Top 10 home staging tips

Preparing to sell your home? These home staging tips will help your house look appealing and welcoming to potential homebuyers.

In many city centres across Canada, housing prices are at an all-time high and still climbing. If you want your house to look like it's worth every penny of the (substantial) sum you're asking, putting your home's best foot forward -- and then some -- is a must. 

1. Depersonalize. A potential homebuyer needs to picture themself in your rooms, and quirky decorating or pictures of the kids hurts the illusion. Remove all family photos and, if necessary, paint brightly coloured walls a more neutral shade.
2. Make sure everything in the house is in top condition. No torn screens, cracked plaster or burnt out pot lights. You may have gotten used to seeing them, so tour your house with a critical eye (or ask someone else to), and repair anything that needs it.
3. Chandeliers. One favourite low-cost, high-return investments is chandeliers. People think you have to spend a fortune on lighting, but you can go to any big box store and get beautiful ones for, at most, a few hundred dollars. Many houses don't have enough lighting to begin with, so if you're having the electrician in anyway, have more overhead fixtures installed -- or at least buy some great lamps."

4. Be aware of scale in the house when it comes to furnishings. You might have a giant sofa that you love, but if it makes the room look small, it has to go. Aim for small groupings of furniture (ideally more than one in a room, especially a large one), with plenty of space around them.

5. A clean kitchen. Kitchen counters should be clear and clutter-free. A single bowl or vase holding cooking utensils is okay, but that's about it. Store small appliances in cupboards if you must.

6. Kitchen decor. If your kitchen doesn't have a backsplash, this is a weekend job that a reasonably handy person can tackle for little money. Invest in some gorgeous tiles (since you're doing such a small area, it shouldn't cost too much) or consider glass mosaics, mirror tile, or plain tile interspersed with a few fancy ones.

7.Replace boring or worn cabinet pulls with high-design new ones. Consider brushed steel, which look great with stainless steel appliances, or decorative ceramic.
8. Fresh linens. Make sure any visible linens (tea towels, chair cushions, oven mitts, etc.) are brand new or at least look brand new.
9. Spotless kitchen. Hire a professional cleaning company to get at all the little nooks and crannies, down to the last detail. This rule, incidentally, should apply to the whole house.
10. Fix up the bathroom. In the bathroom, an ugly builder's mirror can be replaced with a pretty framed mirror for under $100. For a little more, you can buy an antique or higher-end model from a housewares boutique. Switch out the lighting for a nice chandelier or some attractive new sconces and the bathroom will look as if it's been renovated.

If you are looking for any advice to help sell your Durham Region home (Oshawa, Whitby, Uxbridge, Ajax, Courtice) feel free to give James Bryant or Patrick Bryant a call!  We look forward to helping with all of your real estate needs!