Home Staging – Is it worth it?

Here at Hicks Real Estate, we quite often talk about home staging, and why it’s probably the single best thing you can do to get a higher price on your home.

If you’re unfamiliar with what home staging is, it’s the process of revamping your home to make it look better to buyers. It makes sense to do it – whether you’re selling a home, a car or an old baby stroller, it’s always a good idea to try and spruce it up before putting it on the market.

But is it really worth spending hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on a professional home staging service?

There are a few different levels to home staging, from “spring clean and throw rug” to “total refurnishing overhaul”.

If you’re going with a professional home stager, expect to pay from around $200-400 for a two-hour consultation. At its most simple, a consultation will include the stager looking round your home and giving advice.

Things they’ll most likely point out might include:

• What to put away or dispose of
• How to arrange furniture
• What to highlight or feature
• Repainting and colour coordination
• Minor décor (towels, vases, etc.)
• Hiring furniture or artwork

Take note of the last item on this list: this is where it can get costly. If you’re just an average homeowner without a lot of money or storage space at your disposal, you could be shooting yourself in the foot.

If you have some disposable income to invest, go for it. Proper staging could make tens of thousands of dollars of difference.

Here’s one final tip – if you’re thinking about staging your home, don’t arrange for professional photography until everything is in place. In the past, I’ve had clients who have paid a photographer, then decided on making some changes, only to have to get the photographer back for a second visit!

Madeleine Hicks has over 20 years’ experience staging homes herself, and in collaboration with renowned local interior design consultants. Call 3355 6845 today to talk about getting your home ready for sale!