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Archive for the 'Home Staging FAQ' Category

Dining Table Staging Dilemma: To Set or Not to Set?

October 05, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Dining table staging shouldn’t be much of a dilemma. But it’s still a frequently asked question that I receive; should I set the dining table for staging? At one time, the trend was to set the table. Now, since staging is so popular, most buyers appreciate a home that is staged, but doesn’t look artificial or forced.

Would you leave your home with the dining table set? Most of us would answer no. That’s why Set Your Stage no longer adds full place settings to dining table staging.

Instead, we go for a more natural look.

Take this gorgeous 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom property, that we staged in Hillhurst recently. It sold so fast, I didn’t even get the photos for my website. As you can tell in the photo, we staged the dining area for simple elegance.

Before: Dining area before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes.

After: This dining space is perfect for family meals.

Clean, modern, with a simple orchid in the center. The purpose of the item placed in the middle of the table is to simply draw the potential buyer’s eye to notice how many people can fit in this space meant for entertaining.

Otherwise, they might be distracted from the feature of the room. You don’t want to miss any opportunity to make the most impact with every space.

Before: Living room before home staging.

After: This cozy open concept living & dining room is the perfect space for entertaining or relaxing.

The gorgeous lighting and the open space to the living room with a view of the fireplace and landscaped yard provide the main wow factors in the room. Staging furniture is both elegant and comfortable, perfect for lounging over a meal and conversation in this stunning space.

It’s important to stay current to ensure that staging is meeting the changing needs of both sellers and potential buyers. That’s why I re-took my staging class recently. I do the work so you don’t have to.

When you’re preparing your property for sale, don’t leave it to a guessing game. Trust a professional stager to help your property stand out from the competition.

Contact me, Jen at Set Your Stage, to find out how my staging expertise can benefit you. Schedule your free personalized Home Staging Assessment today.

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Television Staging: Use It or Lose It?

August 09, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Whether it’s big or small, television staging is an interesting topic. I get asked, should I use it or remove it? My response is, try to make it work with your space AND potential buyers in mind. Let’s face it; buyers these days love their technology. Stage your space to show them where it best fits.

It’s pretty common that I’ll see a home that has a massive television crammed into a small space, surrounded by too much furniture. While that may work for your family, it makes a room feel small and the overwhelm of the television makes it hard for potential buyers to imagine alternative uses for the room.

It sometimes helps to move that huge TV downstairs into a bigger room where it makes more sense (or simply remove it for storage).

Let’s say that you’re staging a room that doesn’t have a feature. Basements are a perfect example. It makes perfect sense to use a fake television for staging (in a vacant property – or use that big TV from the main living area that I mentioned) to create the focal point in the room.

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

As you can see in this home that I staged in Cambrian Heights, a comfortable media room is staged to show the potential buyer an ideal purpose for the room, plus, that their large television will easily fit in the space.

After: Relax/entertain family/friends in your own personal media room.

Sometimes television staging can leave room for the imagination. In this Westgate basement, the actual TV is not on the feature wall, but the furniture is clearly set up for that purpose. If you notice above, this area is set up as a screen wall with a ceiling-mount projector, but a large flat screen would easily fit on the feature wall.

Most families love to relax together to watch a good movie. So add some fun staging props like a popcorn maker, bowls or clear glass jars with coloured candy as a special touch.

Television staging can be simple when you keep the room size, function, and potential buyers in mind. For more help with your staging challenges, and to schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment, contact Jen at Set Your Stage today.

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Who Do Home Staging Companies Work For?

April 16, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Home staging companies work for various clients; Home and Condo owners, Realtors, Renovators and Investors. The approach may be different in working with each client group, but the goal and end result is always the same. Home staging companies help to sell properties faster and at a higher price.

Home and Condo Owners:
At Set Your Stage, most of our business to date has come directly from home owners who want to stage their property to sell quickly and at the best price. We offer a range of services to meet every budget and timeline. Personal and professional service with quality results is always our goal.

After: This formal living room is a great place to entertain.

Realtors:
We also have Realtors who hire us to help their clients with DIY home staging consultations. In some cases, the Realtor will also help to cover accessory rentals. After the home staging consultation, the client will decide whether they can handle the recommendations on their own. If not, they can hire us to help.

Realtors who know that a property is going to be a tough sell “as is” should bring up the subject of home staging with their client. Some will know of home staging companies that they can recommend. Others will let clients do their own research.

After: Relax/entertain family/friends in your own personal media room.

Renovators and Investors:
Renovators and investors are another loyal client group that we work for. They want to get an excellent return on investment fast so they can move on to their next project. In most cases, the property is vacant. Home staging companies understand how to bring in the proper furniture to create a space that appeals to potential buyers.

After: This cozy L-shaped living & dining room is the perfect space for entertaining or relaxing.

If you are thinking about selling your property, or are a Realtor who wants to provide added value for your clients, seriously consider hiring a professional home staging company to help you market the property in its best light.

Looking for successful home staging companies in Calgary? Contact Jen at Set Your Stage for more information about our services designed to suit your needs. Ask us about how our results compare.

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Staging Remains Important in the Hot Calgary Real Estate Market

April 10, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

The hot Calgary real estate market has got people excited. Over the past couple of months, buyers are loving the fully staged vacant properties Set Your Stage has worked their magic on. Almost all of our staged properties are selling within days, at or above asking price (and we’re excited to see what happens with the projects we’re currently just starting).

It can’t be stated enough: First impressions sell. And when buyers have to make decisions quickly, staging will help them choose your property plus be willing to pay more if it comes to (or to avoid) a bidding war.

Calgary’s hot real estate market has been featured on CTV news recently for good reason. There are more buyers than sellers (we’re moving into a seller’s market). Low mortgage rates are adding to the competitive nature of the market. Properties are selling fast (average 28 days versus 35 last year) and often over asking price (note the average to max paid over list price!). Buyers are prepared to pay to get what they want.

Before: Bedroom before home staging.

Yet active listings are still higher than total sales. That proves that simply putting up a ‘For Sale’ sign in a hot market is not enough. The houses that aren’t selling become harder to sell the longer they remain on the market. That’s because they start to get a negative stigma (potential buyers start to question why the property isn’t selling and assume there must be something wrong with it).

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

Location, price and condition are the types of challenges that many of these properties face. And while you can’t do much about location, it is possible to adjust the price and improve the condition of the property so that it appeals to potential buyers. Staging sooner rather than later is definitely an option to consider if you’re in this situation.

Our calendar is getting full! Contact Jen at Set Your Stage today to schedule your free Home Staging Assessment so that you can take full advantage of Calgary’s hot real estate market too!

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Archive for the 'Home Staging FAQ' Category

Dining Table Staging Dilemma: To Set or Not to Set?

Television Staging: Use It or Lose It?

Who Do Home Staging Companies Work For?

Staging Remains Important in the Hot Calgary Real Estate Market

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