Selling your home can be a surprisingly time-consuming and emotionally challenging task.  After all, you are inviting strangers into your home who are going to sift through every nook and cranny in your home and critique absolutely everything about it.  To top it off, they may not make any offer at all or if they do it might be far less than you were hoping for.  If you want to sell your home faster and get more money for it, you should consider staging your home.  People are sometimes hesitant to stage their home because of the additional cost, but it could actually end up costing you more if you don’t stage your home.  Here are 3 problems you could encounter if you choose not to stage your home for showings. 

Your Home Might Not Appear “Move-In Ready”

Many of today’s buyers are looking for a home that won’t necessarily require a ton of work right away.  Many people don’t have the time or money to do major renovations and are looking for a move-in ready home that they can start enjoying right away.  If you want to get top dollar for your home, it is worth the investment to do some minor upgrades and stage your home so that it will appeal to buyers.  This doesn’t mean you have to gut your kitchens and bathrooms and do a complete renovation.  There are plenty of minor upgrades that can be done that will give your home that “move-in ready” look.  Home staging allows you to showcase your home’s strengths and minimize its weaknesses, making your home more appealing to buyers. 

You Won’t Stand Out Among Competitors

When you put your home on the market you will immediately be up against neighboring homes that are also for sale.  How are you going to differentiate your home from the rest?  One way to do this is by staging your home so that it will stand out in the minds of buyers.  When a potential buyer walks into a home that is nicely decorated, well-organized, and is cozy and inviting, they immediately make an emotional connection with the home.  It gives buyers a chance to visualize themselves living there as opposed to a home that is dirty, cluttered, and outdated.  Homes that are staged spend less time on the market and give you an edge over your competition.

You Will Lose Money

Home staging requires making minor repairs and upgrades to get your home looking its best.  Whenever homeowners make strategic repairs to their home, they are immediately adding value.  A staged home creates more buyer interest and gives the impression that the home has been well cared for.  In contrast, a home that has obvious flaws and is cluttered, will be less appealing to buyers and might end up getting you a low-ball offer.  While it might cost you a little bit of money up front, you are much more likely to get top dollar for a home that is staged and well presented.