The Value of Staging

Is it worth staging your Marin home before you sell it? Sellers at every price point may not appreciate the value of having their homes staged. Their reasons are that it is not worth the expense, the house looks good as it is, or buyers are still going to negotiate the price, so staging doesn’t matter.

Staging is Important

We know first hand that staging your Marin home is more important than ever. Here are some of the reasons:

WOW Factor. You know the expression, “You only have one chance to make that first impression.” So true in real estate. When a buyer opens that front door, you want to WOW them immediately. It’s a subliminal factor that affects a buyer’s ‘feeling’ about a house. Buyers can tell you all the features that they want in a house, but often times, it comes down to a very primal, emotional response.
Most home buyers search the Internet (Marin MLS) for properties. Online viewers have a very limited attention span. If a property is vacant or unattractive, buyers are inclined to skip over it quickly. Staged and attractive rooms will make a much better WOW impression for these buyers, and more often they place the house on their “lets see it again” list.
In a buyer’s market, home buyers are more particular than ever about the appearance of properties. They have more to choose from and can take their time.
A staged home will attract more buyers.
Staging often defines spaces in a home and shows buyers how they might use these spaces for varied uses.
Staging often define spaces in a home and shows buyers how they might use these spaces.
Staging will neutralize a home so buyers can see themselves in the home, and not the sellers. For example, removing personal photos can neutralize a home.
Buyers will stay longer in a staged home. They have somewhere to sit down and relax, look around the room, chat with their families, and imagine themselves living in the different rooms in the house.
Staged homes can focus the buyer’s attention on the positive aspects of the home and take away attention from any possible flaws.
Buyers perceive that the seller has carefully attended to the overall care and maintenance of the home, since it is staged and well presented.
Staged homes will net the seller a higher sales price, with fewer days on the market. Typically, the longer properties are on the market, the lower the sale price.

What is Staging?

Staging involves different tasks from remodeling to organizing. Madeline Schaider Real Estate can facilitate sellers in identifying which level of service is needed:

Extensive remodel. In the Mill Valley house shown to the left (top of column), we supervised for our seller a massive clean out, painting, carpeting, created better living spaces, replaced appliances and light fixtures, repaired plumbing and installed new kitchen counter tops and custom flooring.
Cosmetic remodel. Painting and flooring (carpeting or refinishing wood) are important and of relatively low cost. Painting may be required inside and out. These two improvements are the two most inexpensive items that a seller can do with the highest visual impact and return.
Landscape maintenance. Street appeal is important for selling a house, as this provides the buyers' first impression of a house. In most listings, we recommend and oversee yard cleanup, lawn renovation or replacement, planting flowers and shrubs, repairing and refinishing decks, and more.
Repair of water and pest damage. We always recommend a pre-sale inspection for pests (termites, etc.) and rotted wood. As buyers often require repair or compensation for “section 1” damage, getting this done up front can reassure buyers that the house has been well cared for. This inspection, which costs a few hundred dollars, along with any related repairs if fianances permit, often guarantees less negotiating later on in the sales process and a greater profit for the seller.
Furnishing an empty house. We engage a professional stager to bring furniture, artwork, and accessories into a vacant home. It is most important to have the entry level furnished as this gives buyers their first impression. In some houses, it is also important to stage bedrooms, and more. When it is time to stage your home for sale, Madeline Schaider Real Estate can introduce you to the appropriate stagers and supervise the process.
Re-organizing a very presentable house. Buyers respond best to a simple and uncluttered house. We often help sellers simplify their home by packing up or reorganizing their possession. Even valuable artwork or collections of fine artifacts can overwhelm buyers and prevent them form seeing the possibilities of living in a house. A “neutral” house is more appealing to buyers.

Robert Ross, the Structure and Design Consultant for Madeline Schaider Real Estate, provides guidance on these changes, free to our clients. See our web site for more about Robert Ross.

What happens if you pass up staging?

A Marin home that is not staged will very likely attract fewer buyers and no offers. And, the longer it is on the market unsold ("Days on market"), the lower the final sale price—this was true in a strong sellers’ market of a few years ago, but more so now.

In 2009-2010, sale prices decreased 10-13% for houses that took 3-4 months to sell (data from the Marin MLS). For a $750,000 house, this loss may be $75,000 to $100,000. This is a great deal more than the price of staging! Investing $2,500 to $25,000 to prepare a house for sale can more than pay for itself.

When it is time to stage your Marin home for sale, Madeline Schaider Real Estate can introduce you to the appropriate stagers. Please contact Madeline for more information.