Who pays for staging when I sell my home—me or my agent?
By Alessandra Imanabadi · Nationwide Fine Homes
Usually, staging is a seller’s preparation expense unless the agent has agreed to include or contribute toward it. But who pays is only half the conversation. The other half is what your home actually needs.
The first time a buyer meets your home may be on a phone screen late at night. The photographs need to help that person understand the space and feel that a visit is worthwhile. When they arrive, the home needs to deliver that same experience.
Buy the right preparation, not a furniture package
Often, more of your own furniture can stay than you expect. A few pieces leave. A room opens up. A floor lamp gives a dark corner some warmth. Decluttering can accomplish more than an expensive addition.
One home may justify $15,000 of staging; another may need $2,000 of carefully chosen help. Those are examples of different scopes, not a standard quote. Your agent should explain the recommendation room by room and remain sensitive to your money.
Having walked through more than 3,500 homes, I bring buyers’ reactions into that preparation: what made a room feel cramped, what looked better online and what helped someone imagine living there.
Understand the payment arrangement
When an agent offers to pay, ask what is included, whether the contribution changes the service agreement and what happens if the home does not sell. I have also arranged for staging companies to be paid through escrow, subject to their agreement. Deferred payment is not the same as a waived expense.
NAR’s 2025 survey found that 49% of sellers’ agents observed shorter marketing time with staging, while 29% reported offers 1%–10% higher. Those are agents’ observations, not a promised return for your property.
Your agent should help you buy the preparation the sale deserves—not the largest package available.
A preliminary walk-through can give you that understanding before you decide to list. I would be pleased to hear your plans and explain what I would recommend—and what I would leave alone. You can consider the advice and decide whether my approach feels right for you.
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Alessandra Imanabadi
Co-Founder · Real Estate Advisor · Licensed Broker
Nationwide Fine Homes
510-504-2528
alessandra@123nationwide.com
nationwidefinehomes.com
California DRE #01390368 · NMLS #328245
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