How do you feel about staging?
I read a recent article in the L.A. Times that discusses the perceived benefits of hiring a professional stager to come in and hopefully make your home look more appealing to potential buyers. This article mentions the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA), an organization that we at Buyer’s Choice Realty belong to. Take a look at NAEBA’s own article on staging.
I feel that staging really does work to help a seller get the highest price they can for their home in the shortest amount of time. But, as always, caveat emptor. Buyers should look beyond the pretty surroundings when looking at a potential home. While touring a home, pick up that pretty rug to see if there is damage to the flooring, or any unsightly stains, etc. Fold back those gorgeous designer curtains and see if the windows and their trim are in good shape. Bring along a tape measure to see if your own furniture will fit in any particular room you envision it in.
Stagers are excellent at maximizing the good features of individual rooms by enhancing layout, modernizing furnishings, etc. I applaud them for that and think sellers should consider at least interviewing a stager to see what benefits they could bring for relatively short money (usually less than $3,000 for you having to do hardly any work to get your home in ’showing’ shape).
The problem is that many feel that staging can potentially cover up problems within a home, and the snappy layout may distract buyers from the fact that a living room is actually a lot smaller than it appears with the expertly chosen furniture, and your couch and loveseat and chair and coffee table have no chance of fitting in the room. Overall, staging is a potentially valuable investment for sellers, but buyers must look beyond the fancy trimmings and get a feel of the actual home they will be buying, especially since they will most likely be bringing their own furniture and furnishings into the home.