Is property styling worth it when selling a house?

The Melbourne property market is tricky at the moment. The ball is no longer in the seller’s court, it’s very much in the buyer’s hands. It makes sense, then, to do everything in your power to make your home look fabulous and inviting. Property styling (you might also hear it called house staging) is one of the biggest parts of that, and right now it matters more than ever.

The short answer: Is property styling worth it? In my experience, yes. A styled home gives buyers a good feeling the moment they walk in, draws their eye away from the flaws, shows them how big each room really is, and makes your agent’s job a lot easier. Here’s how each of those works.

Styling sells a feeling

I’m not sure about you, but when I’ve been looking to buy, a big part of knowing if a place is right is the feeling I get when I walk through the front door. It’s that little voice saying, “oh, I like this.” Intuition, gut feel, emotions, whatever you want to call it, it does a lot of the deciding.

That’s why the entry matters so much. The property needs to feel fresh, inviting and homely from the moment buyers step in. A well-styled entry gets an emotional response before anyone’s even looked at the floor plan. You want buyers thinking with their heart, not their head.

The outside counts too. Before the first open, make sure the porch and front path are immaculate. A freshly swept porch, a nice new door mat and a pot plant set the scene for what’s inside. (It’s also the cheapest bit of styling you’ll ever do.)

Styling distracts the eye

Many older properties have little imperfections here and there. Short of a major renovation, they’re just part of the deal. Ugly flooring, small cracks, wonky walls, not-so-perfect window frames, dated cupboards. You know the ones. Good styling gives buyers something better to look at, so they notice the colour and the furniture, not the hairline crack above the door.

Scale, scale, scale

The average person finds it really hard to picture how big a space is, especially when it’s empty. Apart from setting the mood, styling shows buyers the scale of each room. Walk into an empty room and the first question is usually, “what can I fit in here?” When I style a property, I measure every room, and each piece is chosen not just for how it looks, but for how big it is.

People assume a single bed will make a room feel bigger than a double. But a double bed is only about 45cm wider than a single. Showing a double bed fitting comfortably in a bedroom gives people confidence that they can actually live there. And if a double fits, they can picture that same space as a decent home office or a kid’s room with space to play.

The same goes for large open-plan living areas. It can be tricky to work out how to zone the furniture, and a big empty room can feel more confusing than impressive. Zone it well and buyers can see exactly how they’d live in the space: where the sofa goes, where the dining table sits, where the kids will dump their school bags.

It makes your agent’s job easier

The more amazing your home looks, the easier your agent’s job. They can confidently show off the home’s potential, without buyers getting stuck on the little flaws.

The feedback I regularly get is that styled houses sell more quickly and easily.

A good agent will talk buyers through how they could live in the space and what the possibilities are. But if the home is styled, most of that hard work is already done.

So, is property styling worth it?

For most sellers, yes. Styling won’t fix a cracked slab or a busy main road, but it helps buyers fall for what’s there, see how each room works, and look past the bits that aren’t perfect.

If you’re getting ready to sell, get in touch and I’m happy to talk through what your home needs.

Property styling FAQs

What’s the difference between property styling and house staging?

Nothing, really. They’re two names for the same thing. “Styling” is the more common term in Australia, while “staging” gets used more in the US and UK.

When should I book a property stylist?

Start thinking about styling as soon as you start chatting to agents. Ideally, I would view a property 2-3 weeks before the photography and then the styling takes place a day or two before the photos are taken. The photos are most buyers’ first look at your home, so you want the styling in place for the shoot, not added afterwards.

How much does property styling cost?

It depends on the size of the home, whether it’s empty or lived-in, and how long the furniture hire runs. Styling typically starts from $2,500.