Home staging and getting listings sold
We often focus on marketing and photography as leading strategies for getting a home sold, but often overlook the obvious strategy of staging a home. Builders and Realtors rely on professional stagers to get a home sold faster, but is that strategy any more than just a wish?
According to the Real Estate Staging Association, homes that were vacant and professionally staged sold 68% faster in 2007, 85% faster in 2008 and in 2009 they sold 78% faster (with 2010 results pending). For agents wondering if the added expense is worth the cost, and it appears that the stats support the investment.
Professional Home Stager and owner of Oregon based Creative Concepts, Margaret Oscilia said, “We understand that it is difficult to invest money in staging, and when a home is beautiful, it is really important? Real estate professionals will nearly all agree — properties that appeal to home buyer’s emotions sell quicker and for more money. While buyers shop with logic – it is the one they fall in love with that gets the offer.”
Buyers begin their search online
Oscilia reminds us all that almost all real estate buyers begin their search for homes online first. A good first impression of a listing online begins with quality photography but what if there is nothing quality to get a quality photo of? There is noting more boring than a picture of a blank white walled room with light carpet taken by a cell phone at a Realtor’s hand.
Staging and professional photography go hand in hand for making that first impression, but most importantly, when a buyer physically sees a staged home, they are given context for the home- they can tell the size of a room with scaled furniture, what a decorated home would look like and ultimately a staged home is putting its best foot forward.
Oscilia notes that “listings with more than 20 quality photos get 12 times as many clicks than their competing listings 90% of buyers cannot see the potential a room or home holds – making vacant homes difficult to sell.”
Staging is an important tool for real estate listings regardless of price point- it helps consumers connect with the emotion of a home, a key to selling a listing. Tell us in comments your experience with professional staging.
Image above is a before and after photo illustrating the impact of staging on a home, via Creative Concepts in Oregon.
