There are a lot of myths about home staging out there! Some are based in real-world experience, some are promulgated by well-meaning Realtors, and others are simply untrue. At Creative Home Stagers, we’ve spent years working to dispel common myths about why home staging isn’t a worthwhile investment.
Here are a few of the home staging myths we come across most often.
“A stager and a decorator are basically the same thing.”
Not even close. Maybe you’ve got a sister who’s a decorator and says she’ll help you get your house in order before you sell it…not so fast. Accredited Home Professionals actually have lots of training on the foundational principles of design and placement as it pertains to selling real estate. Staging isn’t just about making furniture look good, it’s about creating an environment home buyers can use to make a decision about your home. While a decorator might pinpoint your taste when it comes to pillows and paint colors, an Accredited Staging Professional can help determine exactly what your house design needs to sell quickly and for the most money. After all, it’s not about your taste, it’s about the buyer’s.
“Staging is really expensive! I don’t have thousands of dollars to waste on it.”
This myth can be busted in two parts. First and foremost, know that not all stagers offer a one-size-fits-all price point! Creative Home Stagers, for example, offers four tiers of service ranging from a flat-rate consultation to full-scale vacant home staging packages. Ask before you assume you can’t afford to stage.
The second fallacy behind this myth is the idea that staging won’t provide ROI. It does. Statistics show time and again that staged homes sell faster and for a higher price, saving (and making!) you money in the long run. When you look at it that way, you can’t afford NOT to stage!
“I can use staging as a fall-back if I list my home and it doesn’t sell.”
Unfortunately, selling your home can feel like a zero-sum game. Buyers generally don’t return to a house they’ve already seen; you only get one chance for a first impression. When you show your home unstaged, buyers might incorrectly make assumptions about the home itself based on your furniture, design choices, and flow. For example, your too-big living room furniture might make them determine your house is just too small to work, and they won’t have enough incentive to return. The best advice? Stage before you list for the biggest impact on buyers.
Home staging is what we do best – but we know there are a lot of misconceptions out there! Most of our clients tell us they’ll never sell their home without staging it first again, and we think that’s an amazing compliment.