Shopping at your favorite store today, did you notice how strategically everything is displayed, designed and planned for your convenience? This is no mistake! 

Just like your favorite store, your home should be conveniently designed, maintained and presented well for you to sell fast in Massachusetts. Just like your favorite store, your home is categorized in real estate which can be pricey if not designed to sell. 

Clearly, your home is not going to be like a store exactly, but in some ways, you will want to make sure your most treasured amenities are showcased well and any buyer walking through will be enticed to purchase at top dollar. 

Attention to detail is a must when staging your home to sell in Massachusetts. Your home’s appearance really does matter and staged homes spend less time on the market all while bringing in higher profits for seller’s who stage. Buyers don’t want a home that looks a mess, has stained carpet, nor dirty walls. Think of it like a job interview. You dress for success to make a great impression. Your house should do the same. 

Of course, it’s not going to be easy nor perfect, but staging is an excellent way to add extra appeal to your home. So, here’s what you need to know about how much real estate staging will cost you. 

What does it mean to stage your home to sell?

Consider this: do you pick up random items and tidy up when you are having company? More than likely your home looks a bit different when company is coming than throughout the rest of the week. Staging your home is sort of like you are prepping for company to come visit. You put your best foot forward to make your company comfortable. For example, maybe you have fresh scented candles or plants to add that lively and cozy feel. 

Home staging is actually a big business and many realtors highly recommend home staging prior to photographing for your listing. Even television has all the latest home staging tips on a variety of reality shows. There are numerous professionals all over the world that provide home staging services. 

Purchasing a home is a big step for a buyer and a huge investment. If you want to make a good impression, home staging can help. Of course, it can get a bit expensive, however, home staging is known to increase your potential offer prices. You can expect to pay around up to 2% of your home’s sell price on staging. This can be anything from added furniture to accessories, new carpet or even special pieces of art. 

There are home stagers out there who have pretty cheap rates, however, keep in mind that doesn’t always mean you are making the best choice. A professional is highly recommended to ensure the staging is done according to your market and your potential buyers’ tastes. The average cost today of a home stager is around $450. You should plan to spend out of pocket anywhere from $250- $1,000 for a consult with a home stager and the rest such as furniture rental will vary. 

So, What Does a Home Stager Really Do for the Cost?

It’s the Little Things

Of course, you know you will need to do the basics. Keeping up on lawn maintenance and cleaning is a must and you may have a couple walls that need some fresh paint, but most importantly you want to ensure you do not make a bad impression on a potential buyer. That’s where staging comes in. 

Home stagers go further than the essential repairs your home may need. Home stagers set the scene for potential buyers so those potential buyers can envision themselves living in your home as their very own. Essentially, the home stagers add those special little touches that add huge value. These may be things that you have always wanted to do, but just never had the time, so keep that in mind as you may find yourself in love with your home all over again. 

Staging adds the latest trends and is done for impact, not necessarily for functionality. Perhaps your stager will change out your curtains, put out some fresh linens, swap one of your lamps for one of theirs or just change out some lighting to set the mood. Home stagers often have storage facilities or warehouses full of staging goodies to bring your home to life. 

Your investment in home staging pays for a variety of services, but most importantly it pays for those little things you may have missed that adds some comfort to your home. These little things are relatively inexpensive. 

So, where does the real cost of home staging come in to play?

Staging Furniture

Think of your home for sale as one of those model homes in a new construction subdivision or apartment complex. These homes have been professionally staged in order to appeal to buyers. The idea is to make a house or space feel like a home. 

The value of furniture cannot be underestimated when it comes to home staging. Furniture makes a small room look bigger and an empty room look full and inviting. Maybe you were using a third bedroom as an office and that’s just not a great idea for your market – your stager will transform and create a new purpose to attract those specific buyers you need. Definition of space is very important, and furniture can easily define a room. 

A professional real estate home stager knows the ins and outs of area furniture rentals and they often have stock of their own to use when furnishing your home to sell. Maybe all you need is a coffee table or a sofa, either way, the home stager knows exactly what will finish off the space. 

Which Rooms Should You Stage?

More often than not, the kitchen and the living room are the first areas to go through a home staging transformation. People in general spend quite a bit of their time at home in their kitchens and living rooms. And often, the living room is one of the first rooms a potential buyer will see when touring the home. 

Let’s face it, when today’s buyers are looking for a new home, they have a lot of expectations for the kitchen and the bathroom. So, don’t forget about your bathroom when home staging as well. Both the kitchen and the bathroom should look spacious, feel clean and comfortable as well as luxurious. 

After the kitchen, living room and bathroom, the mast bedroom and dining room rank pretty high on the staging list as well. Of course, you need to keep budget in mind so you should keep in mind which rooms are most important if you have to leave some off of the list. The other bedrooms in the home are less of a priority and as long as the yard is in great maintenance, you can leave that off the list of staging. 

Working with a Realtor Can Save Money

Real estate staging is a booming business in today’s housing market. Realtors use stagers often and they typically have a base knowledge of the stagers available in your market. Your real estate agent can offer you referrals so you can choose who best suits your needs. It’s best to hire a professional, although some Realtors offer staging services as well. 

Because real estate agents are commission based, they may feel the need to take more on than they might be able to handle. So, leaving the staging to a home staging professional may be your best bet. 

You can save a lot of money during the staging process by hiring a trusted stager that your Realtor refers to you. In addition, if you are able, ask the home stager to use as much of your own furniture and accessories as possible to help save on rental costs. 

Staging is an excellent strategy to sell your home for top dollar. Professional home stagers know what your local buyers are looking for. The home stager is thinking about design and appeal, while you have always thought more about function since you want to live conveniently each day in your home. 

Of Course, There Are Alternatives

If you really cannot afford the extra cost of staging and your home has been on the market for quite some time, you can always sell directly to a cash buyer like us. We are a reputable company accredited with the Better Business Bureau and we are happy to buy homes for cash in Massachusetts. In the end, this could save you the most money and that is important when you need to sell at the best possible price without all the extra hassle of repairs and staging.