Deciding Whether or Not to Stage Your Home? Read On For the Pros and Cons to Each

Pros of Staging
Designers stage homes in such a way that the buyer can picture himself living in the home. It looks warm and inviting and it allows buyers to visualize the possibilities for the space. Realtors and the everyday homeowner have learned how they can do this themselves. There’s so much available to teach you how to do this DIY that it isn’t necessary for the typical seller to bring in a professional. When you make your home look clean, inviting, spacious and well cared for, you set it apart from the exact same type of house that is vacant or poorly staged, which can result in a faster sale. 

Pros of a Vacant House
While a vacant house may not look as inviting as a staged home, especially for buyers who find it hard to visualize the potential of the space, it does offer some positives. Picky decorators can envision their own décor in the space, or feel like they have a blank canvas with which to work. If a vacant house is spotless, buyers can focus on architectural elements and design features rather than someone else’s furniture. These aspects of an un-staged home can entice a quick sale. 

Cons of Staging
Staging a home can take time, effort and money, especially if you hire a professional to do it for you. Most staging begins with the current residents packing away personal items and removing excess furniture to make rooms look bigger. If you’re living in a staged house while it’s for sale and being shown to potential buyers, you have to get used to living in a decorated space that has to look picture-perfect on short notice. This can be tricky for families with children or pets. If you opt to stage your property but not live there, you’ll have to leave key furniture in place or rent furniture for the duration of your property sale. Watch: Staging Your Home to Sell for Top Dollar

Cons of a Vacant House
A vacant house doesn’t give off quite the warm, cozy feeling that a staged home does. If there are any damages in the home, like scratched floors or dirty carpets, they tend to stand out more in an empty space than in a decorated space. In addition, potential buyers may try to make offers below market value because they know the owner is no longer living in the house and likely wants to sell it sooner rather than later. Not only are you likely to see a slower sales time with a vacant house, but you may see lower prices as well. For further reading: Staging “Twists” Help Vacant Homes Sell.

Comments 1

  • It annoys me how designers stage homes for sale. I mean, I realize that it is their profession, and that’s what they get paid to do. What irritates me I guess are the sellers that hire them, because they know their house will look nicer than it actually is. Seems like lying in a way.

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