Staging and styling to sell your home - pros and cons

When you decide to sell your home there’s plenty to think about – How will you sell? What needs to be done? Should you move out during the viewing process? One thing that features highly on sellers’ to do lists is ensuring that the property is presentable and in a condition that will attract buyers to ensure a swift sale. Here we look into the pros and cons of home styling, a service that promises to get your property ready for market with the help of a professional interior stylist.

Pro: Make it easier for buyers to see themselves in your home

One thing that puts potential buyers off is clutter and knick-knacks that prevent them from being able to see themselves settling in and feeling at home. Stylists will not only ensure that the property appears ‘neutral’ – they’ll open up each space to give it a homely feel that also acts as a blank canvas for potential buyers to project onto. They will also discuss the target market for your property with your real estate agent, styling with the buyer demographic in mind.

Pro: Pump up the potential price

When a property is professionally styled it can naturally be expected to attract a higher price tag. When a place looks a million dollars, it could fetch anywhere between a few thousand and tens of thousands of dollars extra. This is one of the key selling points stylists rely on when they market their services – some even guarantee to increase the selling value of your property which then absorbs their fee.

Con: Costs

There is a cost attached to home styling which needs to be seriously considered. Your real estate agent can advise you on whether or not they feel the cost of staging will be worth it – this will depend on the target market for your property and the current state it is in. For example, if you have recently refurbished and will be moving out during the sale, you may not need the services of a property stylist as your home is essentially already a blank canvas open to manipulation. If the property is in a particularly desirable area this could also influence the ease of sale and therefore render styling an unnecessary expense on top of exiting costs.