The Biggest Excuse for Not Staging a House to Sell

How many times have you heard your realtor mention that home staging is the thing to do?

You put the idea on your ‘I’ll think about it’ list until one of the news shows explains the importance of home staging. After a quick search, you learn that home staging isn’t a luxury set aside for wealthy, celebrity types. But, it you the idea in the back of your mind again since you’ve never met a “regular” person who’s actually worked with a professional home staging service.

Then, you visit an open house on your street. After viewing your neighbor’s house (you’ve visited several times before it was listed), you realize it’s totally different…inside and out...in a good way. Suddenly, you’re surprised at the pangs of home selling envy you’ve started to develop.

For months, you’ve convinced yourself that home staging only applies to empty homes. You’ve informed your real estate agent that you’re not sure you can cover the cost of staging the house. And you’ve grown attached to your favorite phrase— “It’s a seller’s market.”

Well, let’s poke a pin in that thought bubble—home staging benefits a seller’s market, too. Have you ever heard of a real estate bidding war?

The real reason

You’ve thought long and hard about what it’ll take to sell your house. And you’re prepared to invest in marketing your house for sale.

After seeing a few homes sit on the market for several weeks, you’re not excited about putting your life on hold ( for months ) waiting for your house to sell. You want the house to sell quickly. And you want the huge chunk of the equity from the property’s selling price.

So, what’s holding you back from staging your house?

If you’re real with yourself…you’re worried about working with a professional home staging service. And you’re wondering if it’s easier to let the house “sell itself” rather than have a professional home stager visit your house because…

You have a fear of being judged on how you live in your home.

You have a fear of being judged on how you’ve designed your interior.

You have a fear of being judged on how your dogs bark too much.

You have a fear of being judged on how your kids leave the room a mess.

I get it. It’s a scary proposition to invite a person into your house when it seems like their entire mission is meant to judge you and how you live.

Here’s the secret…home stagers wake up every day in “lived-in” houses like everyone else (with a few exceptions out there).

For instance, I live with barking dogs, messy rooms, and a favorite sofa chair that doesn’t match with anything else in the family room. So, I guarantee, if a colleague visited my house to stage it, I’d be nervous, too.

Get this…your home staging professional will not melt if your pre-listed home isn’t “magazine-ready” before a consultation. Your staging pro welcomes the challenge to help you transform a “lived-in” house into a staged home that the right buyer will adore.

If you want more information on how to get your house show-ready, join our Stylish Home Selling Circle. Sign up below for your FREE infographic for tips on removing home buyer objections before listing your house for sale.