To Stage or Not to Stage: That Is NOT the Question in 2018

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Home staging Diane Farrell column

Photo provided by Lisa Moseley

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In the ever-evolving world of real estate, home staging has become quite popular. In fact, the positive effect that it can have on a sale makes it feel quite essential in today’s market.

As a homeowner, you may question the value of home staging, particularly when considering costs and the inconvenience of relocating your own furnishings, but time and time again, the behavior of prospective buyers has proven to clearly be influenced by appearances.

Staging has proven to help a home sell faster and for a higher price, making for a larger return on investment.

In past years, home stagers focused primarily on de-cluttering rooms and tweaking the arrangement of a homeowner’s existing furniture and décor into more attractive groupings.

Staging most notably took off when the housing market crashed and the market was flooded with inventory. It became a way to make listings stand out from the tough competition.

More recently, all-out transformations seem to be more of the norm, where often the homeowner’s belongings are removed and replaced with the stager’s furnishings to complete a more impressive and compelling contemporary look.

Today’s buyers want to see a home that resembles what they see on TV, in magazines and online. The ability to see thorough clutter, dated décor, unfinished projects and items in need of repair seems to be a thing of the past.

Typically, staged homes present a bit of flair and style along with a cleaner, simpler lifestyle that is far more appealing. Capturing the emotions of buyers and ensuring that a home looks its best has proven to make a big difference to those making one of the biggest purchases in their lifetime.

Local stager Lisa Moseley reports that, “Staging is playing a much more vital role in selling a home these days,” and that “Of the first eleven homes I staged, nine sold in less than three months on the market.”

Additionally, according to the National Association of Realtors, 32 percent of buyers are willing to spend 1 to 5 percent more on a staged home than a non-staged home.

Homeowners don’t always recognize that their personal tastes may not be appealing to home shoppers, but it doesn’t take long to realize the difference a beautifully staged home makes.

Optimally arranged furniture, increased lighting, neutral palettes of color, creatively displayed art, fresh paint, colorful floral arrangements and resurfacing of kitchen and bathroom cabinetry are just some of the ways that stagers transform a home, and ultimately affect its sale.

Editor’s note: You can reach stager Lisa Moseley at lmkstagingdesign@gmail.com.

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Diane Farrell Houlihan Lawrence head shot thumbnail 18-01-10

Diane Farrell is a realtor with Houlihan Lawrence in Darien. A 20-year town resident,  she is a board member of the Tree Conservancy of Darien. Her marketing and public relations business, Farrell Marketing and Media is based in Darien. You can reach her at dfarrell@houlihanlawrence.com or (203) 984-0644.

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See also:

Farrell on Real Estate:

Darien & Rowayton Real Estate Reports:

Darien home sales:

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