When you’re getting ready to sell your home, one question always comes up: Should we stage it?
The 2025 Profile of Home Staging from the National Association of REALTORS just dropped, and if you’ve been on the fence about staging, this report has some answers.
According to buyer’s agents surveyed, 83% said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize a property as their future home. In a world where most first impressions happen online, that’s a stat worth paying attention to.
And while not every buyer is influenced the same way, 26% of agents said staging affects most buyers, and another 60% said it has at least some effect. In other words? It’s rarely neutral.
If you’re not doing a full-home staging, prioritize these spaces:
Living Room – Most important room to stage (91% of sellers’ agents agree)
Primary Bedroom – Second most important
Dining Room and Kitchen – Round out the top four
The guest bedroom and kids’ rooms? Not so much. They consistently ranked lowest in terms of importance.
While staging doesn’t guarantee a bidding war, sellers’ agents reported that staging increased offers by 1-5% in many cases. At today’s home prices, that’s no small chunk of change.
Plus, nearly 1 in 5 agents said staging helped reduce the time a home sat on the market – and we all know time is money in real estate.
The median cost of professional staging was $1,500. But many agents also offer partial staging services themselves (for around $500), especially if the home just needs a light touch.
What’s included varies, but usually involves furniture rental, décor, and layout optimization.
Today’s buyers are browsing listings like they scroll social media – and your home needs to stop the scroll. Agents said photos are by far the most important listing element, followed by physical staging, videos, and virtual tours.
Staging isn’t just about furniture – it’s about creating a moment that captures attention and makes someone think, “I could live there.”
Real estate shows may be fun to binge, but they’re also giving buyers some… unrealistic expectations. 58% of agents said buyers are disappointed when homes don’t look like the ones on HGTV. Even though most agents don’t stage to that extreme, it’s clear the bar has been raised.
That doesn’t mean you need shiplap and subway tile in every room – but it does mean presentation matters.
If your home is dated, empty, or quirky, staging could help buyers connect the dots. If it already shows beautifully? Strategic decluttering, lighting, and layout adjustments may be all you need.
Every property is different, and that’s where a real estate pro comes in. A good agent will help you decide whether staging is worth it, which rooms matter most, and how to make the biggest impact without breaking the bank.