I know many people are asking that question and wondering if home staging is needed when inventory is low and homes are selling quickly. The answer may depend a bit but if you don’t stage, may you be leaving some money on the table? 

Let’s say you list your home ‘as is’ and you put the asking price a bit lower so you don’t have to do much of anything. You get an offer within a few weeks, maybe a few thousand below list but overall the percentage is still really good. Ok great!

But now let’s say you bring in a Home Stager, at the very minimum for a Home Staging Consultation, to give you a list of top things to do to get your home in top selling condition. She may suggest some fresh paint, or a couple new light fixtures, some repairs.

Now let’s say you are moving to your new home first and you are wondering if you should list the house empty or stage a couple key rooms with furniture. Will that matter?

Let’s take a look at an older home I consulted on for a Realtor.  I did recommend some paint, a couple new light fixtures, new vinyl flooring in the kitchen and staging it with fresh modern furniture when they moved out. Here is the email I received from her shortly after is was listed:

• Listed as coming soon 5/8
• Active listing 5/22
• 38 showings 5/22, 36 showings 5/23, 10 showings 5/24
• Received 32 offers!
• Inspection completed, now pending closing June 30

That’s 84 showings and 32 offers!!! PLUS it sold for $25,100 over list price! Which was over 10% of the list price. Unbelievable!

So yes the market is good. Would the house of sold anyway without staging? Absolutely.  Would the sellers have received 32 offers and sold for $25K over list without staging? We will never know for sure but I don’t think so. Don’t take a chance on leaving money on the table.