From first impressions to possible layouts, home staging can provide potential buyers with a visual representation of the home and can help sell it faster and for a higher price. Staging showcases a home, making it easier for buyers to envision how they could ultimately embrace the space. These tips can help your clients understand what to expect during the staging process.

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Staging is an investment

A thorough and professional staging effort can be the leading reason a property sells quickly, and in many cases, for over the asking price. If a property is styled and furnished in good taste it translates into competitive offers, increased demand and a higher sale price. A staged home also will show better than its competitive properties; more often than not, the cost of staging comes back to a seller many times over in the final sale price. Ultimately, the benefits of marketing a home that has been thoroughly styled and prepared for the broader buying audience outweighs the initial expenses and yields a far greater return.

Best represent the property

One major goal is to enhance the appeal of a home while maintaining its design integrity; that is, by editing and styling each room and dressing it up so that it appeals to the broadest market audience. While some homes are staged when they're vacant, others are staged by de-cluttering and incorporating a carefully edited selection of the seller's furnishings with the stager's in a coordinated way to create a look that best represents the property.

Staging also makes each room feel less personal by removing older furniture and minimizing
clutter. For example, adding new bedding and accessories as well as accent pillows and flowers can perk up rooms with color and excitement. Shelves can be styled with books and interesting objects; and artwork can be displayed throughout the house.

Make a few easy improvements

Many homes may need a few quick upgrades before staging. These improvements could consist of painting walls in lighter colors, installing new carpeting, and upgrading lighting by adding uniform-colored bulbs. The seller might also consider resurfacing kitchen counters and replacing old appliances with new, stainless ones.

Use the space wisely

Thoughtful furniture installation and placement can give a buyer an understanding of how to use a space or how to best arrange their own furnishings. Staging and styling can also help "animate" a home by adding a fresh, light feeling.

It's always good to remember that not all staging is created equal. While some sellers prefer to show an interior as if its lifted from the pages of a style magazine, while some might approach it from a more realistic "lived in" perspective.

Staging offers sellers the opportunity to view their home from a different perspective.

Overall, staging goes beyond furniture placement and filling a house with inventory. For many sellers, staging is about creating style that inspires a buyer's excitement as they visualize themselves emotionally and physically "at home" in the house. By looking at a home from the viewpoint of a buyer, the strengths of the home can be highlighted, and sellers can show buyers a home's true potential without forcing them to use their imaginations.

Source: HousePlans.com