Over the years, you have made your house your home. This continuous labour of love made your home change and evolve along with you and your family, gradually transforming it into a manifestation of who you are and how you live. More often than not this is something to be proud of, but it can also make it very difficult for anyone else to imagine themselves living there. This makes showing a listed property inherently awkward: what's for sale is your house, not your lifestyle. While a savvy realtor is apt at pointing out to potential buyers how their lives could fit in your space, it can be very difficult to shake that buyer's feeling that the space is clearly someone else's, and therefore not for them. So, how can you bridge that gap between "a great home for you and your family" to simply "a great home"? Many realtors advise their clients to give their house a good scrub, de-clutter, and paint the walls taupe, and call that a home staging consultation. At Team Broady we have a results-driven home staging PLAN to ensure that your home will appeal to the broadest spectrum of potential buyers. By following our advice, you will showcase all the great features that made you fall in love with your home when you first bought it, and maybe even some that you have forgotten about! Our four-pronged approach aims to maximize spaciousness, flow, practicality, and mass-appeal.

PROPORTIONS

We furnish our homes to fit out lifestyle: If you're the one who hosts all large family gatherings, you likely have an enormous (and no doubt gorgeous!) dining room table. In your average sized dining room, maybe it's a tight squeeze, but you make it work. If your family is one that cherishes family movie nights, you probably have an oversized, plush, comfortable couch in your family room. It's great for cozying up with the kids, even if it forced you to relocate your end tables for lack of space. Although your furnishings probably work for you, it might not work for your space. If you can't walk through a space comfortably, it's likely over-furnished. Your pieces might be too big, or there might be too many of them. Either way, over-furnished spaces appear smaller and less practical. De-cluttering, parsing out extra furniture, and choosing pieces in proportion to your space allows us to showcase the full potential of every room.

LIGHT

Bright is one of the most frequently-used buzzwords in property listings, and with good reason. Abundant natural light is something that everyone naturally responds to: it makes a home feel spacious, healthy and positive. Some homes are brighter than others. Some factors affecting this, like the orientation of the home and the roof overhang, cannot be helped. But there is plenty you can do while staging your home to ensure that it's as bright as it can be. Dark, heavy curtains, valences and blackout shades should be replaced with lighter window coverings. Furniture placement can also have a darkening effect: a couch that partially obscures a window, or a curio cabinet that casts a shadow, will take away from the brightness of your home. Conversely, thriving houseplants are living proof that a home lets in plenty of sun.

APPOINTEDNESS

It is human nature to define and characterize spaces according to their use: a dining room is the room with the table and chairs where people eat; the living room is the one with the comfortable seating and coffee table. This natural tendency would make it very difficult, for example, for a mother to imagine her youngest child sleeping in that small bedroom you have converted into home office, or how a playroom can be set up in your basement gym. A home is well-appointed when it is designed for purpose and function - it is important that the staging of every room demonstrates clearly that it serves its function beautifully.

NEUTRAL

By Neutral, we by no means imply that your home should be painted beige and stripped of its personality. Quite the opposite! While staging your home, we want to underscore its unique character. A loud accent wall can emphasize interesting architectural details, and retain a prospective buyer's attention while browsing listings, even if the colour is not their cup of tea. The best approach to staging a home for neutrality is to avoid déccor choices that can be divisive. It's important to remember that potential buyers enter a home-viewing with a discerning and judgemental mindset. Sports team memorabilia, large personal collections, religious shrines, a generously stocked bar, and other such displays may cause undue scrutiny of your home.