| HOME STAGING |
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| Experts set the scene to sell homes
quickly and for top dollar |
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By Janine Mackie
While we strive to give our homes personality, when the
time comes to sell, we need to look at our homes through
the eyes of prospective buyers.
The decision to make an offer or keep looking is often
made within seconds of entering a home. Subtleties like
the collection of toddler artwork on your refrigerator,
dated furnishings or showing your home vacant can make
for a bad first impression and cost you thousands.
Prospective buyers want to imagine themselves, not you,
living in the house!
“Homes are sold based on emotion,” says John
Carter of DEKORA, a West Vancouver-based company that
works directly with homeowners and realtors to spruce
up homes for sale. “If you want maximum value and
a fast sale it’s critical your home is professionally
presented to buyers.”
Selling a home is much different from living in a house.
“It's like dressing up for a special event or job
interview,” says Carter who shares partnership in
Canada’s leading home staging company with Ron Sowden,
a 15-year veteran of the film industry and Barbara Rae,
a well-known B.C. businesswoman. “We want buyers
to step into a home and say, “Wow!”
DEKORA creates inviting spaces with broad appeal
Their philosophy is straightforward: If you want to sell
your home for maximum profit, make it shine like a show
home. Every detail -- from clutter, cleaning, paint colours,
floor coverings, artwork, furnishings, lighting, landscaping
and repairs needs to be considered.
Well-known in California as “the secret weapon of
real estate,” home staging is still a relatively
new phenomenon to realtors and homeowners in the Lower
Mainland.
A few extra touches like an attractive planter by the
front door, luxurious linens in the bedroom and an exquisite
painting over the mantel can turn home browsers into homebuyers.
Whether it's a condominium, family-oriented house, heritage
estate or vacant property, sellers are clearly gaining
an edge in the marketplace with DEKORA’s home staging
services.
A basic staging involving some furniture rearrangements
can cost just a few hundred dollars, while a full empty-house
staging can be up to $10,000.
It’s an investment many feel pays for itself. In
fact, a recent survey by Coldwell Banker Realty in the
United States showed that staged homes consistently sell
in about half of the time and often for a price as much
as five percent more than non-staged homes.
“We look at the entire home and prioritize based
on where the home seller will receive the greatest return
on investment,” said Carter.
It’s quite doable for a homeowner to undertake the
staging themselves and a consultation with DEKORA provides
a detailed report of recommendations. The company also
provides a free estimate with room-by-room pricing based
on their team doing the work.
Busy lifestyles are ideal candidates for home staging!
“For today’s dual income families there’s
no time to spend on fluffing up a home before putting
it on the market,” said Terry Eng of REMAX Real
Estate Services - Vancouver's top selling REMAX Real Estate
Agent.
Eng recently recommended DEKORA’s home staging services
to a couple selling their six-bedroom heritage home in
East Vancouver.
“My clients wanted to
show their home at its best and maximize its value,”
explains Eng. “I knew if they called DEKORA they
could gain a competitive edge and create an even more
inviting home.”
DEKORA took down a few personal photos, put some furniture
in storage, rearranged other pieces to make more space
and added accents with rented furnishings. The visual
impact was strong as were the results.
Within the week’s first set of showings, the home
sold for maximum value and very close to what Eng recommended.
“The excitement we saw from buyers was amazing,”
said Eng. “The team at DEKORA knew exactly what
motivates buyers in this market and created a homey atmosphere
that made the first impression the best impression.”
Vacant houses and condos often pose a challenge for sellers
and realtors. Staging a vacant home can breathe colour
and life into an otherwise cold and empty space.
Staging a house is presenting the dream – showing
it the way it could be!
DEKORA recently staged an unfurnished condo in Downtown
Vancouver. In this case new furniture, inspiring artwork
-- even lush plants were provided on a rental basis for
an extreme makeover.
The result? “Multiple offers and it sold for more
than the asking price,” said listing realtor, Stephen
Burke, of Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Vancouver.
For a house to stand out amongst the competition it must
be in showcase condition. Before the audience arrives,
the stage must be set. Call DEKORA at 604-875-4355 or
visit www.dekora.com and be sure to ask for their remarkable
testimonials. Staging works!
Dekora's
Quick List Steps for Staging Your Home:
1. Curb Appeal. If the outside doesn't look great
buyers won't come into the home.
2. Unclutter. Clear off the refrigerator, mantel, dresser
and bathroom counter. The less clutter in a room, the
bigger it looks and the more people focus on the home
and not the “stuff!”
3. Clean. Make your home sparkle with extra attention!
Organize closets.
4. Neutralize. Put away extra furniture, family portraits
and decorations. Consider painting walls a warm neutral
colour.
5. Rearrange and Accessorize. Carefully consider artwork
and furniture. Change furniture grouping to create an
inviting setting. |
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