What is Occupied Staging?
Occupied home staging enhances your current furniture and decor to make your home more appealing to buyers while you are still living in it. Key questions include what the process involves (decluttering, cleaning, rearranging, and adding decor.) The timeline is often quicker than vacant staging, sometimes requiring just a few hours. The goal is to help potential buyers visualize themselves living in the space, which can lead to a faster sale at a higher price.
What is occupied home staging?
- Occupied staging is for homes where the owner is still living in the property.
- Instead of furnishing the entire house with rentals (as with a vacant home), a stager works with your existing furniture and decor.
- They will rearrange, declutter, and may add rental items like accessories, artwork, or throw pillows to make the space look its best for photos and showings.
Will I need to put my personal belongings in storage?
- You will likely need to pack away and store items you don't use daily, as well as personal items like family photos, diplomas, and unique collections to create a neutral canvas. The goal is to depersonalize without making the space feel sterile.
What do I do during a showing or open house?
- It is recommended that you (and your pets) leave the house during showings so potential buyers can comfortably tour the property and visualize it as their own. Having a "go-bag" packed with essentials can make a quick exit easier.
How does the process work?
Consultation: You'll start with an in-home consultation to assess the property and create an action plan.
Decluttering and cleaning: You must declutter and thoroughly clean the space according to the stager's guidance.
Staging: The stager will rearrange furniture, depersonalize the space by removing personal photos, and add decorative items to create a more inviting atmosphere.
What is the timeline?
- The timeline is generally shorter for occupied homes compared to vacant ones.
- A typical installation can be completed in as little as 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the home and the scope of work.
- The best time to stage is right before listing photos are taken.
What is the cost?
- Costs vary depending on the extent of staging needed.
- An initial consultation fee is standard.
- The final cost will depend on the recommendations from the consultation and any additional services or items, like rental decor, that you choose to include. You may see our pricing here.
What are the benefits?
- Faster sale: Staged homes tend to sell faster, averaging 50% less time on the market compared to non-staged homes, according to national averages.
- Higher price: Homes that are staged may see an increase in selling price.
- Increased buyer appeal: Staging helps buyers better visualize the home as their own future space.
Occupied home staging is a strategic service designed to prepare a lived-in house for sale by utilizing existing furnishings to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers. The process emphasizes professional consultation, decluttering, depersonalization, cleaning and furniture rearrangement to enhance a home's online appearance and in-person appeal. While requiring a commitment to cleanliness and temporary lifestyle adjustments from the homeowner, this service is considered a worthwhile investment, as professionally staged homes generally sell faster and for a higher price.
