February 23rd, 2021

Guest Post: Home Staging for The Real Estate Market with Maureen Kennedy, USC™ of stagehomesright.ca

Stage Right is both a Home Staging and ReDesign service. They work with homeowners, real estate professionals, investors, and builders to provide quality home staging that will bring top dollar sales in your target market. Here's what they had to say about staging your home for listing: 

Staging is about making your home visually appealing and welcoming to prospective buyers. In many homes only minor tweaks or temporary adjustments are needed to make your home presentable. 

​Here are 5 major tips & tricks I always tell my clients:

1. Depersonalize:

Our homes are filled with memories that tell our story, but we don’t live in our homes like we sell them. Remove personal items such as family photos, trophies, and sentimental items. Maybe paint that bright coloured wall to neutralize the space, so that prospective buyers can see the chapter of their story as soon as they walk through the front door. ​

2. Declutter:

The biggest reason people give for moving to a new house is lack of space in their current house. They feel they have outgrown the space. They are therefore looking for a home that gives them that space, and more to grow into. If they come to your home and see that you are running out of space, it’s the biggest turnoff you could give. Simple decluttering will really make all the difference. Simply pack away items that you don’t need until after the move, to make more space in the house.

3. Clean:

A clean home shows potential buyers that you've taken good care of the property. Ideally, you should clean every part of the house, from the floors to the ceilings—and everything in between. Make sure your appliances are spotless inside and out. Likewise, make sure your bathrooms sparkle, from the corners of the tub, to the sink drain, to that spot behind the toilet you don't think anyone can see. Your goal should be to make everything look new.

4.  Making the Most of your Space. 

​Every room should have its own purpose and function as it was originally to be. An example, if a dining room is being used as children’s playroom, then the children’s toys should be moved to another location in the house and proper dining room furniture be set up. Only 10% of the population can see the rooms potential if being used for an alternative purpose.

5. Curb Appeal: 

​Before a buyer even steps through your front door, you’ve created a first impression. Keeping the outside of your home clean and tidy improves your home’s curb appeal and will make a difference when you’re looking to sell. Simply paint the front door, replace old hardware, tidy your garden and spruce up your entrance by placing a chair and small table to the side of the door.

Listing Cheat Sheet: