After choosing to put your home back on the market for sale, one of the biggest decisions can be whether or not you should stage the home. Most experts report that a staged home is much more likely to sell quickly and for a higher price than a home that is not staged. This includes homes which are empty. Even though an empty home looks clean and neat, it can also seem cold to buyers which can make them hesitant to make the purchase. There are many benefits to staging your home for sale and selling it fast is just one of them.
Does staging really help sell a house fast?
Stagedhomes.com reported that on average staged homes sell in 37 days whereas homes that are not staged sell on average 212 days. The Real Estate Staging Association also did a survey to see how staging influences the speed at which a home sells. Their survey considered 39 homes that they listed but did not stage. These homes stayed on the market for an average 233 days. Once homes were staged, they were sold in 53 days on average. In this study, homes that were staged spent 78% less time sitting on the market waiting for a sell.
Staging your home gives a lasting first Impression
There’s an old saying that goes like this, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This statement is true when it comes to staging a home to sell fast. When a potential buyer drives up to the house for the first time they will have an initial impression almost immediately. By staging the exterior of the house and sprucing it up for the sale, the visitor will carry that first impression with him as he looks at the rest of the house. When a home is staged it is like putting the “best foot forward” and it helps impress potential buyers.
A Well-dressed House Gains Attention
It does not matter if the real estate market is in a slump or not, a well-dressed house is going to gain attention. Those which garner the most attention are much more likely to sell much quicker. If the market has gone cold, the buyers are in a position to not have to settle for anything less than what they feel is best.
Think like a buyer for minute. If you have the option between two houses, one of which is in need of some repairs and is going to require time and money to fix up; and the other is a nicely staged house that looks wonderful and is ready to move in, which are you likely to choose? When the market is hot then buyers have the opportunity to go into a consuming mode and buy up any hot property that is gaining all the attention at the moment. Either way the market goes, staging your house can be a way to help it gain attention and have buyers scrambling to snatch it up.
De-clutter and Depersonalize Your House
Staging gives the seller the opportunity to remove all the clutter. Clutter can distract potential buyers from seeing the home’s finer features. It can also make them think that there is not adequate storage which can be a major selling point. Proper staging will include every area of the home from the kitchen to the outdoor spaces to the closets. It can also offer a depersonalized appearance so that buyers can see themselves in the home. The staging process will remove any personalized items or features so that the home can easily been seen through the buyer’s eyes.
Conclusion
If you really want to increase your chances of selling your house fast, consider the extra time, and possibly money, as a great investment.