Getting ready to sell your furnished house or condo and wondering what home staging services are most popular? In Calgary, consultations are hot. That’s because it’s hard to beat the return on investment of hiring a professional home stager to give you specific room-by-room advice so your listing stands out from the competition for a quicker sale. And of course, if you need help with the staging advice, we are here to help!
 

It’s surprising how much impact small changes create. Remember, when you’re preparing your home for sale, it’s not about what YOU like anymore. It’s about what YOUR potential buyers want.
 

People viewing your listing for the first time may not look at every single detail with a critical eye. But humans have an uncanny ability to notice things that don’t seem “right”. These inconsistencies can create a disconnect – all of a sudden, the buyer shifts from seeing with her/his heart to becoming analytical.
 

When that happens, their first impression changes and you’re more likely to lose them. The power of staging services is that they help potential buyers decide with their hearts.
 

Here are some examples of simple changes our Calgary clients made after hiring Set Your Stage for home staging consultations:
 

• Valley Ridge: Bedding swap from red to neutral appeals to more buyers.
• Prominence Patterson: Simple accessories add life to a space.
• Midnapore: Swap furniture between rooms to create more flow.
• Tuscany: I love glass tables. But in this room, it made more sense to swap it out for a more rustic look.
• New Brighton: All it took was a simple bedding swap to a duvet that properly fit the bed for this room to feel more appealing.
• West Springs: Accessories, art, and a bench create a grounded feeling in this entry.

Professional staging services don’t have to break your budget. That’s part of the reason why staging consultations are so hot in Calgary real estate.
 

For more examples of the power and impact staging can create in a space, take a look at the Set Your Stage Facebook albums featuring many before and after photos of the various homes and condos that we’ve successfully staged to sell.
 

Who doesn’t love a great before and after photo? Most of us are inspired by the transformations we see. When it comes to home staging, those transformations can result in a faster sale. Here are four tips highlighted in Set Your Stage before and after staging photos in Calgary.
 

1. Furniture & Placement: Use enough but not too much. Consider traffic flow and key room features.
 

2. Accessories: Add life to the space. Be consistent with colour to tie rooms together. Highlight features.
 

3. Lighting: Light and bright spaces sell. Use various sources.
 

4. Photography: Professional real estate photography is a must. Angles matter. Stage before the photos are taken.
 

These before and after photos from a property we staged in Killarney, Calgary show the impact of following these tips. We turned a bare and vacant condo into an appealing space that potential buyers would be proud to call home. But first, most potential buyers would have viewed the listing online. That’s why staging before the professional real estate photography is so critical. The photos create a positive first impression that allows potential buyers to start imagining themselves living in the space before they view it in person.
 

That’s the power of professional staging. And it’s what sets listings apart.
 

For more examples of the power and impact staging can create in a space, take a look at the rest of the Set Your Stage Facebook albums featuring many before and after photos of the various homes and condos that we’ve successfully staged to sell.
 

A bedroom in a property for sale that simply addresses function is a missed opportunity. A bedroom after staging can tell a story, speaking to the potential buyer’s ideal lifestyle. Are you selling a place to crash and store your clothes, or are you selling an adult retreat that inspires sweet dreams?
 

I’ve written before about the power of professional staging to tell a story that connects with your right buyer. It’s something to consider for each room of a property for sale.
 

These before and after photos of a bedroom we staged in a Renfrew Regal Terrace Calgary condo emphasize the point. Before staging, the bedroom is functional. It’s clean, spacious, feminine, and cheery. But it misses the opportunity to tell a more appealing story and sell a lifestyle.
 

The problem with a room that is too feminine is masculine buyers will not be captured.
 

The same bedroom after staging feels more grown up, as if it’s a chic hotel. It feels “put together” as if a successful young couple lived there. If you were a first time home buyer, isn’t that an image that you would prefer? Something you would feel proud to own?
 

That’s the power of professional staging. Emotion, not logic, usually starts and ends the home buying transaction. This bedroom after staging fuels emotional connection to the property. It’s what sets listings apart.
 

For more examples of the power and impact staging can create in a space, take a look at the rest of the Set Your Stage Facebook albums featuring many before and after photos of the various homes and condos that we’ve successfully staged to sell.
 

What story are your spaces telling? If you are listing your property to sell, you should consider the answer to this question. More importantly, that story should connect with potential buyers. Professional staging can help you tell the right story to sell a lifestyle that your right buyer desires.
 

I do a lot of professional staging jobs for clients who have a vacant property. They understand the impact of looking like a motivated seller and of presenting the space to appeal to the ideal lifestyle of potential buyers who have a hard time visualizing what’s possible.
 

These before and after photos of a closet we staged in Copperfield, Alberta home emphasize the point. Before staging, the empty closet is simply that – an empty space. It’s clean and spacious. But it misses the opportunity to tell a story and sell a lifestyle.
 

After staging, the same closet invites an emotional interaction. That’s because a few strategically selected staging props make the space feel like it’s doing more than simply filling a utilitarian function that you would check off your list.
 

Art, a pair of expensive shoes, a shopping bag from a high end store, and a shimmery basket all work together to tell a specific story about the kind of person who “belongs” there.
 

Selling a lifestyle is about tapping into emotion, hopes and dreams, and a sense of belonging.
 

That’s the power of professional staging. And it’s why this particular property sold fast. It was able to successfully sell a lifestyle.
 

For more examples of the power and impact staging can create in a space, take a look at the rest of the Set Your Stage Facebook albums featuring many before and after photos of the various homes and condos that we’ve successfully staged to sell.