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References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.
Source: 2023 Profile of Home Staging (National Association of REALTORS®, Mar. 30, 2023)
Staging a Home
Home Stager Reveals 4 Hot Trends for 2024 (REALTOR® Magazine, Jan. 15, 2024)
“Homes have been mostly dressed in white, contemporary designs with simplified living spaces. Nowadays, that crisp, neutral canvas is getting decorated with dramatic color, unexpected art, textured furniture, and eclectic decor. Further, the expanding kitchen island has become the new dining room, and exterior spaces have become popular hangouts by the firepit or while playing a game of cornhole.
Home Staging: How Much Does it Cost, and is it Worth It? (Bankrate, Dec. 8, 2023)
“Based on HomeAdvisor data, the service fee alone can be between $800 and $1,000. Then, you’ll need to pay staging fees, which fall somewhere between $400 and $700 per room for the first month. And furniture rental can cost $500 to $600 per room, per month. The cost of staging a home for two to three months typically translates to 1 percent of a home’s list price, says Pam Tiberia, founder of Spruce Interiors in Hampton, New Hampshire. So, if your home is being listed for $300,000, the cost to stage it for a few months would likely be around $3,000.”
Buyers, Sellers See Benefits of Staging Houses (The Washington Post, Sep. 23, 2023)
“The prospect of staging gives some owners stage fright. Houses don’t need to look like the staged-to-the-nines properties on television, said Brandi Snowden, NAR director of member and consumer survey research. Banner said people fear that they’ll have to move everything out of their house. They probably won’t. “A lot of people think the stager will criticize how they live in their home," Brodnax said. "That doesn’t happen at all. And the average person thinks it’s scary to risk the upfront cost of staging. But, say the staging budget is $4,500. In a hot market the house will sell quickly and over list price and the owners will get their money back.””
Staging a Vacant Property: From Blank Slate to ‘Home, Sweet Home’ (REALTOR® Magazine, Sep. 18, 2023)
“Don’t leave a listing’s interior blank. The sellers may have already moved out, and the emptiness left behind can make for a bad first impression to buyers who want to visualize how to use the space. The emptiness also could make rooms look smaller. Home stagers can help to paint the picture with a few furnishings and accessories, like plants, tabletop accents, pillows, and blankets. Nikki Watson, founder of The Design Quad in Dallas, and her team stage six vacant properties a day. Even a high-end kitchen left blank can feel uninspiring, she says. But adding a few stools around the kitchen island and minor accessories on the countertops can instantly warm up the space.”
Sellers are Now Going for Bold and Bright When Staging Their Homes (Washingtonian, Apr. 4, 2023)
“Blues and greens are big now, according to the designers, who recommend adding color to staged homes through smaller pieces like accent chairs, rugs, blankets, pillows, vases, or art, as opposed to painting the whole space. And touches such as natural textures and curved furniture can also add warmth to a house, says Machenaud: “It’s about bringing some optimism back into these living spaces.”
Virtual Staging
Virtual Staging Could Help You Sell Your Home – Here’s What to Consider (Better Homes & Gardens, Mar. 20, 2024)
“Virtual staging tends to be more cost-effective and quicker to implement. Although it has its limitations, there is still some room for customization,” says Angel Lee, director of marketing production at Coldwell Banker Warburg. “While traditional home staging is more customizable and flexible, it is typically more expensive and more time-consuming,” When a home is virtually staged, it can look great in listing photos and make a buyer want to schedule a showing, but when that buyer arrives to tour the home, the furniture is not there, and it becomes harder to envision the space.””
The Best Virtual Staging Companies (Bob Vila, Feb. 22, 2024)
“Thanks to some of the best virtual staging companies, prospective buyers can see a property’s interior design potential through digital renderings with fewer limitations than traditional home staging. Virtual staging software offers the benefits of physical home staging from one of the best interior design services at a significantly lower price and with less work, straight from a smartphone, computer, or any other online-capable device.”
How to Leverage Virtual Staging for Your Listings (and Why It Works) (RIS Media, Jan. 20, 2023)
“In today’s current market, home staging is undergoing a transformation. New tools and technology have made it possible for real estate professionals to create endless listing photos to appeal to a wide range of buyers through virtual staging. Virtual staging is quickly becoming the go-to for many listing agents due to the fact that it’s convenient, affordable and flexible. Plus, it can help with timetables for both buyers and sellers.”
Tips for Staging Specific Areas of the House
Room Transformations That Show the Power of Staging (REALTOR® Magazine, Aug. 7, 2023)
“About 80% of buyer’s agents say staging helps their clients better visualize living in a home. A third say it can even increase the home’s value between 1% and 10% when compared to similar homes that aren’t staged, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2023 Profile of Home Staging.
Regina Leahy, founder of Connecticut-based staging firm Simply Staged(link is external), shows what transformations are possible in key areas of a home, including painted white interiors, decluttering while opening layouts and incorporating a few decorative accessories. Case in point: The listing price for a recent property Leahy staged went from $699,000 to $772,000 after she worked to completely declutter the home. The staged home received multiple offers on the first weekend it was listed and sold for $805,000.”
7 Living Room Improvements That’ll Help Sell Your Home for More Money (realtor.com®, Feb. 6, 2023)
When trying to entice buyers, make sure to highlight the following 7 aspects of your home; let the natural light shine, use neutral wall colors, open up the space, streamline décor and stage thoughtfully, remove old carpeting and replace with wood, vinyl, or tile, demonstrate the versatility of your rooms, and finally, incorporate extra shelving or storage.
5 Bedroom Staging Mistakes that Can Totally Turn Off Buyers (realtor.com®, Feb. 6, 2023)
When trying to picture themselves in their possible new bedroom, buyers have some major turnoffs, starting with messy closest! When staging your home for sale, make sure that most of your clutter is already packed away. Other turnoffs buyers noted in bedrooms were a neglect of lighting and artwork, as well as not staging beds and leaving pet beds/crates in the room.
6 Kitchen Staging Mistakes that Can Sabotage the Sale of Your Home (realtor.com®, Feb. 1, 2023)
Potential buyers want to be able to envision themselves cooking and entertaining in your kitchen, and there are a few things you can do to make that easier; keep clutter off the countertops, focus on lighting, take those invitations, and holiday cards off the fridge, make sure the dining area is obvious, leave the floors bare, and finally – deep clean!
eBooks & Other Resources
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (eBook)
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Audiobook)
Clear Your Clutter (Audiobook, eBook)
Clutter Busting! (Audiobook)
Clutter Free (eBook)
Consider It Sold (eBook)
Home Staging for Dummies (eBook)
Home Staging That Works (eBook)
The Clutter Cure (eBook)
The Everything Organize Your Home Book (eBook)
The Quick-Fix Home Organizer (eBook)
Go Organize! (eBook)
The Learning Annex® Presents Uncluttering Your Space (eBook)
Secrets of Home Staging: The Essential Guide to Getting Higher Offers Faster (Audiobook)
Staging to Sell (eBook)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell (Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 2007) HF 5438 D19
How to Stage Your Home to Sell for Top Dollar (Concord, CA: www.stagedhomes.com, 2006) DVD023
Home Staging: The Winning Way to Sell Your House for More Money (New York, NY: Wiley, 2006) HF 5438 Sch9
Home Staging: Creating Buyer-Friendly Rooms to Sell Your House (Arlington, MN: Center Stage Home, 2004) HF 5438 M43
Preparing Your Home to Sell: How to Increase Your Home's Sales Appeal (Minneapolis, MN: David Knox, 2002) DVD001
Dress Your House for Success (New York: Three Rivers Press, 1997) HD 1341 W43d
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