top of page
FREQUENTLY ASKED
BEFORE STAGING
Buyers live on StreetEasy. They scroll Instagram. They're educated and savvy, but they're also driven by feeling.
They're not just comparing homes — they're comparing experiences.
Great photos garner clicks and increase traffic — they get people through the door. But great staging is the closer. It creates an emotional connection.
The statistics tell the story:
Staged homes sell 88% faster on average than non-staged homes.
Longer market time means extended carrying costs and potential price drops.
And once your home goes stale on the market, it's very hard to recover.
Staged homes sell at prices up to 20% higher than non-staged homes.
Beautifying your home increases its perceived value. Your list prices ticks up, up, up!
The average ROI on staging is 350%.
For every dollar you spend, you make $350 — and the return improves the higher your price.
To calculate your potential ROI, check out this tool from Casa Compose.
To project staging costs for your home, see the Pricing FAQ.
(Stats from Business Insider, Realtor.com, and RESA's 2025 Market Study)
VACANT STAGE
Studio 8K - 12K
1 Bedroom 10K - 20K
2 Bedroom 15K -25K
3 Bedroom 25K - 45K
4 Bedroom 30K - 75K
Townhouse 40K - 100K+
Variables we factor into final pricing:
Square Footage
Larger homes require more inventory — more furniture and accessories — not to mention more designer and staff time to complete.
Price Point
Homes on the luxury market require a different type of inventory. A Classic Six on 75th and Park will be more expensive to stage than a 3-bedroom in Chelsea.
Challenging Features and Floor Plans
Unique architectural features, quirky rooms, or idiosyncratic floor plans may require special furniture or custom pieces that are more costly for us to acquire.
Pricing includes:
— Designer Time
— Staging Inventory
— Staff and administration time
— Moving costs (in and out of the home)
— Insurance
— Overhead
— Taxes
Monthly Rental
After the initial three-month term, a monthly rental fee applies — a percentage of your initial fee, based on the amount and kind of inventory installed. (Ours is low for the industry, starting at 5% of the initial fee.) We offer a sliding scale for homes that stay on the market longer than 8 months.
___________________________________________________
BLENDED STAGING
Blended Staging costs vary considerably. A home that's already fairly tidy and well-appointed will be less expensive to stage than a similar home where decluttering, organization, storage and more significant inventory are required.
During an initial consultation, we'll walk you through every aspect of your Blended Stage, itemizing each element of your Scope of Work with associated pricing.
You could! But even interior designers selling their homes ask us for help — because it's faster and less expensive in the long run to hire a stager. No wait times for furniture, no coordinating deliveries, no endless shopping for the small stuff. And once the property sells, everything disappears.
Also, there are "tricks of the trade" that are second nature to us. It's not just decorating. It's strategic. We know some floor plans that work beautifully in real life may not support staging goals. We're on site for photography to adjust elements for the frame, then reset for showings. We have a variety of accessories, textiles, lamps, and artwork that support specific looks — which may take a lot of your time to source.
We hang curtains. Swap cabinet knobs. Steam bedspreads. Hang art.
Replace bulbs, from chandeliers to high hats.
It's just a whole thing, staging. There's more to it than meets the eye. It's an art — and a massive coordination effort. At time when you'll be contending with other tasks around your sale, we lighten your To Do list.
And if your home needs any kind up renovation work — from a small paint job to a major install — we can take managing that off your plate.
If you can — stage it! You will be so relieved you did.
If only virtual staging did the trick! But there's nothing like actual staging to make a buyer fall in love with your home. And the ROI is not even close.
Sure, it helps in some cases: You may have absolutely zero budget for improvements. Or your realtor may want to go live with your listing quickly while actual staging gets underway. Or it's a high seller's market and your home is a stunner.
For most homes, though, virtual staging alone is not ideal, for a couple of reasons:
Momentum
While virtual staging get clicks on line, the drop-off effect when people visit is significant. Rooms that looked amazing in your listing seem starkly different.
The feeling of excitement and anticipation a buyer had evaporates. Momentum bumps to a halt — or goes into reverse. Is this really the home we saw on line?
Bait + Switch
Virtual staging is meant to show what a room can look like with actual furniture — without having to install it. But the difference between what fits in a room in 2D and what fits in real life can be quite different. We've seen so many homes packed with furniture in virtually staged photos that would never fit — or make sense — in the actual rooms. The feeling of bait + switch when this happens is very real.
Takeaway?
