SOARING numbers of people are now turning to home staging to try and sell their properties.

Now two experts have explained how the process, which can range from a small makeover to fully refurbishing an empty property, can help shift homes faster – and also help attract a higher asking price.
Commenting on the growing trend, property expert Jonathan Rolande, from House Buy Fast, said: “It seems strange amid a cost of living crisis to suggest that you need to speculate to accumulate. But when it comes to a house sale, you often really do need to.

“With property, presentation is everything. Any decision to view a property is almost always based on the first impression online, as hundreds of properties are scrolled through.

“Estate agents are well aware of this, and even pay portals extra to feature extra photos in the search.

“With fewer and fewer people visiting the agent’s physical office, the online impression is more important than ever. Staging is an integral part of this. That doesn’t only mean instructing a professional to furnish for you, sometimes the famous ‘decluttering’ process and smartening the home up is enough.”

But, as Mr Rolande explained, you often need to go the extra mile. He said: “In more luxurious homes and those that aren’t already furnished, staging can help achieve a faster sale and often, a higher price.
“Presenting a home in its best possible light is just plain common sense. You wouldn’t try to sell a car without cleaning it, property is the same. You want prospective buyers to easily visualise themselves moving in. A new home is one of life’s most expensive purchases and staging encourages aspiration too – ‘life will be better for me in this environment’.”
Professional home staging in the UK can cost anywhere from £500 to upwards of £5,000.
Pressed on whether it’s worth it, Jonathan argues: “It depends on the property, sometimes something at the lower end won’t increase as much as the professional’s fee. But very often it will. What’s more, it will quite possibly reduce the time on market, allowing sellers to move on with their life sooner.”

Jonathan’s comments were echoed by one of the country’s leading experts in home staging.

Jo Marriott-Smith, founder of Staged and Sold, said: “I had a great example the other day, with an impressive five bed property in Hove, near Brighton which was on the market at £1.2M.

“The owner was very interested in staging as there hadn’t been much interest and I gave him a quote for just over 0.5% of the asking price. His estate agent advised him ‘not to bother’ with staging.

“Several months later I noticed the price has dropped by £50k and that makes me so cross. Fortunately I work with some fabulous estate agents who really see the worth in using staging as a marketing tool. Many consider offering staging as an option before a price drop, although I always advise to stage before hitting the market.”