more than homes that haven’t been staged.” That’s a lot of money! The longer your house is on the market, the more likely you will be to reduce your list price. On average, houses that have been staged sell within one month.
The Real Estate market in Houston, TX has not suffered the way it has in other parts of the country, but in no way can Sellers take anything for granted. By staging your house, and pricing within the range recommended by your agent, you greatly increase you chance for a quick sale at a price that will make you happy.
Wishing you a quick sale!
Kathy Strader, ASP
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