All I did was....Home Staging Success Stories

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Home Owners the importance of Staging to create a visual of family time in a home. When buyers are looking on the web at the listing photos, they want to see how they could live in your property. A vacant home does not create a sense of how big a room is or how the family could envision themselves living there. The purpose of your listing photos are to gain attention, create desire and initiate immeditate action- a viewing and an offer.

In the before photo you can see the detail in the features of the room. The marble fireplace and the window trim  and ceiling detail are nice, but they are also in every other listing in the area.

The after photo grabs the attention of the buyer that is clicking through listing photos every few seconds. It does this by giving them something to look at that they do not see in other listings. It draws them in to want to see more.  More importantly, it gets the buyer to put your listing on their "Must See List".

All I did in this property in Thornhill was add artwork that draws the buyer's eye up to the detail in the ceiling, textured furniture to add warmth to the room and positioned the furniture to draw attention to the marble fireplace.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Home Owners the importance of fully Staging a property. By Staging a Master Bedroom with the usual bed, dressers, end tables etc. you may think that you have Staged the room. I believe that to create desire and initiate action on the buyer's part to put in an offer you must create the "one thing" that your property has and all the others do not have.

All I did in this master bedroom in Thornhill was create a cozy reading nook that looked out over the rear treed lot. And who wouldn't want to live in a home that had a room that would seduce you to snuggle in and get away from it all. The feeling that the room invokes now is one of retreating from the stress of the day and relaxing in their very own hide away. When you arrive at the top of the staircase, looking down the hall to the Master Bedroom, this is the view that entices you into the Master Bedroom.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Home Owners the importance in this very competitive market to Stage when a property is vacant. When buyers are looking at listings on the net or come through your property, it is very difficult for the average person to gauge how much space there is to set up their furniture. Don't leave this up to the buyer's imagination. Paint the picture for the buyer to achieve your desired result...a viewing and an offer. Professional Staging will create demand/desire by providing an inviting look for your listing photos and getting your property on the buyer's "must see list".

When furniture is placed for good flow in a room, it allows the buyer to see how they could set up their furniture and how they could use the space. It is important to use the proper scale furniture, lamps and artwork in a room so the buyer makes a connection with your property. The buyer must be made to feel comfortable immediately so that you will hear them say..."I don't know what it is about this place, but I feel at home here".

In this vacant property in Thornhill, all I did was give the living room a warm look using soft textured furniture and artwork that relayed the story of inviting friends over for good times. Staging the room in this way will prompt the buyer to see themselves entertaining their friends in their comfy, inviting living room.

Sellers are looking for Realtors that offer value added services and buyers are looking for the perfect house that they can just move into.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact Priceless.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners the value of decluttering. Potential buyers cannot see past your personal belongings to appreciate the beautiful granite counter tops that you so lovingly picked out. They cannot see the fabulous stainless steel appliances that will make their lives so much easier. And they certainly won't envision inviting their friends and family over to sit at the granite counter while you serve them a cappuccino while you make your latest masterpiece in the kitchen.

Show buyers the lifestyle they could be living in your gourmet kitchen and you will have them bringing offers  to the table.

In this kitchen in the Beaches in Toronto all I did was replace the pine stools with dark wood shinto style stools, hung modern artwork and decluttered.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example, I would like to demonstrate the critical importance of furniture placement when selling a home.

On viewing listings on the MLS, buyers will not place your listing on their "Must See List" if your photos do not show the space and scale of a room properly. Placing the furniture in a way that is not a distraction to the room is a very important part of marketing a home.

The before and after photos show how well placed furniture actually makes the room look larger. And in Real Estate, we are always selling space and light. The two most sought after features in any property.

In this dining room in The Beaches in Toronto all I did was position the furniture to allow everyone to sit around the table without feeling crowded, added artwork showing people getting together for a good time and installed a proper dining room light fixture. Now buyers can see how they could have their family and friends over for dinner and fabulous get togethers.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example, I would like to demonstrate to Realtors and Homeowners the importance that colour and decluttering has when marketing a property on line to get onto "The Must See List" of buyers. In this room all I did was paint a neutral colour, use bedding in a less busy pattern, hang appropriate artwork and declutterd.

