It’s the end of another successful year and that means it’s a perfect time for a roundup post! Here are six of our most popular staging tips, questions, resources, or ideas that seemed to resonate the most with realtors and home sellers in 2015.
 

1. Looking Like a Motivated Seller is an EXPENSIVE Mistake – This one is my personal favourite and a MUST READ for anyone preparing to sell their home.
 

2. Do Staged Homes Sell Faster? – Our staging results speak for themselves and, at Set Your Stage in Calgary, we couldn’t be more pleased for our clients who got the results they hoped for.
 

3. Before and After Condo Staging in Sunnyside, Calgary – Why wouldn’t you want to help potential buyers quickly fall in love with your listing?
 

4. Staging Checklists – Our very popular staging checklists include a general overall list, plus ones specific to kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
 

5. Home Stager Tip: Self Storage Rental – Selling can be stressful and sometimes the timing of the closing for the sold and purchased properties don’t coordinate. Self-storage rentals might be a helpful option for you to consider.
 

6. How Much Does Vacant Staging Cost in Calgary? – OK, this is from the archives but it still remained a hot topic in 2015!
 

Hiring a professional home stager as part of your property’s marketing team is a sound financial decision. These popular staging topics can help you understand why. In the end, it’s about sparking a powerful first impression that speaks to your potential buyer’s ideal lifestyle.
 

Curious? See more examples of my work and ask how the Set Your Stage team can help you meet YOUR Calgary real estate goals in 2016!
 

Some sellers hold back and work with what they’ve got when they first list their property for sale. Then, instead of spending some money up front to make the best positive first impression, they are forced to make changes weeks into the listing because it’s not selling. That ends up costing more.
 

Here’s the thing: The best chance for selling is early. And professional staging helps by creating the most positive first impression.
 

According to the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), “The best chance for selling your property is within the first 7 weeks. Studies show the longer a property stays on the market, the less the seller will net. ”
 

That’s why a positive first impression is so critical. And that first impression starts before potential buyers even step one foot inside your listing. It’s what I’ve referred to as online curb appeal.
 

In terms of online curb appeal, your best chance for selling includes professional staging prior to the real estate photos being taken.
 

Think about it this way. Even with the popularity of taking selfies, most of us make an effort to highlight the positive and choose the best poses to create the image that we think is most appealing. It’s the same when you’re preparing to sell your house or condo.
 

CREB includes resources for clients who are selling property, recommending that, “If you feel your home needs a little more than a touch up, see the Home Staging Checklist.”
 

These Set Your Stage checklists were created with your best chance for selling in mind: kitchen, bathroom, living room.
 

Check them out and if you have questions about how a professional home stager can help your Calgary property best appeal to potential buyers, schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment by contacting Jen at Set Your Stage today. Ask me how fast our staged properties sold.
 

If you’re a home owner, you may really love getting creative with how you decorate and present your space. You may enjoy watching the home improvement shows and have an eye for what looks and feels right in a room. Does that mean you’re the best qualified to do your own DIY home staging when it comes time to sell?
 

Probably not. I’m not saying that because I don’t think you have an eye for what’s beautiful. It’s because home staging is not simply about decorating. It’s about marketing your property in a way that appeals to the most likely potential buyers. That usually requires some distance from the love you have invested in your own home.
 

Here’s some food for thought. You only have one chance to make a first impression. When your listing doesn’t “speak” to potential buyers or stays on the market, it costs you. Professional home staging is considered an excellent return on investment.
 

That said, hiring a professional home stager doesn’t have to cost a fortune or feel like a huge risk. I’m a DIYer myself, so I understand the appeal and sense of accomplishment of that mindset. That’s why I offer a range of services in Calgary to meet my clients’ needs.
 

For the seller who is willing to DIY home staging based on some professional and customized advice, a Home Staging Consultation is an extremely cost-effective way to ensure that you focus your time, energy, and money where it counts most. The consultation includes a complete walkthrough of your home with a detailed step by step guide on how to prepare your home for staging.
 

Still sitting on the fence? Find out how your Calgary property can benefit from professional advice to guide your DIY home staging and discuss the results Set Your Stage clients have achieved. Schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment by contacting Jen at Set Your Stage today.
 

Home staging continues to grow in popularity with home owners and realtors alike. But some people are still sitting on the fence because they assume that home staging design is unaffordable. It doesn’t have to be. There are many options when it comes to professional home staging services.
 

Part of my job in providing professional home staging design services in Calgary is to meet my clients where their wallet is at. Ultimately, I work to accentuate the positives in a property to make it easier for potential buyers to fall in love ~ which usually leads to a listing selling faster and at a higher price than its competition. But there are many ways to accentuate the positive. And this is where your budget comes into the decision making process.
 

For the DIY seller who is willing to do the staging work on his/her own, a Home Staging Consultation is an extremely cost-effective way to ensure that you focus your time, energy, and money where it counts most. The consultation includes a complete walkthrough of your home with a detailed step by step guide on how to prepare your home for staging.
 

If DIY makes you cringe (or you simply don’t have time), you can pay a home staging design company to Prepare Your Property for you. This can look different for different situations. For example, Set Your Stage has done full staging for rental properties, added rental furniture to update the look of a dining room, and re-arranged existing furniture while adding new art to refresh the rooms. These are some of the creative ways to benefit from home staging design beyond the full home, full furniture rental option.
 

Still sitting on the fence? Find out how your Calgary property can benefit from professional home staging design and discuss the results Set Your Stage clients have achieved. Schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment by contacting Jen at Set Your Stage today.