Is staging worth the expense?
You should evaluate staging for the ROI (Return on Investment) you’ll receive in the same way you evaluate the benefit of updating your kitchen or replacing carpets before listing the home.
Staging is an investment in market preparation that you should recover with a quick offer. A quick offer will save you the carrying cost while the home is for sale, and also avoid a price reduction. Each of those real costs of a slow sale probably exceed your staging investment by a considerable margin. Staging is often tax deductible as well – ask your tax advisor.