Home staging has the potential to maximize the sale price and minimize time on the market by creating an emotional connection with buyers, making the property more appealing and memorable.
By thoughtfully arranging furniture, lighting, and decor to highlight the home’s best features and evoke a warm, inviting atmosphere, staging helps buyers envision themselves living in the space. This emotional connection often leads to competitive offers and a higher return on investment.
The Benefits of Home Staging
Home staging offers numerous benefits, including higher sale prices, faster transactions, and reduced time on the market. By creating a clean, inviting, and well-designed space, staging allows buyers to more easily visualize their lifestyle in the home and form an emotional connection.
This strategic presentation often leads to stronger first impressions, competitive offers, and a smoother selling process.
The Cost of Skipping Staging
Choosing not to stage a home can come with significant costs, including a lower perceived value of the listing, extended time on the market, and increased holding costs such as mortgage payments, utilities, and potential depreciation.
According to the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), staged homes sell 73% faster and spend an average of just 18 days on the market, compared to 49 days for non-staged properties. Additionally, 85% of staged listings sold for 6–25% more than comparable unstaged homes.
To learn more, read Why a Fresh Coat of Paint Isn’t Enough to Sell Your Home.
Understand the ROI of Home Staging
The average cost of staging typically ranges from $2,000 to $3,000 for a standard-sized home, though this varies based on location, size, whether the home is vacant or occupied, and the length of time the staging is needed.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), staging often yields a strong return—if a $400,000 home is staged for $3,000 and sells for just 5% more ($420,000), the seller nets an additional $17,000, resulting in an ROI of approximately 566%.
In this context, staging becomes a strategic investment and a compelling alternative to a price reduction, which might require cutting $10,000–$20,000 or more to attract similar interest.
Key Takeaways: Maximizing Your Home’s Value with Professional Staging
- Professionally staged homes often sell faster and for 6–25% more than unstaged properties.
- On average, staged homes spend just 18 days on the market compared to 49 days for unstaged listings.
- For a typical $400,000 home, a $3,000 staging investment can generate an additional $17,000 in profit.
- Thoughtful design and décor help buyers form an emotional connection and envision themselves living in the space.
Before listing your home, consider the powerful financial impact of staging. It can boost your sale price, reduce time on the market, and ultimately put more money in your pocket. To get started, schedule a professional staging consultation and discover how we can help present your home at its absolute best.
Warmly,
Christa
Meet the Designer
Mickler & Co. is a full-service interior design studio based in Wilmington, NC, led by Principal Designer Rebecca Mickler and Designer Christa Mitchell.
With over 20 years of experience in architectural design, staging, and interiors, Rebecca and her team create spaces that are both functional and beautiful, tailored to reflect each client’s unique lifestyle and vision.
