CM Staging Solutions Blog - A Toronto Home Staging Perspective

  There are a number of reasons why you should never try to sell an empty house, however even if you're home is in supreme condition or even newly built this is one fly in the ointment that will surely add to a rocky sale...

  I recall receiving a call from a builder who had been trying to sell a home for almost 11 months.  Despite trying to sell during a time when the Toronto real estate market was HOT.. multiple offers...  homes selling well above list...etc. this home would not budge, not one offer..

  So I went to have a look.  My initial impression of the house was it had been painted a dark peach... Peach?!

Can you believe this person had painted their home to resemble a PEACH?!

I thought no wonder this builder had missed the hot housing market opportunity in Toronto, he has painted his house peach!

Fortunately when I stage a home I have special tools that allow me to measure colour.  My colour swatches were indicating the colour was tan, but in this light it kept resinating as peach.  It didn't matter what room I went to in the house every room appeared peach yet the home was actually tan.

The builder, who had been reluctant to stage in the past because he didn't believe it truly worked and was an unnecessary expense was desperate to try anything, so we entered into a staging agreement and I staged the home.

After staging the home.. adding furniture, area rugs, and more lighting the walls transformed and appeared a neutral tan... hmmm.. 

It then became clear to me this was the effect of an often overlooked Metamerism. 

Well this home sold within a month with 2 offers.  If you are trying to sell your home, especially in the Toronto real estate market it is important to keep your colours neutral and never underestimate the effects of metamerism.

The morale of this story is....  Metarmerism is defined by the appearance of surface colour impacted by lighting.  When a property sits vacant, the shadows cast on surfaces such as the floors and the walls can alter how a person perceives the colours and can even make a wall look peach or even mauve.  This alone can cause a buyer to walk away.

By staging the property with furniture, it minimizes the shadows and alters the light perception being cast so that buyers are less likely to be turned off by this effect.  Buyers can now imagine a place where it is bright and open to whatever colour they decide.

Regardless of where you live, when staging a home we always want to appeal to the largest number of buyers, why not consider home staging with an eco-conscious?

You may be wondering why you should even consider taking on such a project, afterall don't you already have enough work to do without then trying to be "green"?

Well if we truly want to be appeal to the largest number of buyers, let's consider the additional markets we may appeal to such as:

• buyers who may have multiple chemical sensitivities
• buyers who are trying to live with a greener conscience

Do you have buyers who have expressed they suffer with asthmatic conditions or buyers who are seeking a greener home?

Well in light of the fact both Canadians and Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, it is no wonder people have sensitivities to poor Indoor Air Quality.

Here are some tips and pointers that you can easily incorporate into your listing checklist when preparing your home for sale and don't be afraid to let your buyers know!

 Products to Consider When Your Home Staging

 Use Low VOC (Volative Organic Compound) Paints and Stains - Of the 10,000 chemicals that you will find in paint, 300 of those chemicals are known toxins and 150 are linked to cancer. 

Many of these Chemicals can irritate some potential buyers like fresh cut grass and have been known to cause a host of health issues from breathing problems, headaches, and nausea, to burning watery eyes.  Low VOC paints and stains can be found in most retail chains who sell paint.

  If you need to install a new floor, why not consider wood With FSC Certification?  This means the wood is provided by a managed forest where trees are added as they are removed, they are not simply logging 1,000s without replenishing the forest.  Of the trees that are removed every year without consideration for the environmental ramifications, did you know a new species a week is being lost?

  Bamboo Floor - this product is questionable, bamboo is a highly renewable source yes, but the amount of resins that are needed to produce this type of flooring can be high in VOCs and the amount of energy required to bring bamboo to North America is also a problem - In this case is cost out-weighing the gain? 

Furniture With Natural Fibers - wool rugs and linen furnishings are both current and natural fibers.

Preparing Your Listing, Additional Things to Consider

1. Open the Windows Once A Day - the quality of outdoor air is much healthier than the quality of air you find indoors so when listing your property (in fact you should consider this everyday) open your windows to change the air.
2. Control the Humidity and Control the Growth of Harmful Bacteria and Mold - Some people are highly susceptible to mold and can detect it right away.  Moisture build up on walls, windows and other surfaces can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.  Be sure to ventilate the air, making use of exhaust fans such as in the bathroom and kitchens every day when showering or cooking.
3. Clean Moldy Surfaces With Detergent.
4. Repair Leaky Walls, Basement, and the Roof.
5. Clean and Disinfect Humidifiers, De-Humidifiers, and Air-Conditioners.
6. Make Sure All Your Filters Are Clean.

