“STAGE IT FORWARD” CHALLENGE:

To create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for transition house residents within a cavernous and utilitarian room, using only existing and donated items, volunteer labour and ***$0.00$***

COMMON AREA BEFORE:

December 6 was THE DAY for a downtown eastside “Stage It Forward” project which was seven exciting months in the making!  Late last spring, members of Vancouver’s staging community had formed a networking meetup group.  From the first meeting, those in attendance were in agreement we wanted to find ways to give back, as women helping women.

We were inspired by the 20-year volunteer history of The Godmother of the downtown eastside (Louise Edwards), to use our combined resources and talents in behalf of Sereena’s House, which provides shelter and food for approximately 50 women in transition in Vancouver’s downtown eastside.

While funds for bare necessities are often not available on the eastside, as stagers we regularly work to eliminate our clients’ excess.  We happily repurposed a significant number of items for this project.  A wish list of deficient (yet ever so necessary) items was compiled and donations were sourced: a stove, freezer, dishwasher, dining tables, seating, shelving, pots, dishware, cutlery, and last but not least, games, entertainment and craft items. Then we upped the ante! New lino (supply & install) was generously donated by Mira Floors, paint by Benjamin Moore, and application by painter Pierce O’Sullivan.  This was the happy (and oh-so-satisfying) result:

COMMON AREA AFTER:

THE TEAM FROM CITY-STAGERS http://www.meetup.com/City-Stagers

(That’s me on the far right, in the blue sweater! – Leah)

Here are some photos from the townhouse I staged:

Hi Leah,

The living room after staging

What a superb job you did at Dave’s place. The transformation was as day and night, it truly looked like a show home. We had a tremendous amount of interest and buyers and agent alike had nothing but compliments.

We had over 40 parties coming through the grand opening on Saturday which resulted in quite a number of second showings for Sunday and on Monday at 2 PM we presented 10 offers and ended up $30,600 over asking price. This never would have happened without your amazing work.

The living room before staging.

Thanks again and I am sure we will work together again soon,

Heiner Blum
Associate Broker, N.P. (Asc.), R.R.S
Blum Real Estate Team
www.BlumRealEstateTeam.com

• More advice on arranging bookshelves like a pro from Better Homes & Gardens

Before home staging

AFTER Home Staging:  Jazz them up by shooting into the reflection of the mirror!

After home staging

Ensuite after staging

Want to get top value for your home? Home staging professionals specialize in knowing what motivates potential buyers. “Getting a house ready to live in and getting a house ready to sell are two totally different things.” “Decorating is about making a home comfortable for you and your family; staging a home is about merchandising properties. It involves making a house clean and clutter-free so people can connect with the home. Done right, it helps your place sell faster and for more money.”

How much more? Coldwell Banker Realty tracked 2,772 properties, ranging in price from $229,000 (U.S.) to $4.8 million, in eight major U.S. cities. It found that while the average home was on the market for nearly 31 days, the typical staged home sold in just under 14 days. And while the average home sold for a mere 1.6% over the seller’s asking price, the staged homes went for a hefty 6.3% more.

Thanks to the popularity of television shows such as The House Doctor and Sell This House, there is a growing awareness that there is a discernible difference in the way we live in a home and the way to present it as a house for sale. The all-too-common buyers lament of “This house doesn’t do anything for me!” are words no vendor wants to hear.

Clutter translates into undesirable. To redefine your home to appeal to the majority of prospective buyers, evidence of your lifestyle and decorating preferences must be de-emphasized. Remember, you are not trying to sell yourself, but the house!

Home staging creates a spacious look, one that is neutral without being bland, a house that invites buyers to daydream about living there themselves. A professional home stager showcases the selling features of your property with a designer’s flair while minimizing flaws, and presents your house an as ideal, move-in-ready living space The resulting transformation truly makes your house stand out from its market competitors!

Statistics show the benefits to staging. In a study conducted by realtor, Joy Valentine, professionally staged homes typically sold in less than half the time of the average days on market. She concluded, “Staging a house is presenting the dream, showing the way it could be. Actualizing that dream helps sellers get the most value for their properties.”

Before you list, set the stage to help prospective buyers dream of making your house their home!

THE CHALLENGE: In this family room, the furniture overpowered and crowded the space, and distracted from appreciating the dimensions of the room itself. Though quite spacious, it felt cramped and crowded. A room arranged for living, the TV unit was the focal point and the fireplace ignored. The wall color and window coverings needed updating.

Family room before redesign

THE SOLUTION: Redesigned to sell, the fireplace and view became the key features of the room to draw attention to and showcase. Staging repositioned the conversation area to face the room’s primary focal point. Extraneous pieces of furniture were removed to enlarge the sense of space, and allowed the room to be captured favorably visually, in a glance. Fresh paint and a new lampshade completed the restyling of the homeowners own furnishings.

Family room after redesign

THE LESSON: The way we live and the way to sell are two very different things. Edit furniture and possessions to increase the sense of space. Restyle positioning of furniture to focus attention on the room’s focal point. Remove any distractions that hinder a buyer from capturing a snapshot view of the room with only a glance.

Stress is reduced when the task of decluttering is broken into manageable segments over a series of days or weeks. Concentrate on one room at a time and work for no more than one hour before taking a break. Don’t make more of a mess than you can clean up before the end of each session!

Begin by labeling three sturdy boxes as “Throw Away”, “Give Away” and “Pack Away”. Next, examine every item, book, knick-knack and piece of furniture, answering the following questions to determine whether to keep it, pack it up or get rid of it:

• Do I really love it?
• Would I buy it again?
• Do I really need it?
• Have I used it in the last twelve months?
• Do I anticipate using it in the next six months?

Be patient. Avoid putting your house on the market before it is completely ready. To save time and unnecessary stress, enlist the services of a home-staging specialist to help make your home move-in ready.