Why Home Staging Works And How It Changes Buyer Behavior

We show why staging is a marketing tool, not just decorating, and how it shapes buyer behavior from the first photo to the final walkthrough. We share tactics to depersonalize, design for MLS photos, highlight strengths, and steer attention away from flaws.

• staging as strategy to influence buyer behavior
• depersonalising to appeal to the widest audience
• reading the neighborhood to target likely buyers
• designing rooms for the MLS wide-angle photo
• neutral palettes and repeated textures to reduce visual noise
• using books and simple styling to add warmth without clutter
• spotlighting views and architectural features
• distracting from quirks to protect perceived value
• buyer experience starting online before showings
• key takeaway that every choice is a marketing decision

If you're ready to leave your nine to five and want to do something that's buildable and scalable, check out linden-creek.com/franchise and see if Linden Creek is the right fit for you!

Transcript

Staging Versus Decorating

SPEAKER_00 0:00

If home staging were just decorating, it wouldn't change a buyer behavior. But it does. And today I'm explaining why. Staging is designed for the buyer, not the homeowner. You know it's interesting. When I meet with a client that's thinking about selling your property, oftentimes what I tell them first and foremost is before I sell my home, I would need to make changes to my own personal home. Why? Yes, it's beautifully decorated, but there are aspects of my property that are personalized just for me. For example, for years I had a pink front door, and as much as I loved my pink front door, is that gonna appeal to the masses? Probably not. There are other elements too. Maybe I have too many family photos sitting around everywhere. Now a family photo is fantastic, and I think my family is beautiful, but people are gonna be looking at my family instead of imagining their own in that home. And so what it really comes down to is this depersonalization of a home that needs to happen so that it can actually appeal to the masses. We have a joke in this industry oftentimes, and I say our design style is boring. Not because I actually think it's boring, but the reality is if we went with these bold, impactful colors and patterns and interesting nuances around design, somebody is not going to like them. And our job is to truly appeal to the masses. When we go in and we see a property for the very first time, what I do before I ever step foot in the door is I look around the neighborhood and I pay attention. Who's outside walking? Is it young children? Is it empty nesters? Who are these individuals that are owning houses in this neighborhood already? Because those are probably the ones that I actually want to target and spend my time focusing on when I'm thinking about designing the space. And so we take these different cues and elements and we create a story, not around the seller that's leaving their home, that's the current homeowner, but we create a story for this prospective buyer and who we see actually coming in and envisioning that space. The second reason that staging is truly a marketing tactic is because the thing that gets people physically in the door is the photograph of the home first and foremost. And so there is no better way to market a property than to be able to stage it and showcase it for what it truly is. Now, I will tell you, as a stager, when I go and I walk into a property and I think about the designs and the elements, one of my favorite hacks is to actually stand as far back in a room as possible and grab my phone and take a picture of the space. Why do I do this? Because that ugly picture that's a version that I take is an example and a representation of what that MLS photograph is gonna look like. Usually it's this really wide lens camera. It's bringing in all the elements of the home because that's what MLS photography is supposed to do, but it changes the way that a room shows itself. If I were to do these like intimate, up-close shots that were happening within the home, it would tell a completely different story. But that's not the story my buyers are gonna see. And so every design decision we make is truly around what that MLS photograph is gonna look like. Let me share an example with you. When we have homes with built-ins, which we see oftentimes a lot of in the luxury space, we try to keep the color palette as neutral as possible. One of the other things we love to do is bring in a lot of books for two reasons. One, books tend to say depth and warmth, that it's been collected over time. But the other reason is it's a simple pattern or color that is simplified so there aren't all these crazy visual elements that are happening that distract when that photograph is taken so far back. And so one of our favorite hacks is to use lots of books that have the same color binding, whether they mean black, or we flip them around and show the paper side instead. These are the things we think about to create good marketing, not just good design. Love design, but think like a business owner? If you're ready to leave your nine to five and want to do something that's buildable and scalable, check out linden-creek.com slash franchise and see if Linden Creek is the right fit for you. Finally, staging influences perception and value. You're not hiring a stager to come furnish your space to make it pretty as you move out the door. You're hiring a stager to be able to project the value of the property and what its true potential is. It's the elements that go into it that change the perception of how well the home is cared for, the thoughtfulness that goes around it and behind it, and the visualization of what that property can really be. The other piece of it is when we think about this marketing strategy from a staging design perspective. We think about the elements and the aspects of your home that are special. Do you have this stunning view out your backyard that needs to be showcased? Then let's make sure we're removing all of the sight lines that would prevent a buyer from seeing that absolutely first. Is there a gorgeous light fixture in your primary bedroom? Then we're gonna bring in some really tall art that forces the eye up so that it sees that light fixture and that becomes a showcase. Is there something in your home that's a little wonky that you kind of wish wasn't there but you tolerated? Then we're going to make sure we distract from that imperfection and we focus the time and the attention where it needs to be spent in other aspects of the home so that people aren't caught off by the little thing that you maybe don't love about your home. Every one of those decisions isn't a design decision. It is all about the marketing strategy so that we can showcase your property in the best way possible. The biggest shift that sellers have to make is realizing that it isn't about their personal style. It's about what buyers are going to experience in the home. Staging is strategic and intentional, and it begins long before someone ever steps foot in the home. It begins with the photographs that you find online. And being mindful of those details really makes a true impact in your listing. Thank you for spending time with me today. If you enjoyed this discussion, subscribe because we have lots more conversations coming your way around the value of staging and the impact it can have. This is In Good Space.