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

This home staging in Vaughan had me perplexed at first. I really wanted the kitchen cabinets that were installed in the eating are removed. They seemed to be floating in mid air, they really needed to come down. Or I thought, they really need something below them to balance them out on the wall.

In the end, our team did neither.

We staged the white cabinet with a brand new set of dishes that the client had tucked away in the basement. While I was down there, I spotted (no pun intended) the cow theme seats on two, older looking black chairs. As stagers, we all know we have to keep our eyes open to find the hidden gems in the houses that we stage.

This is what Adantage Staging did to create a modern, funky kitchen that would appeal to the younger families moving in to this neighbourhood.

Kitchen Before Staging

Kitchen After Staging

It worked. This home sold in two weeks just before Christmas. A tough time to sell according to some people. Simple, effective staging ideas created by using things from the home owner. A dish set, three red apples on a white ceramic tray, and two cow theme chairs that now show seating for six people instead of four.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Remember, staging is always less than the first price reduction.

When you are ready to sell, Advantage Staging is ready to be part of your marketing strategy.

 

Michelle Finnamore      416.928.2999

Michelle Finnamore Interiors Ltd.

See our new showroom at 9100 Jane Street. Bldg. L Ste 77 Vaughan

Hunter Douglas Window Coverings, Sun Glow Window Coverings, Custom Headboards and Finishes.

 

Home staging in Vaughan Advantage Staging sees many very nice homes with beautiful large bathrooms but no artwork. Most people are afraid to commit to a piece of artwork so they never get around to hanging any. 

I believe artwork and lighting are two things that show buyers the lifestyle they are looking for in a new home. It is a very important detail of staging and can make or break the feeling you are trying to create in a home.

The opposite can happen as well. The home owner will have totally inappropriate artwork hung in the most public spaces in their home. Ever see the dreaded nude in the dining room? I have several times. It is the first thing I put into storage when I do see it as buyers spend precious time discussing it instead of looking at the features in the property.

All I did in this home was place a large canvas of the morning fog lifting off the ocean to create a restful sanctuary for buyers who visit this property for sale.  The artwork creates an ambience in the master ensuite that buyers will remember when they visit the many properties for sale.

  

This property sold in a 3 days for 98% of list. The buyers remarked that the home "felt" right to them.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless. 

Professional home staging is always less than the first price reduction.

Let Advantage Staging create a home that is staged to attract buyers, have less days on market and help you build a loyal client base who will refer you to others.

Michelle Finnamore CCSP     Advantage Staging         416.928.2999

9100 Jane St.  Ste. 77  Vaughan

 

As a home stager in Vaughan, I thought I had seen every conceivable type of chandelier from every decade.

Homeowners ask if there is any way of leaving the dated chandelier installed and adding crystals to the arms of the chandelier to update the look. This client actually added Barbie dolls suspended upside down and crystals.

I'm thinking just the crystals would have done the trick.

When you are considering listing your home for sale, Advantage Staging will make suggestions for replacement lighting that will suit every budget and look appropriate in the home for sale.

Just one more reason that calling in a professional home stager can save you time and money when you are preparing your house for sale.

Fact #1 -sellers are usually not interested in investing money into new light fixtures for a home that they are leaving.

Fact #2 - Lighting is one of the least expensive upgrades you can make to your home that will reap the most pay back on the money spent.

Home Depot sells a line for contractors that has a satin nickel finish and white shades. From $49 to $125 you can replace any light in your house for an updated look that buyers will love.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Michelle Finnamore   Advantage Staging    416.928.2999

Remember, home staging is always less than the first price reduction.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

Being a home stager in Vaughan can be very rewarding when working with sellers that originally cannot see the value in staging their home for sale. I explain that staging allows buyers to see that the value in the home matches the asking price. You can have the most beautiful house in the neighbourhood but unless the buyers can clearly see that value they will typically go on to look at other listings.

Staging allows buyers to see extra value in a home by creating a purpose in a room or by allowing the room to flow and appear more spacious.

All I did in this home was show the seller photographs of the existing rooms before I started staging and then after I finished staging. Her exact words were " I can't believe my rooms looked like that before, I never noticed".

It's a common reaction in buyers when they see their home staged for sale. Most people really don't see their home like others do.  They come in each day and everything looks fine to them.

I'm sure if you took a picture of your own home, you might scratch your head and wonder why you never noticed how cluttered it was, how dark the room colour was, how furniture was misplaced in a  room making it feel crowded or difficult to manuouver through, the drapery was crooked or the artwork was not level.

Here are a few before and after images to illustrate why professional home staging encourages buyers to look at your listing photos on line and making the decision to put your home on their must see list.

Living Room before and after

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before and After Kitchen and Family Room

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This property was missing a great opportunity to show how you could entertain family and friends with room to spare. Renting furniture that was the correct scale for the open concept rooms was key to showcasing the space in this home.

