Betty Cunningham
Specializing in Home Staging
Palatine Homes, Schaumburg Homes, Hoffmann Estates and Roselle Real Estate

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12 Reasons Why It Pays To Stage!

1. Turbo-Boost Sales Time
Experts all agree and studies show staged homes sell quicker than non-staged homes. Sometimes 30-50% faster in most areas. This is more important then most people realize because the longer a home is on the market….the greater chance for a price reduction. Most buyers and buyers agents believe that, if a home has been on the market for some time, there must be something wrong with it or that the seller will be anxious to sell and will take much less than the asking price.

2. First Impressions Last a Lifetime
People’s first impression of your listing is critical. Staging gives you the best opportunity to make a positive first impression rather than a negative one. The stronger the impression the less likely a potential buyer will be bothered if some things aren’t perfect.

3. Gone In 60 Seconds…
Psychology experts have proven that people react based on emotion and then seek logic to back up the feeling. From a real estate perspective, a buyer will make an initial reaction in less than a minute whether they like your listing or not. Then, after the potential buyer's initial decision has been made, they will either confirm that decision or rescind it in the next 6 to 20 minutes as they tour the property. This is why proper staging is critical for any listing...

4. Ready, Set, Go – Move-In Ready Sells Faster
A properly staged listing not only appears to be in “Move-In Ready” condition, but it really is. Staging a house for sale means that every component of the house is as close as possible to model condition. All buyers prefer to buy home where they can just move-in and start enjoying life. They will even pay a premium for this.

5. Imagination Not Included
Did you know that only 5% of the population can truly visualize how beautiful a home can be or see past the clutter, grime and so-so appearance? It’s true. Help potential buyers see themselves happily living in your listing and let the offers come pouring in.

6. Be the Needle In The Haystack
Staged homes have a much greater competitive advantage over houses that are not staged. Let’s face it. Experts are predicting that more and more listings will be sitting on the market for sale in the next few years. Some areas have already seen a 100-300% increase in available inventory and average time on market. A staged home stands apart from other listings because it has been properly merchandised to bring out the best qualities of the listing.

7. No Skeletons In The Closet
Staged homes project an image of being well maintained and well cared for. The underlying psychological message that is sent to potential buyers is that it’s worth more. More importantly, staging helps remove a certain degree of risk that a potential buyer might have about buying a house that is in disarray.

8. Appraise It High Or Go Home
As more and more homes become available, you need every advantage possible. One marketing advantage you might overlook is to create instant loan to value (LTV) by getting an appraisal after the house is staged. If you can show a potential buyer how much the home is worth i.e. appraised value and the sales price is less….instant value. It will sell faster because it appears to be a better deal.

9. Move To The Head Of The Class
Real estate professionals never like to show a house that’s not going to impress their buyer. A well staged home could easily be described as “staged to sell” which means that it’s going to impress their buyer. Staged homes are always at the top of the list when it comes to which properties an agent will show.

10. The Exception To The Rule – The Buyer’s Rule
Would you show a house to a buyer that didn’t meet their exact criteria? Maybe…but ONLY if the house is staged properly and gets clients excited. If an agent knows that a listing shows really well, but doesn’t match the buyer’s criteria exactly, it’s possible they’ll show it anyway. A well-staged home could be the one to get a buyer excited enough to make an offer.

11. Peace, Love and FREE Advertising
Brokerages love showcasing beautifully staged homes because they draw more business to their firm. They usually invest considerable money to advertise a well staged listing to generate leads for other agents. Why not capitalize on your firm’s need to generate fresh leads by learning how to stage every listing to its fullest potential and then sit back while they use it for shameless promotion.

12. Show Me The Money!
The better a home shows - the higher it will sell for which means more dollars in your pocket. Non-staged homes are more likely to require price reductions in order to sell as opposed to staged homes, which are more likely to enjoy a number of offers, possibly a bidding war or a sale above the asking price.