REAL ESTATE | Professional Staging, Yay or Nay?

Q. My Realtor keeps recommending a professional stager, but I’m not comfortable with the cost. Is it really necessary?

Do you want to sell your home for the best price and in as short a time as possible? Then consider staging it. Hiring a professional stager will always get you more for your home, unless your home is already professionally decorated and staged.

Homes that are staged usually fetch higher sales prices because they help buyers better visualize their families eventually living in the property. When staging, a professional decorator or designer arranges the furniture in your home, brings in new decor and clears out the clutter to make your home look its absolute best. Stagers can also help with trouble areas like small bathrooms or a dated kitchen.

The National Association of Realtors polled REALTORS® who work with buyers about the benefits of staging. The association reports that 32% of REALTORS® say that staged homes generally earn offers that are 1-5% higher and a total of 16% say that staged homes earned offers that were 6-10% higher.

Staging isn’t free. The association’s survey found that it costs a median of $675 to stage homes for sale, but it appears to be smart money. Sellers today, even in solid real estate markets, need to do whatever they can to gain an advantage and make their home stand out.

Staging isn’t right for every home, but it might be right for yours.

THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OF GLANCER MAGAZINE

ask an expert Dan Firks specializes in real estate for Chicago’s western suburbs & won GLANCERS READER’s CHOICE for 2014 and 2015. As a Naperville resident and Realtor, he has been named a “5-Star Real Estate Agent” by Chicago Magazine, Zillow, and is the #1 Real Estate Broker at RE/Max Enterprises. Have a question or want a free market analysis? Contact Dan at 630.637.9009 or Dan@DanFirks.com. View homes today at www.DanFirks.com.

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