To stage or not to stage – that used to be a very common question. But in today’s real estate market, it is not an ‘if’ but a ‘how’, at least if you want to attract the greatest buyer pool and receive the highest possible return on your investment. While our own Homes of Silicon Valley seller services have always included staging as a critical part of property preparation, the latest data from the National Association of Realtors® concurs. See below for more on why now, and by how much.

STAGING THEN & NOW

Prior to the pandemic, staging studies sided with our own results in revealing that staged homes sell for higher prices. The popularity of home and real estate ‘reality’ shows in recent years has also created the perception that listed homes should appear like those seen on television. NAR President Charlie Oppler has stated that “The magic of television can make a home transformation look like it happened in a quick 60-minute timeframe, which is an unrealistic standard.” But one that virtually every home is held to nonetheless.

But with COVID-19 first halting the housing market altogether and then removing open houses for the long haul, reliance on photos and virtual tours has surged and really become the only first impression a home can make. The best first impression is no doubt a professionally designed one, and staged homes can not only maximize space and universal style, but can also account for the accommodation of camera angles, lighting and room flow.

STAGING RESULTS

Now here is the data that you really want, how much does staging really help and in what ways:

| 82% of buyers' agents said home staging made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.

| 23% of buyers’ agents said that staging increased how much buyers were willing to spend on a property, up to 5% more.

| 18% of sellers’ agents reported a 6-10% increase on the offer price of staged homes, while another 23% reported a 1-5% increase on offer price.

| 31% of sellers’ agents declared that home staging greatly decreases a home’s days on market.

| 0% of agents reported a negative impact of staging on the home’s dollar value.

NAR's Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights, Jessica Lautz, says that “Staging a home helps consumers see the full potential of a given space or property. It features the home in its best light and helps would-be buyers envision its various possibilities."

Last but not least, we want to add that staging is about showing the home’s true potential as it appeals to every potential buyer. It truly is making the home less representative of the seller and more appealing to those with any number of design dreams and lifestyles. In the spirit of honesty and integrity, staging is NOT about hiding a home’s flaws or trying to detract from an issue (disclosures do exist for a reason!).

We proudly offer several staging strategies that create results; feel free to reach out and learn how we determine which is the right fit for each home, and how we create the highest ROI with the least amount of stress.

Resource Used: Realtors Say Staging a Home Increased Offered Prices, Cut Marketing Time

Warmest regards,

Mark Barber

408-290-0072 | mark@homesofsv.com
DRE 01220031 | Homes of Silicon Valley / A Division of Sereno