Quick Wins: 5 DIY Staging Tips That Make a Big Impact
It’s official: for the first time since 2016, the Scottsdale North real estate market has shifted into buyer territory.
That means the days of homes selling in the first weekend — sometimes with multiple offers and waived contingencies — are fading. Today, buyers have more options, more leverage, and more time to make decisions. And that changes everything for sellers.
In this new market reality, staging is no longer optional. It’s essential.
What Changed?
When demand outpaces supply, sellers have the upper hand. Homes can fly off the shelves even if they’re dated, cluttered, or not photo-ready. But in a buyer’s market — like we’re in now — buyers get choosy. They compare, they nitpick, and they walk away easily. In a market like this, they are actually looking for reasons to exclude your home from their list!
That’s exactly what we’re seeing in Scottsdale North. Listings of houses for sale shot up almost 53% during the past year, according to the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service, and days on market are increasing dramatically. Sellers who don’t adapt to this shift are seeing fewer showings and lower offers — or worse, no offers at all. And when price cuts hit the MLS, it’s hard to regain momentum.
In a competitive environment, presentation isn’t a luxury — it’s a strategy. The homes that stand out are those that feel move-in ready, welcoming, and well-cared for. That’s what staging delivers.
What Is Staging, Really?
Staging isn’t about making your home look like a Pinterest board. It’s about creating a space that feels fresh, clean, and inviting — so buyers can imagine themselves living there. That emotional connection is often what nudges someone from interested to offer.
Here in Scottsdale North, staging also signals that a home is well-maintained. That matters to buyers — specially those coming from out of state, looking for a smooth, low-stress transition. A well-staged home gives them confidence and peace of mind.
Why It Pays Off
You don’t need a full remodel to compete — just a strategic presentation. In fact, most staging involves editing, not adding. That means clearing out clutter, brightening rooms, and arranging furniture to show off space and flow. And the payoff can be significant. According to the National Association of Realtors, 17% of buyer agents say staging increases the amount buyers are willing to offer — often by as much as 5%. Other national studies report that staged homes sell 88% faster and for 10–20% more than similar homes that weren’t staged. In a buyer’s market, that kind of advantage is huge.
We’re seeing it locally too. In Scottsdale North, clean, well-staged homes are drawing strong showing activity — and often multiple interested buyers — even while comparable unstaged homes sit. And once a home lingers, it often ends up chasing the market with price reductions. The unfortunate truth is once that first price cut hits the MLS, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong.
Staging won’t fix every issue, but it helps buyers focus on a home’s best features, not its flaws. It gives your home a fighting chance to stand out and sell for what it’s really worth.
Want to Go a Step Further?
If you’re preparing your home and want a little more structure, we’ve created a downloadable Scottsdale North Home Prep Kit — a simple, practical guide built from what works here in our community.
Inside, you’ll find:
• A full room-by-room staging checklist
• Smart, low-cost upgrade ideas
• Before-and-after examples from real homes like yours
And most importantly — it features a perfect real-life example from this spring. Two nearly identical homes in Terravita went on the market just weeks apart. One followed our prep plan and staged. The other didn’t. The difference? At least $135,000. You’ll see side-by-side photos that show exactly how staging changed the outcome.
Download your free copy at:
ScottGaertnerGroup.com/HomePrepKit. Or just give us a call. Every suggestion we make follows one simple rule: if it won’t give you at least double your money back, we won’t recommend it. We cover the cost of top-tier stagers, connect you with trusted local vendors, and guide you through exactly what’s worth doing — and what’s not. With the right plan in place, you can relax knowing you’ve done everything you can to get top dollar.
