In a survey released this year, the National Association of Realtors found that 83% of buyers’ agents said that staging helps homebuyers visualize themselves living in the home and influences them enough to make higher offers.

Sellers’ agents report that homes sell faster and for more money. Over half said that staging sells a home faster, and about 22% say offers improve by 5%, while 17% reported improved offers of up to 10%. Two percent say offers increased by over 20 percent.

These are just a few of the advantages to staging your home to sell, but there are other benefits for home sellers.

Staging gives you a deadline. Getting your home ready to sell can seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to list it until it’s complete. Online photos and agent showings should showcase your home at its best – decluttered, freshly painted and staged with new furniture and accessories.

Staging gives you great ideas. You’ll learn a lot about making rooms flow, creating focal points, improve lighting, and how to use color.

Staging helps you decide what to keep or discard. If your furnishings are hand-me-downs, out of date, or not your taste, why take it all to your next home? Staging can help you determine what you love so you’ll have far less stuff to move.

Improved Listing Photographs. Buyers make decisions about whether or not to visit a home based on the photos they see on line. Staging will help the photographer prepare an online presentation that will attract buyers to your home.

Ask your Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Tomie Raines Realtor for professional staging advice when preparing to sell your home.