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Let me save you thousands (and lots of time) with these staging hacks

Just wrapped up a crazy month with 3 closings and wanted to share what's been working for me lately with staging. We all know how crucial staging is, but let's be real - it's expensive and time-consuming. I used to spend $2500-3500 per listing on traditional staging, and the hassle of coordinating movers, designers, etc... don't get me started. So I've been experimenting with different approaches that give the same "wow factor" without breaking the bank or consuming my entire week.

For partially furnished homes: I'm doing what I call "hybrid staging" - using what the seller already has as a base, then adding just a few key pieces to elevate the space. Throw pillows, statement art, and plants do wonders. Most sellers are happy to invest $300-400 in accessories that they can take with them.

For empty properties: This is where I've seen the biggest change in my approach. I used to panic at empty listings, but now I'm using a mix of:

  1. Strategic minimal staging (just enough to give scale to rooms)

  2. Professional photography with wide angle lens + lighting techniques

  3. Virtual staging for online listings

The photography lighting trick is something I learned from a colleague - scheduling shoots in the morning for east-facing rooms and afternoon for west-facing spaces makes SUCH a difference. And having your photographer bring portable lighting for dark interior rooms.

I was skeptical about virtual staging at first (those early attempts looked SO fake), but the technology has improved dramatically. I've been testing different services, and the results are getting impressive. No more purple couches that look like they're floating!

Just remember - if you go the virtual route, you need to disclose this to potential buyers. I put a little "virtually staged" watermark in the corner of those photos and make sure to have printed copies of both the staged and empty room photos at showings. Transparency is key.

What's working for you all these days? Any other budget-friendly staging hacks I should know about?

submitted by /u/Worth_Cheesecake_771
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1k5vox6/let_me_save_you_thousands_and_lots_of_time_with/

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