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Empty rooms don’t always feel bigger, ultra-modern furniture can alienate buyers, and online photos sometimes matter more than inspections. Vault Interiors’ Justine Wilson explains just why understanding buyer psychology is essential to staging homes that sell faster and for more.
Agents must take the time to understand buyer psychology to improve their listings, with property styling playing a critical role in helping buyers emotionally connect with a home, visualise its functionality, and decide instinctively whether to attend an inspection.
However, too often, vendors and stylists can make the property too fashionable or empty, leaving buyers disconnected and unable to picture themselves living in the space.
Vault Interiors director Justine Wilson said the right staging is less about reflecting personal taste and more about selling a lifestyle that resonates with buyers across different scenarios.
“Styling has to highlight the features of the property without alienating anyone. Whether it’s a family home, a city unit, or a downsizer’s retreat, the goal is to make the home aspirational and functional,” Wilson said on a recent REB podcast.
She explained that this means subtle highlighting: drawing attention to a property’s unique features in ways that appeal to the target demographic without shutting out a broader audience.
It could mean referencing the beach with coastal tones in one suburb, showcasing an industrial inner-city look in another, or creating a practical family-friendly layout in the suburbs.
The goal, however, is always the same: to help buyers imagine themselves in the property.
“Good styling also makes a property feel liveable. You want people to walk through and immediately understand how they could live in the home,” Wilson added.
A common misconception among vendors is that empty rooms appear larger and therefore more appealing, but Wilson warned this often has the opposite effect. Without furniture, many buyers struggle to grasp the dimensions and practicality of a space.
“Most people can’t walk in and visualise how a bed or desk will fit into a room, so emptiness becomes a barrier. By physically showing furniture, you prove value and function,” she explained.
This kind of demonstration can also turn overlooked corners into selling points. A neglected space under the stairs, for example, can be styled as a home office or study nook, reframing the property as more versatile and valuable than comparable homes nearby.
Wilson said filling a property thoughtfully also prevents it from being dismissed too quickly when buyers are browsing online listings, where first impressions are often made in seconds.
“An empty property with tired carpets will never stand out against a comparable listing that’s freshly painted and styled beautifully. Staging convinces buyers to click through and ultimately show up to the open home,” she said.
This is where buyer psychology comes into sharper focus. With packed Saturday inspection schedules, most prospective buyers can only visit a handful of properties in person, making it crucial that listings stand out on platforms like realestate.com.au and Domain.
“The online photos are your dating profile. You don’t go onto Tinder in your pyjamas, you present yourself at your best. Properties need the same polish to secure inspection spots,” Wilson said.
She noted that the decision-making process is often quick and instinctual, with buyers scrolling rapidly before narrowing down which homes to see in person. In this environment, a well-styled home has a far better chance of making the shortlist.
Once buyers do attend an open home, professional styling helps reinforce their decision to bid, showing how each room can function and encouraging an emotional connection with the space.
“People aren’t just buying four walls, they’re buying the lifestyle they imagine within those walls. Styling gives them that vision,” Wilson said.
With market conditions becoming increasingly competitive, Wilson argued that styling should be seen as an investment rather than an optional add-on, helping vendors achieve quicker sales and potentially higher prices.
Industry research supports this perspective, with staged homes consistently attracting more buyers, spending less time on market, and generating stronger competition at auction compared to their unstaged counterparts.
Ultimately, Wilson said, property styling is both an art and a science, blending design sensibility with buyer psychology to create listings that inspire action, stand out in crowded marketplaces, and deliver the best possible outcomes for agents and vendors alike.
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