Vancouver Home Staging Blog

As 2009 unfolds it's no secret that it is a buyer's market in most major cities. Vancouver is no exception.  Now more than ever it is imperative that home sellers go the extra mile when presenting their property for sale. As buyers expectations escalate more people are turning to home stagers to help secure a sale. Even with the current economic downturn, well displayed homes continue to sell.

Top home stagers bolster buyer confidence by paying close attention to detail. The experts at Reveal Estate Home Staging incorporate color, proportion, flow and style to create memorable spaces that sell.

Purchasing a home is an emotional decision. Are you doing all you can to create maximum appeal for today's discerning buyers?

Reveal Estate is a full service home staging company located in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia.

For more photos of our work please visit our portfolio.

Warning: the photos in this blog may cause you to feel a sense of hunger, thirst or the desire to stage your kitchen!

We've all heard it said that "the kitchen is the heart of the home". If you've ever had guests over for dinner or thrown a cocktail party, you know that people tend to congregate in the kitchen. In my experience as a home stager, the kitchen is often the room most overlooked by home sellers.

According to a poll conducted in 2006 by Maritz Research, 52% of buyers said the kitchen had the most significant impact on their purchasing decision. While a beautiful kitchen significantly increases the value of a home, a poorly presented kitchen can be a deal breaker. Ironically, with the kitchen having perhaps the highest impact on potential buyers, it is often the most simple and least expensive area to stage.

• Excess items on counters stop the eye from moving freely around the room.
• Microwaves and large appliances "eat up" (pun intended) valuable space.
• Blocks of knives pose a potential risk to anyone showing the home.

• Don't forget the back splash, sink and faucet.

• Take into consideration the amount of counter space available and select appropriately sized items.
• Unless you have truly expansive counter space, limit items (or groups of items) to 2 or 3 areas.
• Place the selected items where you want the eye to stop. 
• Greenery and bottles of water help convey a feeling of freshness.
• Fruit and vegetables stimulate appetite. Due to their bright colors, these will also be great items for directing the eye.
• A cook book propped open on a stand or laying flat is also great for setting the scene.
  

Jackson West is the owner and lead designer for Reveal Estate, a full service home staging company located in Vancouver, BC.

               The grizzly facts about bare rooms - observations of a wild Home Stager

By Jackson West

As a home stager, I secretly growl with frustration when I encounter vacant homes sitting on the market. Many of these listings lie dormant for extended and unnecessary lengths of time. Top Realtors and leading builders agree that selling an empty home is much more difficult than selling one that is furnished. Due to popular home design shows on television, today’s buyer has higher standards and wants a home that is "move in" ready. This has contributed to the success and popularity of home staging in recent years.

For most people the decision to buy a home is complex and is often based upon untamed emotion. Effective home staging ensures buyers identify with the space and aspire to the desirable lifestyle portrayed. This is precisely why builders use model homes and show suites to effectively sell properties. These days savvy Realtors and homeowners realize that in order to maximize selling price, vacant listings must be staged.

If you are selling a vacant listing, bear in mind the disadvantages of presenting empty rooms. Perhaps the greatest drawback to selling vacant properties is that every negative detail is in plain sight. Buyers scrutinize the condition of walls, flooring, and fixtures when there is nothing else to capture their attention. Bare rooms magnify echo and are uninviting. Without structural focal points they appear boring. It is often difficult for potential buyers to gauge the functionality, size and scale of a room without furniture to provide a point of reference. Challenging floor plans can be a deal breaker, leaving buyers wondering about possible furniture layout and available space. Not only does effective home staging make rooms appear larger, it also helps buyers form the necessary emotional connection to their potential home. The streamlined furniture placement employed in home staging guides the buyer and provides a necessary sense of flow between rooms.

Most buyers view several properties before making a decision to purchase. A property that has been properly staged entices buyers to linger, interact, and remember the prospective residence. It is crucial that a space stands out from the competition and remain in the minds of potential buyers if you wish to attract multiple offers. People are often hesitant about purchasing an empty home because they assume that since the owner has already moved they are eager to sell or worse yet that there is something wrong with the property. A vacant listing may also imply that the property has been for sale for an extended period of time and encourages potential buyers to present a lower offer. Bottom line, staged homes sell sooner and for maximum profit.

Still not convinced? Consider this empty living room in a house staged by Jackson West of Reveal Estate Home Staging.

This vacant room lacked a focal point, felt hollow and showed the signs of everyday wear and tear. It is the first room potential buyers viewed as they entered the house and didn’t make a great or lasting impression.

After identifying the demographic of potential buyers, the home was successfully merchandised. Staging created a necessary and inviting focal point, visual depth, and eliminated the cold echo in the room. The placement of simple, quality furniture and accessories added a sense of sophistication and transformed this house into a warm, inviting home.

People don’t buy houses, they buy homes. Consider the advantages of having your vacant property professionally staged.