The Power of Staging
“Does staging really matter?”
I have found that staging is perhaps one of the most powerful tools available when it comes to maximizing your investment. How we live in a home is different than how we create a competitive product and market it for the most effective sale. It helps buyers get a sense of where they would place their own furniture, it can shift attention off dated fixtures or finishes, it can maximize the best of the floorplan and shift attention away from challenges, and most importantly, it gives them a sense of the home being updated and ready to move right in.
For this reason, on average, staged homes sell 88% faster and for 17% more. Staging creates a stronger emotional response, it inspires people to love the home, it can drive the desire for the home, and it sets the tone for how people perceive the home, all of which translate directly into the offer amount. This means that +/- $2000 can represent an increased return of anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 and a dramatically shortened time on the market, which makes it one of the wisest investments a homeowner can make in preparing the home for sale. Here are some “before and after” photos to show the power of staging:
166 Linn Ave, Oregon City
This sweet home had a challenging entry. The front door opened up to a rectangular room that needed to function as both living room and dininig room. The sectional performed well for the homeowners, but also made the room feel very small and cramped. By replacing it with a sofa, two chairs, and a small, rectangular bench-turned-coffee table, the eye moves in a linear fashion, making the room feel bigger and more open. Note how large the dining area (below) feels after removing the wall shelf and tall chairs, replacing with a table, smaller chairs, and a plant to draw the eye upward.
707 N Hayden Island, Portland
Here, the large, dark furniture make the living room feel closed off, dark, and small. The lighter furniture, scaled down slightly and left open on one side, improves flow into the room, creates a sense of welcome, as well as a light, open feeling. Note that the room feels much larger. Below, moving the bed to another wall and placing end tables and lights makes this room feel finished, upscale, and brighter.
These photos are great examples of how first, an unfurnished room doesn’t show well and can feel small. More furniture of the correct scale can actually make a room feel larger and more usable. Below, the large scale of the sofa and loveseat make the room feel small and dark. By placing smaller scaled furniture in the room and removing the physical and visual wall created by the back of the loveseat, the room feels larger and more welcoming, more usable.
Here, the stager incorporated some of the homeowner’s furniture to maximize the budget. A large scale hutch was removed from the left wall and two larger chairs, better scaled for the room, were placed to create a conversation area and an open pathway (behind the chairs) leading to the dining room. The curtain was removed to create a lighter, more open space, and chairs were placed with the existing dining room table to tie the space together. Below, existing furniture was used along with a chair to create a more open, cohesive feel to the space, improving traffic flow and creating a more updated look.
Above, the furniture placement works well for the homeowners and the way they use this room. However, the back of the dark couch creates a visual and physical wall, discouraging entry. It could also leave the unimaginative buyer wondering how to arrange their furniture, worried the room might be a challenge to furnish, and could potentially turn them off on the house. A shifted placement and differently scaled furniture open the room up and create a smooth flow and sense of welcome. Below, the upscale chairs and smaller scale table, set in a formal manner, make this space feel larger and suitable for guests, not just family meals.
In this home, staging creates pathways that take the buyer through the home, improving flow. Visual sightlines are unobstructed and the furniture is slightly scaled down. The result is the home feeling lighter, more open, welcoming, and larger.
The Nitty Gritty Details
Where do we start?
Each of the homes in the previous photos were staged by Inspired Spaces, but we will call at least two trusted stagers for bids to help your decision process. Inspired Spaces offers an additional level of service with reports that can include paint suggestions, lighting suggestions according to a variety of budgets, and a detailed list of what the recommend for optimal staging of each room, including lists of what to remove and what to leave in place, making their professional guidance and experience invaluable. If this kind of information is appropriate and helpful, I will pay for this additional service.
What does staging typically cost?
Staging can range from $1800 for smaller homes to approximately $2200 for average sized homes but they can also accomodate special requests and additional areas like exterior patio spaces or specialized rooms, like game rooms, offices, etc.
Where to put your furniture?
Remember that you’re going to move no matter what, so the only change is that you’re removing furniture before sale instead of after. Many moving companies and storage companies can pick up the furniture that isn’t remaining in the home and store them until you’re ready to remove the remainder of your belongings. Typically, escrow periods are 30 days and staging remains in place until after the inspection period. Usually, only 2 weeks remains between inspection conclusion and closing, so adding furniture removal to those 2 weeks can add unwanted chaos. By doing this work up front, prior to closing, these last two weeks can be calm and focused, making the whole process more comfortable and controlled.
But can we live there?
Yes! These stagers anticipate that people will continue to live in the homes while listed, living on the staging furniture and that’s all ok.
I want to do this, but our funds are in our house and the pre-moving budget is tight! Help!
I understand that for many of us, the process of selling and buying can create budgetary challenges. If you’d like to stage but the budget is a barrier, I am here to find solutions. If needed, I can cover the up front costs of staging and be repaid at closing. I am here to do whatever I can to create a beautiful, competitive home that will sell for the best price and shortest time possible and I firmly believe that staging can often be one of the most powerful steps we can take to get you the best return on your investment possible.
