Selling your house this season? You’ve probably heard you should stage it before it hits the market. But what does that really mean – and is it worth the effort? The short answer is “yes,” especially right now, and here’s why.
With more houses for sale this year, you’re likely wondering how to make the most money possible without your house sitting on the market. The answer is staging. It can help your house stand out, bring in stronger offers, and sell faster. As Nadia Evangelou, Principal Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), puts it:
“Staging matters. Preparing the home to be ‘buyer-ready’ attracts more buyers, especially now that inventory has increased.”
Why Is It Worth the Effort?
The goal is to help those buyers fall in love with the space and picture themselves living there, which makes them more likely to make an offer.
The benefit is obvious. Staged houses tend to perform better on almost every metric that matters when you sell. According to Redfin, staged homes have been shown to sell up to 73% faster than unstaged homes. They often close in under a month, compared to anywhere from two to three months for vacant ones. There’s also a strong return on the money you spend.
What Is Home Staging?
Home staging is the process of preparing your house so it appeals to as many would-be buyers as possible. In an owner-occupied home this usually means decluttering, deep cleaning, rearranging furniture, and adding simple touches that help each room feel bright, open, and welcoming. In a vacant home it means all of this plus bringing in furniture, color spots and vignettes that capture buyer’s emotion.
The Home Staging Institute says mid-level staging can deliver a 350% return on investment. On a $400k home, that turns the typical $4k cost into roughly $18k in added value when you sell.
By that estimate, that’s an extra potential profit of about $14k – a meaningful boost when you’re trying to maximize what you walk away with at closing.
Your Staging Options
And just in case you’re seeing that $4k upfront investment above and thinking, “I’m not going to spend that,” here’s what you should know.
Staging doesn’t always have to mean hiring a full crew or filling your house with rented furniture. There are options for almost every budget, from professional staging to virtual staging to DIY updates like decluttering and rearranging furniture. So, you could spend less and still get a good return. Your agent can help you figure out which approach fits your house, your market, and your goals. That way you can get the most bang for your buck – no matter your budget.