If you have sellers who are giving push back and still do not see the value of home staging, check out these home staging statistics, provided by Royal LePage Real Estate Services, conducted by Maritz Research.

Would sellers benefit by hiring a professional to prepare their home for sale?

• "Over 90% of Canadians showcase small appliannces, such as microwaves, toasters, radios and blenders on their kitchen counters...buyers are interested in ample kitchen counter space."

How do sellers perceive their homes and their decor and will potential buyers agree?

• "75% 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."
• "45% of Canadians classify themselves as a pack rat and in rural areas, the number rose to almost 53%"
• "86% of Canadians ranked storage space as important to potential buyers"
• "The top three interior features when selling a home were freshly painted walls (30%), flooring (29%) and organized storage space (20%)"
• "Homebuyers decide whether or not to look in a house by teh appearance of its exterior...when asked...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%)."

Sellers should be considering what other listings are doing to prepare their homes for sale if they want their home to compete on the real estate market.

• "54% of Canadians think that $2,000 or more is the appropriate amount to spend in preparing a house for sale, with a surprising 25% willing to pay over $5,000."

For additional poll findings, click on the link below.

http://www.royallepage.ca/en/utility/news/previous/content.aspx?id=948&bottomcontent=874&toolstips=1052&relatedcontent=1074

Regardless of where you are located, even in Toronto, if you're getting your home ready for sale don't wait for the next survey to be released, the statistics for D-I-Y home improvements for 2011 are still very relevant.  Below were the top 5 improvements recommended to sellers in the HomeGain Survey for 2011 based on average cost and return on investment (ROI).

1. Cleaning and de-cluttering ($290 cost/ $1,990 price increase/ 586% ROI/ 99% of realtors recommend.)
2. Lighten and Brighten ($375 cost/ $1,550 price increase/ 313% ROI/ 97% of realtors recommend.)
3. Home Staging ($550 cost/ $2,194 price increase/ 299% ROI/ 80% recommend.)
4. Landscaping ($540 cost/ $1,932 price increase/ 258% ROI/ 93% recommend.)
5. Repair Electrical or Plumbing ($535 cost/ $1,505 price increase/ 181% ROI/ 92% of realtors recommend.)

These statistics are based on survey responses from 600 real estate agents in different regions.  Differences of opinions may vary per region and demographic market, climate or condition of the home.  So if you live in Toronto and you're contemplating selling you're home here is a basic checklist to get you on your way.

You may find yourself reading this blog because someone, either a real estate agent, or a friend has suggested you should stage your home.

The question is who should stage my home, a home stager? What is a Home Stager?

Good question and what distinguishes one home stager from another?  In fact with the popularity of the buzz words “home staging” it would appear everyone is staging homes today, home owners, real estate agents, etc.

In a nutshell, a home stager specialized in preparing residences for sale in the real estate market in such a way that your home appeals to the largest number of potential buyers which results in selling your home more quickly and for more money.

So how do you shop for a home stager?

1.       The first thing you should ask to see is a portfolio.  This will include a number of different pictures, including both before and after of different types of homes they have staged and their different successes.

2.       References or referrals are also a good sign and so are testimonials.  If someone suggests a particular home stager that is a good sign they have experienced a particular level of success with this individual.

3.       You should ask a potential home stager to discuss what home staging is and what to expect. It is important if someone is going to stage your home you should understand what they’re doing and why without going into too much detail.  A home stager will be able to give you an idea of how this transformation will impact you and your family if any and what the cost will be.

4.  It is important at this time to let a home stager know if you have any budget restrictions.  Home stagers will make recommendations from adding a few pillows and pictures to painting, changing door hardware, changing your floor, etc.  The average home stager cannot quote and should not quote on behalf of a contract professional but the home stager needs to know if there are budget limitations.  In Toronto the average price a home owner is prepared to spend when getting their home ready for market is 1% of their list price.

5.       Time restrictions are also an important need to know.    If you are looking to have your home ready for pictures tomorrow you should let your home stager know that.  This will dictate what can be done with your home.

6.       Since the home staging industry is a fairly unregulated business, there are organizations that some home stagers will align themselves with such as RESA (Real Estate Staging Association).    This organization acts as a governing body of ethics among the home staging community.  It is not mandatory and on that note, I know home stagers who are excellent and not members of RESA, but if this is something that is important to you, this may be a question to ask.

7.       An important question to ask is if the home stager has any design knowledge, such as education or previous experience.    There are courses that individuals can take to get certification and often decorators and interior designers will get certification. They are private and independently operated. Ideally if you are looking to hire a home stager and having certification would be beneficial, but not a must.

