Everything you Should Know About Home Staging

Staging means preparing a home for sale to appeal to the largest number of buyers, increasing the chances of selling quickly and for a higher price. As a seller, you can stage your own home, have your Realtor® help you stage it, or hire a professional home stager. A new twist on home staging is “virtual” staging, which means that photos of a home are digitally enhanced to demonstrate the possibilities of the space.

THE BENEFITS OF HOME STAGING

Faster Sale, Higher Price.

When potential buyers can picture themselves living in the home, they will be more motivated to make a competitive offer. Depersonalizing the home of family photos and other such items helps buyers see the space as “theirs.” Swipe Right Photographs of a staged home are more likely to attract interest online. Since most homebuyers these days start their home hunt online, it’s important to make a good impression through photos. Picture It! When potential buyers view a listing, they’re thinking beyond what their eyes are showing them. They’re visualizing themselves living in the space. Is the home an ideal place for growing children, or to enjoy retirement? A home stager will take an objective approach to decluttering and decorating, allowing prospective purchasers to view the space as theirs.

LET A RE/MAX AGENT GUIDE YOU

The advice presented here includes tips from RE/MAX agents and other professional sources to help sellers like you through the home staging process. It’s a challenge to objectively critique your own home. Your RE/MAX agent will bring a fresh perspective, an understanding of the local market and knowledge of what buyers there are looking for, to ensure your home shows beautifully in person and in photos. Keep in mind that staging is not remodeling. Staging involves cleaning, rearranging and a bit of decorating to highlight a home’s best features, such as a fireplace, beautiful wood floors, gorgeous views or a cozy master suite. Your RE/MAX agent can also refer you to professional staging resources as needed.

MISTAKES TO AVOID

• Don’t spend a lot of money. Be resourceful.
• Don’t paint everything white. Opt for soft neutrals.
• Don’t cover up architectural details such as windows or the fireplace.
• Don’t try to hide odors with overpowering air fresheners and candles.
• Don’t make the house too sterile by removing everything. Your goal is “inviting and livable.”

PACK IT! STORE IT!

Plastic storage bins are great for items that may need to be stored for an unknown period of time. Store these off-site if possible. Consider renting a portable storage unit. Many companies provide these large containers that can be stored in their climate-controlled warehouse until you are ready to have it delivered to your new home!

Start with:

• personal framed photos, photo albums, trophies and awards
• extra bake ware and cooking items
• Barely used kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and small appliances
• collectibles, figurines, special occasion dishware
• extra or out-of-season décor items
• out-of-season clothing, coats, boots and shoes
• books, CDs, DVDs and games

OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS

SANDY SELLENS
SJS Design

Sandy from SJS Design is your go to Home Stager/Registered Interior Designer in Muskoka. Sandy’s objective is to work with a homeowner and realtor to stage a home to increase its value, appeal to more buyers and help sell the listing quicker. She will help highlight the home’s features and architectural details as well as enhance the curb appeal to get prospective buyers in the door. “I always begin a project with an in-home evaluation to create a custom staging plan which can include a list of improvements, repairs and recommendations for the home.” Sandy works with her clients to declutter and depersonalize a space so buyers can envision themselves in that space. “A homeowner can complete the improvements and repairs themselves or if they don’t have time, I will be happy to do it for them. My clients are always amazed with the outcome after I have worked in their home. It’s wonderful to be able to see the results after a staging has been completed.” Her attention to detail, experience and warm and caring personality are what draws people to Sandy. Let her take the stress away from selling your home by providing creative solutions to highlight your listing. Sandy is the proud mom of a son, a daughter and two fur babies. Summer water sports like surfing, sailing and swimming keep Sandy busy when she is not hard at work in her design business. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends at the cottage on Lake Muskoka.

BRANDIS SMITH
Bells & Whistles Property Management & Cleaning

Meet Brandis, the cleaning wizard of Bells and Whistles Cleaning and Property Management. With almost two decades of experience in the industry, Brandis has earned a reputation as the go-to cleaning professional for homeowners and businesses. Brandis takes pride in her work and treats every home and business as if it were her own. She understands that every home is different and works closely with her clients to develop a personalized cleaning plan that meets their specific needs. Bells and Whistles Cleaning and Property Management specializes in residential and commercial properties which includes construction sites, real estate, cottage rentals and property maintenance. What sets Brandis apart from other cleaners is her attention to detail. She has an eye for spotting areas that need extra attention and goes above and beyond to ensure that every surface and corner of the home and business is sparkling clean. But Brandis isn’t all work and no play. When she’s not cleaning cottages, you can find her spending time with her two sons and enjoying all that cottage country has to offer. She loves the outdoors and is often found ATVing, ice fishing and camping. “I love that we can please our clients. Our work is nothing but quality, and we love being able to see a great before and after of our cleans. Muskoka is a great area to serve people because you not only get to work with clients who are so kind, but you also get to see the love of nature and all that Muskoka has to give.