Home Staging can be a superpower for real estate agents who want to become top producers in their market. Beyond merely decorating a space, home staging creates an emotional connection that carries the target buyer to the closing table. Let's dive into why home staging is such a game-changer for agents.

1. First Impressions Matter

In real estate, first impressions make or break a deal. When potential buyers step into a well-staged home, they enter a curated atmosphere that encourages them to imagine living in the space. On the other hand, if they have a bad impression within those crucial first few seconds, their feelings about the entire house will be soured – no matter how much potential the listing has.

2. Speed Up Sales

We often see agents list homes vacant. They want to see if they can sell it without staging, and if no acceptable offers come in, maybe they will invest in staging. This strategy almost always backfires! For example....10714 Knight Drive in Carmel was listed vacant. It sat stagnant on the market for over a month with many showings, no offers. After taking price cuts and paying carrying costs, the agent called for a staging consultation. Once we staged the home, it sold to the very next person that walked in, just 1 day after HHS staged, for full price!! Imagine how much time and money would have been saved if this home was staged before it went on the market.

3. Highlight Key Features

When an agent takes their client house-hunting, they try to squeeze in as many properties as possible in a short time. Very quickly, the listings all start to blur together and they begin to take on nicknames. "The cat house." "The bachelor pad." "The home with the “Tuscan décor” Those are a few of the nicknames that the seller's agent doesn't want.

4. Capture Attention Online

Top agents know that in a sea of real estate listings, the home with the best photos online will attract the most in-person viewings. In fact, 83% of buyers say photos are the most important factor when picking homes to tour, according to the National Association of Realtors®. A whopping 99% of millennial buyers start their home search online. Home staging ensures that a property photographs well. When an agent hires a certified home stager, they know that any furniture, art, and accessories will be placed with the camera in mind. Trained home stagers are experts in getting online browsers to stop the scroll with their eye-catching designs.

5. Maximize Profits

Some real estate agents may feel home staging is just an extra expense, but later find that it's worth every penny. Most sellers see a return-on-investment of over 400% when they invested in staging, according to a survey done by the (RESA) Real Estate Staging Association®. Home staging statistics show that staged homes are more likely to fetch higher prices and sell faster, padding both the seller's pockets and the Realtor's® reputation.

That's the power of home staging in a nutshell. In a world where FIRST IMPRESSIONS are EVERYTHING, real estate agents who embrace home staging are the ones who come out on top.