Many home owners focus on cost when making a decision on who to hire and what updates to make before selling their home. This is a very understandable approach, as the ultimate goal is to net the most money after the home sale.
On area where we see repeated value is when the seller pays for home staging. The National Association of Realtors conducted a study that found homes which were staged versus empty (or full of clutter) sold for 5% more. That might not seem like a lot, but consider this example. The average home in the Greater Boston Area sells for roughly $750,000. A 5% increase on that figure from staging is $787,500, a $37,500 difference! The average costs to stage a home is $3,500-$5,000 so even after considering the upfront expense the seller still nets almost $35,000 more for their home.
Additionally, homes that are staged typically sell faster for a seller which reduces their carrying costs of owning the home. From a non-monetary perspective the sellers are often very proud of the home they present to the general public because of the staging and can be confident the home they took great pride in owning gets portrayed in the best light.
To articulate this point we recently paid for two sets of professional photos at a home we sold. One set before staging and the other set after staging. Take a look below and you be the judge! Which home would you rather buy?
Reading Nook
Living Room
Home Office
Bedroom
Kitchen
