Frequently asked questions.
How much does staging really help sell homes?
According to stagedhomes.com, 95.6 % of ASP-staged homes sell on average in 37 days vs. 212 days for non-staged homes. RESA, the Real Estate Staging Association, surveyed 39 homes that were listed un-staged and spent an average of 233 days on the market. After they were staged, they sold in an average of 53 days. That's 78% less time on the market! Of course, there’s no guarantee that a staged home will sell faster or for more money, since current market conditions, price and your agent’s marketing all determine the final outcome. But ensuring your home presents as well as possible will enhance curb appeal and increase the odds that buyers will make offers on it.
Should I stage my home before I try to sell it, or wait and see what responses I get from potential buyers first?
No. This is a common mistake and usually has sellers wishing they hadn't wasted the valuable time. Your listing is “hottest” within the first couple weeks. The longer a home stays on the market, the further below list price it drops.
Why would I spend money on staging my home when the market is so hot?
Online photos are now the equivalent to a “drive-by”. With the current pandemic, buyers are not spending weekends visiting open houses, they are browsing the internet and yours MUST STAND OUT!
In a hot market, or when the market is slow because it helps houses stand out from their competition and look their best prior to any showings. When a house looks great and shows better than the marketed competition, the Seller will get better offers – often multiple offers in a highly competitive market and price-point for the property. A staged home can save you from a costly price reduction. A staged home will sell for 17% more on average than a non-staged home, and 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less. That is statistically 87% faster than non-staged homes. (National Association of Realtors).
I always get compliments on my decorating! It should show great. Won’t everyone love it?
It’s not personal, but, no! Decorating is intended to express individual style. Staging is intended to appeal to the widest range of buyers.
Staging cost too much. Why would I spend more money when I’m already breaking even or at a loss?
Staging a vacant home usually costs less than 1 mortgage payment, but on average will save more than 3 payments. On even the most affordable homes, the minimum initial price reduction is going to be about $5000 and sellers don’t think twice about that. Staging is MUCH less expensive than your first price reduction.
Isn’t it gong to be hard to live in a staged home?
Yes. But it is also difficult to live in a house being shown all the time! Since it is difficult to keep everything put away and in tip top shape, let’s do everything we can to secure a contract in the shortest time possible.
What's the difference between occupied staging and vacant staging?
Vacant staging takes place when the property is empty. Occupied staging exists when the owner still resides in the household that is being sold. The end goal is always the same - sell in the shortest time for the most amount of money, but the process can look a bit different.
In vacant homes, we focus on adding warmth (vacant homes often feel “cold” and unwelcoming), distracting from the negatives (nearly a third of buyers are more willing to overlook property faults in a staged home), and making the room look bigger (seems counterintuitive, but a room with furniture and art placed in the correct way will appear bigger than an empty room).
In occupied homes, we focus on clearing the clutter (I love a painted handprint piece of art on the refrigerator just as much as the next person, but remember, staging is not decorating), rework the flow (often what works best when we live in a home for our lifestyle is not necessarily pleasing to a buyer), and outlining a priority list (upon completion of a consultation, we can highlight the most important suggestions that will make the most impact).
Why do I need a consultation?
Would you allow a stranger who has never met you or laid eyes on you to pick out your wardrobe for the most important interview of your life?! Every home is different and every need is different. Home staging is a very personalized service. We would not be able to effectively stage your home without seeing it.
Do I need to implement all that is recommended in your home consultation?
Sure don’t! We understand everyone has different situations. Time, budget, threshold for stress - all factors that are considered in your decision. Regardless of how much or how little you choose to do, you will have a written report of the professional techniques and suggestions we feel will get your home the most money in the least amount of time.
What rooms do you recommend we have staged?
The most important rooms to stage are the Entry, Living Room, Kitchen, Dining Room, and Master Bedroom. These are the key rooms that home buyers focus on and have the highest expectations of. We may also recommend staging a home office or children’s bedrooms. Really it depends on the individualized plan we create for you!
Does Lucy Lane always do all of the work or can I hire you as a consultant and do all the work myself?
We will do as much or as little work as you would like. If you want to do the work yourself, we can provide a consultation and outline the necessary changes. Or you can hire Lucy Lane to do the entire job, while you sit back and relax.