Most people who hire a staging company have never done it before.
They know staging is a thing. Their agent mentioned it. They’ve seen the before-and-afters on Instagram. But they don’t actually know what happens – and that uncertainty is enough to make some sellers hesitate or skip it entirely. This guide walks you through the full process, from your first enquiry through to the day your property goes live. No fluff, just what actually happens at each step – including the things most companies don’t tell you upfront.
The bit most people worry about: handing over their home to strangers
Let’s get this out of the way first, because it comes up constantly.
Selling your home is already one of the most stressful things you’ll do. The idea of also handing it over to a team of people you’ve never met – who will move furniture in, hang art on your walls, and style every room without you there – doesn’t exactly sound relaxing. What most people find, after the fact, is that this part was the easiest bit. The team showed up when they said they would, did exactly what was discussed, and left the place looking nothing like it did before. In a good way.
One seller we worked with – an interstate owner who couldn’t be there on install day – described getting the photos we sent through as the moment she stopped worrying. “I loved seeing how nice it looked. They have an eye for detail and kept everything within a theme.”
Another first-timer put it this way: “I was really apprehensive about handing my property over to style to someone else. But I should not have been concerned.” That’s the experience we’re trying to give every client. But it helps to know what’s actually going to happen.
Step 1: The quote
Everything starts with a quote. For Foxy, this happens in one of two ways – either through our instant online quote tool, or by requesting a consultation.
The online quote asks a few questions about your property (number of bedrooms, current condition, your timeline) and gives you a price on the spot. Most people start here.
For more complex properties – larger homes, unusual layouts, properties where you want to talk through integrated staging (where we see if we can utilise some of your furniture pieces) versus a full vacant stage – a consultation makes more sense.
What you’ll need to have ready: the property address, a rough sense of your listing
timeline, and whether the property will be vacant or if you’ll still be living there.
What happens with your information: your quote is valid for 30 days. Nothing is locked in until you confirm.
How long it takes: the online tool gives you an instant result. The team will contact you
to book in a free Consultation. Once the Consultation is complete we will send you a
personalised quote within 24 business hours.
Step 2: Confirming and booking
Once you’re happy with the quote, you confirm the booking. You’ll lock in an install date that works around your photography appointment and listing timeline.
A few things worth knowing here:
Photography comes after install. This sounds obvious, but it catches people out. You need to allow enough time between the staging install and your photo shoot for the team to finish. This is why it’s important we know your Photography date and time, so we can ensure we’re finished staging with plenty of time to spare.
You don’t need to be there. If you’re interstate, at work, or simply don’t want to watch, that’s fine. A contact person for key handover is all we need. We’ll send photos once we’re done.
Lead times. Most installs are booked within three to four weeks of enquiry, depending on your area and timeline. If you’re working to a tight deadline, flag it early – we own our own trucks and warehouse stock, so we have more flexibility than companies that rely on third parties.
Step 3: What happens before install day
Behind the scenes, the team is already working.
Your stylist reviews the property – either from the consultation, photos, or site visit and starts pulling together the furniture and accessories for your home. Pieces are selected based on your property’s style, size, layout, and the likely buyer profile for your area.
If you have existing furniture and you’ve opted for integrated staging (more on this below), we’ll assess what stays, what gets moved, and what comes in from the warehouse.
You don’t need to do anything for this step except make sure the property is reasonably clean and clear before the team arrives. If there are items you want kept in certain rooms, let us know in advance.
Step 4: Install day
This is the part most people don’t know what to expect from – and the part that consistently surprises them most.
The truck arrives. Furniture comes off. Then the stylist gets to work.
A typical install takes three to five hours for a standard property. Larger homes or properties with more complex briefs take longer. By the end of the day, every room is styled, art is hung, accessories are placed, and the property is ready to photograph.
What surprises most sellers: they don’t recognise their own home.
That’s not an exaggeration. We hear it constantly. “We didn’t recognise the house when we went in.” “I felt like I was living in a resort.” “It looked like something from a magazine.” (real google reviews)
The transformation happens fast, and it’s usually bigger than people expect – especially when the property starts as completely empty. An empty property photographs poorly and feels cold at open homes. Staged, it photographs beautifully and feels lived-in in the right way.
Vacant staging vs integrated staging: which one is right for you?
Vacant staging is when the property is empty and we bring in everything – furniture, art, soft furnishings, plants, accessories, the lot. This is the most common scenario for investment properties, recently purchased properties being prepared for sale, and sellers who have already moved out.
Integrated staging is when you’re still living in the property and we work with a combination of your existing furniture and pieces from our warehouse. Items that don’t suit the presentation are moved out of sight; pieces that enhance it stay; additional items are brought in to complete the look.
