Home staging is very beneficial no matter when it is done, but here are some things to think about:
The best time is before it even goes up for sale. If you are selling, the first 30 days on the market, and the all-important photos are extremely important and can make the difference of whether or not a buyer will even come to see your home. Many people say, “I will just wait and THEN if it does not sell, I will get it staged.” Why not get the buyers the first time around instead of waiting and taking the risk of losing a good buyer? Think of all of the houses that are your competition on the market and the attraction of new construction and then decide if it is worth it to be unprepared. If cost is a factor, at least have a stager come out and do a short written report. A walk-through is not expensive at all and will help you know how to make it show it’s best right from the beginning. Is it really worth it to lose even one potential buyer because your home is not prepared?
Think of Home Staging as an investment towards higher earnings at the closing table. Unprepared homes give buyers a “discount” mentality and they will expect a deal. Conversely, a well prepared home creates a desire to buy the home without a focus on getting a reduced price if it is priced right to start with. Pricing + Staging = Success.
Is your home already on the market? The second best time to stage, is as soon as you realize there is something wrong. There are many, many stories of houses that were on the market with no activity that sold quickly after staging. To determine if you may need a professional, consider this question: Are you getting plenty of showings with no offers even though your home is priced right? If so, it is time to take action before taking initial or further price reductions. When considering the cost of staging, remember that you will pay for not having a well prepared home one way or another. Even a full home staging of a vacant home costs far less than most FIRST price reductions. Staging an occupied home is so reasonable (sometimes only a half day at under $500.00) , that there really is no good reason to not stage. The benefits far outweigh the small investment. Of course, when staging a home already on the market, be sure to have your agent retake the photos to make the listing “fresh” again.
The bottom line is that the best time to stage a home is….anytime. Home Staging Works.
Please email me at cynthia@simplistate.com if you have any questions.
