As a free-market economist, I want to believe that people are rational, calculating, and thus staging is a waste of money. Why spend $3000 on outfitting an empty house or condo with phoney furniture, pictures, mirrors, towels and assorted doodads. Buyers are smart enough to see through that act, right?
And yet, it works. I sold 2 new condos 1 year ago in Normal Heights, priced at market. One under contract in 3 weeks; moved the staging next door to the other and it went in 2 weeks.
Frankly, brokers love to bring their clients around to see staged units, and it is often brokers you have to convince to get the sale. A buzz was created, the caravans were heavily attended, and word spread. Worked for me, even though my academic background says it shouldn’t have.
