Staging a Home to Sell in Park City

Preparing to Sell - 7 Minute Read

1/8/2024(Updated 1/9/2024)

Key Points

Park City staging

• Can improve home’s value
• Costs $2,500-$5,000
• Increase time to list property

Staging benefits

• Enhances home value and accelerates sale
• Increases the potential buyer pool
• Listing will stand out online

Staging costs

• Two-bedroom condo: $2,500-$3,500; Four-bedroom home: $3,000-$5,000.
• Costs cover consultation, moving, and three months of staging
• To save: consider DIY, reuse items, stage key rooms

What is Staging a Home?

Home staging is a strategic approach to enhancing a home’s appeal to potential buyers. It involves decluttering, depersonalizing, and decorating the home to increase its attractiveness. The ultimate goal is to secure a quicker sale at a higher price. This process can be undertaken by the homeowners themselves or with the assistance of a professional home stager.

A professional home stager can help create a neutral canvas that appeals to a wide range of buyers by minimizing overly personalized decor. They can also strategically arrange furniture and decor items to highlight the home’s best features. Whether the staging is done by the homeowners or a professional, the aim is to create an inviting space that allows potential buyers to envision the home as their own.

Why Staging is Important

Staging to sell is a crucial step in the home selling process. It’s been observed in multiple realtor surveys that homes which are on the market for more than 4 weeks tend to sell for 5% less than those sold within the first four weeks. This highlights the importance of making a strong first impression, which is where home staging comes into play.

Staging your home to sell is about more than just aesthetics; it’s about helping potential buyers envision themselves living in the space. A well-staged home can transform an unfamiliar environment into a welcoming, livable space. This connection can be the key to securing a sale.

TV shows depicting renovations and home selling have altered buyer’s expectations while viewing homes. According to the National Association of Realtors, 64% of buyers were disappointed by how homes looked compared to homes they saw on TV shows. A well staged home will elicit a “wow moment” when they first enter a home.

In terms of sales performance, staged homes have a proven track record. Numerous NAR and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) reports state that staged homes tend to sell more quickly and for increased prices than non-staged homes. A case study later in this article will illustrate the potential price upside. This speed and price premium often make the cost of home staging a worthwhile investment.

In today’s market, with its preference for open-concept layouts, staging can be especially important. It helps buyers visualize the best use of a home’s living area, something that can be challenging in a large, empty space. Our research in Park City shows that after 60 days on the market, 66% of homes are under contract that will sell within 90% of their initial list price.

So, is staging worth it? For many homes, staging is a real plus.

Staging helps listings stand out

In the competitive online real estate market, your home can easily get lost among numerous listings. To stand out, it’s crucial to make your listing as appealing as possible. Professionally staged homes are visually striking and can draw more buyers to consider your property, even before they visit in person.

High-quality photos are a significant draw for buyers, making them more likely to want to see your house in person, even if other listing details aren’t a perfect match. In fact, 87% of buyers find photos to be a very useful part of the home purchasing process. However, the impact of professional photography can be limited if the home hasn’t been staged prior to the photo shoot.

Home staging is beneficial for creating natural focal points in your photos and videos. For instance, a coffee table placed centrally in your living room between the sofa and TV can create a balanced, appealing image. A well-staged home not only helps the photos showcase your home’s natural flow but also allows them to highlight your home’s best features while downplaying any flaws.

Park City Staging Costs

In the competitive real estate market of Park City, understanding the costs associated with staging a home for sale is crucial.

Staging Can Be Expensive: Staging a home in Park City can be a significant investment. The cost of staging often includes a price per project, monthly furniture rental costs, and hourly expenses for non-core staging tasks. It’s crucial to consider these potential costs as they can quickly add up, sometimes exceeding the profit made from selling the home.

Cost: The national average cost of staging a home is $1,444, which includes renting furniture and decorations. However, the cost can vary greatly depending on the products and services you choose. Some stagers charge per hour for their labor, ranging from $25 to $150, while others may present an estimated cost of the project after a design consultation, typically ranging from $800 to $1,000.

