Presentation is a key element whenever you want to sell a house quickly while experiencing minimal disruptions and earning top dollar. No debate there. However, there is much discussion about what fantastic presentation looks like and how far a homeowner should go to impress a potential buyer.
When the topic turns to preparing for a sale, the questions inevitably become: how much does home staging cost and is it worth it? In this post, we’ll provide some of our best tips for home staging.
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What Is Home Staging?
Let’s start by clarifying what staging a home actually means. Many people use the term interchangeably with interior design, but it is very different. If you hire an interior designer, they’ll decorate and update your house with your personal tastes in mind.
To stage a house for sale, you must put all of your own preferences aside. Everything from this point on requires that you remove as many personal traces as possible from your home so buyers can imagine it as their own.
Staging involves a sense of design, but from an entirely different perspective. There is an art and a science to it. When working with a real estate professional, it’s critical that you choose an expert who understands these subtle differences.
Learn even more about how to create a “wow” factor when selling your home in the related posts below:
- What Are The Secrets Of Staging A High-End Home In Toronto?
- What Is The Best Way To Sell A Vacant House?
- 5 Reasons You Should Stage Your Home To Sell
Your Staging Questions Answered
It’s nearly impossible to put a specific value on the cost of home staging because every house is different. Some need a top-to-bottom transformation before they’re ready for the market; others need a few minor touches. The end cost will vary based on what you want to achieve from your sale.
- If you want to keep it simple and sell fast, staging can be quick and inexpensive.
- If you want to go all out and earn top dollar, staging your house for sale will require more of an investment of time and money.
Partial staging can be an option if you don’t wish to invest in the whole package. The actual cost in terms of dollars and cents can vary, anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars per room to a thousand or more.
This amount can also change depending on what type of service your Realtor® provides. If they own their own furniture and decor, it can be much less prohibitive. If they rent the staging equipment, costs can add up, especially if your home takes longer to sell.
Who pays for staging a house depends on the real estate service you use. Some professionals include it as part of their package, which means no out of pocket expenses for you. Alternatively, they may provide you with a consultation and leave it to you to make any arrangements.
During your initial meeting, be sure to ask your real estate agent how they plan to prepare your home and what your role will be. An experienced professional will be able to tell you what repairs you must make, and what is optional depending on your goals and how quickly you are hoping to sell.
There are differences between staging a house to sell and decorating for your own tastes, but there is also overlap. Whatever your goals, the posts below will help you create a space you and buyers love:
- Lighting Techniques That Give Your Home an Instant Facelift
- Redesign Your Home Decor With One Trip to Your Local Hardware Store
- Absolutely Fabulous! Secrets of Gorgeous Curb Appeal for Every Season
How to Stage a House for Sale
How much home staging costs is one thing. The real question is whether it’s worth it. In a slow market, quality staging can help sell your home while others remain unsold. During busy markets, you can often sell even faster and at the maximum value. You might even decide that the cost of not staging is too great, depending on the potential of your home!
If you’re trying to keep your costs as low as possible, your real estate agent can provide you with some tips on how to stage a house for sale inexpensively. Focus on what potential buyers are looking for.
With that in mind, you can begin home staging for modern buyers. Fortunately, these are fast enhancements that only require the cost of some cleaning supplies and a few hours of your time.
- Deep cleaning and decluttering thoroughly makes your home appear more spacious.
- Keeping closets and cupboards relatively empty and well-organized can enhance the appearance of storage space.
- Moving larger, heavier pieces of furniture away from windows allows the maximum amount of sunlight to come through.
- Speaking of furniture, less is more. Fewer bulky pieces make the room seem larger. In addition, the buyer can begin to imagine where they will put their own belongings.
- Removing all personal items and memorabilia creates a blank canvas for the buyer.
For those with a more generous budget, your real estate agent can suggest further enhancements to help make the most of your sale. If your budget falls somewhere in the middle, you could perform detailed staging in the key rooms of your house while relying on deep cleaning and decluttering in the rest. Anything that catches a buyer’s imagination adds tangible value once offers start coming in!
Did you know that our team provides complimentary staging? If you want to know more about how to maximize the sale of your Toronto home, we can help. Email ana@asantos.ca or call us at 647.232.7317 to get in touch today.