W
hen you are selling your home, it’s essential to make a great impression right from the start. That’s why so many sellers have keyed into the importance of home staging, which is the art of preparing a home for sale in the real estate market. When done effectively, home staging brings out a home’s best attributes, downplays its worst and helps potential buyers to envision themselves living successfully in the space. And helping prospective buyers form a vision is key, according to Josée Lalonde of The Housse, a solution for local home stagers, offering a warehouse packed with more than 3,500 items for rent, including artwork, accessories, light fixtures, cushions and large pieces of furniture. Lalonde admits home staging in Victoria has been slow to catch on, compared with other Canadian cities, but she sees plenty of benefits — even in our hot housing market. Homes that are staged typically sell for at least five per cent more. Furthermore, 74 per cent of staged properties sell in less than four weeks. She says it’s particularly important to stage a home if it’s sitting empty. “When it’s empty [prospective home buyers] don’t know what to do. Ninety-five per cent of the population has no vision that way. People can’t see past whatever is there,” she says. “If you give them something [to look at] then it’s much easier for them to visualize their own things in there and it gives them that inspiration that their home could look like this.”
HOW TO SET THE STAGE Whether you stage your home yourself or use the services of a professional home stager, there are some key principles to follow to take your home from good to great. Get in the mindset Liz Mackay, owner of Fabulous Home Staging, is a former realtor who’s been staging homes in Victoria for more than 10 years. She agrees home buyers have to be able to visualize themselves living in a home or they won’t buy it. So, for sellers, it’s crucial to stop thinking of your property as “home” as soon as you put your property on the market. Instead, detach and begin to see your property as a product. Declutter Put away all personal items and treasures, such as photos or figurines, and make sure countertops are free of any clutter. And do get rid of or store furniture that contributes to a crowded feeling. Many people rent temporary
storage lockers to avoid cluttering up a garage or rec room with extra pieces. TIP Once you’ve cleared the clutter, you can selectively add back in a few pieces to give the home a lived-in appeal. Think tasteful vases, bowls of fresh-cut flowers (be careful about heavily scented blooms), a basket of fresh fruit on the counter, a bowl of lemons beside the sink and artfully placed pillows and stylish throws.
Refine hidden spaces Sellers may like to believe closets and cupboards are unseen spots during viewing, but they won’t go unnoticed by buyers. “People will go into your closets and open your cupboards,” says Mackay. “You need to make sure that people think there’s lots and lots of space. Most people wear 20 per cent of what’s in their closet, so the rest should be packed and put away so it doesn’t look crowded. And then colour block your [clothing items], just like you’d see in a clothing store.”
Opposite: A beautiful bedroom carries the subtext that a home is well cared for, so don’t ignore this important selling point. To make everything feel fresh and spacious, paint the room in a neutral colour and invest in neutral bedding, throw cushions and throws. If the room feels crowded, put some furniture in storage. Above: The kitchen is a major selling point. Start by decluttering this area and deep cleaning so it sparkles. If your appliances are old or dated, replace them. And do look at your cupboards: could they benefit from new hardware and a coat of paint?
TIP Closets that appear spacious make your entire home seem bigger. After decluttering, paint your closet interiors white or in a light neutral to make them more appealing.
Let it shine Before showing your home, make sure it’s sparkling clean and odour free. “[Home sellers] need to be aware of things, like if there’s pet odour. Cooking smells is another one,” says Mackay. But do be wary of trying to cover smells with over-perfumed synthetic scents; instead, bake some bread before an open house or use essential oils such as grapefruit or lemon in a
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