The data is clear that staging often makes the decisive difference in how quickly your home will sell and for how much. Staging, when done right, gives your home a WOW factor when buyers view it online. This brings more buyers through the door and makes your sale more competitive. See the before-and-after images below of a home we staged for one of our clients. The “before” pictures are the home staged by the homeowner for rental purposes—and he did a reasonably good job. But you can see the dramatic difference our professional staging makes to ensure an impressive showing both in person and online.
Carole Thomas ASP, owner of Pragmatic Staging Solutions, notes that selling a home is a competitive process. So, unless there are no other homes on the market, a potential buyer could choose another home rather than yours. In short, a staged home has an advantage over other properties, plain and simple. “Purchasing a house is an emotional decision; buyers need to make a connection to a house and be able to imagine themselves living in it,” Carole says. “There is only one chance to make a first impression, and buyers form an opinion within 15 seconds of entering a home.”
Of course, the home should already be clean and clutter free.
“Homes that are clean, uncluttered and attractively staged attract a larger market because most buyers are looking for homes that are ‘move-in’ ready,” she adds, noting that the cost to stage is always less than the first price cut for a home. “Considering that just one 5 percent reduction on a $300,000 home is $15,000, a small investment in staging a home to sell makes financial sense.”
As such, Pragmatic Staging Solutions has a specific approach to any property.
“Our philosophy is to recommend home updates and staging designs that yield a positive return on investment and that are targeted to the most likely buyer demographic,” Carole says. “Our mission in staging a home is to accessorize the home in a style targeted to the most likely buyer demographic and to arrange furniture and accessories in a way that highlights the best features of the home while downplaying its disadvantages.”
