My New Outside Blog: How costly is vacant staging?

How costly is vacant staging? As owner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign, I get ask that question often. When i proceed to give them an estimated projection cost, their response always is "That much!!" What they fail to realize is, how much it's costing them to have a vacant house on the market?! 

I tell them them, the more time the property spends on the market, the more carrying costs they will incur!! Here is an example (courtesy of RESA):

• Mortgage:                          $1,800
• Monthly expenses:                  $300
• Total Carrying cost:            $2,100

If the average Vacant home is on the market for nine months:

• 9 months x $2,100 = $18,900 in carrying cost!!

If you stage first you could decrease the time on the market by 7 months on average.

• 7 months x $2,100 = $14,700 saving!!

Which leads me to say, why would anyone think vacant staging is expensive when it cost more not to stage!!!

 

There are three very good reasons to stage a vacant home:

1. Without furniture buyers have no point of reference of where the furniture may fit.
2. Contrary to belief the room looks smaller without furniture. 
3. Without furniture in the room to detract your attention, you will see all the flaws!!

 

Research shows that 63% of buyers will pay more for move-in ready homes With all this information it always surprises me that sellers would rather not spend the money and let the property sit. In the end, they most likely will sell the property under market value!! 

 

So how costly is vacant staging? I've staged a home where it cost the home owner $2,300 for three months. And it sold in three months!! If you follow the formula above, I just saved the home owner over $16,000!! In my opinion it cost more not to stage!!!

 

 

                  

              Before Staging

 

 

 

After Staging