Every seller asks this first, so here is the real answer: it depends on whether the house is empty, how many rooms buyers will actually look at, and how long it needs to stay staged. Those three things drive almost all of the cost.
Vacant staging is the most expensive option because everything has to come in: furniture, rugs, art, lighting, bedding, kitchen and bath styling. A condo or small single-family typically starts in the low thousands for the first month. Larger homes with more rooms, a finished basement, or a home office cost more. Most staging companies price a base term plus a monthly extension if the house does not sell.
Occupied staging costs considerably less because we work with what you own. A half-day edit and styling session with a few rental pieces to fill gaps is usually the best value for a seller still living in the house.
A staging consultation, which is a walkthrough and a written plan you execute yourself, is the cheapest option and often the one we recommend for sellers on a tight budget. Paint, decluttering, and lighting changes are cheap and they show up in photos.
When does it pay for itself? Staged homes consistently sell faster and, in our own flips, for more than unstaged comparables. On a Greater Boston price point, a small percentage lift is a lot larger than the staging invoice. The math stops working only when the house is priced wrong, and staging cannot fix a price.
If you want a number for your specific house, send photos and a floor plan through the contact page. We quote quickly and the quote is the price.