spent 2,100 staging bedrooms. every comment was about the kitchen.

First house I ever sold, small three bed, and I wanted to do it properly so I hired a stager. I told her my budget was around 2,000 and she asked which rooms mattered most. I said the bedrooms, because they were the smallest and I thought they needed the most help.

So we did the primary, both secondaries, and a hallway console. 2,100 for a four week placement.

The kitchen had original cabinets, one window, and a light fixture that made everything look yellow. We left it completely alone because it was clean and I thought clean was enough.

Six showings, and the agent sent me the feedback. Five of the six mentioned the kitchen. Two said dated, one said dark, one said would need work right away. Nobody said one word about a bedroom, good or bad.

Sold eventually at 8k under list after 51 days. I'm not saying the kitchen cost me 8k, I have no way to know that. But I spent my entire staging budget on the rooms nobody had an opinion about.

What I'd do differently: ask the stager which rooms buyers actually comment on in this price band, and then shut up and let her answer. She'd have known. I made the decision for her because I was paying.