If you are having a difficult time selling your Arizona home, you may need some staging to set you apart. Staging won’t help to sell your house for more than what it is worth, but it is a good way to invite the largest number of potential buyers and cut the time it’s on the market. Some homeowners will hire a professional stager for their home and pay thousands of dollars; however there are other ways you can stage your home without breaking the bank.

Virtually Staging
Since 90% of people today browse for homes on the internet, virtual staging is an ideal way to entice online shoppers who are tired of seeing photos of bare walls, ceilings and floors. You or your Arizona real estate agent take pictures of empty rooms and send them to a virtual stager. The stager will then send back pictures of the same room but tastefully furnished. PMC Interiors in Phoenix will actually visit your home, take the photos and build a virtual floorplan with renderings of furniture and artwork for $750 per room. Other companies such as Virtual Staging Properties in Atlanta charges only $255 to virtually stage 3 rooms. Although there is no substitute for an in-person tour, virtual staging offers a good value for sellers on a budget.

Staging Consultation
Many stagers work as consultants and will offer online staging advice. For only $69, Virtual Enriching Homes based in Phoenix will study photos of up to four rooms and then send the client detailed suggestions on how they can improve the look of their home. Advice may include how to rearrange furniture, what to eliminate and what paint colors will spruce up the walls. For an average fee of $350, many consultants will drive to your home, take photos and then prepare for you a thorough report. You may not be able to stage your home as well as a professional stager, but a staging consultation is a lower-budget solution that still brings a ton of value.

Vignette Staging
If you can’t afford to have furniture brought in, try to negotiate with a stager for decor only. Vignette staging is a small visual element that provides context to an area. Choosing items such as a side table with accessories, a ficus tree or beautiful artwork and placing them where maximum impact will be achieved is a great way to reflect a room’s purpose. Focus on just a couple of rooms such as the entryway or bathroom and keep it simple so that home buyers can visualize themselves in the room.

Outside Staging
Many homeowners underestimate curb appeal and do not consider “outside staging” to be as important as “indoor staging”. A home that is perceived to be well maintained is always seen as a better value to buyers. Sweep away any dead leaves, prune shrubs and plants and power wash the driveway. For a small amount of money, you can also repaint your garage doors, fence, shutters or the mailbox. Dispose of any “junk” in the yard or on the porch and have your windows washed inside and out. With just a little bit of elbow grease, the outside of your Arizona home can have enough “wow” factor to entice buyers to see more and improve the chances of a quick sale.