Factors Affecting Cost: Several factors can influence the cost of staging a house. These include the size and condition of your home, the amount of furniture and décor you need to rent or purchase, and the fees charged by professional home stagers. The cost can also increase if your home is vacant and requires rented furniture, or if you have too many personal belongings that need to be decluttered.

Decluttering and Rearranging: If your stager decides to use your current furniture and decor, the cost can be significantly less, typically a flat fee. This cost covers decluttering personal belongings and rearranging furniture to make your space more appealing. If you’re willing to declutter your home yourself, this rate can be even less.

Projects beyond staging

When preparing to list a house for sale, staging is just one aspect of the process. There are other tasks that can enhance the appeal of your home and make it more attractive to potential buyers. These tasks, which can add to the overall cost, may include painting, lighting enhancements, deep cleaning, decluttering, storing items, updating countertops or repainting cabinets, replacing appliances, landscaping, and improving the home’s exterior. While these projects can increase the overall house staging cost, they can also significantly enhance the appeal of your home.

The time required to complete these improvements or coordinate with contractors can extend the time and cost to get a house listed for sale. However, a Slope Style Realty agent can assist in locating and managing contractors, helping to streamline the process. It’s also important to address any potential “red flags” that might concern buyers, such as worn or broken items around the house. Taking care of these issues can increase buyer excitement and reduce stress about making a significant investment in your property.

Curb appeal is another crucial factor that can attract buyers to a property. Most home buyers look at properties online or drive by before contacting an agent, so the exterior of the property is a major selling point. Simple changes like maintaining a well-manicured lawn, applying fresh paint, cleaning concrete areas, adding potted plants, and replacing worn door hardware and lights can significantly increase curb appeal. Remember to account for the cost and time for these projects beyond staging the interior furnishings of the house when preparing to sell.

The Bottom Line

While staging a home can be costly, it’s often a worthwhile investment. A well-staged home can appeal to a wider audience, potentially leading to a quicker sale and a higher selling price. It’s important to consider the potential costs and benefits to determine if staging is worth it for your specific situation.

How to Save on Staging Costs

Looking to economize on home staging costs? You might consider handling some of the staging work yourself to save on professional service fees. Moreover, you can cut costs by repurposing or reusing your existing furniture and decor, rather than renting or buying new items.

Creativity goes a long way when working with a budget. There are myriad ways to stage a home attractively without incurring hefty expenses. Even if you engage a professional staging service, you might not need to stage every room. As per the National Association of Realtors, the living room, master bedroom, and kitchen are the top three rooms that influence home buyers, garnering the interest of 46%, 43%, and 35% of buyers respectively.

Finally, it’s prudent to discuss your budget with your staging company. Asking about potential price reductions for staging select rooms could lead to savings. Additionally, a conversation with your real estate agent about whether full traditional staging, partial staging, soft staging, or virtual staging is the most suitable option for your home could further optimize your staging costs.

Should You Stage Your Home?

Deciding to stage your home is a multifaceted decision that depends on several factors. The cost of staging, which can be substantial especially if you engage a professional service, is a primary consideration. Additionally, the time required to stage your home, particularly if you opt to do it yourself, is a significant commitment.

The current state of the housing market also plays a crucial role in this decision. In a seller’s market, homes naturally sell more quickly without the need for staging. Iin a buyer’s market, staging can help your home distinguish itself from others. From personal experience, staging a home will always increase potential buyer response and appeal to more home shoppers. Ultimately, the decision to stage your home should involve a careful evaluation of the pros and cons. While staging can enhance the value of your home, it can also be costly and time-consuming.

So, is home staging worth the cost? It can be, especially if it boosts the value of your home. However, it’s important to consider the cost, time commitment, and housing market conditions before making a decision. By doing so, you can make the best decision for your situation and maximize the benefits of home staging.

Home Staging in Park CIty

We hope this home staging article was informative and helps you through your next home listing process.

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you.