8.  "The person who quotes the cheapest price is the home stager I'm going to hire." Buyer beware, you get what you pay for.  Remember the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

I hope this was helpful and best wishes with the sale of your home, I hope it’s profitable.

So you’re home is on the market and it’s Winter in Toronto, Ontario.  Although of late, we’ve seen unseasonably warm temperatures, and as we all know that can change in an instant.  Here is a simple check list to maximize the presentation of your home during this frosty time of year and hence maximize your offers.

1. Make sure all pathways to and around your home are cleared.   In light of Toronto weather, as you know potential buyers, if their serious will not only want to walk to your house but also around it.  Keeping it clean tells buyers this is a good purchase, this home has been well taken care of.
2. Keep the front inviting.  Some seasonal planters will create a welcoming entrance.
3. If you are planning to have open houses keep a boot mat at the front door, maybe even 2 and an addition mat that can help to soak up some of the salty melting ice.  This may sound excessive but believe me in Toronto this can be done without spoiling the aesthetic impression at the front door.  After all, there is nothing worse then when you walk into an open house and the floor is soaked with salt and melting ice and the agent is asking you to take off your shoes (understandably) but there is no where to step without getting your socks soaked.  Then when you leave you get soaked again and have to put your wet salty socks inside your shoes. Not a nice first impression.
4. Keep the heat on and the gas fireplace lit.  The buyers have taken off their shoes and all they can think is how cold their feet are.  Why is it so cold? This can be distracting and prevent a potential buyer from warming up to what a cozy home this could be.
5. It’s getting darker earlier, use light timers to keep the home looking bright and cozy from the inside and out, day and night.  Remember “curb appeal, curb, appeal, curb appeal..”

I would like to share our winner and the winning recipe who sent in the best holiday recipe with our December Newsletter.  Please see our winner Jean Taylor's submission:

Hello Rachel;

I'm sending you a family favourite recipe.  This entree is a big hit with the family especially during the holidays. 

I like to serve this meal with a cabernet sauvignon, I'm sure it doesn't matter which one.  Last year we paired it with Beringer Knights Valley.  This recipe generally serves 6 although, we usually share it between 4 and make double the amount to entertain 8. 

"Who Said Lambs Were Slow..To Cook?"

Ingredients

1. Cut lamb into 2-inch pieces. Place in dish and toss with rosemary, garlic and 2 tbsp olive oil. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turn occasionally.

    2.   Preheat oven to 325°F.

    3.   Remove the marinade. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an ovenproof casserole on high heat. Brown lamb in batches about a couple of minutes each side or until a rich brown. Remove to plate.

    4.   Reduce heat to medium and add onions. Sauté for 1 minute, pour in wine, bring to boil for 1 minute. Add stock and stir. Return lamb to casserole, cover and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes or until meat is tender and glazed with sauce. If sauce reduces too much, add a little water.

    5.   Remove lamb from sauce. Skim fat and strain. Return liquid and lamb to casserole. Taste sauce for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

    6.   Serve lamb with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Excellent served with fresh vegetables and roast potatoes.

In my career I have come across numerous listings where individuals undergo taking on staging a listing with the misconception that staging a home means putting some furniture in a room to fill the space.

The most impactful and most important elements to a successful design or home staging job are the accessories.

When you think, the role of furniture in a room is to define the bones of the space, the role of the accessories is to dress the space, add personality and create emotional connections with buyers.

I've met with many realtors who judge the quality of a home stager by the quality of their accessories.  Accessories are worth their weight in gold. So when you get them you next need to know how to display them.  Below are 8 steps on how to display your accessories and create a winning home staging job. 

1.  Find the accessory.  There are a number of retailers or rental places you can go to and find that piece de resistance. Here are a few:

Whether your renting or buying, remember keep them neutral and keep them unique.

2. Choose accessories to match the style of the room.  The style of your accessories should work with the style of the furniture not against it.

3.  Make use of your display options.  With the bones in place (your furniture) now it's time to dress them: fireplace mantles, sofas, chairs, end tables, coffee tables.

4. Create groupings with your accessories.  Singular objects can get lost in a room, groupings add interest and weight.

5.  Choose appropriate colour schemes.  Accessories can be used to accent the overall room colour or they can also add a pop of colour and become a show stopper.  Be sure to carefully considered what effect you are trying to create.

6.  Play with varying textures.

7.  Remember to match the scale of the accessory to the scale of the room.  Accessories you would use in a 3000sqft home would not be the same you would put in a 450 sqft condo and vice versa.  If the accessory is too large it will overwhelm the room and if it is too small it will get lost.

8.  Use varying heights in your groupings.