Staging to Sell: Important Staging Statistics to Know

When it comes to selling your Kitchener-Waterloo home, there are a lot of factors to consider. In fact, according to recent research, selling your property and moving can be more stressful than divorce or even losing a loved one.  Part of the reason for this stress is that home owners are realizing that there is far more to the selling process than they anticipated. According to NAR and sites like Home Gain, sellers should anticipate investing between 1 – 3%  of the property’s value to get it successfully sold.

The reason for this investment and shift in how properties are sold, is fairly simple. TV networks have shone a spotlight on the real estate industry and according to articles such as “How the HGTV Effect is Affecting Home Sales” in the Toronto Star, these networks have raised the expectations of buyers of what is ‘reasonable or livable’ for their next property. In fact, it is abundantly clear that buyers are not so much searching for a property as they are searching for a lifestyle – one that offers them the modern conveniences and cachet that they are willing to pay top dollar for.

Professional staging showcases the lifestyle buyers aspire to have – and will pay top dollar for.

Home staging is one of the key marketing tools that helps home owners maximize both the presentation and impact their property has on buyers. With a professional stager’s help, home owners can get that Model Home Look that buyers are clamoring for. Still, there remains a skepticism of the impact home staging can have on the sale of a home which has sellers listing in ‘as is’ condition every day. They wonder why their homes don’t sell, get low ball offers or make it onto websites like  Terrible Real Estate Photos.  We don’t wonder – we can often tell within seconds of looking at a home’s online listing. Presentation matters. If the home’s appearance doesn’t reflect a modern and professionally styled appearance, buyers are just moving onto the next property. It’s a fact that with the prevalence of home staging, if you aren’t staging your home then your property is helping to sell the other staged houses in your area.

In light of that, we have compiled a list of statistics and information to help highlight just how important and effective home staging is:

• According to the 2015 NAR report on home staging, over 81% of buyers found it easier to visualize the property as their future home when it was staged.
• 9 out of 10 people cannot see beyond what they are presented with. This means buyers cannot see beyond clutter, dated decor or visualize furniture in empty rooms. If you aren’t staging then your property is not connecting with 90% of its target audience.
• According to the recent RESA staging report, staged properties sell up to 72% FASTER than their un-staged competition.
• According to the same NAR report, professional staging can increase a home’s selling price anywhere from 5 – 20%. If a broker offered this kind of return on investment, you would think he was a financial genius!
• Over 95% of buyers are shopping online FIRST and homes have mere seconds to impress them. The combination of professional staging + photography has been PROVEN to get properties significantly more interest, viewings and better offers than their un-staged competition.
• Based on a NAR survey, when a home owner invested 1 – 3% of the value of the home in professional staging, they averaged an 8 – 10% ROI!
• Realtors KNOW it’s a necessary component to a successful home sale! The 2014 Zillow survey of real estate experts as one of the TOP TWO things necessary for home owners to do when selling their homes.

Simply put, professional home staging is key to getting home owners the interest and offers their property deserves. While price may bring in the buyers, it is professional staging that makes buyers negotiable on their list of ‘must haves’ when the property reflects the lifestyle they aspire to have.

For more information on professional home staging services within the Kitchener-Waterloo area, contact Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc. We are a multi award-winning home staging company that has the expertise, talent and resources to give any home the model home appeal buyers are looking for. Specializing in staging vacant properties and builder model homes, our designs are memorable and distinctive. Contact us today for more information on our staging services at (519) 804-STAGE and go online to view our extensive portfolio.

Kitchener-Waterloo’s Premier Home Staging Provider