Why Staging Your Home Is Important, And The Psychology Behind It

Many homeowners wonder if staging is a necessary part of the selling process. They may think that the value of their house in terms of location, features, and upgrades is far more important than its presentation to potential buyers.

The truth is, home staging is usually essential to selling a house for the desired price. In fact, studies have shown that sellers willing to invest 1-3% of the home's asking price in staging typically receive a return of 8-10% — in other words, an ROI of 250% or higher!

Why is home staging such an effective home selling tactic? In a word: human psychology. More specifically, staging leverages the power of visualization to engage prospects and encourage them to commit to the purchase.

The Power of Visualization

Visualization is a powerful motivator in all areas of life: in athletic competitions, in creative projects, and in reaching life goals, just to name a few examples. The "visualization effect" can work in both negative and positive directions. For instance, a 1995 study on golfers found that negative visualizations of golf putts (i.e., "I don't think I can hit it into the hole") led to a decline in accuracy. In contrast, research indicates that positive visualization has a beneficial effect on desired outcomes.

When it comes to home staging, visualization is the basic psychological principle in play. In simple terms, you want potential buyers to "see themselves" living in your home, focus on the positive features of the property, and make an emotional connection to the house that ultimately motivates them to purchase it.

Why Do Vacant Homes Not Sell as Quickly as Staged Homes?

The visualization effect explains why vacant homes (that is, homes without furniture) are typically more difficult to sell than staged homes. For instance:

• It's difficult for buyers to visualize empty space. In an empty house, buyers are intellectually engaged in trying to figure out the dimensions of each room, but they may find it difficult to see themselves in the home, or make an emotional connection to the property. In contrast, a staged home with furniture not only helps buyers to assess how big the space is, but also encourages them to visualize themselves living in the home, instead of just moving their furniture in.
• When a house is vacant, many buyers assume that the seller has moved on with his or her life, and no longer cares for the house (at least to some extent). They may also feel that the house is slowly falling into disrepair.
• Finally, a vacant home may send the message that the seller is willing to significantly lower the asking price, or make big adjustments to the proffered terms. That's why many vacant home sellers receive offers that are well below their listed price.

Granted, if your current furniture is not well-suited to staging, then it may be better to remove it rather than use it in your home's presentation. However, in the majority of cases a professional staging company can use at least some of the client's existing furnishings for the open house process. 

Now that we've discussed why home staging is important, let's talk about some "tricks of the trade."

Home Staging Dos and Don'ts

Here are some keys to a successful home staging:

1. A "blank canvas" presentation

Home staging professionals don't want to present a "perfect home" to prospects. Instead, their goal is to create a neutral, yet tasteful presentation that highlights the home's potential. That way, any prospective buyer can easily "fill in the blanks," as it were, by visualizing how he or she would personalize the home.

2. No clutter

Clutter can change the prospect's perception of a room's size — in other words, it will make the room seem smaller than it actually is. Home stagers aim to eliminate clutter, organize furnishings, and maximize space perception without sacrificing a warm environment.

3. Tidiness throughout the home

If you're living in your home while it's on the market, then you should be mindful that prospects might come in and examine every room in the house while you're not there. If that happens, the last thing you want to do is leave a pile of dirty laundry on the floor of your bedroom, or a shelf full of disorganized trinkets in your living room. Again, keeping your home tidy helps prospective buyers to visualize it as their own.

4. No family photos, religious symbols, or other personal items

Many real estate agents recommend that home sellers keep personal items, such as family photos or religious symbols, out of sight when the house is presented to potential buyers. For instance, one home staging expert urges clients to remove "any photographs or artwork that has a face with eyes." Her reasoning? Prospective buyers often focus more on the faces in the image than the actual features of the home. Again, reminders of your presence in the home make it more difficult for buyers to envision themselves living on the property.

5. A focus on key rooms

It's important to note that not every room in your home necessarily needs to be staged for the public. Many staging professionals focus on "key rooms" for presentation, such as the living room, the dining room and kitchen, the master bedroom, and the master bathroom.

On the other hand, smaller rooms, or rooms that contain awkward spaces, may not need staging. For one thing, it may be difficult to furnish such rooms; and if the property's key rooms have already captured a prospect's imagination, then it may not be necessary to invest further resources in the presentation. 

Still, such rooms may benefit from staging if buyers find it hard to visualize which pieces of furniture could fit in the available space, or if the room has particular features that you want to highlight.

Would you like to sell your home without the hassle of staging or showings? Get an offer on your home in 24 hours and close in as little as 14 days.

With FlashHouse's online platform, our client-focused approach delivers comfort, convenience, and certainty with a concierge-style experience from home offer to closing. We are not a home flipper and we will never make you a "low-ball" offer. Our offers are always competitive and fair so get your offer today.