22 Feb 26 – The Wall Street Journal released statistics regarding all types of investors who purchase homes. Only 17% of the buyers in today’s housing market are investors. That means roughly 83% of home buyers are really interested in viewing homes in person where possible. A buyer should see the same home online as when they walk in the front door. Virtual staging is deceptive. Buyers are disappointed because the house is empty and does not look or feel the same as what they saw online so they will start to pick apart the house and notice all the flaws.

According to Jennie Norris, chairwoman of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, a property recently staged in the Denver region sat on the market for 140 days with no offers. One week after REAL staging, the house was under contract and closed within 30 days! REAL STAGING WORKS! It creates the emotional appeal that compels buyers to make an offer.

Virtual Staging does not provide the results Sellers want. It’s a cheap alternative to real staging, and when done right (which is iffy at best), does not do anything except make photos more interesting. That may help for those scanning available properties online and may even help get a buyer in the door but that is where the positives end.

If selling a property were only about photos, Real Estate agents wouldn’t be needed, and neither would stagers because it would be all about the photographer. A home purchase is very personal. It is a huge investment and the largest asset most people own.  They don’t leave a decision like that up to photos.  They go in person.

The reality is when people walk in the door they shouldn’t be surprised. They shouldn’t notice a carpet stain in a room that was virtually staged with a large rug over the carpet or where an architectural element was added. Deceptive marketing such as using doctored photos or omitting photos altogether as a bait and switch strategy is a practice that can land a Realtor in hot water. Virtual staging is closely monitored and even requires photos to be labeled as such with vacant room photos also required. Any type of false advertising leads to distrust between Realtors and certainly amongst home buyers who trust their Realtor to deliver on travel-worthy homes to visit…as advertised.

Furthermore, buying a house is an emotional decision and when there’s nothing in the house to grab a buyer emotionally, they move on. Real staging helps grab their attention with very specific décor groupings that can’t be replicated with a potted plant used in virtual staging. Real staging helps create a warm and inviting appearance, it triggers emotions in ways that a photograph cannot.

Why would a Realtor take a marketing shortcut such as virtual staging when the vast majority of their buyers are viewing homes in person and need to emotionally connect with those homes to make a top dollar offer?  Be sure to ask them.

Need to brag on my Front Range Stage team.  The year has barely begun and on top of winning THREE International awards for staging last year, we just found out we won the Best of Houzz Service Award.  We create beautiful Real Estate transformations but also utilize streamlined processes, digital contracts and secure payment options to make the staging process easier from end to end.  This is why Front Range Stage is THE PREMIER home staging company in Colorado Springs and surrounding areas.

Here are the latest statistics that show a record-breaking # of homes not selling.  This is why home sellers should invest in home staging!  Watch the video to learn how you can effectively research Realtors and Home Staging professionals.

1 Dec 2025 Wall Street Journal – “Overpricing Houses Leaves Home Sellers High and Dry”
-Listings that sold after a price reduction typically spent about 5x as many days on the market as the average for homes priced right from the start.
-About 57% of homes sold in 2025 through October had at least 1 price cut.  Those with price cuts averaged 3.7% below asking price.

The cost of staging is is way less than a price cut! In fact, staged homes sold for an average of 9% over ask price in the third quarter according to the Real Estate Staging Association.

25 Nov 2025 CNBC – “Sellers are taking their homes off the market at the fastest pace in nearly a decade”
-Roughly 15% of the homes that were delisted in September were at risk of selling at a loss, according to Redfin.
-Redfin found 70% of homes listed in September were on the market for 60 days or longer.  Colorado Springs is averaging 54 days or higher.
-The supply of homes for sale is about 15% higher now than it was a year ago.

Greater Supply = More Competition which demands better marketing.  Staged homes sold on average in 19 days in the third quarter according to the Real Estate Staging Association.

Video of Who Pays for Home Staging

One of the most frequently asked questions in regards to Real Estate Staging (Home Staging) is who pays the bill.  There are several options but here is what typically happens based on who contacts the home staging company or what is offered in the agent listing agreement:

Sellers – Sellers are pretty savvy these days and know that staged homes spend 73% less time on the market.  If a Realtor is not offering home staging as a service, sellers will call a staging company directly and pay all the fees.  Sometimes this happens if Realtors are discounting their fees or offer a “bargain stager” or “virtual” staging.  Sellers won’t settle for sub-par staging of their largest investment so will shop around for a professional stager.

Realtors  – Realtors who routinely use staging as part of their listing package understand the value of home staging and how it can bring a 5-15% higher sales price for their sellers.  These are high volume successful agents who pay for all the staging fees for up to 3 months, if necessary, as part of their overall marketing investment in addition to professional photos, 3-D renderings and video presentations to best market homes for maximum exposure and a quick sale at list price or higher.

