When selling a home, there are a few different ways to approach the whole process. Some people sell their home while they’re still living in it, some sell their home once they’ve moved out and it’s completely empty, some people sell after they’ve moved out and their home has been “staged.”

Home staging is the process of professionally furnishing and decorating a home and making it look as beautiful and appealing to buyers as possible. It’s not meant to cover up any negative aspects of the home but to accentuate the positive features of your residence and show buyers the potential that the space holds.

Here are a few of the big benefits of staging your home:

• Staging your home will help the property photos stand out online. People love looking at home decor and interior design magazines and blogs for a reason. Most people don’t live in the expertly curated spaces we see on the glossy pages of magazines, and as a result, these model homes are typically more aspirational — most people would love to live in such a beautiful space. With so many people starting their home searches online these days, it’s of the utmost importance to stand out from the crowd. Capturing someone’s attention enough to make them want to come see your home in person is the goal.
• Staging can help people better imagine themselves living in a space. When a home is empty, it might be harder for someone to really imagine themselves living in the space. Things may even feel cold and uninviting, and you definitely don’t want potential buyers to feel anything but welcome and, well, at home. It’s important for potential buyers to see the home as a place they could immediately move into and begin enjoying. It’s all about creating an emotional connection: Once someone has fallen in love with the space, it’s much easier for them to commit to buying.
• Staging demonstrates a home’s potential. If someone is about to make the biggest investment of their lives, they’re going to want to make sure it’s something they love. Depicting how a home could be lived in can show someone the real possibilities of a space. Maybe you always used that extra bedroom for storage, but if a potential buyer sees it transformed into a lovely guest bedroom their best friend from out of town could stay in when they visit, or a fun playroom for their young children, suddenly that extra bedroom takes on a whole new life.

Author: Will Featherstone, Forbes Magazine