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Archive for the 'Home Staging Resources' Category

Room by Room Staging Checklist: Living Room

March 22, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

As a Calgary home stager, I provide lots of tips for staging properties. For most people, it’s helpful to have information quick and easy to keep track of. Room by room staging checklists are a perfect resource. In this post, I’ll address general tips for staging the living room.

The Calgary Real Estate Board provides a helpful Staging Checklist that addresses the key areas of a property – inside and out. These are good basic guidelines about clearing out and cleaning up that all home owners should consider when preparing their property for sale.

In terms of staging furniture and accessories in a living room, it’s always important to consider the potential buyer and what their lifestyle needs are. That said, the following items can be added to your room by room staging checklist:
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Reduce the amount of furniture to leave plenty of space while still feeling livable (empty spaces do not show as well as thoughtfully furnished rooms).

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To update the feeling of an older home, consider renting transitional furniture for the listing period.

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Arrange furniture to highlight a focal point (view, fireplace, architectural feature) and allow easy traffic flow.

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Pull furniture away from walls where possible.

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Choose neutral colours for large furniture pieces and accent with a pop of colour in cushions and art work.

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Provide multiple sources of lighting (and consider mirrors to reflect light or a view).

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Select the furniture and accessories to create a balanced feel of masculine and feminine.

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Remove most personal items so the potential buyer can imagine herself in the space.

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Address any odours in carpeting; update with a new area rug if possible.

Before: Living room before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes.

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

Depending on the needs of your potential buyer and the options available in the home, the living room might also be staged to include a small office space, a family/media area or kid’s play area. It’s all about anticipating how the buyer will use the space.

Keep your room by room staging checklist handy and these living room staging tips in mind when preparing your home for sale. For more professional home staging resources and tips, follow Set Your Stage on Twitter.

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Get Rid of Smell to Sell

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

Let’s face it. With these cold Calgary winter days, we’re not keeping our doors and windows open much to let the fresh air in. But odours are a real deterrent to potential buyers. So, if you’re selling your property, you need to get rid of smell that may be lingering. These resources can help.

Part of staging your property to appeal to potential buyers is making it smell as good as it looks. To achieve that, sometimes you’ll need to give your entire space a good coat of primer and paint or to remove all the carpeting to get rid of tough odours. That’s time and expense that you may want to avoid.

Try these smaller steps to get rid of smell:

Air purifying machine: Whether it’s a portable model or one that’s attached to your HVAC system, circulating your home’s air through an air purifier will help to eliminate odours. Stop in to your home improvement store to find an inexpensive option that works best for you. Also consider products like “Gonzo” and the like for a more temporary fix.

Common kitchen ingredients: You probably won’t be cooking as much while your property is listed for sale, but these tips, using basic ingredients and everyday products you probably already have, will help to remove kitchen odour.

Hydrogen peroxide: Dilute hydrogen peroxide with water and spray to get rid of smell. Be careful to test this first to ensure it doesn’t bleach your fabrics and surfaces. It’s surprisingly simple and cost effective and won’t leave an odour behind like vinegar can do.

“No smell” is a good smell. Don’t add a scented product to mask odours in your home. Use one of the resources mentioned above to get rid of smell so you can sell. For more professional home staging resources and tips, follow Set Your Stage on Twitter.

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Calgary Real Estate Myths – Nothing Sells During Stampede

July 04, 2013 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Yes, homes can and do sell during the Calgary Stampede.

When people put on their cowboy hats in July to enjoy the “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, it doesn’t mean that houses won’t sell in Calgary during the Stampede. In fact, it’s an opportunity to reach a broader market when all eyes are on our great city. Professional staging can get the attention you want.

Rodeo, fireworks, art, music, food and fun. No wonder the Calgary Stampede is a huge draw for people across the globe. From July 5 to 14, 2013, Calgary will host more than 700,000 guests for the annual event. Just as people are looking forward to the big show, you should be staging your property for maximum impact.

Last year around this time, Set Your Stage used its expertise to stage a vacant property in Bridgeland that had already been on the market for almost three months. Anticipating that new mortgage lending rules would make it more difficult for buyers, the goal was to sell as soon as possible. The owners were worried about the Calgary Stampede starting and one of the real estate myths that said it would be impossible to sell during that time.

Not true. We staged the property on June 26. It sold July 4. The Calgary Stampede ran from July 4 to July 15. It goes to show that you can sell your house any time of the year. What makes the difference is highlighting the features (like the amazing views of the city from this property) in a way that really speaks to potential buyers.

After: This cozy open concept living room/breakfast bar is the perfect space for entertaining or relaxing.

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

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

If you are preparing to list your property for sale, avoid delays by professionally staging it in a marketable way right from the start. For more information on home staging in Calgary, contact Jen. I’m in the business of helping home owners prepare their property for a quick sale.

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Find Set Your Stage on Facebook

June 28, 2013 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Need some home staging inspiration? If you haven’t taken a look at the
Set Your Stage Facebook Page, come on over! I’ve included some features that I think you’ll enjoy.

It’s Favourite Friday! Join us on Facebook to vote which is your favourite sofa!

Favourite Friday

Have you ever wondered how you can use the same piece of furniture or accessory in different ways and still make it work? I show examples from properties I have staged using 4 of the same rented furniture pieces. Which one do you like best?

Scavenger Sunday

Test your knowledge of different local Calgary neighbourhoods. I post an image and you guess where it is. If you don’t live in the area, maybe it will inspire you to check it out. There’s lots to do and see in this fun, fast paced city.

Before & After

Are you one of those people who just can’t get enough of before and after photos? I love them too and share plenty from the properties that I have professionally staged. Set Your Stage properties sold over two times faster on average than the homes in the same areas!

Mystery Monday

Can you tell what these vacant before rooms are? It’s hard to tell but fun to guess.

Homes for Sale

Looking for a new home? We’ve got that covered too! All of the properties we stage, we post contact info/details on the home, photos of the professionally staged ones along with Realtor contact info. Maybe one of our staged properties will be your future home?

Check back often as I’m always updating our Facebook page. And, for all the latest updates, you can also follow Set Your Stage on Twitter.

Staging your property to sell is serious business. It’s worth it to work with a professional. For more home staging information in Calgary, and a free assessment of your property, contact Jen. I love helping home owners prepare their property for a quick sale.

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Archive for the 'Home Staging Resources' Category

Room by Room Staging Checklist: Living Room

Get Rid of Smell to Sell

Calgary Real Estate Myths – Nothing Sells During Stampede

Find Set Your Stage on Facebook

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