Staging Your House for Sale: How Much Does It Really Cost?

You’ll save hundreds if you do it yourself

Fact checked by Betsy Petrick

Staging your home can help you get an offer faster and get more for your home, but how much does staging cost? According to HomeAdvisor, homeowners pay between $832 and $2,926 for this service. This works out to a national average of $1,843, but your home staging cost can vary depending on your home’s location, condition, asking price, and more.

Key Takeaways

• Staging your home involves cleaning, furnishing, and decorating the house so potential buyers can envision living in the space.
• Staging costs an average of $1,843, but the cost varies greatly depending on whether you stage the home yourself or hire a professional company.
• The goal of staging is to sell your home faster and at a higher price.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Staging a House

The range you might pay for staging varies widely, based on a number of factors:

• Home size: Bigger homes equal more rooms to fill and stage, so you’ll pay more for a larger home. Be prepared to pay more if your home has an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that also needs to be staged.
• Current condition of the house: Staging is more expensive if you have to make repairs or do maintenance before updating and redecorating the space. On the other hand, newer homes in great shape might cost less to stage.
• Home’s price point: Some professional staging companies charge a percentage of your home’s selling price. So, it will cost more to stage homes listed at a higher price point.
• Cost of hiring a professional: Pay attention to the company’s quote, which explains how staging is charged: by house, by room, by the hour, by set fee, or by percentage of the sale. These can all affect how much you pay overall for staging.
• Home location: Staging can be expensive if you live in a well-off metropolitan area compared to an average suburban neighborhood. Factor in your neighborhood’s income when setting a staging budget.

Tip

Play around with the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)‘s staging calculator to see how much money or time you might save by staging your house.

Example Scenarios

Before you commit to staging your entire house, take a look at how much it costs to stage a single room. This way, if you’re on a limited budget, you can focus on specific rooms and still make a big impact.

The Bottom Line

Staging a home can cost you several hundred dollars (or even several thousands). However, it can be money well spent if your home goes for over asking or you can accept an offer more quickly. If money is tight but you still want to stage, focus on just a few critical rooms: the living room, kitchen, and primary bedroom. The biggest budget saver is to stick to necessary updates only. When in doubt, ask your real estate agent before renovating or splurging on something to stage the space.