Staged homes sell and rent faster says Japan Home Staging Association
- Adam German
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A growing number of real estate professionals in Japan are embracing home staging as a key sales and leasing strategy, according to the 2024 Home Staging White Paper released by the Japan Home Staging Association on July 24th.
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The report is based on the association’s 8th annual survey, covering January through December 2024, with responses from 171 real estate professionals and 136 home staging and related businesses.
Sharp Rise in Use Across Tokyo
The number of home staging cases in Tokyo increased by 7.1% year-on-year, driven by surging housing demand and intensifying competition in the capital. Staging has gained traction as a tool to make properties more appealing in a market where first impressions can make or break deals.
Across Japan, the trend is most prevalent in major metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo metropolitan area, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
Staging Cuts Time to Close for Sales
Among for-sale properties, 30% sold within one month after staging, and nearly 20% closed within two weeks. On average, 70% of such properties closed within two months.
Properties that were “difficult to sell,” older, or poorly located were the most common targets for staging. High-end listings have also seen increased staging, now the second-most frequent category.
The average staging budget per property was ¥100,000–¥200,000, with 38.9% of professionals now outsourcing to specialized staging firms - up from in-house staging in previous years.
This shift is attributed to the need for higher-quality presentation in the growing luxury segment.
Staging Boosts Rental Appeal and Rent Levels
In the rental market, staging was mainly used for long-vacant units or hard-to-rent layouts. Approximately 60% of such properties saw tenants sign within two months of staging, and 55% of landlords reported shorter leasing times.
Notably, 60% of landlords were able to increase rents post-staging:
50% raised rent by 1–4%
10.6% raised rent by 5% or more
These gains were especially prominent in high-rent units in Greater Tokyo, where rising rent levels have made tenants more selective. Creating an impression that justifies the price has become essential.
Despite the results, most rental staging is still handled in-house by property managers, due to budget constraints.
High Satisfaction Among Sellers and Landlords
The impact of staging extends beyond speed and pricing. Among surveyed real estate professionals:
43.3% reported higher conversion rates after viewings
31.6% said viewer numbers increased
84.2% of property owners were satisfied with the results
The association noted that staging is increasingly becoming a standard practice. In fact, 22.2% of respondents said they had been consistently implementing staging for over five years.
Further Reading:
2024 Home Staging White Paper by the Japan Home Staging Association (Japanese only)
Source:
R.E. Port News (Japanese only)
