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The Ultimate Guide to Home Staging
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Want to make your home stand out in today’s competitive real estate market? There’s plenty you can do, both indoors and outdoors, to make your place stand out from the crowd in your neighborhood. A fresh coat of paint on your front porch. Trimming back overgrown shrubbery. Decluttering every room in your house to make it feel like a tidy, comfortable place to live. Placing a vase full of fresh flowers in your foyer to welcome potential home buyers. And much more. All of these activities are part of a whole-home makeover called home staging.
Table of Contents
- What is home staging?
- What is the importance of home staging?
- What are the ways to do home staging?
- What is the cost of home staging?
- How to stage a house for sale
- What to avoid when home staging
- Expert tips for a successful home staging
- Home Staging FAQs
- How we chose our tips on home staging
- Summary of our guide to home staging
What is home staging?
Home staging is the process of preparing a property for sale by making it more appealing to potential buyers. This is typically done by decluttering, organizing and arranging furniture and decor to highlight the home’s best features and create an inviting but neutral atmosphere.
The goal of home staging is to help buyers visualize themselves living in the home and to make it easier for them to imagine the possibilities for each room. This can involve rearranging furniture, adding decorative items and making small repairs or improvements.
Home staging can be done by home staging experts or by homeowners themselves. It is often used in conjunction with professional photography and other marketing techniques to increase a home’s appeal and likelihood of selling quickly and at a higher price. But however you decide to approach it, home staging should be a top priority on your moving checklist.
What is the importance of home staging?
In a nutshell, home staging can help your home sell more quickly and at a higher price. It can mean less worrying — will my home ever sell? — and more money in your pocket.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), when you invest about 1% of your home’s value in staging, your home is likely to fetch between 5% to 15% more than your listing price. According to one professional stager’s experience, staged homes sell an average of 12 days after listing.
Why? Because home staging makes it easier for potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home. That’s a powerful emotional motivation to buy.
What are the ways to do home staging?
There are several approaches you can take to home staging. The first is by doing it yourself. There are plenty of resources out there to advise you on how to successfully stage your home, including this guide. DIY staging is less expensive but may take more time than you’re willing to devote to the task.
Many real estate agents offer home staging services. Some will even pay for the staging, though they may request a higher commission for doing so. Realtors who have the design expertise may stage your home themselves or they may hire a professional staging company to do the work. You can also engage a professional stager directly.
What is the cost of home staging?
That depends on how much work there is to be done. Ultimately, homeowners have the option of doing as much or as little as they like to stage their home. The line between staging and renovating a home can blur when you consider all the ways you can make your home more attractive. You may decide to simply declutter and depersonalize your home, or you may take the opportunity to choose neutral paint colors throughout your space, refinish a floor, or even change out your dated cabinet doors.
According to HomeAdvisor, most home sellers spend between $770 and $2,855 to stage their homes. If you hire a home staging service, you can also expect to pay an initial consultation fee. But the price of staging your home can be much higher, depending on what kind of services are required. For example, most realtors advise against putting an empty home on the market. It creates too cold an impression for those who aren’t great at visualizing. So if your home is vacant when you list it, you may decide to rent furniture to make your home more inviting. That can be a costly affair.
How to stage a house for sale
Staging a home can be as simple or complicated a process as you want it to be. But whether you spend a few hundred dollars or thousands, whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, the same principles should guide you.
Karen Prince, a professional home stager who has written the best-selling book Secrets of Home Staging, breaks the process down into these steps:
- Prioritize and make any repairs you can afford to make.
- Depersonalize your space by minimizing family photos and mementos. If the colors you’ve chosen for your home qualify as idiosyncratic, swap them out. You may love the lime green curtains you’ve hung in your kitchen, but they may turn off home buyers. Replace them with neural colors
- Declutter — then declutter again! Aim for shelves that are less than 50% taken up by knickknacks and other items. Don’t just stuff your belongings in closets: buyers will invariably look inside them and you want them to appear roomy. It’s a good idea to start packing before you show your home. Store the items you’re taking with you in the attic or even offsite in a storage unit — and donate or throw the rest away.
- Style your home for success. You don’t have to spend a lot on new home decor. You want your home to look thoughtfully appointed. Aim for minimalism and neutrality.
