Selling strategy

Is Home Staging Worth It? What the Latest Data Says

By May, founder of May Home DesignUpdated September 27, 20262 min read

For most homes, yes: in the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 staging survey, 29% of sellers' agents said staging increased the dollar value of offers by 1% to 10%, and 49% said it shortened time on market. In Orange County, where a 1% difference is often five figures, staging usually pays for itself.

What agents report

Every two years the National Association of REALTORS® surveys agents about staging. The 2025 Profile of Home Staging found:

• 29% of sellers' agents saw a 1% to 10% increase in the dollar value offered on staged homes.
• 49% said staging reduced time on market, and 19% said it reduced it significantly.
• Buyers' agents ranked photos (73%) and traditional staging (57%) among the most important marketing tools, ahead of videos and virtual tours.

These are agent observations, not a controlled experiment, so treat them as a range, not a promise. But they line up with what we see across hundreds of Orange County listings: staged homes photograph better, get more showings in the first week, and give buyers fewer reasons to negotiate.

The math in Orange County

Staging is a fixed cost, while the benefit scales with the price of the home. On a $1.2 million home, a 1% difference is $12,000. Even at the low end of the range agents report, a typical staging project pays for itself several times over. The bigger the price, the more lopsided the math becomes.

Time matters too. Every extra month on market means another mortgage payment, HOA dues, utilities and insurance, and a listing that starts to look stale to buyers watching the market.

When staging matters most

• Vacant homes. Empty rooms look smaller in photos and feel cold in person. This is where staging makes the biggest difference.
• Homes with awkward or dated layouts, where buyers need help seeing how a room works.
• Renovations and flips, where the finishes are new but the home still needs to feel lived-in.
• Listings competing with new construction or model homes, which is common in Irvine and South County.

When it matters less

A well-furnished, recently decorated occupied home may only need an edit: removing personal items, re-arranging and adding a few fresh pieces. That's what our occupied staging and consultations are for.

The bottom line

If your home is vacant, dated, or competing with newer listings, staging is one of the few pre-listing costs with a clear, measurable return. If you're not sure, ask for a walkthrough and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth it for your home.

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