Seller guides

Stage your home on a budget.

Start with what you own and a limit you set. Pick what you have to work with below and get the order to spend it in.

You have

The home is

Spend only on a named need

Start here: Clear and rearrange. Then Clean what buyers see, then Buy for a named need.

1
Clear and rearrangeStart here
Move or remove what you already own before you replace a single piece. Pack what you can live without and give everyday items a drawer.
What you ownnothing to buy
- Take a doorway photo of each room
- Sort: keep, pack or let go
- Remove one piece before buying one
- Leave usable space in closets
2
Clean what buyers see
Dust first, wipe surfaces next and finish with the floors. Wash the bedding and towels you plan to display.
Supplies you havefill gaps only
- Sink, cooktop and cabinet fronts
- Mirrors, glass and fixtures
- Front door and entry floor
- Fix odors at the source
3
Buy for a named need
Once the free work is done, spend only on a problem you can point to: a failed bulb, a worn mat, a towel cleaning won't improve.
A limit you setdecided before you shop
- Set the limit first
- One problem per purchase
- Keep a reserve for what you missed
- Leave it unspent if you already own it

A spending order, not a vendor quote or a promise of higher proceeds.

Read the full staging guide

Which list does it go on?

Staging helps buyers understand the home, not hide its condition. Sort what you notice before you spend on it.

Staging

Use what you already own

Staging: Clutter on counters and shelves
Staging: A failed bulb or a dim corner
Staging: Seating that blocks the route through

Repairs

Advice and a quote first

Repairs: A stain from an active leak
Repairs: Maintenance issues in the bathrooms
Repairs: Anything you'd cover with furniture

Disclosures

Say what you know

Disclosures: A problem you already know about
Disclosures: Damage staging mustn't conceal
Disclosures: Unfinished work that could look done

Hired work

Quoted separately, in writing

Hired work: Rooms that are empty
Hired work: More cleaning than your time allows
Hired work: Furniture rental and storage

For hired work, cut the decor budget first. For empty rooms, compare transport, the minimum rental term and removal.

One change per room

Work with what you own first. In walk-through order: make the one change that matters and leave the rest alone.

Room-by-room staging: the one change to make and what to leave alone
Room	The one changeDo this	Leave it aloneDon't spend here
Where the visit starts
Entry	Clear the approach and make the door and house number easy to find.	A clean mat you already have. Replace it only if it's worn.
Living room	Arrange seating around one purpose, with a clear route through.	Your furniture. Take one piece out before buying anything.
Kitchen	Clear the counter overflow and clean everything visible.	Working cabinets and appliances. Keep daily essentials reachable.
Private rooms
Primary bedroom	Straighten the bedding, clear the bedside and check the doorway view.	A new matching set. Use what you own first.
Bathrooms	Clean mirrors and fixtures, put products away and set out fresh towels.	Maintenance issues. Put them on the repairs list instead.
Light and outside
Light and windows	Open the coverings and replace failed bulbs. Check each room at photo time.	The paint. Check the bulbs before repainting an odd-looking wall.
Outdoor space	Tidy the patio, balcony or yard and give it one clear use.	Bigger landscaping projects, and any extra furniture.

Before photos and each showing: put away packing materials and cleaning bottles, make the beds, wipe sinks and counters, and empty the trash.

You are one call away from your local selling team

FAQ

What sellers ask before they spend on prep, answered straight.

Three things: what you have to work with (your time, a small budget or hired help), whether the home is lived in or vacant, and what the household can keep ready before every showing. The planner at the top turns those into a spending order.

Set a limit from your home's needs and the budget you have, then get separate quotes for professional labor, rental furniture, storage and repairs. An occupied condo and a vacant house won't share a number.

Yes. Give everyday items an easy place to go, pack what you can do without and keep a photo of each finished room. A short reset before showings is more practical than a setup your household can't keep.

The guided plan, $2,500 flat and paid upfront, includes staging guidance while you lead the sale. Stelo is not your listing agent on that plan. Full service, 1% at close with a $3,500 minimum, includes a licensed agent's help planning the prep and professional photos. Hired staging, furniture rental, cleaning and repairs are priced separately on both.

No. Presentation is one factor alongside asking price, condition, competing homes and buyer demand. Treat preparation spending as a considered decision, not a guaranteed return.

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