The key question: does my existing furniture work for sale presentation?
Your stylist will advise you honestly on this. Sometimes your furniture is an asset. Sometimes it needs to go into storage (or your garage) for the campaign period. Most of the time it’s somewhere in between – keep some, add some, move some. Integrated staging can cost less than a full vacant stage, but it requires a bit more coordination.
Step 5: The open home period
Once the property is staged and photographed, the furniture stays in place for up to eight weeks – which covers most campaigns comfortably. If your property sells sooner, great. If the campaign runs longer, extensions are available.
You’ll need to maintain the presentation between open homes. Your stylist will leave you with instructions and photos showing exactly how to remake the beds and reset each room – so there’s no guesswork. Outside of that, it’s mostly just keeping things tidy. The staging is designed to look good consistently, not just on the day of install, so this shouldn’t feel like hard work.
If something gets damaged or displaced: contact us. Damage from everyday use – whether that’s kids, pets, or general wear during the campaign – is covered under the terms and conditions set out at the start of your job, so you’ll know exactly what’s expected before anything goes live. If something comes up during the campaign, get in touch and we’ll sort it out.
If your timeline extends: talk to us about extending the hire period. Most clients don’t need to, but it happens.
Step 6: Pack-up
When your property sells (or your hire period ends), the team comes back and removes everything.
This is quick. Most pack-ups are completed in two hours. You don’t need to be there – same as install. We coordinate access with your agent.
The property is left clear and ready for your settlement process.
The questions sellers always ask
Does staging actually make a difference to the price?
The honest answer: staging doesn’t automatically add $50,000 to every sale. What it does is maximise the number of buyers who can picture themselves in the property – and competition between buyers is what drives price.
The outcomes we see consistently: more foot traffic at open homes, more competitive offers, fewer days on market. Sometimes the result is dramatic. Going back through our Google Reviews and we found:
– One seller received $20,000 over asking price in a weekend with four competing buyers.
– Another sold in one week for more than expected after the property sat on the market unstaged.
– A tired rental that everyone wrote off ended up with multiple offers at its first open.
The pattern is consistent enough that agents who use staging regularly don’t think of it as optional. They think of it as preparation.
Do I need to move out for staging?
No. Integrated staging is designed for sellers who are still living in the property. That said, the more you can clear out personal items and clutter before install day, the better the result.
Can I keep some of my own furniture?
Yes – this is exactly what integrated staging is. Your stylist will give you specific advice on what stays, what moves, and what gets supplemented from the warehouse.
What if I don’t like the result?
It’s worth remembering that staging isn’t styled to your personal taste – it’s styled to appeal to the broadest possible pool of buyers. Those two things aren’t always the same, and that’s intentional. A home that feels neutral and universally inviting to buyers is doing its job, even if it’s not how you’d personally decorate.
That said, if something genuinely isn’t working, we’ll have a conversation. We want you to feel confident going into your campaign. In the rare cases where we can’t reach an agreement on the presentation, we’ll work through it together – and if needed, find a resolution that works for both parties.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on property size, the number of living areas, and whether you’re doing a full vacant stage or integrated styling. Typical ballpark figures for a vacant property as at late April 2026:
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- 1 bed townhouse — from $3,400
- 2 bed home — from $3,600
- 3 bed home — from $4,000
- 4 bed, 1 living — from $4,600
- 4 bed, 2 living — from $5,600
- 5 bed, 2 living — $6,200–$7,200
All prices include furniture hire, full styling, delivery, setup, pack-up, and an 8-week hire period.
For integrated staging, pricing is worked out after an on-site consultation – because it depends on what existing furniture we can use, how much we need to bring in, and what the property needs. The consultation is free and we’ll give you a detailed quote off the back of it.
For the most current pricing, visit our pricing page – or use the instant quote tool to get a figure for a vacant stage in under two minutes.
The one thing first-timers consistently say afterwards
It’s not that the staging looked good – though they say that too.
It’s that the process was easier than they expected. Less stressful. More hands-off. They were worried about all the things that could go wrong, and almost none of them did.
“The whole process with Foxy is so easy and stress free.”
“Everything was managed seamlessly.”
“The entire experience felt effortless thanks to their professionalism, flexibility, and clear communication.”
That’s what good staging should feel like. You’ve got enough going on with a property sale – the presentation shouldn’t add to the load.
If you’re preparing to sell in Brisbane or the Gold Coast and want to know what staging would cost for your property, our instant quote tool gives you a number in under two minutes.
Foxy Home Staging has styled 7,000+ homes across Brisbane and the Gold Coast since 2016. We own our furniture, our trucks, and our team – which means your timeline is our timeline.
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