MYTH: Home staging costs too much.
FACT: Home staging does cost, but it also pays! The average cost of a complete staging project is usually much less than your first price reduction. Statistically, homes that have been properly prepared for the market sell before a price reduction is needed. In a good or bad housing market, some studies have shown that staged homes can add between 10 and 15 percent to the sale price of many homes. There will be staging costs, but it costs more to not stage!

We see in the Seattle area this myth that leaving the house vacant or partially staged, because the market is a good one, is just fine. Translation to that myth is a “fatter” lined wallet? Not! Truth is, buyers see right through that “cheap tactic” and assume you and the seller are desperate to sell, and as a result will “low-ball” an offer to you. Thus, the house lingers on the market because the fallacy continues that a higher, over list offer, is going to come in. It’s just not! Imagine lining your wallets with higher offers right out of the gate! Our advice is to always stage your home, especially those homes with cosmetic imperfections. Final Fact: 85% of the staged homes sold for 6-25% more than unstaged homes in a 2018 HSR Survey of 4,200 homes.