Ask a Wahi REALTOR®: What to Watch for When a Home Is Heavily Staged

Homes are frequently staged before hitting the market, so buyers should know what to watch for when checking out a staged listing online or in-person.

By Josh Sherman | 2 minute read

If you’re in the market for a home, chances are you’ll come across one that’s been staged. In fact, you’ll probably encounter several — or more.

Some estimates suggest up to a third or more of all homes on the market use the services of a professional stager, which makes sense when you think about the advantages. Home staging is a way for sellers to put their best foot forward, sprucing up the living space and trying to tap into homebuyers’ aspirations — and wallets. Homes that are staged can sell for up to 20% more than comparable properties that are not, suggests U.S. research from the National Association of Realtors. That’s not a bad ROI considering the service can cost sellers as little as $2,000.

That’s great news for sellers, but what about homebuyers? Home staging is a great way to showcase a room’s potential. However, it can also give a homebuyer an unrealistic impression of a space. “Home staging is meant to appeal to homebuyers’ emotions,” says Wahi Broker of Record Anne Alkok. “Don’t let the staging become a distraction — try to picture how the home works with your furniture, decor, and lifestyle,” she adds. 

That may be easier said than done (check out some before-and-after photos of staged spaces to see just how drastically staging can change the look and feel of an interior). So, to help homebuyers prep, here’s what to watch for when a home is heavily staged.

1. What Lies Beneath 

“It’s very rare that a seller or their Realtor would intentionally try to hide damage to their home,” notes Alkok. “It would also be very unethical,” she adds.

However, it’s entirely possible that through staging, some imperfections are obscured — or just plain overlooked by buyers. For instance, pull back a throw rug and you may find scuffed or warped floors. Behind a bookcase, there could be visible damage to the wall. Mould might fester in a corner of the basement.

Examine living spaces from a variety of vantage points (get down low if necessary), checking behind or under items as you peruse each room.

When you’re inside of a staged space, your eyes could be more likely drawn to any number of the staged objects — and away from other places you really should inspect, such as the oft-forgetton ceiling. “Some things aren’t as noticeable when a property is staged or had some kind of uplift,” Vivian Trantan, a real estate agent from Australia, tells ABC News.

Tip: Look up and check for any signs of cracking or water damage in the ceiling.

2. Other Visual Tricks 

Home stagers have a whole repertoire of techniques to change how people experience a living space. Knowing how to spot them puts a homebuyer in a better position to objectively assess a property’s interior.

Strategically placed mirrors might make a place appear larger. A fresh coat of paint and some smartly placed lamps add brightness. Take note of these touches and how they affect your perception of a room.

Here are a couple of tips on to what to watch for when a home is heavily staged: 

• Try putting yourself in the seller’s shoes. Learn how to stage a home so that you have a stronger idea of what to tell-tale signs of staging to look for. 
• Bring a measuring tape to showings. This is a good way to find out whether your existing furniture will actually fit in a staged room. It can be hard to tell by eyeballing. Staged rooms may be set up with smaller-than-normal items to make the area seem more spacious than it really is, but the tape measure doesn’t lie.

3. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Changes 

In Canada, digitally altered images, such as those featuring AI-powered staging, are generally allowed in online listings. Some agents add text to indicate the room is digitally staged. Others include a photo of the empty room for comparison. However, there are some notable exceptions. For example, it’s fine to digitally stage a room with furniture, but sellers can’t conduct so-called digital renovations (removing or painting walls, creating an addition), according to the PropTx MLS Rules. (PropTx operates multiple listing service systems for real estate boards in Ontario.)

Adding images or representations of amenities that are not in immediate view of a listing is also a no-no. There are others, but they tend to be more advertising-related (no images of Realtors photoshopped into listing pics!). 

If you catch a listing on a multiple listing service system that is in violation of any of the rules governing AI and digital editing, it could be a red flag. If the listing agent isn’t complying with these regulations, they may be bending other rules.