Things You Can Do In Advance For a Faster & a More Efficient Staging Installation

January 13, 2018

Showcasing and staging a home for sale may take days or sometimes weeks to depending on the condition of the property. While the right timing to list a property is critical, presenting a move in ready home to your buyers is as important. Your home needs to sparkle from top to bottom which may take more time than what you have planned for. If you’ve been living in your house for more than five years, I would say allocate three to five weeks of preparation; then the number of days goes up depending on the size and the condition of the property.

Listing a house that isn’t ready is a costly mistake. It will work to your disadvantage and can send a negative message to your buyers. To help you cut the number of days, here are some steps that you can do in advance to a faster, stress-free and a more efficient staging installation when working with a professional stager.

PURGE

Go throughout your home and eliminate anything you no longer use or want. This is the perfect time to donate, sell, or get rid of furniture pieces you no longer use or home appliances that are inoperable.  Rent a storage unit if you have too much furniture but wish to use it in your new home. You ‘ll be amazed at how much larger your home will appear. Your goal should be to show off as much space as you can when selling; your buyers are looking for that extra space, storage, and more living space that they currently don’t have.

REPAINT

Paint colour is the first thing home buyers notice when visiting your home. If the interior walls of your home are still wearing dated or bold paint colours from the 70’s or 80’s, its time to repaint to give it a facelift! Use timeless neutral colours like grey, beige, or greige. Everybody loves it. Neutral works with everything, it’s nonoffensive, it always works with staging furniture pieces and accessories, and more importantly, it’s easy for buyers to see or imagine how their own furniture pieces will work in your house. Use one colour all throughout the house including bathrooms to give the illusion of one big space.

REPAIR

Ensure there are no leaky faucets or leaking pipes, you don’t want watermarks, or your buyer walking into a puddle on the floor. Fix any broken, damaged, or inoperable appliances and lighting fixtures, too. Passing your “to do” list to your buyers is not a good idea, more often than not, most buyers are looking for a home that is completed and ready for them to move in.

CLEAN

Where is that dust, dirt, and grime that buyers will notice during their tour of your home? Could it be on light switches, doors, faucets, door handles, cabinets, floors, banisters, windows, lighting fixtures, air vents, the TV, furniture, appliances, sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, ceilings or walls? You may want to re-wax your floor. Do a thorough cleaning to show buyers your home is well-maintained and worth every penny that you are asking. Consider a professional cleaning service and give your house a deep cleaning needed for it to sparkle again. Nobody wants a dirty home.

LIGHTEN AND BRIGHTEN

If your home is appearing dark and you are getting a feeling of heaviness, you ‘ll need to remove any heavy drapery that may be causing it. You want the optimal amount of light showcasing the amenities of your home when buyers take the tour of it.  Lighter window treatments like sheers and shades which can be raised are perfect replacements. Make sure your lamps and lighting work so you can turn them on during showings. Proper lighting is important when selling your home.

CURB APPEAL

It doesn’t take long for a buyer to form a first impression of your home.  Make sure the exterior of your home is well-maintained and inviting. A manicured lawn, trimmed trees and shrubbery, and an attractive house and front door colours will make a buyer feel as if he has found a place he wants to call home.

BOTTOM LINE

Showcasing a house for sale is a serious undertaking, realistically it will not happen in a flick of a finger (as most sellers thought it would be). There are so many small details that need to be looked at that can add up and eat more time. So plan ahead in advance to make sure everything is done properly.  After all, your house is probably one of your biggest investment. Its just right to make sure that it sparkles from top to bottom to attract the best offer on the market.

If you are not sure where to start, my advice is to contact a professional stager in your location and do a staging consultation. Ask every question you have, that way, he or she can guide you in the right direction with the right paint colours, for example, furniture editing, decluttering, minor repairs, and all. Pick their brain, and make a list, these are things that stagers are there for.

RED BARRINUEVO | YOUR TORONTO HOME STAGER

Is a Canadian Certified Staging Professional. His professional affiliations include the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) and the CSP. He is the recipient of numerous home staging awards and was picked as RESA’s Top Professional Stager of Canada for 2016. He has worked with hundreds of Real Estate Brokers, Investors, Real Estate Agents, and has helped home owners showcase their homes at its best when it is time to sell.

As President and Principal Stager of REDESIGN4MORE, Red provides home staging and interior redecorating services for both small and large-scale residential projects throughout Toronto and the GTA. Click here to learn more about Red and REDESIGN4MORE.