In some areas of the Hudson Valley, sellers and their REALTORS® wouldn’t dream of going to market without a professional stager’s magic touch. Staging can make a huge difference to a home, however well it’s maintained. It can be something as mundane as putting new towels in the bathroom and fresh flowers on the dining table, to making a full change of décor and furniture. It’s sometimes the little touches home owners don’t deem necessary. In other cases, a complete make-over of a home's interiors are needed to make the difference it takes to "wow" prospective buyers.

Staging a home typically shortens its time on the market by 75%, and staged homes often sell for thousands to hundreds of thousands over asking price. A stager's goal is to get as many prospects as possible to see a home, fall in in love with it, and make an offer. It is estimated that a stager has only twelve seconds to "capture" a buyer and for them to fall in love a home when they see it.

The National Association of Realtors surveyed their members and released the findings of their Profile of Home Staging. Their study confirmed that staging can sell a house faster and for more money. 25% of sellers paid to have their home staged before listing it for sale. Half of those staged homes saw a 1% to 10% increase in in dollar offers from buyers. 77% of buyer’s agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the home as their own. The top rooms to stage in order to attract more buyers are the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room

We have used Simone Eisold, a professional stager and home organizer for many of our listings, and have been impressed with her discerning eye. We recently staged a five bedroom home in Piermont, NY and the before and after photos are astonishing. The property was lovely, with great views of the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge, but needed someone with a decorator's vision and a professional's resourcefulness to bring out its true beauty. Simone  cleared out much of the seller’s furnishings and added changes that gave the home its true $1.3 million dollar look.

Not every home can benefit from the touch of a professional stager, but most can. If you are interested in selling your home and would like to find out more about staging and what a difference it can make, contact the Global Property Systems team.