What is home staging? 

It is the art of highlighting a home's strengths by making it brighter, cleaner and more visually appealing without major renovations.  This generally brings more prospective buyers to the door and increases the odds of a faster sale with higher returns.

Home staging is done by a professional stager or interior decorator.  It involves depersonalizing the home so that buyers can easily envision making the house their home.  It involves decluttering, decorating and opening up or maximizing the space that is being offered. The goal is to create a "WOW" first impression on potential buyers when they walk through the home. 

In terms of price, generally the larger the home the more expensive staging will cost. Most stagers charge $250 - $350 for a general consultation and then each room that is staged is charged separately.  The cost can depend on whether the staging company has their own furniture or whether they will have to rent pieces to go with your home.  A 2,000- square foot home would cost around $2,000 to $2,400 a month.  If the home does not sell in a month and you would like to continue showing it as staged there is an additional fee for the following months.

Studies have shown that a staged house will sell faster with 20% higher sale price then homes that are not staged.  It gives the home an extra edge as people are much more capable of envisioning how their possessions will look in the home relative to the way it is laid out.  Staggers aim to appeal to the general public with their decor choices where your current decor or decorating in your home is usually custom to your personality.