Why Stage in a Sellers' Market

You may think that in a market where many properties are selling quickly and for more than asking price that you no longer need to worry about staging your property. However, you are still competing for buyers and need to stand out from the other listings.

Plus, staging a property adds to the emotional appeal of a property and increased value perception- which can lead to a bidding war that’s drives up the price and leads to more money in the pocket of the home seller.

If you look at the overall sales, you will still see that the houses that are staged are still selling faster and for more money than their un-staged counterparts. Basically, if you don’t stage your property, you are leaving money on the table. Your unstaged house may still sell more easily than before but if you invest in staging you could get multiple offers that will push the price higher. Additionally, when the bank is looking at comps to appraise your property, it needs to appraise for the sales price. If it falls short then you might have to reduce the final sales price.

Most importantly, buyers are searching primarily on-line for homes. They are relying heavily on photos and virtual tours to decide where their next home will be. If your photos are not compelling, people will not schedule a walk-through and will move on to better looking options. If your photos look good because of tricky camera angels and photo-editing your walk-through experience will disappoint buyers and they will either move on or not make their best offer. Condition is key; if you don’t prepare your property and the maintenance list feels long, people will offer less money or just move on to another house that prepared better.

A good staging company knows how to provide value regardless of the real estate market. Some can offer shorter contracts or other incentives that make it easy to do what’s right for your property.

Each of the images in this article are of properties that were staged and that sold for more than their asking price. That is the real value in home staging.

Contact Parker Staging today to learn more about how we stage in a seller’s market to make sure you avoid the pitfalls and maximize your profit.

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About the Author

At the forefront of her career, Tiffany Parker had the vision to use her expertise in business strategy and passion for design to create a better world. Parker is the Principal Owner and Founder of Parker Staging & Redesign, a home staging firm committed to using the art of design to transform our community. Parker earned a Bachelor's in Political Science from Howard University, and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Columbia University. She then went on to lead marketing and communications initiatives for Fortune 500 companies like Booz Allen Hamilton and Rexahn Pharmaceuticals. She has also served as president of the Board of Directors of Thrive DC, a meal program initiative for homeless women in the DC Metro area...Click to read more