AYN Advice

House Staging is a pre-sale must

HOUSE STAGING - A Pre-Sale Must

According to a recent poll released by Royal LePage Real Estate Services, the attitudes of Canadians towards appropriate house sale preparation costs and the currency of their home’s décor differs from industry experts. The 2005 Royal LePage House Staging Poll (conducted by Maritz Research) illustrates that 54 per cent of Canadians think that $2,000 or more is the appropriate amount to spend in preparing a house for sale, with a surprising 25 per cent willing to pay over $5,000. The poll also shows that 75 per cent of Canadians would classify the style of their house as “current” or “somewhat current.” These findings are counter to house staging specialists, who maintain that although the majority of homes in Canada are in need of updating prior to sale, a significant difference can be made with as little as $1,500.

“Due to the popularity of home makeover television programs, consumers are more familiar than ever with interior design trends, and average Canadians now expect more when shopping for a new house,” said Dianne Usher, senior manager, Royal LePage Real Estate Services. “House staging, a tool used by successful real estate agents for decades, is the best way to make a dramatic impact without having to spend a lot of money.” And, while most Canadians think their home décor is current, experts like Timothy Badgley, interior designer and owner of Acanthus Interiors in Port Hope, Ontario disagree. “The majority of homes that we visit for consultations are out-dated and in need of a pre-sale makeover,” he said. “The good news is that unlike major renovations, house staging is a simple and inexpensive way to bring your house up-to-date.”

Badgley added: “Buyers want to walk into a house and immediately envision themselves living there. Simple staging techniques like cleaning, organizing and de-personalizing can help to make your house buyer friendly.” Creating the illusion of space and neutralizing your house are two of the most important aspects of house staging.

Create Space
One effective staging technique is removing, rearranging and resizing furniture. Badgley suggests creating space by removing oversized pieces. The survey found that the majority of Canadians were receptive to this idea as 74 per cent of Canadians stated that they would remove furniture from their house if they thought it would increase the value of their home.

De-clutter
Eliminating clutter is another area where improvement is needed for most Canadians. Over 90 per cent of Canadians showcase small appliances, such as microwaves, toasters, radios and blenders on their kitchen counters. According to Badgley, this is a deterrent for potential purchasers. “Homebuyers are interested in ample kitchen counter space, not your small appliances, even if they are high-end,” he said. “By clearing counters of removable items, potential homebuyers can envision the space exactly how they like.”

Curb Appeal Counts
When preparing your house for sale, the exterior of your house is equally as important as the interior. Homebuyers decide whether or not to look inside a house by the appearance of its exterior. When asked what they thought was the most important exterior feature when selling a house, the number one answer was a well-maintained yard (40%). A clutter-free yard and driveway ranked second (28%), while a newly painted exterior was third (18%). Two of Badgley’s exterior house staging tips are purchasing removable storage bins for unsightly trashcans and creating an “entertaining space” in the backyard by setting out patio furniture, even in the winter.

Free House Staging Consultation
If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future and would like more information on pre-selling preparation, or to take advantage of a free house staging consultation, please call me Collette Austin on (514) 295 4675.

The Royal LePage House Staging Poll was conducted by Maritz Research between February 24th and February 28th, 2005. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,002 adult Canadians. With a sample of this size, results can be considered accurate to within +/- 3.10%, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. This data was statistically weighted to ensure the sample’s regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 2001 Census data.