HOUSTON, AUSTIN – Does staging to sell really work? Often times we get asked if it is necessary to stage vacant properties. The answer: it just depends.
First impressions are critical, especially when listing a property online. This is one reason we stress the importance of professional photography. Homes that have bad photos or initially come off as lackluster seem to sit on the market longer than anticipated, often leading to forced price reductions. Vacant rooms also make it harder to market a property, as homebuyers find it difficult to envision the composition of a space and how their décor will fit.
On average, staged homes sell 88% faster. According to the Home Staging Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 83% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home and 38% were more willing to walk through a home they saw online. So, at what cost does staging a home make it worth the expense?
As reported by Realtor.com “As a general rule of thumb, the average cost for most stagers is $300 to $600 for an initial design consultation, and $500 to $600 per month per staged room…staging a 2,000-square-foot home would cost around $2,000 to $2,400 a month.”
Understandably, not every agent has the money to invest for each one of their listings. Luckily, it’s 2019 and technology has spared the headache with Virtual Staging.
Virtual Staging is an efficient and inexpensive alternative to traditional staging. Adding furniture and décor to a bare space will transform the area to look comfortable and inviting. Homebuyers will have an easier time envisioning design and the potential of an area, allowing them to better visualize their belongings.
NAR reports the order of importance as:
1. Living room
2. Master bedroom
3. Kitchen
4. Dining room
5. Backyard
6. Bathroom
7. Children’s room
8. Guest bedroom
Although the cost of Virtual Staging is minuscule in comparison to actual home staging, the impact it can make is significant. This might be stating the obvious, but it saves time and money, attracts prospective buyers’ attention, and gives you the opportunity to stage a number of rooms. The possibilities to transform a space are endless and they can be changed at any time.
Last year, over 4,200 homes were surveyed across the world by the Home Staging Resource and it found that 85% of the staged homes sold for 6-25% MORE than the unstaged homes. 77% of agents say staging helps buyers visualize a home’s potential, 67% of agents say staging decreases time on market, and 40% say their clients show more interest.
Here are a few before/after examples of the impact Virtual Staging can offer.
Are you ready to turn your basic photos into something eye-catching?
Go Virtual and SAVE!