To Stage or Not to Stage?

Did you know staging your home can make a big difference when you sell? What is it, is it worth it, and how can it put more money in your pocket?

Hi, I'm Tanja Odzak, Realtor with eXp Realty, helping people sell and buy homes right here in the East Bay for the last 10 years.

Staging is arranging and decorating your home to showcase its best features, setting the stage for buyers to fall for it at first sight. It can be as simple as decluttering and sprucing up, or as involved as hiring professionals to fully transform the space. Studies show staged homes sell 76% faster than unstaged ones, and often for more money, because staging helps buyers picture the full potential of the space and feel, "yes, I could live here."

There are generally two paths: agent-guided staging, where we work together to declutter, depersonalize, and rearrange what you already have, and professional staging, bringing in pros for furniture rentals and a fully polished look, a bigger investment with a bigger impact, especially for vacant homes or unique layouts.

Professional staging can bring an 8 to 10% return on investment, and a staged home can see anywhere from 1 to 10% more in sale price on average. That doesn't mean the most expensive stager is automatically right, there's a sweet spot in how much staging a specific home actually needs, based on the market, the home's condition, and your budget.

I'm Tanja Odzak, and I've sold over $100 million worth of homes with a decade of experience in the East Bay. Staging isn't one-size-fits-all, but done right, it makes your home unforgettable. Let's talk about what your home really needs to shine.