Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

WhyteHouse Staging and Re-DesignWhat do stagers do?

The goal of the Stager is to present your home as warm, inviting and an appealing property to all who walk through your front door. A professional Home Stager has the skill to evaluate a home from a buyer’s perspective. Stagers can transform your home so that it will appeal to a broad range of tastes. Stagers have experience in selecting the perfect colors, fabrics, accessories and furniture, and then to arrange them in a way that makes your home look its best.

When staging a home for sale, many homes need organizing, cleaning and neutralizing so it appeals to more buyers. In addition, a Stager can recommend paint colors, floor coverings, home repairs, fixture replacements and décor pieces. A staged home is meant to highlight the features of the home that make it unique.

If a house is cluttered, dirty or crowded with furniture, buyers may not be able to look beyond this to see the features of the house and may not be able to visualize themselves living there.

Most buyers are looking for move-in-ready homes; most are willing to pay more money for a house that will not require additional work to be done.


How does staging affect a listing and selling price?

Kitchen Remodel Hillscrest StagedThis is where you want to work closely with your realtor. Your Realtor will know exactly what homes are your competition, what they look like, how your house compares. Your listing price will reflect that comparison.

If your home needs repairs, updates, cleaning, or has no curb appeal your listing price will be lower than your competition.

Your online photos will show your homes weakness and the buyer will not see the potential in your home and most likely skip looking any further. If you are lucky enough to receive an offer the offer will reflect all the work that needs to be completed.

On the other hand, if you have your home staged you could list your home at the more competitive market price or even higher if your home outshines your competition. Most staged homes sell for the listing price and sometimes more.

First impressions! If you are thinking of putting your house on the market, you should have a staging consult prior to interviewing realtors. This is important because you want your home to look its best prior to being listed with a realtor. Once it is listed your realtor will post photos online. The time to call a stager is prior to your realtor taking photos of your home. You want your home photo ready before it is listed on the MLS.

If you have had your home on the market for 30+ days with no offer there is still an opportunity to stage your home. It is never too late!


Does staging help to sell a home?

There has been much research on the effectiveness of home stagers. Here are the facts from the Profile of Home Staging, 2015 National Association of Realtors.

  • For buyers it is easier to visualize the property as their future home.
  • Buyers are more willing to walk through a home they have viewed online.
  • The dollar value spent on a home stager is far less than the first price reduction to a home that has sat on the market over 30 days.
  • Staged homes sell faster and for more money.
  • 48% of buyers’ agents and 67% of sellers’ agents believe staged homes increase the dollar value buyers are willing to offer.
  • Barbara Corcoran was interviewed by RESA’s (Real Estate Staging Association) CEO Shell Brodnax. They spoke on the benefits of home staging and how it has changed the real estate market over the last 10 years. “Everyone Shops online, 9 out of 10 people start their search online. Without home staging, people won’t even come to see the house. It used to be an extra, now it’s just an essential. Why wouldn’t someone stage a home if they want to get more money for their house?” said Corcoran.

A Cozy Corner
A Cozy Corner

Let’s think about today’s process for finding a home to buy. Most buyers (over 90%) are looking online to find that perfect home. They will identify the location they want to live and then look at every home in their price range. They will look at every photo to see if they even want to walk through the home. Photos tell the story and a well-staged home is where that story begins. A staged home gives you an edge over your competition

2017 National Association of Realtors Home Staging Report

National Association of Realtors

Profile of Home Staging



70% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.



Staging the living room for buyers was found to be most important (55%), followed by staging the master bedroom (51%), and staging the kitchen (41%).



38% of sellers’ agents said they stage all sellers’ homes prior to listing them for sale.



The most common rooms that are staged include the living room (83%), kitchen (76%), master bedroom (69%), and the dining room (66%).