realtor.com
Staging a home isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s a move that can shape a buyer’s first impression and even boost your final sale price. But with limited time or budget, many sellers ask the same question: Which room matters the most?
The National Association of Realtors®’ 2025 Profile of Home Staging offers a clear answer, based on feedback from agents across the country. It turns out that one specific room has the biggest impact on how buyers perceive the rest of the home.
And it’s not the kitchen. Or the bathroom. Instead, the data points to a more emotional and visible space: the living room.
Why staging still matters to buyers
Home prices and mortgage rates might dominate the headlines, but staging still proves to be a powerful strategy. An impressive 83% of buyer's agents said staging helps buyers visualize a property as their future home, according to the 2025 NAR report.
That emotional connection matters, especially in a high-stakes market. Nearly 9 in 10 buyers are influenced by staging to some degree, with 60% of agents saying it sways some buyers and 26% saying it strongly shapes perception. When buyers are stretching financially, staging could be the nudge that makes a home feel worth it.
The clear winner: Stage this room first
Kitchens and bathrooms might get the renovation dollars, but when it comes to staging, the living room reigns supreme. According to the report, 37% of buyer's agents said the living room is the most important room to stage, followed by the primary bedroom (34%) and the kitchen (23%).
That tracks with what veteran agents see on the ground.
“Generally, if the first main room they see [like the living room] is a positive experience ... it sets the tone for the entire showing,” says Thomas McCormack, the senior partner and broker of record with Resource Real Estate, with over two decades of experience.
What about the kitchen and bedroom?
While the living room sets the tone, buyers still expect a cohesive experience throughout the home. That’s why Miltiadis Kastanis, director of new development sales at Compass, recommends prioritizing high-impact spaces when the budget is limited.
“There are ways to maximize the staging and styling investment by staging the great room and master bedroom with real furnishings and accessories and then doing virtual staging in the photos to help paint the full picture,” he says.
NAR data backs this up. Guest bedrooms, laundry rooms, and other lower-traffic areas can typically be skipped—only 7% of buyer's agents said guest rooms were “very important” to stage.
Does staging really raise your sale price?
Absolutely. According to the report, 17% of buyer's agents said staging increased offer prices by 1% to 5%, and 10% reported increases of 6% to 10%. In a competitive market, that could translate into tens of thousands of dollars.
Staging also plays a key role in visibility: 31% of buyer's agents said it made buyers more likely to visit a home they had first viewed online. That’s why agents like McCormack and Kastanis insist on making a strong first impression.
“When selling a home, it’s about eyes on the listings online and prospects through the door,” says Kastanis. “More eyes get more visits, and more visits translate into a better opportunity to get an offer. ... You have to make sure [your home] stands out and gives the feeling to that one buyer that they can live there.”
Kastanis adds that staging helps buyers visualize a home’s potential and focus on its strengths.
“When the home is staged, it takes the wonder out of what life would be like there.”
In other words, it grounds the imagination and helps highlight what’s important about the property.
What buyers expect (blame TV)
Years of binge-worthy design shows have raised the bar—nearly half of agents (48%) say their clients expect homes to look straight out of HGTV. And when reality doesn’t match the fantasy, 58% report buyers leave disappointed.
That’s why clean lines, clutter-free surfaces, and emotional impact matter more than ever—especially in the first three rooms a buyer sees.
“I always stress making those first three rooms as perfect as possible: showroom-ready,” says McCormack. “Or what I like to call ‘mother-in-law ready!’”
