1. What’s the value of staging?

A well-staged room invites buyers in and helps them see past the sellers’ possessions to the layout and square footage. Staging also helps draw buyers’ eyes to the best feature of the room, such as French doors or a fireplace.

Staged homes sell faster and for more money, says professional stager Kala Callahan of Addressed to Sell in Wilmette, Ill. A 2003 HomeGain survey of 2,000 practitioners found that staging could increase the sales price by $2,275 to $2,841; cleaning and decluttering could add $2,093 to $2,378 to the final price. And a 2004–2005 survey of home owners by training company StagedHomes.com found that staged homes sold for 6.9 percent more than homes that were not staged.

2. What does it cost to stage a house?

Staging an average-sized home can be accomplished for about $500 to $1,000 or more, depending on the extent of the work (painting, carpeting, accessories, labor) involved, say staging pros and practitioners...Furniture rental could add more to the bottom line.

Mark Jak of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Chicago looks to create a general theme throughout the home in color and style. “The house should look neutral, clean, and fresh to appeal to the lion’s share of buyers, similar to what you see in a Pottery Barn catalog,” he says.

4. What tools do you need to stage a home?

A well-staged room invites buyers in and helps them see past the sellers’ possessions to the layout and square footage. Addressed to Sell’s Kala Callahan owns an inventory of furnishings that she deploys to vacant homes. Lori Matzke of Center Stage Home prefers to find hidden treasures home owners already have on hand, because that’s a lot less expensive for them. She typically brings throw pillows and greenery.