The San Diego Real Estate BLOG

To Stage or Not to Stage

“Should I stage my home when I put it on the market?”

We get this question a LOT here in Point Loma, and the answer is… it depends.

Photo: YouTube.com

THE DERELICT

This is a no-brainer. If the home in question is condemned or falling apart, do NOT stage.

Don’t even call the bulldozer, the buyer will do with it what they will as they are probably more interest in the land than anything else.

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LIVABLE

If the house has a roof, four walls, and is structurally sound but not much else, it will probably need to be taken down to the studs and rebuilt; you should also obviously refrain from staging a home like this.

Photo: Pinterest.com

THE “FIXER UPPER”

We are getting closer, but this is still an easy call. There is no reason to stage a house that you are marketing to investors. These people are professionals that know what they are doing, and they will “look deep” at the home (often down to the studs), and won’t be interested in, or distracted by any kind of home www.

Photo: News1130.com

THE EMPTY HOME

Even if your home is BEFORE gorgeous without anything in it, you should seriously consider staging any home that will be vacant/empty when it is on the market.

Studies have shown that buyer’s have a tough time envisioning themselves in the space, or “seeing how the rooms will work” without something there for reference. Too much is bad, clutter is bad, but a nice staging job will most likely help an empty home sell MUCH quicker and for a lot more money.

Photo: StatisticBrain.com

THE AVERAGE HOME

This is the toughest one that requires the most knowledge of the individual situation.

Studies tend to show that a staged home will sell faster, and for more money, but there are a PLETHORA of murky variables to consider:

Comparable Value
Market
Location
Amenities
etc. etc. etc.

Our best advice to you is to consult a reputable real estate professional to asses your particular situation.

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THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOME

You might think this is also a no-brainer, but the truth is it’s not.

We have seen many multi-million dollar homes that were ready to from the initial walk-through, but we have seen just as many that are even MORE in need of staging that a “typical” home.

The reasons for this a many including:

Outdated Styling
Long Periods of Sitting Unused
Lack of Furniture Due to Owners Having Already Moved

In the case of large homes like these it is even harder for buyers to imagine themselves in the space because, well, there is SO MUCH MORE “space.”

In the end, there is no “easy” way to answer this question. Who knows, you could be an Professional Interior Designer that has kept their home in immaculate condition making this a moot point.

DO Keep in mind that you should do as much repair/prep work as you can to the home BEFORE you stage it since, at best, the staging is an accent, the icing on the cake if you will. Staging will NOT cover up any major issues with the home.

Our best advice is to hire an experienced Real Estate Professional who will be able to read the many and varied factors to help you answer this question.

Shameless plug in…

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As experience Real Estate Professionals, The Yarbrough Group would be happy to discuss this, or any other real estate issues your may be faced with.

THE YARBROUGH GROUP COMPLETE HOME SELLER’S PREP LIST

Check out our previous BLOG entries about home staging and prep to get your home ready to sell FAST and for TOP DOLLAR!!!

Home Seller Prep #1: Initial Impressions

Home Seller Prep #2: Lovely Landscaping

Home Seller Prep #3: Backyard Basics

Home Seller Prep #4: Interior Basics

Home Seller Prep #5: Living Room

Home Seller Prep #6: Dining Room

Home Seller Prep #7: Beautiful Bedrooms

Home Seller Prep #8: Killer Kitchens

Home Seller Prep #9: Breathtaking Bathrooms

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