
How do you determine if a house is stage worthy?
Erroneous thinking
I have heard it from realtors and homeowners alike, “my house is in the $xx,xxx price range so it probably is not worth staging my home to sell.” They couldn’t be more erroneous. It doesn’t matter if a house is priced to sell at $10,000 or $1,000,000 every house on the market is worthy of being staged. Why? Because creating a product that a buyer wants is essential to get it sold. But how do you create a product that is desirable? In the housing market staging is key and the first step that should be taken when considering to sell.
The product
Think about it, a company with a product in the market may be saturated with competition. How do they stand out and grab a piece of that market? Whether the product is soap, a package of gum or a watch. How can a company ensure it will gain its share of the market? The most successful companies take the product and create a beautifully designed package to entice buyers. By doing so they create a value factor that appeals to buyers.
There is no difference when you are trying to sell a house. The objective is to try and stand out above all the other similar homes in your market, by presenting value and the best deal in the market. Staging does that. Statistics have proven that staging can shorten the time a house is on the market. They have also proven that a buyer is more likely to tour a property that has been staged over a similar that has not been staged.
Spending money to make money
The saying you have to spend money to make money might rein true when selling a house. If you have outdated décor, a vacant property, or have very taste specific furnishings, these are reasons to rent furniture. Other bangs for the buck are painting your rooms or changing some light fixtures. Have your home evaluated by a professional home stager. They will assist you in deciding what priorities need to be addressed to improve the packaging and value of your home.
Depending on the condition of the home and the market, these factors will dictate the amount of work that will be needed. For an occupied house you may be able to spend less than .5% of the listing of the house. For a vacant home, it may range approximately 1 to 3% of the listing price. The money invested to prepare your home will give you 6% or more return on your investment as seen in recent statistics.
So to answer the question Is My House Stage-Worthy? Yes, every house is stage worthy if you are hoping to sell within a short period of time for top dollar.