We stage every home we list, and we have tracked the results for six years. Staged homes in our portfolio sell nine days faster on average and for 3.8% more than comparable unstaged homes. Here is what actually moves the needle.

1. Remove a third of everything

Furniture, books, kitchen counters, closets. Buyers need to see space, and space is the one thing you cannot fake in a photo.

2. Paint the front door

The cheapest, highest-return job in real estate. Pick a colour that shows up from the street.

3. Fix the lighting

Every bulb the same warm white, every lamp on for showings, every window cleaned. Photographs are 80% light.

4. Rent the sofa

If your sofa is tired, rent a neutral one for six weeks. It is the single piece of furniture in every listing photo.

5. Make the primary bedroom a hotel room

White bedding, two lamps, nothing on the dresser. Buyers project themselves into it instantly.

6. Stage the outdoor space

A table, two chairs and a plant turn a patio into a room. Rooms are what buyers pay for.

7. Skip the expensive kitchen remodel

New hardware, a painted island and a clear counter return more than a $40,000 renovation ever will before a sale.

June runs our staging programme and works with a small team of stylists in every city. Staging is included on every Haven listing.