Set Your Stage

Outdoor Living Room Mirrors Indoors

August 03, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

You’ve heard the advice to “bring the outdoors in”. Well I say “bring the indoors out” too. When staging your property for sale, keep in mind that buyers want to feel comfortable in ALL spaces. So why not take inspiration from your rooms inside to create a fabulous outdoor living room that appeals to buyers.

See the difference professional home staging makes?

After: This open concept space is perfect for entertaining or relaxing.

Staging an outdoor living room when you’re preparing your property for sale is just plain smart. It doesn’t matter what size of space you’re working with: treating the outdoor space like an extra living area adds value. It’s important to stage the outdoor space with the potential buyers’ ideal lifestyle in mind. Same as for inside.

For this property that I staged in the Huntington Hills area of Calgary, I took inspiration from the indoor sunroom. But you will find a similar layout and general elements applied in most staged living rooms. This photo on the Set Your Stage Pinterest page from a home I staged in Evergreen gives a good example.

What are the shared elements?

Furniture: Both spaces have comfortable seating (couch, chairs) and a table to place items.
Focal Point: Inside, the focal point could be a fireplace or view. Outside it can be the dining area, play area or a beautiful landscape view.
Comfort: Cushions, throws, mats, plants, candles and décor items work outside as well as in.

Before: Bathroom before home staging.

Outdoor staging ideas can be inspired from anywhere. Keep potential buyers in mind and create comfort and personality.

After: This cute patio set showcases the relaxing, private space on the patio.

Want to see more inspiration? Check out Set Your Stage on Pinterest and have fun getting started on creating your own boards.

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Don’t Let Decisions about Staging Furniture Stress You Out

July 28, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Making decisions about what staging furniture to choose isn’t something you have to worry about. When you hire a professional home stager to prepare your property for sale, make sure she offers the option to do all the furniture staging work for you – decisions, moving, arranging, return, and all.

More and more sellers just don’t want the stress of dealing with one more thing on their “prepare to sell” to-do list. For them, my job is about making their lives easier and getting their property “first impression” ready for maximum impact and results.

The way I do it? I choose everything – from the staging furniture to the art right down to the little plant placed on the end table. Details matter.

Not only is it less stressful for the client, everything coordinates and is guaranteed “staging safe” (i.e. not reflecting personal taste) to appeal to potential buyers.

After: This simple, yet stylish bedroom is the perfect retreat for any homeowner.

Before: Bedroom before home staging.

Rental furniture goes in and out very quickly (sometimes it’s spoken for as soon as a return date is decided) so it’s very important that you trust your stager to “snag” pieces as they come.

Also, sometimes a more appropriate piece becomes available between the time furniture selection was made and the actual staging date. In this scenario, I would change up the design to make your space the best it can be.

For example, we made some last minute swaps for my recent client in Tuxedo, Calgary. I was concerned the headboard I selected would be too large to fit up the stairs (and it would have been too). Just our luck, another one came back that morning and was available to rent! In the Ramsy property staged just days after, we found a scratch on the desk. Instead of using it, it was swapped to a slightly bigger desk with no scratches.

It’s all about having a vision, being flexible, and going with the flow. No matter what challenges come up, I always have your best interests at heart.

So leave it to me. I will make your staging furniture and accessory decisions for you. By the time I’m done, you’ll be thrilled with how welcoming and buyer friendly your formerly vacant property appears.

Check out some of the before and after photos of Set Your Stage properties on our Facebook page to get a feel for what’s possible. Could your property be featured next?

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Still Wondering Does Home Staging Work?

July 18, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Does home staging work? Yes, staging works! We have been busy here at Set Your Stage in Calgary. And we’ve got happy clients with quick sales since we staged their properties. Here are just a few of our recent quick sales with very strong offers to boot!

Springbank Hill, Calgary, sold in 2 days with competing offers:
This lived-in property already had some great features. Staging helped to highlight them for the listing photos and for potential buyers when they viewed the property in person. To stage, we combined some of the existing furniture with new staging furniture and accessories. As seen in this separate office space, a little goes a long way when professionals work their magic!

Before: Office before home staging.

After: This office space feels organized and spacious – a great place to work.

Tuxedo, Calgary, sold in 1 day:
This beautiful heritage home had some dated (i.e. old, but not original) features (like the kitchen). With staging, these potential problem areas for buyers became a charming part of this cozy and nostalgic property. It’s easy to imagine spending time in this bright cheery kitchen after staging.

Before: Kitchen before home staging.

After: The pears and Perrier water help to showcase an active healthy lifestyle in this kitchen.

Glenbrook, Calgary, sold within 2.5 weeks:
This fully renovated property was vacant and needed some staging love to make it feel inviting to potential buyers. We turned this potentially dark room (that buyers may have had difficulty knowing what to do with if it was empty) into a games room where buyers could imagine hanging out and having fun together.
Our staging results speak for themselves, and at Set Your Stage, we couldn’t be more happy for our clients who have moved on to make their next dreams happen. We appreciate the opportunity to work with them and turn their properties into stunning listings that buyers ‘just had to have’.

Before: Games area before home staging.

After: This is the perfect retreat/man-cave for the entertainer in your family.

Follow us on Twitter to see what we’ve been up to and find out more staging tips that get results. Just imagine what we could do with your space!

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Calgary Housing Market: Will Buyers Have Less Money for Renovations?

July 12, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

I recently read that home buyers are making bigger down payments on their purchases. In the currently hot Calgary housing market, this could suggest that, in the end, buyers will have fewer funds available for renovations once they move in. All the more reason to stage your property for sale.

Costs to purchase real estate are on the rise. According to a recent Globe and Mail article,

“Mortgage insurance premiums are set to rise by about 15 per cent on average, effective May 1. They vary depending on the size of the borrower’s down payment, but generally add thousands of dollars to the cost of a mortgage.”

So if buyers are trying to avoid the increased premium, they are choosing to come up with the extra cash to pay at least 20% down payment. If they don’t have the cash, they are seeking help from other sources (like borrowing from parents).

If a potential buyer is viewing your property for sale, you want to keep this cash flow issue in mind.

Let’s say they need to buy a property that doesn’t require any money for renovations. And the property you are listing is not brand new. How do you help the potential buyer quickly see that your home will work for them?

Staging!

Before: Kitchen before home staging.

After: I love this stunning new white kitchen with stainless steel appliances in the kitchen in Acadia we just staged.

As a professional home stager, I am so excited every time I turn a home into a stunning listing that potential buyers fall in love with. Every property deserves to be shown at its best. And every seller deserves to make the most of one of their largest investments.

Before: Bedroom before home staging.

After: This dining space is perfect for enjoying family meals or entertaining guests.

My staged properties sell fast! Ask me about it.

Our calendar is getting full! Contact Jen at Set Your Stage today to schedule your free Home Staging Assessment so that you can make the most of the hot Calgary housing market too!

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Outdoor Living Room Mirrors Indoors

Don’t Let Decisions about Staging Furniture Stress You Out

Still Wondering Does Home Staging Work?

Calgary Housing Market: Will Buyers Have Less Money for Renovations?

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