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Home staging can show a home in its best light and attract more home buyers—and possibly bidding wars. Several of last month’s “Best of the Best” home staging winners showed what a difference staging can make. Each month, the Home Staging Resource recognizes top designs from its members. Check out some of the designs featured recently on the Styled, Staged & Sold blog as well as more of October’s honorees below.
Budget-Friendly Updates
Addie Ashworth, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Realty in Columbus, Ohio, and owner of Ashworth Staging + Design, took on a listing that her client inherited from his father. “Nothing had been updated in years, and everything was original,” Ashworth says. “The seller did not want to spend a lot of money on updates.”
Ashworth suggested low-cost fixes with a big impact, such as removing the dated carpet to expose the original hardwood floors underneath. The entire house was painted in “Agreeable Grey” by Sherwin-Williams. Some of the kitchen cabinet doors were starting to fall off, so Ashworth recommended removing them and adding baskets. Everything in the kitchen was painted white, and the aging linoleum floor was swapped out for luxury vinyl planks. Ashworth also brought in modern furnishings, staging the home with a midcentury vibe to compliment the 1958 ranch-style home.
The property had more than 270 showings and 43 offers—all above list price. The seller accepted a cash offer with no contingencies for $165,000 over the asking price. The home closed in five days.
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Toning Down an Artsy Interior
Jodi Kelly of Kelly Home Designs, LLC in Ridgewood, N.J., toned down the artsy vibe in this two-bedroom home in Midland Park, N.J. “The homeowner had an artistic personality, and it reflected in her décor, which was very colorful and fun but would not have appealed to many buyers,” Kelly says. The house also appeared very dark inside. Kelly neutralized and lightened up the interior by repurposing the homeowner’s belongings. Kelly removed wallpaper in the dining room, switched out area rugs, adjusted some of the furniture, and added in a few accessories. The home was listed for $549,000 and had multiple offers over list price within two days. The house ended up selling for $30,000 above asking price.
Brightening the Look
Megan Bond of Complete Transitions: Home Staging & Design, which serves several Pennsylvania and Delaware counties, staged this house that sold in a few days for more than $100,000 above asking price. “The client asked to keep our staging in place until after the appraiser went through,” Bond says. “We knew the staging shouldn’t have any impact on the appraisal, but we were flattered that the client thought our staging showed the house in its best light. “
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A Quick Refresh
Laura Jones of Cozy Curated Home in the Denver area recently completed a partial stage of a three-bedroom, three-bath home that had been lingering on the market. “The home was being occupied by the sellers and lacked an emotional connection for target buyers,” Jones says. “It had challenges and needed improvements, but the sellers needed to sell quickly and did not have the luxury of completing upgrades before listing.” Jones recommended a partial stage using the homeowners’ existing belongings but new smaller items, like artwork, pillows, rugs, and accessories. “The home was staged quickly, new photos were taken, and within 24 hours of the photos being published on the MLS, the home was under contract,” Jones says.
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