Staging your home for sale can greatly increase the speed at which it sells, and ideally, increase the final sale price. A good staging job helps buyers visualise themselves living in a home, something that can be difficult for many buyers to do when a home is messy and cluttered. Professional stagers are experts at making homes look inviting and that's key when showing off a property to potential buyers.

Preparing Your Home for Staging
The first thing to do when staging your home for sale is to clean, clean, clean! The house should be as spotless as possible. The next step is to remove all clutter. This includes anything personal, such as family photos and knick-knacks, old furniture, kids’ toys, or that treadmill in your living room. The goal is to create an inviting atmosphere with the least amount of “stuff” lying around as possible, so that your home can be viewed as a usable space that buyers can imagine themselves living in. 

Take Care of All Repairs
When it comes to repairs, you'll want to make sure that everything is in tip-top shape before selling your house. Whether it's burnt-out light bulbs, a leaky faucet, or a loose railing, make sure any issues are addressed otherwise potential buyers will assume your house has not been well-maintained. Nothing kills the vibe faster than seeing something broken during a visit or at an open house.

Paint In Neutral Tones
Painting your walls in light, neutral tones will help the space feel more open and cleaner. Whites, beiges, and greys are all good choices. Don’t overlook the baseboards, trim, doors, and ceilings. If these haven’t been painted in a few years, it may be a good idea to give them a fresh coat before hitting the market. 

Remove Personal Items and Put Them in Storage
The staging process can be a bit overwhelming, so it's important to start with the basics: putting away all your personal items like Kleenex boxes and books stacked on your night table or creams and toothbrushes on your bathroom counters. It's also a good idea to remove any excess clothing from your closets. 
On top of clearing out all these things, you should also consider removing any excess furniture from each room. You don’t want your rooms to feel cluttered. Too much furniture can make a room feel smaller than it is. Decluttering will make your home look larger and open the flow of energy. You don’t want buyers getting lost in a sea of stuff, so don’t be afraid to pack up things for storage or donate them if they aren't too valuable or sentimental.

Time To Stage
If you are still living in your home, we don’t expect you to pack up and move out. Instead, you can use your existing furniture while incorporating a few new pieces that will help showcase your home to its fullest potential.
Making small changes such as hanging new curtains, adding area rugs, switching out old bedding and towels for new white linens, adding some new throw pillows and/or installing new light fixtures, can make a huge difference. When it comes to curtains, we suggest white. Remember to always hang them as close to the ceiling as possible and make sure they hit the floor. It’s the best way to make any room appear larger.
Area rugs ground a room. They should be big enough that at least the front legs of each piece of furniture in the room are on it. In the bedroom, your area rug should extend at least two feet beyond the bed as well as on each side. If you skimp on size, your room will look smaller.

Artwork can also make a difference when it comes to home staging. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should always be hung at eye level to ensure that it’s admired comfortably. 
New, white towels and linens give your bedrooms and bathroom that fresh, hotel feel, which buyers love. Upgrading your light fixtures is also an excellent way to transform your home without spending too much money. Investing a few thousand dollars on these upgrades will surely pay off and help you get the maximum return on your investment.

Staging an Empty Home 
If you are selling an empty house, then we highly suggest hiring a professional staging company where everything is brought in, and all the accoutrements are ‘staged’ and rented for a monthly fee. However, if this is not within your budget there is a second, more cost-effective method…. going the digital route. For virtual staging, photos of empty rooms are taken and then ‘dressed’ using 3D design programs. This type of staging superimposes furniture, curtains, and decor items and can even add artwork directly into your listing photos. With buyers shopping for homes on the internet this can be a great way to entice them to book a visit.

At TEAM BROADY, we do ‘sweat the small stuff’ and believe that it's all about the details. Starting the staging process sooner rather than later will reduce stress by setting realistic timelines, creating budgets and task lists. Please reach out today to get started! We can be reached at 514-613-2988 or by email at info@teambroady.ca.