A home’s first impression is critical when it is for sale, and it is important to make sure it is in the best shape possible before putting it on the market. Sometimes, this involves what is called home staging, making a home more welcoming, appealing and attractive to potential buyers. Staging has been around for a while, but now the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has begun studying the impact it has on how a buyer values a home and the price a seller might expect to get.
In its first-ever Profile of Home Staging report, NAR found that the majority of Realtors who work with buyers believe that staging usually or sometimes has an impact on the buyer’s view of the home. In fact, only 4 percent said staging has no impact at all on what buyers think. These real estate professionals felt that staging helps buyers visualize the property as a future home and makes them more willing to tour a home after seeing it online.
Most Realtors who work with sellers do use staging, although not in every instance. While 34 percent utilize staging on all the homes they list, another 13 percent stage homes that are difficult to sell and 4 percent stage only higher-priced homes. Overall, Realtors ranked the living room as the No. 1 room to stage, followed by the kitchen. They also agree that buyers are willing to offer slightly more for staged homes. The most frequently cited change in dollar value is a 1 to 5 percent increase, with some Realtors also reporting an increase closer to 6 to 10 percent.