What to avoid when home staging
Home staging can help potential buyers see the full potential of your space and increase the chances of a quick, lucrative sale. But just as there are specific “dos” when it comes to home staging, there are also a few “don’ts”. Avoid making these common mistakes:
- Home stagers recommend decluttering a home and removing personal items that may deter potential buyers. But many homeowners fall into the trap of re-cluttering a space with more neutral items. Less is more when staging a home.
- Don’t neglect the exterior of your home: The outside of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see, so it’s important to make a good impression. Keep the lawn mowed, the landscaping neat, and the porch free of all but a few welcoming touches, such as some potted flowers.
- Avoid strong odors — even the pleasant kind we’d normally refer to as fragrances. It’s important to make your home smell fresh, of course. So by all means, do a deep cleaning to rid your home of pet smells and cigarette smoke. Keep your home well-ventilated. But resist adding other scents to your home to mask unpleasant odors. A quick spray with Lysol each day is all you need. Avoid cloying air fresheners and scented candles.
- You don’t want your home to seem cold or unwelcoming. But too many personal touches, such as family photos and souvenirs from your travels, can make it hard for buyers to imagine themselves in the space. Tuck your sentimental belongings away and save them for your new home!
- Set a high standard when deciding what stays and what goes. Anything that looks shabby — even if it’s perfectly functional — will detract from your home. So drag it to the curb before you start showing your home. Replace old, dusty lampshades and worn throw rugs. Take the time to repaint any rooms that were stylishly mauve thirty years ago. Read up on color trends and try to incorporate the latest neutral colors into your space.
- Don’t underestimate the power of lighting. Let as much natural light into your home as you can. Add accent lighting to draw attention to your home’s special home features or to brighten up dim spaces. And be sure the lights you do have are in good working order. That’s a signal to buyers that your home is well-cared for.
Expert tips for a successful home staging
Now that you have a general idea of what the home staging process entails, let’s take a look at the various rooms in your home. There are a few special considerations you should take into account when staging each one.
Living room
Minimalism is the best approach to staging a living room. Limit the amount of furniture you have to make the room seem larger. Make sure there’s room to walk around your living room. Don’t place pieces of furniture too close to one another.
Area rugs — versus wall-to-wall carpeting — can make a small living room appear roomier. Mounting your curtains close to the ceiling can add virtual height to your living room. A few strategically placed large mirrors can make a living room seem larger.
Above all, keep things tidy. Do your best to hide any electrical cords. If you have a TV or other electronics in your living room, add a tray to your coffee table to keep remotes tidy.
Natural light is important in a living room, just as in every other room of the house. But a living room is one place where mood lighting can make a difference. Make sure your lamps are fitted with warm-colored bulbs, too.
If your living room has a fireplace, you may want to position your couch so that it’s facing it. Help buyers imagine themselves enjoying a cozy evening before the fire. A beautiful painting above your mantle can focus the eye on a fireplace, but take care to otherwise keep your mantle clear of too many knickknacks. Don’t forget the inside of your fireplace, either: make sure it’s swept clean. Stage your fireplace with wood, if it’s the season. In the winter, you might even consider having a fire going when buyers visit your home.
Bedrooms
Given that the average person spends about a third of their life sleeping, staging the bedrooms in your home is arguably the most important task you’ll take on when preparing your home for sale — especially your master bedroom.
We not only go to sleep in our bedrooms, but also wake up there, so ideally, you’ll strike a balance between restfulness and cheerfulness. If your bed doesn’t have a headboard, now is the time to invest in one, even if it’s just wall-mounted and not attached to your bed frame. The same goes for luxurious, hotel-quality linens. Dress your bed so it’s inviting and oh-so-comfy-looking, adding a few throw pillows to give home buyers the sense that they could just fall right into your bed for a great night’s sleep. Paint your bedroom a restful color: blues, creams, pale yellows, and grays are most effective.
White sheets are classic and add unbeatable brightness to a bedroom. Make sure your windows are dressed to let in as much natural light as possible. Open your blinds or shades. Floor-length curtains make a bedroom seem finished, while also giving the illusion of larger windows.
Many people convert their extra guest bedrooms into home offices, especially now that so many of us work from home. That can be an asset. Just keep your desk clear of clutter. Keep electronics cords out of sight. And, as always, let there be light!
Bathroom
Cleanliness is key to staging a bathroom. Seriously, a bathroom can’t be too clean for a buyer. Use a toothbrush to clean the grout between your tiles. Replace your toilet seat if they look worn in any way. Keep the toilet seat closed when buyers tour your home. Do a quick wipe-down of bathroom fixtures with a fresh-smelling cleaning solution before buyers arrive to tour your home.
