3 Types of Properties That Benefit the Most from Home-Staging

Should I style my home for sale?

The conversation whether home staging is a worthwhile investment has been ongoing for the last few years. Even though it is becoming the new norm in the process of selling real estate, some homeowners still need a lot of reassurance that the initial cost of staging is guaranteed to come back (and multiplied!) in their sale price.

resort style living room with white sofa, black coffee table, armchairs, buffet

One of the problems we encounter is the different intergenerational approach to buying and selling real estate. Property ownership is still primarily in the hands of baby boomers and early Gen Xers, but Millennials are the ones purchasing homes at the present time.

This is a generation of people who have grown up with digital advertising and businesses competing for their money. If the property does not look presentable for sale, it sends a strong message that the vendor does not care about them as buyers, putting them off the sale completely.

“As Home Stagers, it’s our responsibility to educate the homeowners about the importance of impeccable presentation.”
– Phoebe Shorter | Director of Foxy Home Staging

But my house is old and plain-looking.

That is exactly why you should get it staged! It will make your home stand out in the market and distract buyers from the “love marks” accumulated over time. We have addressed this topic a few times in the past, watch Phoebe explain it in the video on the right (or below if you’re using a mobile device) or read about “Styling an Older House for Sale – Worth it or Not?”.

This may come as a surprise to you, but it’s not the high-end homes that benefit the most from staging. When a luxurious property gets listed for sale, there’s an expectation to see it beautifully styled. These types of homes are usually architecturally designed with direct input from interior decorators. The buyers expect to see opulence all-round, including across furniture and decorations.

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On the contrary, our half-a-decade long empirical evidence suggests that there are three particular types of properties that reap the greatest benefits when staged for sale:

1. Inner-city Units

2. Suburban Townhouses

**3. Small 2-3 Bedroom “Nothing Special” Houses**

UNITS

Studios or one- to two-bedroom apartments in inner city locations have been popular with the likes of young professionals & first-time investors, who generally fall into the age group of Millennials.

Being a generation that likes instant solutions, they are appreciative to see how styling highlights the potential of the space. Inner city units are notorious for tricky floorplan layouts and a lack of storage space, both of which can be “solved” by professional home staging.

TOWNHOUSES

Suburban townhouses are a prime example of oversupply of real estate. Majority of these units were built around the time when developers had no intention to sell them to owner-occupiers and included only basic features for resale. A long time has passed since then, so naturally, their appearance does not resemble the modern lifestyle anymore.

That is when staging comes in to bring in a fresh, contemporary element to the entire interior.

**SMALL “NOTHING SPECIAL” HOUSES**

Definitely the most common type of residential offering and the true “bread and butter” of our business. Most people think that a small house automatically translates into “nothing special”, which is why they often sell for lower prices than their larger counterparts.

These types of homes are usually older and plain, which makes them perfect candidates for “styling up”. A relatively small upfront investment in home-staging is sometimes all they need to increase the offer amount by a significant portion.