Staging Simplified…How Much Does it Cost to Stage a House?

By Catherine Brown

Since opening my Accredited Home Staging business two years ago, a question that I’m continually asked is “how much does it cost to stage a house.”

While 2006 was undeniably a record-breaking year for real estate sales, many Realtors admit to feeling a change in the air, one where staging to sell will become a strategic part of their marketing plan.

The goal of an Accredited Staging Professional is to create the appearance of a model home in a resale property, presenting a lifestyle image to the target buyer.

An Accredited Staging Professional who can rent furniture and decorative accessories from their own inventory and rental sources is filling a valuable niche in the changing 2007 real estate market. And the process is probably simpler and less expensive than you think!

Staged homes realize on average a 6.4% increase over the list price.

Part I: The Consultation

An Accredited Staging Professional addresses the roadblocks to a successful sale, such as pet odours, dated decorating decisions, or dingy floor coverings. Smart Realtors hire an ASP to handle these touchy conversations with clients before the house is listed. An experienced ASP is tactful and sensitive, but gets the point across; the Realtor avoids offending the client.

An ASP provides a personalized, individually-written report complete with photos, paint chips, and other samples tailored to the home. A “game plan” is provided so home owners can easily do the work themselves. If time is a constraint, an Accredited Staging Professional can recommend trades and obtain quotes.

Home Size Consultation Fee

Less than 1800 square feet $175.00

2000 square feet $200.00

2500 square feet $250.00

3000+ square feet $300.00

87% of people said that home presentation makes a difference in most sales.

Part II: Staging

After the physical concerns of the house (wall colours/condition and flooring issues) have been addressed, the property is ready for staging.

Staging often takes place in vacant homes due to the owner’s job relocation, old age, or death. Many homes do go on the market vacant, yet they shouldn’t if they want to attract maximum impact!

Many sellers mistakenly think that viewing an empty property gives buyers a better sense of available space, when actually it’s difficult to estimate the size of a room without furniture as a reference point.

An empty room allows buyers to focus on the negative details instead of getting a sense of overall space. In oddly shaped vacant rooms, buyers must use their imagination to visualize furniture layouts.

So, how much does it cost to rent furniture for one month?

Living Room

• Microfibre sofa and loveseat: $125.00

• 1 coffee table, 2 end tables, 2 table lamps: $74.00

Dining Room

• 4-chair dinette suite: $108.00

• Matching china hutch/sideboard: $88.00

Kitchen

• Round table with 4 chairs: $74.00

• Major appliances are also available – rates range

Master Bedroom

• Double mattress/foundation: $74.00

• Complete bedroom groupings: $127.00

Note: Average costs listed above are subject to change. Subsequent months, if required, are slightly lower as delivery fees are removed.

To complete the model home look, quality bedding, accent pillows, night tables, decorative bedside table lamps, and upscale decorative accessories are rented by Staged to Move at 20% of cost per month.

The one-time Accredited Staging Professional fee starts at $350.00 depending on the scope of the project. This includes researching furniture options, choosing furniture, arranging delivery and receiving, set-up and de-staging. This also includes delivery, set up, and de-staging of decorative accessories and bedding and window coverings, if applicable.

For a successful sale, buyers need to identify with the space and aspire to the lifestyle presented. The trick is to identify the demographic of buyers the property should appeal to, and then sell them the lifestyle they desire by using furniture and decorative accessories.

79% of sellers are willing to spend up to $5,000 to get their house ready for sale – working with the right staging consultant maximizes your return on investment.

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Catherine E. Brown is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Staged to Move. Catherine is committed to helping clients sell their home for the best price in the least amount of time. She can be contacted at (519) 868-7171 or by email at catherine@stagedtomove.ca. Visit her Web site at www.stagedtomove.ca.

Published in Networking Today, February 2007