Expert Advice: Should You Stage Before You Sell?

So you’ve decided to sell your home and of course, like most sellers, you want to get the best price for your home. There is just one problem: Your home doesn’t look like the magazines. Instead, it resembles the “before”. This opens a floodgate of questions. Will this affect the listing price? Will it slow down the sale of my property? Is it worth staging to help sell my home? 

First, let’s start by understanding the 50 shades of staging. The term “staging” encompasses everything from a simple clean-out of your crammed closet, to a full renovation. Understanding your goals and timeline when selling your home will help determine what staging works for you. Where your listing price sits may play a role in the decision to stage or not to stage. In the Philadelphia real estate market we find that buyers in the $200k range are more forgiving of flaws. When you start to be in the $350k and up pricing, the expectations are higher and homes need to look the part.

Photo Credits: Voila Home Design | Instagram @voilahomedesign

DIY Staging 

Best For: Everyone

Think deep cleaning, painting, and new lightbulbs everywhere! One of the biggest tips we can pass along is to pack up that salt and pepper shaker collection and Aunt Mildred’s dresser that never did quite work in the guest room. Get them into a self-storage unit before you list your home. As Philly Home Girls Owner Jeanne Whipple shares “it’s like moving out before you move out. You want people to walk in your home and think their lives are going to be peaceful and calm, not focus on the fact that the living room is narrow, or that you clearly have outgrown the space”. 

When we say deep clean, we mean deep. Dive into those medicine cabinets and toss or pack away anything you don’t need immediately. People will snoop, so let them find a closet or kitchen cabinet that actually fits day-to-day items without spillover. You know how it goes, fresh eyes will see the daily clutter that you may look past. It can be helpful to turn to an organizing professional like Michelle Dillon owner of Together by Michelle to kickstart this step with you. 

A fresh coat of paint can really make an impact on the vibe of your home. It is best to stick with neutral paint colors, such as Benjamin Moore’s Tranquility, White Dove,  or the ever-popular Decorators White. It may be hard to resist playing with color, but be warned, neutral is the safest bet. They will allow buyers to visualize your home as their own and that really is the main goal.  

Lack of light is one of the biggest hurdles to jump in Philly row homes. If you have recessed lighting be sure all are stocked and working with fresh bulbs. With older homes, grab a few simple floor lamps that can be used strategically to illuminate and get your home feeling bright. If you have a showing, flick those switches on no matter the time of day! 

Professional Staging 

Best For: Empty Properties

When you have an empty home, professional staging may be necessary for potential buyers to make an offer. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, 83% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. 

Owner Tiffany Fasone from Voila Design Home agrees “10 years ago, staging wasn’t as important, but these days, buyers are used to touring a furnished home. They are comparing staged and unstaged properties. Staged almost always wins. It allows you to see what fits, and to imagine what it will feel like as your home” 

In an empty home, everything is exposed. The stains on your carpets you didn’t know were there, baseboards that have more than a ding or two, awkward placement of electrical sockets. Setting the stage will not only illustrate what furniture will fit (do you know how small bedrooms look without a bed in them?!), but also masks some of those inevitable imperfections. Although Fasone and team always stage the living room, dining, kitchen, master, and baths she emphasizes that  “The entry-level is the most important, as it triggers an immediate response of love it or not”

Although professional staging is an additional cost, it should be considered an investment to help sell your home faster. Whipple advises that “staging shouldn’t be an afterthought. Make the decision to stage right from the get-go. Buyers look at days on the market, so put your best foot forward from day one”.  

PHG agent Rachel Shaw shared a recent experience. Her listing had been on the market with another agency without much action. Frustrated the seller reached out to Rachel to get results. She used her expertise to research the property and area and determined the price was right but it needed help with presentation. The seller agreed to staging and new high-end photography. They had more showings in that first week than in the three months with the original agent. The home went under contract in 8 days and closed a month later! Pics of the transformation below.

Full Redesign or Renovations 

Best For: Rare Exceptions

This option is the toughest. With more buyers less willing to renovate themselves, it leaves some sellers wondering if fixing up that bathroom or kitchen is worth the effort. The bottom line is the time and costs it takes to remodel may not pay off in the end. Even if your property is in dire shape, perhaps pricing it to attract buyers looking for an investment property market is a smarter move.

Speak with your Realtor about your pricing strategy. Condition is only one factor of your listing price. The others being location, market, and motivation.

Is Staging Worth It?

Every home listed should have some aspect of staging. Remember, it can be as simple as a deep cleaning and organization. The big question is, will it increase showings or decrease days on the market? While working on a recent Philly residential development, Fasone shared “all the units Voila Design Home staged sold, while the exact same unstaged units sat. Sometimes you have to help people see what the possibilities of the home are.” 

Numbers provided by the National Association of Realtors, indicate that staging will lessen the time your property is on the market and that buyers see it as more valuable.  Thirty-eight percent of buyers were more interested in walking through a home they saw online that was staged, 23% were more willing to overlook property faults. Ten percent of Voila Design Home’s staged properties have sold on the very same day that they were installed. 

In a busy market, staging can put you ahead of the pack. It can also feel overwhelming, but we’ve got you. If you are getting ready to list your home, give us a call. We will come over to recommend a staging and listing price strategy that works for you. Let’s get that home sold!