Does Staging Pay Off When You Sell Your Home?

Staging usually pays off, but not because buyers pay for furniture. It helps them picture themselves living in your home, and that shows in your photos, your showings and your offers. You do not need to hire a stager to get most of the benefit. A clean, bright, uncluttered home with a few rooms set up well does much of the work. Here is what the research says and where to spend your effort.

This is general information, not an appraisal or a promise of any sale price.

What the research says

A useful study comes from the U.S. National Association of Realtors, which surveys real estate agents about staging. It is American data, so treat it as a guide rather than a local forecast. Its 2025 Profile of Home Staging, released May 6, 2025, found (NAR):

• Buyers see themselves in it. 83% of buyers’ agents said staging made it easier for buyers to picture the home as their future home.
• Offers can be higher. 29% of sellers’ agents said staging increased the dollar value offered by 1% to 10%. Among buyers’ agents, 17% reported an increase of 1% to 5%.
• Homes can sell sooner. 49% of sellers’ agents said staging cut time on the market, 19% of them significantly.
• It does not have to cost much. The median cost was $1,500 (US) when a staging service was hired, and $500 when the listing agent staged the home.

Notice what the numbers do not say. Most agents did not report a price increase, and no study can tell you what your own home will gain. Staging improves your odds. It does not set your price.

When staging matters most

Staging counts for more when buyers have plenty to choose from. In a slower market with lots of homes for sale, buyers can compare, and your home is measured against every similar listing nearby.

That makes your listing photos your first showing. A cluttered room or a dark hallway is easy to scroll past when there are many similar homes to look at. Staging is how you earn the in-person visit. Our post on how long it takes to sell a home shows why the first few weeks on the market matter most.

Staging on a budget: where to start

You do not need to stage every room. In the NAR survey, the rooms sellers’ agents staged most often were the living room (91%), the primary bedroom (83%), the dining room (69%) and the kitchen (68%) (NAR). Start there.

• Living room. Remove extra furniture so the room looks larger. Keep one clear path through it. Open the blinds.
• Primary bedroom. Fresh, plain bedding, cleared night tables and nothing stored under the bed or on top of the dresser.
• Dining room. A clean table with a simple centrepiece shows the room’s purpose. If it has become an office or storage room, set it back up for dining.
• Kitchen. Clear the counters of almost everything. Buyers want to see work space.
• Everywhere. Put away personal photos and collections, replace burnt-out bulbs, and deep clean. In the NAR survey, 51% of sellers’ agents said they did not stage but recommended decluttering or fixing problems (NAR).

If a repair is on your list too, our guide to what to fix and what to skip before you list can help you decide what is worth the money.

FAQ

Is professional staging worth the cost?
It depends on the home. A vacant or very personalised home often benefits most. For many homes, decluttering and setting up the main rooms well gets most of the benefit. In NAR’s 2025 survey, the median cost was $1,500 (US) for a staging service (NAR).

Should I stage an empty house?
Empty rooms can be hard to read in photos. Furnishing the main living areas helps buyers judge size and layout.

Can I stage while I am still living there?
Yes. Most staging is editing: storing extra furniture and personal items, then keeping the home show-ready while it is listed.

Staging is included when you sell with Sarin Team

Here is the part we love. When you list with us, you do not have to find a stager, get quotes or pay a staging bill. We do the staging ourselves, and it is included at no extra cost.

Shelley Sarin comes from a design background, and staging is what she is known for. She walks through your home with you, picks the rooms that matter most, and works with what you already own wherever she can. Rearranging a living room, editing a bookshelf, choosing the right lamp for a dark corner: small changes like these are often what make a room look its best in photos and in person.

• One team, one plan. The same people who price and market your home also stage it, so the photos, the listing and the showings all tell the same story.
• A designer’s eye. Shelley sees how a buyer will move through a room and what they will notice first.
• No extra bill. Staging is part of how we sell your home, not an add-on.

Get a plan for your home

Every home needs something different. Request a home value review and we will tell you what your home is worth today, and Shelley will tell you which rooms are worth your time before you list. You can also call us at 705-500-5333 or email contact@sarinteam.ca.

Sarin Team
Royal LePage PRG Real Estate, Brokerage

Sources

• National Association of Realtors (U.S.), 2025 Profile of Home Staging press release, May 6, 2025.

General information only. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it is not an appraisal.