Today, real estate markets are often competitive, which can make the selling process difficult and slow. Prospective buyers are always looking for the best in a property — they want to get the most of their money. Buyers will want to move into a house that is reasonably priced, aesthetically appealing, and one that does not need much, or any, work done to it. This is where the benefits of home staging come in.

The good news is that home staging doesn't have to be professionally done or expensive to set a property apart from its competition.

1. Home Staging Sets Your Home Apart From The Rest

Nowadays, most home buyers start looking for their dream home online, which means that the first they’ll see of your home are the photos that you posted of it. This is why online listing photos are very important in real estate.

If you’ve staged your home correctly, the chances are high that prospective buyers will come to your door to take a look at the property in person. It’s better to stick to neutral decorations since not everyone has the same taste.

If a prospective buyer doesn’t like what they see from your listing photos, there’s a good chance that they’ll pass on seeing it in person. If there are other homes for sale in your neighborhood, staging your home can make it stand out from the rest. Staging becomes more critical the older your home is, especially if you’re up against new construction.

2. Staging Maximizes The Space

If your home is on the smaller side, proper staging can help prospective buyers see how much space there is inside the home, despite the smaller square footage.

Staging can give each room a clear purpose so that buyers won’t have to guess what each room is for when they tour your home. If buyers can see how space is used, they’re less likely to focus on the small floor plan or other minor downsides. Make sure to get rid of all the clutter.

3. Flaws Are Leveled Out

If you decide to hire one, a professional home stager can highlight all the best features of your home while leveling out the flaws.

Home stagers can make small rooms look bigger and dark rooms look brighter by choosing the right furniture, positioning them in the best place, and making use of any room features such as windows.

Even if you decide not to pay for a professional to stage your home for you, there are simple steps that you can do to achieve almost the same effect. Without a professional’s help, you should focus on decluttering, cleaning thoroughly, using cool-toned light bulbs, and opening all window blinds. Although these may seem like small things, these can make a massive difference in the way that prospective buyers will see the home.

4. Leads To Higher Offers

When you stage your home, the goal is always to have as many people interested in it as possible. The more people get interested, the higher the chance of a bidding war ensuing. What’s more, even if not a lot of buyers become interested in your home, just having one fall in love with it could lead to them giving you a higher offer than your asking price.

Although it’s not entirely clear what the connection between higher offers and home staging is, one thing is sure — proper home staging can lead make more prospective buyers interested in your home, which is more likely to get you higher offers.

5. Helps Sell Faster

The faster your home sells, the sooner you’ll get your money and the less money you’ll spend on monthly expenses such as utilities and mortgage payments for the home. One study even found that homes that were staged correctly before listing sold 79% faster than homes that weren’t staged or staged after listing.

If you’re about to put your home on the market and considering whether to stage your home or not, these five benefits of home staging can make it easier for you to decide. A well-staged home makes it easier for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in the house. It will also make it easier for them to overlook or ignore small issues as they focus on the bigger picture. Proper home staging can set your house apart, maximize the space, level out flaws, lead to higher offers, and sell your house faster.