Real Estate Agents Find Value in Paying For Staging Consultations

Paint makes a big difference! Before staging — dark master bedroom, River Edge, NJ

Lighter and brighter master bedroom helped sell this Bergen County NJ house quickly!

When I first started my business 9 years ago as a home stager in NJ, I ran into many people who had never heard of staging and didn’t have any idea what it was. Thankfully, today I’m finding more real estate agents now use me and other stagers as their “secret weapon” to help market homes and present them in their best light.  More agents are offering staging consultations to sellers — both as a way to get more listings and to help home owners sell their homes faster! It’s a win-win for everyone involved, including the photographer, who ends up with much better photos to offer! Since the cost of a typical staging consultation (that I offer) is $225 – $300 (depending if a written report is desired) to homeowners — but often is discounted for agents — homeowners see agents who offer this in their listing presentations as providing a real value-added service. Plus agents look better and make their clients happier when their listed homes sell faster — and sometimes for more money. When I am invited in to to see a home and provide advice on furniture arranging, decor, art, paint colors, lighting and hardware, flooring and bedding updates, etc. I bring a slide show of before and after photos of staged homes and current product trends to show sellers the difference staging makes.

I can even shop for clients who need new bedding, towels, rugs, or decor, or return and stage with inexpensive monthly rental packages of decor items such as art, florals, lamps, etc.  In the end, these changes can make a very big difference in how homes positively impact buyers! Here are just a few examples of what new paint and art, new bedding  (below), de-cluttering, and furniture re-arranging can accomplish.

The popularity of home staging continues to rise and is becoming more expected and standard practice in showcasing homes for sale, especially as younger buyers enter the market and expect homes to look move-in ready and resemble what they see on HGTV!

Old fashioned bedroom needed fresh styling

Updated bedroom helps sell Teaneck, NJ home!

Crowded family room, Bergen County, NJ

Staged family room, Teaneck, NJ

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