Presentation means everything, yet many home sellers don't pay much attention to it. Some people only worry about the value of the house. While highlighting the good things of a home is important, such as where it's situated, how many rooms it has, and the number of restrooms, there's more to consider. Presentation, or in real estate terms, home staging, can make a big difference.

It should be pointed out that home sellers aren't expected to know everything about home selling. The folks that deserve some blame are the real estate agents. It's estimated that only 31 percent of real estate agents spend the time and effort staging the home they're attempting to sell. That needs to change.

Benefits of Home Staging

There are a few benefits of staging a home properly. While it's true that staging can be costly, which is probably one reason real estate agents and homeowners don't really do it, it's still worth it in the long term. Initially, a homeowner and real estate agent will have to cough up between $300 to $600 to design the look of the house. This is the average, and it doesn't stop there.

Once the rooms are staged, the homeowner might pay between $500 to $600 a month to keep it staged, and this is the price per room. Home staging can be quite expensive, and this is why many shy away from it. Some homeowners who decide to stage their home only do a few rooms, which cuts the costs some.

Folks stage areas that home buyers focus on when they tour a house. This includes the kitchen, living room, the dining space, and the master bedroom. This can give homebuyers a good and lasting impression. The following are some major benefits of staging a house before attempting to sell it:

• The homebuyer feels at home with the warm and welcoming staging.
• The homebuyer will have a good first impression of the house.
• A properly staged home is memorable. The next house they see won't look like this one.
• It helps create an emotional connection to the house.
• Staging makes it easier for homebuyers to visualize living there.
• The value of the house will appear higher.

It should also be pointed out that a staged home, on average, sells 87 percent faster than homes that aren't staged.

Tips for Home Staging

For those who see the value in staging, it's important to get it right. Thankfully, a lot of folks have done this effectively in the past. The following are some tips to help homeowners create the perfect home staging strategy:

1. Exterior Boost - It's vital to do some work to the exterior of a house. Homebuyers see the exterior first, and it gives them the first impression of a home. Pressure cleaning the exterior is one thing that can be done. Updating things like the welcome mat, the mailbox, or adding new bushes or flower beds are great ideas.
2. Kitchen Focus - The next thing to focus on is the kitchen. Homebuyers pay attention to the kitchen when they tour a home. To stage it properly, homeowners need to clear the clutter, show off cabinet space, and ensure all appliances are shining. They should also be sure to repaint the kitchen if necessary; something neutral works best.
3. Strip Down the Living Room - The best way to stage the living room is with neutral yet classic colors and strip it down as much as possible without removing everything. White or egg white furniture is best because it helps brighten up the room. A few choice pieces is best to ensure walking around the living room is easy. If you have too much furniture, the space looks too small.
4. Masterful Master Bedroom - It's vital that the master bedroom looks inviting. Soft yet bright colors are important, but folks also need to invest in plush textures. Fur rugs might be a good idea as they are soft. The duvet should look plush. The curtains should be bright and let in as much sunlight as possible.

These are just some things folks need to worry about, but there's much more. For more guidance, it's best to talk to a home staging professional.