If you’re thinking about selling your home or if you’re in the market to purchase a new home, you may have heard of home staging as an option for getting your home ready to sell or ready to make it appealing to buyers.
But what exactly is home staging? How does it differ from interior decorating? And how can you benefit from this service, even if you’re not looking to sell or buy? Read on to learn everything about home staging and how it could be the solution to getting your space into tip-top shape.
What is Home Staging?
Home staging is the practice of decluttering, decorating, and furnishing a house to help it sell faster. It’s a crucial part of selling your home when you’re planning on moving or downsizing. Home staging can make all the difference in selling your home quickly.
But what are the benefits? And what should I expect during a home staging consultation? What is a typical cost for home staging? How do I know if my property will need any work before staging begins? What furniture should be included in my staging process? Why does staging save me money? Can I stage my own home? Should I use a professional photographer for listing photos? Read these answers to find out!
Staging a Home for Real Estate vs. Staging a Home for Interior Design
Staging a home for real estate is about making it look like someone lives there. If you’re staging a home for interior design, it’s about making the space look attractive and usable. These are two different jobs with two different purposes.
When staging a home for Interior Design, your goal is to make the space appear functional and beautiful – not necessarily look like somebody actually lives there. If you’re staging a home for Real Estate, it should be designed to sell. Which means that rooms should have furniture in them (even if it doesn’t match) and some sort of personal item that has meaning to the seller should be placed on display somewhere in each room.
The idea is to make people feel comfortable enough to buy the property. They want buyers to think I could live here. For Interior Design, anything goes as long as it looks good! You can even place artificial plants around the house to help create a serene atmosphere. For example, this living room below was staged by placing one large fern on top of an old bookcase in order to create a tranquil ambiance.
However, if this same living room was being staged for real estate, there would need to be more furnishings and personal items such as pictures or books visible throughout the room to give buyers more insight into what life might be like at this address. Even something as simple as a few framed photos sitting on top of the bookshelf would serve to humanize the space.
If you’ve ever been through an open house where they just threw all the furniture out of every single room so that nothing looked like anyone lived there, then you’ll know exactly what it feels like when buying a new home without staging involved. And we don’t want you to experience that feeling again.
How Home Staging Works
The process of home staging may include a deep cleaning, decluttering, and organizing all the rooms in your house. If you have a cluttered living space and want to show it off at its best, home staging is for you. Then when it comes time for your potential buyers or renters to see your space, they’ll have an easy time picturing themselves there.
Home staging is also helpful if you’re moving out and need someone else to move in. It makes the house easier to sell because people can picture themselves living there. A cluttered room is much more difficult to imagine yourself in.
Home staging helps make your house easier to sell. It’s important that each room has its own purpose and everything is well-organized. You should be able to tell what every room is used for just by looking around.
All the furniture should be comfortable but not too cozy so it feels open and inviting. Nothing should feel overwhelming in any one area. You don’t want to overwhelm a person by having too many different things going on in one place. Instead, you want people to focus on one thing at a time as they walk around your house.
All the furniture should go together nicely without any patterns clashing or colors fighting with each other too much. When your prospective buyer walks through the door, he or she should say wow immediately and know they could live here. They shouldn’t spend their time wandering aimlessly wondering where to sit down next.
Home Staging Options & Alternatives
- A Home Stager will come into your home and help you declutter, arrange furniture, bring in new décor and show you how to stage every room of your house.
- An Interior Designer may not be able to do a full home staging consultation, but they can help you with the design process from start to finish.
- You could hire someone to stage your entire home or just a few rooms, depending on what you need assistance with.
- You can also take the DIY route and try some at-home staging tips yourself! Whether you’re dealing with clutter or color issues, this is often an easy fix that won’t cost you anything. Consider going through your clothes, bookshelves, kitchen cupboards and closets – then donate those things that don’t work for you anymore!
When it comes to colors – think neutrals such as white, taupe and grey – they tend to blend well with any style of decor.
If you have too much furniture in one room, ask yourself why? Do you have too many pieces or are there simply too many items? In this case, try narrowing down your furnishings by combining two similar styles. For example if you have a formal living room with both vintage and modern pieces, keep the ones that go together and eliminate the other pieces.
It’s always best to err on the side of less rather than more when arranging furnishings so it doesn’t look crowded. As far as lighting goes, it’s important to make sure there’s adequate illumination throughout the space.
Dimly lit areas can make a small space seem cluttered and dark – even if you’re trying to create a cozy vibe. Don’t forget about window treatments either! Draperies, blinds and curtains should all be coordinated to create a balanced aesthetic.
Finally, don’t neglect the most important part of your home, which is the backyard. Outdoors spaces are great places to entertain guests or spend time relaxing with family members. With these simple steps and ideas, you’ll have everything covered.
How Much Does Home Staging Cost?
It can cost anywhere from $100 for a basic cleaning and staging, up to $1,000 if the home requires extensive work. The costs will vary depending on the size of the home and the level of work needed.
How Much Will Home Staging Save You? : Home staging typically saves sellers between 6% and 9% of their asking price. That means that you could save up to $30,000 just by investing in professional home staging services!
What is the Most Important Factor in Getting Good Results with Home Staging? There are many factors that go into getting great results with home staging. One of the most important ones is to use colors that appeal to your buyers’ tastes and style. We recommend using colors from Pantone’s color forecast or one of our free virtual tours (like this one) to help you pick out colors.
Another factor is making sure there’s plenty of natural light in each room so potential buyers have a sense of what it would be like when they’re living there 24/7. Always make sure any art you place in the rooms has been professionally framed to ensure it looks its best.
And don’t forget that even though home staging will make your house look more attractive, potential buyers want to know what life is really like inside before they buy.
Is Home Staging Worth It?
The short answer is yes. Home staging can be a great way to help sell your home faster and for more money. Studies show that staged homes sell in less than 2 weeks on average, while un-staged homes take 2 months on average.
In fact, 80% of buyers say they’d never buy a house without first seeing it staged. That’s why so many real estate agents insist their clients use this service before listing their home for sale. Some people don’t think the initial cost of hiring a professional stager is worth the return on investment.
But, keep in mind the expense doesn’t stop there. It will also cost you time – time you might not have if you’re trying to work full-time or juggle kids or other responsibilities like hobbies. Plus, staging won’t give you the best outcome unless it’s done by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Make sure you hire someone who has expertise in the area of selling residential property. Ask them how long they’ve been an agent and how long they’ve been staging homes? Check with their references and get feedback from past clients. And, finally, find out how often they stage houses before making a decision about whether to go with them.
A Quick Wrap
Home staging is the process of preparing a home for sale, typically by arranging furniture and personal belongings. – The goal is to create a neutral environment that appeals to potential buyers. – This includes making it seem like the house has been lived in and loved.
Home staging can make the difference between selling your home quickly and not selling it at all. It helps buyers picture themselves living there and encourages them to take the next step. If you’re thinking about moving, but not sure if you should list your home with an agent yet, consider hiring a professional home stager first!