Although we use them every day, no one really wants to imagine themselves — or you — doing “bathroomy” things. So hide the toilet bowl brush and even the trash can away when you’re showing your home. Same goes for your loofah and bathing sponge.
Big fluffy white towels on the towel rack — again, you’re going for a luxurious hotel look — add a sense of comfort to a bathroom. Bath towels, sheer curtains or blinds — open, of course — let natural light in while ensuring privacy.
Keep decorative items to a bare minimum in your bathrooms. Small potted plants are a good choice for bathroom countertops and shelves. Tiny succulents don’t take up much room and are easier to care for.
Invest in new drinking cups and soap dishes for your bathrooms. Tuck your toothpaste and cosmetics away in a cabinet when buyers are around. Keep the inside of your medicine cabinet spotless. Make sure you outfit your bathroom with fresh soaps each time someone visits. You can use the same bars over and over again. Just swap the bars you’re using out for the clean ones when buyers are present.
Kitchen
A great kitchen is one thing all home buyers are looking for. Home experts advise that any improvements you make in your kitchen will add value to your home and fetch you higher offers for your property. But even if you don’t make major renovations to your kitchen, there are still simple, inexpensive ways to stage it.
Do a deep clean of your kitchen at least once a week while you’re in the process of cleaning your home. Be especially mindful of odors in your kitchen. Run some citrus rings in your disposal before buyers arrive. Open your kitchen windows briefly before buyers arrive to keep it fresh-smelling. Forgo cooking fish, which can leave a lingering smell that many people find distasteful. Consider baking a fresh batch of cookies shortly before guests arrive instead. You can keep a plate of them in your entryway or on a kitchen counter to add a comforting aroma. It’s also a nice gesture of hospitality.
Decluttering your entire home is critical, of course, but arguably, it’s most important in the kitchen. You may love your juicer and your espresso machine, but they’re taking up precious counter space. Remove them from your kitchen when buyers are touring. If you have an island in your kitchen, make sure it’s clutter free, too. A large bowl of fresh fruit is about all you need to dress a kitchen island.
You can be sure that buyers will open your kitchen cabinets. Make sure they’re clean and well-organized. If they’re packed to the max with dishes, glassware, pots and pans, clear out what you don’t use every day so your cabinets appear larger. Storage space is a top concern with home buyers.
Entryway
Your home’s entryway or foyer can help you make a great first impression. Make sure that the exterior surrounding your front door is swept clean and dusted for cobwebs. Don’t neglect sweeping any stairs that lead to your front door. All of that adds curb appeal to your home.
In the winter, be sure your front walk, porch and steps are absolutely clear of snow and ice. You certainly don’t want a buyer slipping and falling when they arrive at your home.
Keep your entryway clear of any obstructions. If you have a coat tree in it, consider removing it. If your entryway can accommodate it, you may want to invest in a small combination seat and cabinet to make removing and storing boots and shoes more convenient. Having a mirror in your entryway is also a nice touch and can add the illusion of more space.
Home Staging FAQs
How we chose our top home staging tips
To come up with our top tips on home staging, we first spoke with some seasoned realtors. We put in some calls to professional home staging services to get their advice. We read articles on the process published by the various professional organizations that promote the home staging industry. And we used our own experience in buying and selling properties to come up with some common sense recommendations.
Summary of our guide to home staging
Here are the key points to take away from our guide to home staging:
- Home staging is a psychological strategy that makes it easier for buyers to visualize living in your property.
- Home staging can be as inexpensive or costly as a home seller decides. You may take a simple approach, such as deep cleaning and decluttering, or you may make considerable home improvements. Either way, home staging offers a high return on investment.
- Many sellers take a DIY approach to home staging. They rely on advice from their realtors and their own research to make the most buyer-friendly changes. But you can hire a professional home stager to take on the task. With greater interior design expertise comes better results.
- The first step you need to take, regardless of whether you’re staging a home, is deep cleaning.
- Decluttering — removing the excess belongings we often accumulate when we live in a home for a lengthy period — is the watchword of home staging. But trying to sell a vacant home isn’t recommended. If you’ve moved out of your home while it’s on the market, staging the space with a limited amount of furniture and decor is important. A few well-placed furnishings makes a home — well, homier. Projecting warmth and comfort in a neutral way is the aim of home staging.