It's a well known fact that vibrant colours do not show well on listing photos. It is much more appealing to see a neutral backdrop in a room to allow the scale of the room to be highlighted.

The second important step in marketing the space in a room is to declutter. Excess furniture should be stored off the premises to allow the buyer to see how they could live in this room. Does it have enough space for their things? To accomplish this you must show as much floor space as you can. It also allowed the beautiful wood floors to be featured.

In this property in The Beaches in Toronto the final step is to make sure that patterns in fabrics do not distract from the focal point of the room. In Real Estate you are selling space and light. By using a lighter coloured bedding ensemble it created a more open feel to the room. Now buyers are able to see how they could move their belongings into this room.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example, I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners the importance of decluttering and storing items that are not essential to everyday living. By doing this, you allow buyers to see the scale of the room in the listing photos so they can see how they could live in your home. It allows the function of the room to shine through for all to see.

This is a critical part of the Home Staging process to market the home and get it on the "Must See List" of buyers. In this room all I did was reposition the furniture to create a conversation area and ease of movement through the room, added lighting, an area rug and decluttered.

In the before photo you cannot see how warm and inviting this living room was. It really needed to be decluttered to allow the ambience of the room to be featured. Now this living room in The Beaches in Toronto makes you feel at home as soon as you enter the front door and look into this room right off the foyer.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example, I would like to demonstrate the importance of addressing negative issues to stop offers from coming in from buyers in the main bathroom of this property.

For some reason, when the previous owners renovated the main bathroom, they installed the sink on the wall below the window instead of on the opposite wall where they could have mounted a mirror and cabinet for storage.

Moving the sink was out of the question, so I did the next best thing. All I did in this room was suggest installing a mirror on an expandable arm so the new owners could see their face to wash or shave. I also suggested that a storage cabinet be installed above the toilet for storing personal bathroom neccesssities.

In this property in The Beaches in Toronto the before and after photos clearly show the immediate benefits of the simple, cost effective minor improvements to this room. The buyers are now able to see how they could use the room and not be inconvenienced by the lack of a mirror or storage options.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example, I would like to demonstrate how important it is to create a cozy retreat from the world in a Master Bedroom. The potential buyer must make an emotional connection to the home and there is no better way than to create an image of coming home to nest.

In this property in The Beaches in Toronto the before and after photos demonstrate the dramatic difference that bedding and artwork play in creating this welcoming feel. Now the master bedroom has buyers saying I want to live here. In this room all I did was add bedding, lamps and artwork that tied in with the warm paint colour on the walls and the beautifull hardwood floors. The overall effect was one of a romantic getaway weekend in your very own home. And who wouldn't want that?

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In our market, the furniture rental supply companies are actually running out of furniture to rent. They have been in business for 30 years and this is the busiest year they have ever had.

I asked why in their opinion. They said that the market has changed and  it has become a buyer's market, and they cannot keep stock around. More Realtors than ever before are waking up to the idea that Staging will help market their listings saving them money on advertising. Yeah!!!!

I actually had to go pick up a rental couch with a client in Toronto as they couldn't deliver before the open house that was booked in 2 days. Due to the increased demand they are experiencing, it was either pick it up or wait 1 week for delivery. If you have ever driven across the 401 from Scarborough to the Yorkdale Mall area you know how congested it is at 4 o'clock and they close at 5. Plus, the TV crew from HGTV, The Unsellables was coming to film so I had to make it happen to keep the Staing process on schedule.

I don't usually lift things that heavy, but the client said he would hold up his end of the sofa,no problem. I should have known better. I think I pulled a muscle.

So fear not Stagers. When you watch the Stagers show on HGTV and see the Stagers scrambling to solve all the problems that arise on a job, know that it will all turn out in the end. My listing set a benchmark price in the neighbourhood and sold in 3 weeks.

All I have to do now is find my keys so I can go home  after another long day Home Staging. Where are my keys, I know I left them some place obvious.  Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.  This property is now SOLD!