That is more in a single year than the whole estimated cost of staging the London 2012 Olympics.

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And yet, it isn't clear whether the cost of staging, which can range from a couple of hundred dollars for a consultation to several thousand dollars for a complete makeover, is justified.

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Bakker said the number of broadcasters that share the cost of organising and staging the event enables them to keep it "affordable".

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Ms. Eisen, president of New York-based home-staging company Interior Marketing Group, said she buys most of the furnishings at a fraction of their retail cost through websites like Craigslist and secondhand stores.

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