CM Staging Solutions Blog - A Toronto Home Staging Perspective

 Whether you live in Toronto or any other city it is never a bad idea to consider the season when staging a home for sale.  It is important to remember that you are not just de-cluttering your home so people can visit, your home must emotionally connect with a potential buyer in order for you to receive an offer – at the right price. One way to create that connection without blowing your budget is to think about the season you’re in and “Home Stage for the Season”. In Toronto, this is especially important in competitive neighbourhoods like Lawrence Park and Rosedale.

Incorporating seasonal home décor feeds the imagination and helps buyers to see themselves living in your home.

Remember, everyone can connect with a season. If you live in Toronto you know we have our favourite seasons and 4 great seasons to choose from, but there is a comfort in the seasonal changes that occur, especially in Canada, that can really have an impact on how we can relate to living in another home – doing what we enjoy in a new location.

One great example of someone who has been very successful preparing her home for the seasons is Martha Stewart - so why not think of her as an inspiration when staging your home. Since we have four seasons a year, you can have fun with this!

1.      Outdoor Seasonal Staging can include anything from a patio set to recreational games to barbeque utensils and apron etc. - when staging in the summer months in the Toronto area, why not give the buyer the feeling they can enjoy a barbeque with family and friends, showcase your backyard as a place of fun and recreation in the summer.

2.      2-chair bistro set - a 2-chair bistro set can be used in many situations and in many different places. It always helps a home buyer envision themselves sitting with a newspaper or a friend having a beverage and enjoying the scenery - much like you do at a cafe.

3.      Birdbath - for those nature lovers who enjoy bird watching and like to feel they have their own oasis. Make sure that the birdbath is easily viewed from the kitchen or living room for the most impact.

4.      Pictures that reflect the season - bring the outdoors in, showcasing autumn leaves during the fall can enhance a home that has a great backyard, or is located near great walking trails.

5.      Use a seasonal wreath - a seasonal wreath says to buyers this isn't just a house, its a home. Curb appeal is often under-rated and plays an equally important role to the sale of your home as well as the inside. A home stager can help you plan the small details of how to design a room to have the most impact, inside and out.

6.      Faux fur throws in winter/light throws in summer - this should be used when appropriate because not everyone is a fur fan. But a faux fur throw by the fireplace in the winter makes you want to curl up with a hot cup of cocoa by a warm fire…how inviting to a potential buyer.  Much like a light throw on a chair on the front porch can spark a vision of sitting on your porch with company during those cool summer nights. I had a client in Lawrence Park, Toronto who used this technique (along with other décor tips) to get top price for her home.

7.      Use pillows and throws with colours that reflect the season - does the house feel a little dark? Is it spring time? Brighten up a room with throws and pillows that bring in those seasonal colours. What colours do you associate with spring? Light green, pale yellow? An interior designer or home stager can help you choose a colour scheme that will brighten the day of prospective buyers without overwhelming them.

8.      Plant seasonal flowers outside - curb appeal.. curb appeal.. curb appeal.. If it's spring/summer, rake your garden beds and plant some seasonal flowers. Remember your buyer wants to buy a home not a just a house. Home owners often overlook the importance of a neat and tidy outdoors – make sure you walk your property with your home stager to get the best options for your home.

9.      Bring seasonal flowers inside - as we transition from a harsh winter, the weather has just begun to warm up and buyers are venturing out to look at the possibility of purchasing a new home, spring flowers can often lighten anyone's mood, especially if it's still a little gloomy outside.

10.  Some seasonal fruits/vegetables in the kitchen can speak to and connect with buyers - What do we do in kitchens? We eat and we cook... shouldn't a buyer feel they want to eat and cook in what could be their new kitchen… your kitchen?

As with all property staging, home staging for the seasons can make a home feel warmer and more like… well, home. Remember to avoid decorating with items that may suggest any religious connotations, such as a Christmas tree in order to maintain an open and airy feeling without limiting the number of buyers who might be connecting with your home, afterall not everyone celebrates Christmas and therefore they may not . Your home stager can help you create just the right balance.

  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.