A Handy Seller’s Guide To Staging a House While Living In It

According to transaction reports from the National Association of Realtors, 53% of repeat buyers use the proceeds from the sale of their primary residence in order to purchase their next home. Living in the house until it’s sold is a very common scenario for sellers.

This presents a huge dilemma for those wanting a quick sale or excellent offers: staging a house while living in it. How can you help buyers visualize themselves living in your space when you haven’t vacated it yet? Proper home staging is key so that it appears that you’ve already moved out and the cleaning fairies have moved in.

If you’re unable to use transitional housing — or are just short on cleaning fairies — read on for our definitive guide to keep your home looking professionally staged, all while eating, sleeping, and living there.

What is staging?

Staging is like a home-selling theater. It involves choosing or modifying the decor and furnishings to evoke a feeling of newness, freshness, and appeal for buyers. It’s especially important for listing photos, showings, and open houses to convey what the house looks like at its best in a way that doesn’t make it seem like it’s someone else’s home. In other words, great staging will help buyers imagine what the house would be like if they lived in it.

As a marketing tool in the seller’s toolkit, staging can be either DIY or professionally done. Either way, the point is to entice buyers with staging that gives your home a glossy furniture catalog feel.