Home staging is very beneficial no matter when it is done, but here are some things to think about:

The best time to stage:

The best time to stage is before your home goes on the market.  Remember that the first 30 days on the MLS are extremely important and good photos can make the difference as to whether or not a buyer will make an appointment to see your home.  Many people say, “I will just wait and THEN if it does not sell, I will get it staged.”    Think of all of the houses that are your competition on the market and the attraction of  new construction and then decide if it is really worth it to lose even one potential buyer because your home is not prepared.

Staging is a small investment:

Home staging is a small investment towards higher earnings at the closing table.  Unprepared homes give buyers a “discount” mentality and they will expect a deal.  Conversely, a well prepared home creates a desire to buy the home without a focus on getting a reduced price if it is priced right to start with.  Staging was never meant to be a substitute for pricing your house right.  Always remember that Pricing + Staging = Success.

Considering the cost:

If cost is a factor, at the very least have a stager come out and do a short written report.  This can cost as little as $200.00 if you don’t mind doing the work yourself.  Having an occupied home staged is so reasonable, sometimes as little as $500.00, that the benefits far outweigh the small investment.

The second best time to stage:

If your home is already on the market, the second best time to stage, is as soon as possible.  There are many success stories of houses that were on the market with no activity that sold quickly after staging.  Are you getting plenty of showings with no offers even though your home is priced right?   If so, it is time to take action before taking initial or further price reductions.  When staging a home already on the market, be sure to have your agent retake the photos to make the listing “fresh” again.

The bottom line is that the best time to stage a home is….anytime.  Home Staging Works.

Please email me at cynthia@simplistate.com if you have any questions.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 10:16 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.