When it comes to making your real estate listings stand out, home staging can be your most powerful marketing tool. It’s because home staging dramatically impacts the value and appeal of a property that you should stage your Virginia listings. The benefits for realtors who want to maximize the appeal and value of their listings are undeniable – especially in a competitive market like Hampton Roads or Virginia Beach. As we often tell our realtor partners, staging can make all the difference in how quickly a home sells and the price it commands. Staged homes are not only more attractive, but they also help home buyers better visualize themselves living in the home, which, in turn, leads to quicker sales and higher offers.
Here are five compelling reasons why realtors should prioritize staging their listings:
First Impressions Matter
In real estate, first impressions can make or break a deal. Buyers decide if a home is right for them within just 7 seconds. A well-staged home creates a welcoming and inviting atmosphere. This, in turn, helps buyers feel at home while they envision themselves living there. In contrast, a vacant or non-staged home can leave a negative impression, making it harder for buyers to connect with the space and making the property harder to sell. According to RESA, staged homes statistically sell over 60% faster than unstaged properties. This statistic is another reason to ensure your property creates a positive first impression with prospective buyers.
Speed up Sales
Often times Agents will list a home without staging, to see if they can sell it without staging, and see if they can get an acceptable offer. For example, a home we staged in Yorktown was listed vacant for 4 months, no offers came in. This strategy always backfires. Then after price cuts, and paying carrying costs, they decide to stage. Once we finished staging, it was under contract in 4 days! So much money and time could have been saved, if it had gone on the market wasted, and then deciding to stage when it initially went on the market.
Staging vacant homes can significantly speed up the sales process. As we noted above, staged homes sell quicker than unstaged properties. Often, we see agents listing homes without staging, hoping to sell them quickly. Staging from the start can save time, avoid the costs associated with price reductions, and have the property sit on the market indefinitely.
Highlight Key Features
Professional home staging focuses buyers’ attention on the most desirable assets of the home. It also helps the Agent redirect attention away from other less desirable features. Staging often turns a negative into a positive. One of our staged homes was initially vacant, then we staged it, and one of the buyers came back to look at it after we staged it…and THEN put an offer on it and bought it!
One of the key reasons we recommend staging is because of how effectively it highlights the key selling features and areas in a property. Professional staging highlights a home’s best features while minimizing any flaws. This approach helps buyers focus on the positives and transform perceived negatives into appealing elements or spaces. For instance, one of our recently staged homes that initially struggled to attract offers saw renewed buyer interest after our team staged it, ultimately leading to a successful sale. Our staging helped transform some really awkward areas into spaces that buyers loved.
Capture Attention Online
In today’s digital age, the first showings for a property happen online. It’s a fact that listings with high-quality photos attract more views and showings. Staged homes stand out with beautifully decorated spaces that complement the home’s style and showcase the function of each room. According to the NAR, 83% of buyers say photos are the most important factor when they’re choosing homes and properties to visit. Staging your listings helps you generate more online interest, translating into more showings and overall buyer interest.
Top Producers know that in a sea of real estate listings, the home with the best photos online will attract the most-in person showings. In fact, 83% of buyers say photos are the #1 reason when picking homes to tour. Professional home staging are experts in getting online browsers to stop and scroll with their eye-catching design elements.
Stage Your Virginia Listings to Maximize Profits
Most sellers see a return on investment of over 400% when they invest in staging. Home staging statistics show that staged homes are more likely to command a higher price and sell faster, adding to the sellers’ pockets and the Realtor’s reputation. The power of staging is a win-win for all parties in the selling process.
Investing in staging is a smart move if you want to generate more buyer interest, quicker sales, and higher sale prices. In 2024, our staged properties typically went under contract in less than a week. They generated offers at or above their list prices. According to national stats, home sellers who stage their properties often see a return on investment of over 400% from staging alone.
That’s why we can confidently say that staged homes in Hampton Roads not only sell for more money but also enhance the realtor’s reputation for delivering outstanding results. This win-win scenario benefits sellers, buyers, and realtors alike.
If you want to learn more about how to stage your Virginia listings, check out our blog or learn about our services here.