Staging is a hot topic for home sellers, as evidenced by the popularity of TV shows like “Designed To Sell,” “Buy Me” and “Flip This House.” In August 2007, NAEBA released the report “How to not get tricked by staging — and potentially save $5,645 when you buy your home.” The report outlines some of the common staging practices and how they might influence a buyer to purchase the wrong home, or a home that might be hiding serious defects. The report includes examples of staging and cautionary tales from real estate agents working directly with buyers.
“The whole intent of staging is to get the buyer emotionally involved with the home. Our member agents want home buyers to see things logically, to “see past” the staging,” said Jon Boyd President of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents.
“When we surveyed our brokers and agents, 82% of the respondents stated that buyers were likely to get distracted from important issues when viewing a staged home. The most prevalent staging trick reported in the survey was sellers using small furniture to make a room look bigger than it actually is. In addition, a majority of our members have seen staging cover up real problems, such as rugs hiding damaged floors and designer curtains covering rotted window sills.
“Since staging doesn’t increase the intrinsic value of a home, buyers need to be very careful. Remember, you are not buying the pretty furnishings, you are buying the house.” he continued.
Our team believes in the importance of staging as an ENHANCEMENT tool, but I could definitely see what Mr. Boyd is talking about. Check out the video below for some non-misleading tips that will help you get your home ready for sale.
