Yvette M. Palmer, Associate Broker Local Expertise for Santa Cruz River Valley

Make Your Home Shine and Sell Fast

2025 Profile Of Home Staging

View The National Association of Realtors® 2023 Profile of Home Staging.
Home Staging Report

Make Your Home Unforgettable

According to NAR’s 2023 Profile of Home Staging, 60% percent of buyers’ agents cited that homes staging influenced most buyer’s view of the home. 83% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. Staging the living room for buyers was found to be most important, followed by staging the primary bedroom, and staging the kitchen. The report also cited that about 20% of buyer’s agents said that staging a home increased the dollar value offered between one and five percent compared to other similar homes on the market that were not staged.

Where First Impressions Lead to Offers

Homebuyers typically spend only about 10 minutes in a home, so that first impression needs to be positive and lasting. Home staging is more than decorating or cleaning—it’s an art. It’s about creating moods that make your home feel bigger, brighter, and inviting, helping buyers imagine themselves living there and encouraging them to make an offer.
 
Here are some tips to get your home market-ready:
  • Declutter and depersonalize: Organize a yard sale, rent a storage unit, and remove excess furniture and personal items. 
  • Create open, clean spaces: Clear countertops, keep only a few tasteful decorative accents, and ensure each room serves its intended purpose. 
  • Deep clean and refresh: Clean carpets, tile, and grout, touch up paint, wash windows, and keep your home smelling fresh. 
  • Make repairs: Tour your home critically, note needed repairs, and address them before listing. 
  • Add inviting touches: Bring in new towels, fresh flowers, and candles to create a welcoming atmosphere. 
  • Let buyers see the space: Remove personal items, photos, and certificates so buyers can envision their own life in your home. 
By following these steps, your home will look its best, appeal to more buyers, and help you sell faster and for top dollar.
 

Three Steps to a Buyer-Ready Home

Successful home staging comes down to three simple principles: declutter, neutralize, and highlight. Start by removing personal items and minimizing distractions so buyers can imagine themselves in the space. Keep walls and furnishings in a neutral color palette to create a calm, open environment. Finally, add thoughtful touches like vignettes and carefully arranged groupings of accessories—mixing shapes, sizes, and textures—to make rooms feel inviting and visually interesting without overwhelming the space. By following these rules, your home will look polished, appealing, and ready to impress potential buyers.

First Rule Of Home Staging

Declutter, simplify, and organize. You’ve likely heard these classic tips for preparing your home for sale—but understanding why they matter is key. By reducing distractions and keeping spaces clean and streamlined, you allow potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home.

Second Rule of Home Staging

The main goal of home staging is to make your home shine. Once you’ve pared down to the essentials, the next step is a light refresh—clean, declutter, and add small updates to make your home feel fresh, inviting, and well cared for. Buyers don’t expect everything to be brand new, but they do want to feel comfortable and impressed, without being distracted by worn surfaces or unpleasant odors.

Third Rule Of Home Staging

When staging your home for sale, keeping color schemes neutral remains a tried-and-true strategy. Soft whites and pale tones make rooms feel calm, open, and spacious. These subtle colors act as a blank canvas, helping potential buyers envision their own lives in the space.

Vignettes

In interior design, a vignette is a small, thoughtfully arranged grouping of objects—like a tabletop display—that creates a charming snapshot and tells a story about your home and your style.

Groupings

Most interior designers agree that odd-numbered groupings are especially effective. When arranging vignettes, mix shapes, sizes, and colors, and avoid lining everything up perfectly for a more natural, visually appealing display.