At best, even very well done virtual staging may set a buyer up for disappointment. At worst, virtual staging that's unrealistic or inaccurate can make a buyer feel manipulated or deceived.
It's worth it to invest in real staging to fill your home with actual beauty and potential. The ROI is proven.
(Please see the Why Stage FAQ for ROI stats.)
And check out this Realtor.com article on "housefishing."
DURING STAGING
Most staging projects take two weeks. The actual installation and styling takes 3-5 days. But because we're managing multiple projects at the same time, we allow for overlapping schedules.
Timing can be affected by a few things: contractor delays, unforeseen building closures, extreme weather, and world events. (We're looking at you, COVID and Blizzard of 2026.)
Snow-bound service entries and pandemics aside — you can expect two weeks for your home to be photo-ready, from the date we sign a contract. If we're following a contractor, the clock starts ticking when he or she clears out.
We include three months of inventory rental in the opening price of your project — once we install, everything stays in place for three months at no extra charge. If you do end up needing extra time, a monthly rental fee applies. Ours is nominal and generous for the industry. We hate to pile on if you're already sweating market time.
(Please see the Pricing FAQ for more.)
Of course! With Blended Staging projects, this is fairly common. We stage with this reality in mind. We know you'll be living there, and we don't want you walking on eggshells. You may be concerned about damaging the staging items. Please don't worry. We factor in a bit of wear and tear.
We also leave "staging kits" for you and your realtor. After we get everything perfect for photography, we deconstruct some areas to get you "back to normal." We tuck staging linens and throw pillows into clear zippered bags for each room, where they can be re-set for showings. We box up kitchen props so your realtor can re-set them if needed. We gather toiletries in baskets you can tuck away before showings. Things like that. Where there's a will, there's a way!
Our Rolodex is full of contractors, painters, carpenters, upholsterers, landscapers, cleaners and other trade pros who help us get your home in tip top shape.
If it's a small-scale item, like replacing sconces in a dining room, we typically subcontract the work, including it in our scope and pricing. If the project has a few moving parts, it often works best for you to contract with the professional independently, while we liaise and oversee everything.
AFTER STAGING
As we install furnishings and accessories, we lightly dust and broom sweep as needed. If your home requires a deeper cleaning (bathroom and kitchen work),
we have professionals we call on to get everything sparkling.
In terms of windows, our cleaners can handle the inside. But often, buildings have schedules and requirements for exterior window cleaning. We'll help you sort that.
Your realtor will book a photographer, selecting from a pool of talented pros known throughout the industry. We have some favorites! But they're all amazing. ;)
Once you're in contract, there's often a wait as your buyer gets board approval. Most realtors like to keep staging in place until the board gives a thumbs up. Others feel comfortable releasing the staging once the board schedules a buyer interview.
It's rare, but in the event of a buyer turn down, re-staging is more expensive than the nominal monthly rental cost to keep it in place. (Please see Pricing FAQ). It's good insurance. But if budget is an issue, we remove the staging upon request.
For sure! We will forward a complete inventory list with prices for every item — from sofas to candle holders — so your buyer can "shop the stage." After that, we make arrangements directly with them.
JUST CURIOUS
Absolutely. We take extra care with these projects — we understand you may be going through a difficult time. We help you thoughtfully sort and organize belongings, discerning which items may be helpful in staging, and connect you to services you may need: storage facilities, removal services, and auction houses.
Often, estate projects involve some level of renovation — painting, floor refinishing, and more. We have a long history of working with contractors, including in-house building staff, to rehabilitate all types of properties and projects — large and small.
These projects are close to our heart.
Yes, we do! We stock a variety of outdoor furnishing arrangements — from small bistro sets to large sectional sofa arrangements.
We handle small-scale gardening projects ourselves: filling out window boxes, creating arrangements of floral pots, installing trellis planters.
For large-scale landscaping projects, we work with a number of professionals, from local companies to independent gardeners, depending on the project at hand.
We have insurance up to our eyeballs. There is no COI requirement we cannot fulfill!
Yes, yes, yes. We do this a lot — especially with Blended Staging clients. We get to know you well — your furnishings and accessories, your style and lifestyle — so it's natural to translate that knowledge into a design for your new home. We can help you merge what you own with new pieces, or work with what you have. We will source, install, and style. And we can run a reno if you need it.
The design process is different from the staging process, of course. But as with staging, we charge a flat fee for a defined scope of work, so there are no surprises — except how amazing your new home will look and feel!
bottom of page