A staged home helps potential buyers visualize themselves in your space, as they can get a glimpse of how they might use each of the different rooms, from the office to the playroom and living room to the finished basement. In fact, a 2019 National Association of Realtors study on home staging reported that 83 percent of buyer's agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. This piece is why it’s important to de-personalize your space, removing family photos and other personal items. Plus, a staging company will often add neutral furniture and décor that appeals to the masses, steering clear of an obscure style that limits your buyers options. 

 

One-quarter of buyers’ agents told the NAR that staging increased the offering price by 1% to 5% compared to homes that weren’t staged. Among sellers’ agents, 22% say the same, and 17% say it actually increased the offering price by 6% to 10%.

Notably, 0% of sellers’ agents and only 1% of buyers' agents said that staging had a negative impact on offering price. With nothing to lose and a lot to possibly gain, it stands to reason that staging is worth the effort. This is likely even more true for homes with unique or highly specific décor.

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No seller wants to find themselves sitting on a stale listing. The longer a home sits on the market, the harder it can be to sell, meaning there’s a lot of incentive to get your home sold in as few days as possible. 28 percent of sellers’ agents note a slight decrease in days on the market for staged homes, and 25% report a substantial decrease. Only 12% of sellers’ agents reported that staging a home had no effect on days on the market.

 

As for why staged homes tend to sell faster, it basically just comes down to the points listed above: staging helps buyers evaluate whether they can see themselves in a property and what the potential for the space is. And it can be a lot more productive than expecting them to do the heavy mental lifting themselves.