Staging: The Smarter Spend Than a Price Cut

Vacant Staging: Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Property

In today’s competitive real estate market, vacant homes often struggle to make an emotional connection with buyers. Without furnishings to guide the eye and suggest scale, flow, and lifestyle potential, these properties can feel cold, confusing, and forgettable. The cost of not staging? Longer days on market, lower offers, and missed opportunities to stand out.

  1. Homes sell up to 90% faster when staged versus left empty.

  2. RESA reports a 7.1% average ROI when investing just 1.3% of a home’s value in staging.

  3. Empty rooms appear smaller—staging restores scale and flow.

  4. Online listings of staged homes get 40% more views, boosting foot traffic.

  5. Buyers spend 70% less time touring vacant homes, indicating lower engagement.

  6. Vacant homes highlight flaws—scuffs, awkward layouts, and dated finishes stand out more.

  7. Staging defines purpose in open-concept or ambiguous spaces, reducing buyer confusion.

  8. Emotional connection is key—staging turns sterile rooms into aspirational lifestyles.

  9. Staged vacant homes sell for 5–23% over list price.

  10. Photos of staged spaces outperform empty ones, making listings more competitive and boosting digital engagement.

Occupied Staging: 10 Strategic Advantages

  1. Buyers Decide in 8 Seconds
    First impressions are lightning-fast. Occupied staging ensures your home feels inviting, spacious, and emotionally compelling from the moment buyers walk in.

  2. 83% of Agents Say It Helps Buyers Visualize Living There
    Strategic styling helps buyers mentally “move in,” even when the home is still lived in.

  3. Staged Homes Sell Faster
    Sellers’ agents report that staged homes—occupied or vacant—spend less time on the market, reducing stress and carrying costs. (*)

  4. Up to 5% Higher Offers
    Occupied staging can increase the dollar value offered by buyers compared to similar un-staged homes.(*)

  5. Online Listings Stand Out With 95% of buyers starting their search online, staged homes photograph better and get more clicks. (*)

  6. No Need to Move Out
    Occupied staging works with what you already have—edited, styled, and elevated to highlight flow, scale, and lifestyle potential.

  7. Affordable & Practical
    The median cost for occupied staging is significantly lower than vacant staging and far less than your first price reduction.

  8. Reduces Buyer Distractions

    Personal items, clutter, and bold décor can cloud a buyer’s judgment. Occupied staging neutralizes the space while preserving warmth. (*)

  9. Boosts Emotional Connection
    Buyers shop with emotion. A well-staged occupied home helps them feel “at home” without feeling like they’re intruding.

  10. Agents Love It

    Because it’s more than aesthetics—it’s a proven marketing tool. Staging turns browsers into bidders, and listings into sold signs.
    (*)National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2025 Profile of Home Staging Report)