 

Master bedroom and secondbedroom before and after

        

       

                                                    

       

 

I use snowboards for headboards quite often. It gives a teenage room a great look and markets the opportunity of living in the area and enjoying the outdoor attractions.

These rooms now appear much more inviting and show the lifestyle of living in the home.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Advantage Staging markets your property to appeal to the target market you are trying to attract. This family home is now ready for listing photos and to be seen online. Buyers can quickly see that this home is worth seeing in person.

Michelle Finnamore   Advantage Staging   416.928.2999

 

 

 

Home staging in Vaughan Advantage Staging will frequently consult on homes that appear to have small dining rooms. As the area attracts larger families it is a sticking point when buyers come to look at listings.

The homes have at least four bedrooms, and adequate kitchens. However if the home is being sold vacant it can be very difficult for buyers to envision whether their furniture will fit in and whether their family will be able to use the space for their needs.

That's when staging comes to the rescue.

No guess work. By renting furniture and staging the room, buyers can readily see that there is plenty of room for their family.

Dining Room Before

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dining Room After

  

 

 

 

 

 

                                                

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

If you have a vacant listing and would like to leave buyers with an impression that creates desire and action to put in an offer call Advantage Staging.  We will create a look to attract your target market and get the results you are looking for.

Remember, professional home staging is always less than the first price reduction.

Michelle Finnamore     Advantage Staging   416.928.2999

 

Two luxuries that sell homes are light and space.

Advantage Staging sets a goal in each home staging consultation to add as much light and space to increase the perceived value to buyers.

In this home staging in Vaughan, the goal was to showcase the heart shaped staircase.

It was an unusual design and one that was unique to this property that Cecilia DeFreitas has listed at 25 Ursini in Woodbridge. However, with the current light fixture drawing so much attention to itself, the heart shaped staircase was being lost on the buyer.

All I did was change two things to showcase the space and light in this home.

The first thing I suggested was to change the paint colour to  CC 110 Muslin by Benjamin Moore. The space now appears larger.

The second suggestion was to install an up to date light fixture from Home Depot.

This foyer now looks more spacious and definitely highlights the heart shaped staircase.

The light fixture and the paint were purchased for $550. You can clearly see the return on investment was worth the money spent.

A seller may have spent a lot of money back in the day for a light fixture which was spectacular in it's time but buyers want to see updated lighting when searching for their next dream home. Lighting truly is the jewellery in a home.

If  light fixtures are not changed out  buyers will quickly move on to another home in the neighbourhood or deduct far too much from their offer to compensate for replacements. Home Depot runs an auction on their website every day. Light fixtures are very economical to purchase when you keep tabs on the Home Depot auction or visit their clearance section.  Finding a three tier chandelier in that price range was truly a good buy.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Advantage Staging is ready to create interest in your property when you are ready to list.

Michelle Finnamore    Advantage Staging 

Two offices to serve you better         

Home Staging in Vaughan, Woodbridge, Maple  and surrounding area    416.928.2999                        

Home Staging in Barrie, Alliston and surrounding area                                705.720.0113

2010 Nominated for Ontario Home Builders Award for Design

2010 National Association of Home Builders  U.S.A.  Silver Award for Design

2010 Canadian Staging Professionals Entrepreneur of the Year

Advantage Staging was called in to stage this property at 620 Heddle in Newmarket to appeal to a family with children as the neighbourhood is filled with young families.

Sellers often think that leaving a home vacant will show off how much space there is in a home, however, by doing this,  the home will lack appeal to the buyers emotions.

Staging also helps to highlight the focal points in a room such as windows or archtectural details.

This is how the bedroom looked before staging. It just doesn't say "buy me" to a person seeing it for the first time.

  

This is how it looks after staging. Now it will appeal to families looking to buy a home to keep their family safe, secure and happy while growing up.

Buyers can clearly see how their "little princess" would like to have this room as their very own.

I know when I purchased houses when my girls were little, they staked their claim on each room as we toured the houses. I bet  you have clients that do the same thing.

"Mommy, this is MY room!" is what I am looking to hear from a buyers family when they take a tour of a home that I have staged.

  

To achieve this look the client brought in the desk, chair and two end tables from their other house. I provided the finishing touches including the inflatable mattress, bedding, artwork, lamps, drapery, rods and accessories.

Now you actually "see" the great windows in the room. Without colour in the room the windows just blended in with the white walls leaving you with a very drab feeling. Now the room has a "happy face" that says I am ready for you to call me home.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Do you have a property that could benefit by being staged by Advantage Staging?

Call Michelle Finnamore to prepare your property for sale.

Two offices to serve you better.

