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Most homeowners know when selling a home, it is important to keep a home clean, bright and free from clutter. But these days when trying to sell your mountain home or condo, taking the extra step by home staging can make a difference in how a buyer values it and the price a seller might get for it.

“Realtors know how important it is to have a home in the best shape possible when showing it to prospective buyers. “At a minimum, homeowners should conduct a thorough cleaning, haul out clutter, make sure the home is well-lit and fix any major aesthetic issues. Another option is staging a home, which Realtors often suggest to sellers to help prospective buyers better visualize themselves in the home and could modestly increase the home’s value for both the buyer and seller.

One report found that 49 percent of surveyed Realtors who work with buyers believe home staging usually has an effect on the buyer’s view of the home. Another 47 percent believe that staging only sometimes has an impact on a buyer’s view of the home only.
Realtors on the buyer side believe that staging makes an impact in several ways; 81 percent said staging helps buyers visualize the property as a future home, while 46 percent said it makes prospective buyers more willing to walk through a home they saw online. Forty-five percent said a home decorated to a buyer’s tastes positively impacts its value.

Realtors representing both the buyer and seller agreed on two major points in the report—which rooms should be staged and the change in dollar value a buyer is willing to offer for a staged home compared to a similar not-staged home. Realtors ranked the living room as the number one room to stage, followed by the kitchen. Rounding out the top five rooms were the master bedroom, dining room and the bathroom.
“Working with a realtor gives buyers, sellers and investors the advantage they need to succeed in today’s market, as they know what buyers want and how to best market and stage a home for sale while many factors play into what a home is worth and what buyers are willing to pay for it, staging is an excellent tool that can be used to give a home a little extra push for sellers.

By Teresa Moen