My house isn’t worth being “professionally staged”…

Even spending a mere $500 for staging services should net you thousands in return and speed of sale based upon statistical data. In the previous statistics, unless the house is under 50K this argument is invalid.

The housing market is good and my house doesn’t need to be staged to sell…

You’re right. Every house will sell…it’s a matter of when and for how much. Even if your house sells quickly in a good market, it doesn’t mean it sold for the amount it would have sold for had it been professionally staged. Remember, professionally staged homes sell on a conservative average for 6%+ more*. If your home sold for 400K unstaged it probably would have sold for 425K staged.

Why can’t I just stage my own home?

Home sellers are usually incapable of successfully staging their own home. Why? Because our home is like our child, we don’t always see all of their flaws. We’ve gotten used to the way it looks and in fact it is difficult emotionally to change it. If you can’t view something objectively then you are unable to market and package it effectively. Not to mention most home sellers don't "stage" homes everyday so the idea that they can expertly transform their own home is a bit silly.  That’s what professionals are for and that is where the greatest returns come in.

Can’t homebuyers use their imagination and look past the décor?

Only a mere 10% of homebuyers can actually visualize the potential of a home. This is why having a vacant home professionally staged is so important. Buyers cannot visualize size and scale so furniture helps to give them a frame of reference.

Still not convinced? Check out our "Staging Statistics" as well as our "Top Dollar Guide" for getting the most out of your home sale.