Real estate professionals surveyed by NAR were almost evenly split on whether a staged home commands a higher sales price. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed believe that staging increases a home’s value from 1 percent to 20 percent, with most estimating that a staged home sells for 1 percent to 5 percent more. Twenty-five percent of respondents said that staging has no impact on a home’s dollar value, while 26 percent were unsure of its effect.

Hepp’s research found that the median sales price of staged homes sold by Pacific Union in the Bay Area was $1,075,000, while the median price for nonstaged homes was $742,355. However, it is not clear whether staging itself led to higher prices, since it is possible that those selling higher-priced homes were willing to spend the additional money.