Home Staging Now: What Really Moves Buyers and Impacts Sales

The National Association of REALTORS® has released fresh data revealing how home staging influences today’s real estate market – and the results show staging remains a powerful tool, though perhaps not as universally transformative as some might expect.

In our experience as agents in Metro Denver, we wholeheartedly believe that staging helps sell homes, especially if your home is vacant. Empty rooms make it hard for buyers to imaging living in your home. 

The Reality Check: Staging Helps, But It’s Not Magic

While staging does make a difference, the impact varies significantly. According to buyers’ agents, 60% say staging affects some buyers but not always, while only 26% report it consistently influences most buyers. The biggest benefit? A whopping 83% of buyers’ agents confirm staging helps buyers visualize the property as their future home.

The Money Talk: ROI on Staging

The financial impact of staging shows modest but meaningful returns:

• 17% of buyers’ agents report staged homes receive offers 1-5% higher than unstaged properties
• 19% of sellers’ agents see the same 1-5% increase in offer values
• 30% of sellers’ agents note slight decreases in time on market for staged homes

The median investment? $1,500 when using a professional staging service, or $500 when agents stage homes themselves.

Which Rooms Matter Most

Not all rooms are created equal when it comes to staging impact. The top three spaces buyers care about:

1. Living room (37% say very important)
2. Primary bedroom (34%)
3. Kitchen (23%)

Meanwhile, guest bedrooms and children’s rooms barely register at 7-9% importance.

The HGTV Effect: Expectations vs. Reality

Television’s influence on buyer expectations is real but not overwhelming:

• 48% of agents report some buyers expect homes to look like TV-staged properties
• 58% of agents say buyers are disappointed when comparing real homes to TV standards
• 77% of agents resist pressure to stage homes like television shows

Who Pays for Staging?

The compensation structure remains fluid:

• 26% say it depends on the situation
• 23% of agents personally offer to stage homes
• 17% of sellers pay upfront before listing
• Only 21% of sellers’ agents stage all their listings

The Digital Factor

In our visual age, photos reign supreme. Among marketing tools agents consider important for clients:

• Photos: 88% of sellers’ agents, 73% of buyers’ agents
• Videos: 47-48% across both groups
• Traditional staging: 43-57% importance
• Virtual staging: Considered less important by most

Beyond Staging: What Really Sells

Interestingly, agents recommend these improvements over staging:

• Decluttering (91%)
• Deep cleaning (88%)
• Improving curb appeal (77%)
• Professional photos (76%)

The Bottom Line

Home staging remains a valuable tool in the real estate arsenal, but it’s not a silver bullet. The data suggests a strategic approach works best: focus staging efforts on key rooms (living room, primary bedroom, kitchen), invest in quality photography, and ensure the basics are covered with decluttering and cleaning.

For sellers working with typical price points ($250,000-$750,000), the modest investment in staging can yield reasonable returns, particularly in reducing time on market. However, the most critical factor remains helping buyers emotionally connect with the space – whether through physical staging, excellent photography, or simply ensuring the home shows at its natural best.

The 2025 data reminds us that while buyers may dream of HGTV-perfect homes, what they really need is help envisioning their life in a space. Sometimes that requires professional staging; sometimes it just requires removing clutter and letting the home’s potential shine through.

Data from the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Staging report, based on surveys of 1,266 active REALTORS®.