Vaughan, Woodbridge and area   416.928.2999

Barrie and area                          705.720.0113

2010 National Association of Home Builders U.S.A Silver Award for design

2010 Ontario Home Builders Association  Silver Award for Design

2010 CSP Entrepreneur of the Year Award

2009 Trail Blazer Company of the Year Award

 

 

Advantage Staging was called in to do a consultation on this property for sale in Newmarket at 620 Heddle Cresent. It's been 5 long months with no offers. What could be the problem? It's in a desirable location, it is a well proportioned, large home with a finished basement.

When I entered the kitchen that's when I saw the "green elephant" sitting there. Hunter green kitchen cabinets with hunter green formica counter tops. They were also in the master ensuite (double vanity!) and the main bathroom.

  

The first thing I recommended was to paint the cabinets a neutral colour so that they look like what buyers see when they look in current magazines and kitchen displays. No sense trying to sell what was in fashion in the early 90's.  The clients weren't too impressed with me as these were wood cabinets. They didn't know you could or would paint solid wood cabinets. Took them a week to decide but here are the results of my painter's efforts.

     

I also painted the focal wall opposite the kitchen cabinet area the same colour as the counter top. Of course I called in my professional photographer to capture the transformation for the listing photos and the virtual tour. If you are going to market your listing to todays techie buyers using iphones and blackberries, you need to have an outstanding online presence.

  

 

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Do you have a property that Advantage Staging could help market to your buyers?

Call Michelle Finnamore to simplify the seemingly complex decisions that need to be made.

Two offices to serve you better.

Vaughan and area   416.928.2999

Barrie and area       705.720.0113

Michelle Finnamore  CSP

2010 National Association of Home Builders U.S.A Silver Award for design

2010 Ontario Home Builders Association Silver Award for design

2010 CSP Entrepreneur of the Year Award

2009 Trail Blazer Company of the Year Award

 

You never know what a difference a day makes.

Advantage Staging received a phone call from a client who had found me online. Their waterfront home in the Barrie area on Lake Simcoe had been listed for three years. It was an architecturally designed home on a great lot with lots going for it.

The big question the client had was... why hadn't it sold.

I visited them on a Saturday to give them a detailed outline as to what could be done to stage the property and bring focus to the features and advantages in their home.  They embarked on a power shop to purchase a few pieces of artwork and lamps. They booked a painter to change the extra height ceiling family room from deep purple to a more neutral colour. Next they rearranged the furniture as recommended.

They also hired my HD videographer to create a video tour to showcase their stunning home. This type of tour is valuable in marketing high end homes as the buyer feels they are right there in the home.

Here are the homeowners words to let you know how happy they were when the house sold a few days later.

"I would like to thank you one more time for helping us to sell our home on the lake.  After being on the market for three years, we  simply could not understand why our six year old custom built home was not getting an offer.  After having over fifty showings, multiple “Open Houses” we were at our wits end.  It was my husband’s suggestion to “Call a Home Stager”   I called and you were out within the week and spent two hours with us, made your recommendations and we were off shopping.  We had our family room and kitchen island painted as you suggested and two weeks to the day we had a very workable offer.  A few back and forth negotiations and both parties signed.  The HD home tour that you suggested was also a great help to put our home out for a larger market to view.

 We are now onto our new “dream home” and we will certainly have you  help us put everything together perfectly.  What you do is wonderful, and thank you again for being part of our dream."

Take a look and see for yourself, this property was truly a lovely home. Professional home staging brought that story to life and resulted in firm offer within a few days.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

If you have a luxury property that would benefit by professional staging we are at your service.

Two offices to serve you better

416.928.2999  Toronto and GTA

705.720.0113  Barrie and area

Advantage Staging    Michelle Finnamore 

2010 Entrepreneur of the Year Award

2010 Nominated for two Ontario Home Builders Award for Design

2009 Trail Blazer Company of the Year

 

Michelle Finnamore, owner of Advantage Staging has been nominated for the Ontario Home Builders SAM Award for best decorated model under 2200 sq. ft.

This model home was designed for the site in Alliston by Devonleigh Homes.

Features include using eco friendly finishes to market the homes to buyers that are concerned about indoor air quality.

Quartz counter tops, low VOC carpet and paint and natural stone were used to improve the indoor air quality.

This home's design focus was to make the kitchen the backdrop for the cook in the family to entertain family and friends. The open concept kitchen looks out to the dining room/ living room as well as having the option to have guests sit at the counter while the cook demonstrates their cooking skills.

The master bedroom and ensuite is one of pure indulgence. More than once I heard myself saying.... and why doesn't my house look like this?

Take a look and see what a professional home stager can do to build public awareness for your new home construction site.

Remember the four golden rules that home staging strives to produce-

* Attract attention

* Gain interest

* Create demand and desire

* Initiate action on the part of the buyer

 

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

Advantage Staging serving Toronto, Vaughan, Woodbridge, Maple, King City, Richmond Hill, Barrie, Alliston and area.

416.928.2999

705.720.0113