Hybrid/Negotiated Terms – When the paying of staging fees is not clear in the listing agreement, it can always be negotiated.  Most common would be for the Realtor to pay for all fees the first 30 days and the seller to pay any additional rental fees thereafter if the home is still on the market.  Subsequent month fees can be 40-60% lower than initial fees so this option is a good compromise.  Sometimes the Realtors will pay for the labor of staging and de-staging and the seller will pay for all rental fees.  Anything can be negotiated and stagers can bill accordingly.

Pay at Closing – Not all staging companies offer this option but Front Range Stage does!  Click on this blog for more information.  If a stager partners with a “Pay at Close” vendor and the seller has good credit, this can be a painless and quick process to roll up any related moving costs, repairs, landscaping, and staging fees to be paid once the home sells.  The seller, stager and Realtor would all need to discuss this potential option early in the process of listing a home for sale.  Home repairs and upgraded features along with professional staging is an investment that pays off!  Otherwise, a dated home will sit on the market and undergo numerous price reductions or simply won’t sell.

Front Range Stage is the premier staging company in Colorado Springs and the surrounding front range areas of Colorado.  We are happy to answer any questions you have about how staging works or who pays for the staging…let our 19 years of experience guide you to a quick and efficient sale!

Looking for a stager with a proven track record who knows how to communicate and uses proven design strategies? Look no further than Front Range Stage, Colorado Springs Premier Home Staging professionals. We may be more expensive but that’s because we do it right with all the training, certifications and credentials necessary to ensure a smooth and beautiful real estate transformation. We hope the below infographic helps inspire trust with us for staging your largest investment…your home!

Notable® – Pay At Closing

Wanted to share some of what Front Range Stage has been up to lately to stay on par with Realtors who are constantly learning and evolving to be most helpful to clients.  We are certified staging professionals who belong to staging associations that demand high ethical standards, insurance coverage, transparent business practices, and continuing education. With over 18 yrs in business as the premier staging company in Colorado Springs, we have the breadth and depth of expertise to tackle any home selling challenge.

• Front Range Stage has been nominated again as the “Best of the Best” in Home Staging Excellence, Client Care and Leadership by the International Association of Home Staging Professionals
• Scored over 500 staging portfolios as a judge for the Real Estate Staging Association annual awards
• Attended the International Association of Home Staging Professionals Conference to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry
• Staged many beautiful homes that sold first month well under DOM averages

We are excited to announce we have been selected by Notable® to partner with them to offer sellers a  ‘Pay at Closing’ option to cover costs associated with preparing their home for sale.  This benefit is for sellers that already have a listing agreement in place:
https://notablefi.com/frontrangestage/apply
Home sellers may apply for an unsecured (no lien required) personal line of credit up to $50K. The application takes minutes and has no impact on your credit score when applying. The loan can be used for many home improvement projects and would be paid at closing. Interest rates could be as low as 1% per month with a good FICO and sufficient equity in the home.

This is a great option for sellers with dated homes who want to invest in making upgrades (or who need repairs) that could ultimately bring higher offers and help to sell a home faster. It can include costs associated with many home selling preparation projects (painting, landscaping, flooring, fencing), materials such as new appliances and roofing, as well as moving and storage (or even a temporary stay if needing to relocate during renovations). Most importantly…It’s a great way to ensure home staging is included in the budget now and paid for later which will help market the home for top dollar!

Front Range Stage can assist with any design work and project management tasks to ensure any planned upgrades are on trend and have a great Return on Investment.

Here is a video on Notable®:

https://vimeo.com/1088602409/1c55fa71ef

The International Association of Home Staging Professionals has awarded Front Range Stage with two awards in 2024. WINNER of the BEST of Home Staging Real Estate & Design: Staging Excellence AND Client Care Excellence.

We are also honored to be recognized as the Best Home Staging Company in the Colorado Springs market for the second year in a row from Quality Business Awards. Our years of experience and streamlined processes to include digital booking, contracts, and payment processing is just one example of our superior standards and customer ratings.

Front Range Stage was also recently featured in the News…click here for the full article.
2024 Colorado Springs Town Tidings Spotlight – Premier Home Staging Company in Colorado Springs

Front Range Stage Professional Stagers

Let’s talk choices. Home buyers and sellers have a lot of choices when hiring a Realtor to sell their largest investment. They can can go with a discount broker to try and save on the commission or interview and select a Realtor with solid experience and a great marketing package that includes professional photos and home staging. It’s the same with staging companies. There are those that offer discounts and stage with facebook market furniture and those companies that buy high-end décor from design markets, use certified/degreed stagers, and win International awards for the quality of their staging and their customer service. Front Range Stage is the latter and has been in business for over 18 years. Our awesome team of stagers were prestigiously rewarded for the second and third time this year! We aren’t the cheapest stagers in town because we employ proven business models and staging strategies. We are proud to partner with the most professional Realtors, investors, home builders and home owners who know the investment it takes to sell a home for the greatest profit. Don’t leave the home’s marketing to chance…hire a proven and accomplished group of professionals that will curate an elevated aesthetic to best market each unique home!

Are you tempted by virtual staging? Here is a quick list of Pros and Cons: