As a home stager in Fairfield County, CT I am frequently asked by real estate agents “What does home staging cost? I need to know at least a price range, so I can convince my clients to stage their house.” As simple as this question sounds as simple is also the answer: real estate staging does not cost anything – it actually helps you make money. It only costs to NOT stage.
Ok, now I see your eye brows raise in disbelieve: “How can that be? This must be another sales gimmick.” If you bear with me I will provide as much insight and details possible to equip you with information to have a successful conversation about staging associated “cost”. This will make you feel at ease bringing staging up as a rewarding marketing tool and solution in your property selling process.
Let’s dive in!
Pricing a home staging project involves many different aspects, which makes it difficult to answer the question with just a number. It can be compared to having an unknown defect on your car and asking the mechanic over the phone what the repair will cost without giving him the opportunity to take a look on what is wrong with the car. These are some of the considerations that a home stager needs to take into account when pricing a project:
- Is it an occupied home or a vacant home?
- What is the size of the home?
- Are there any repairs, updates, upgrades, paint, flooring,… needed?
- Which rooms and how many rooms need to be staged?
- Do we need to bring in furniture and/or accessories to attract buyers? If so, how much and what?
- How many functional areas are to be installed within the rooms?
- Does the home seller do all the work on their own, or some on their own and some being done by the stager, or does the seller want to have everything being managed by the stager?
Every house looks different and has different needs and when pricing a home staging project all these different details and more need to be taken into consideration.
Home Staging Consultations are offered by most stagers. Depending on the area, prices typically range between $150 to $450. Always ask what the consultation includes. Some stagers provide a verbal consultation only, whereas others will provide a written report as well.
Why do stagers charge for a consultation?
A home staging consultation should not be confused with a proposal. During a consultation the home seller should expect to get specific feedback and recommendations specifically for their property’s needs. The home seller will be given valuable professional recommendations which, if implemented, will lead to a faster sale. At the end of the consultation the home seller can request to receive a quote to engage the stager to do some or all the work.
In our next blog post I will be talking about a specific example and how Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors helped home sellers making money through home staging in CT.
