Montreal Real Estate Blog » Showcase

Should your house be staged before you sell?

Sveta Melchuk — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:37 +0000

To Stage or Not to Stage – that is the question!
by Sveta Melchuk

Updated from the Home Staging archives. Originally published on Jun 18th 2007.

Staging a Home for sale will cost you money. Is it worth spending time and effort on it? After all, once the decision to sell has been made, you just want to get it over with as fast as possible, right?

First, did you determine the «right» price for your house? It should be based on certain objective criteria, such as the location of the property, sale price of comparable homes in your neighbourhood and today’s market conditions. But don’t forget the desirability factor…
While you can’t control some of the other criteria, you definitely have a say in the way your property looks, feels and is perceived by prospective buyers. Increase the visual/emotional value of your property and you will increase its desirability, therefore the price and the urgency to buy it from potential buyers. Why?

It’s the perception of the value that counts. The first impressions make a big difference in the way we perceive a person, an object or a service and, subconsciously, the decision is taken within the first 90 seconds on whether we’ll be «buying» and what value we assign to it.

Even before the prospective buyers set foot in your house, they are probably shopping on the Internet, checking the photos of the properties available in the selected neighbourhood and within their budget. They will make an opinion about your property based on what they see in the pictures and they will decide right there whether it’s worth their time to visit in person. If you have not managed to draw them in at this stage, you might have lost dozens, maybe hundreds of visitors to your house!

Your strategy should be to make the BEST first impression possible, in the Virtual world and for all the prospective buyers who will come to your door. Once they are visiting, make them focus on the property’s best features and show them the value of what they are getting. Choosing a particular house is a largely emotional decision, so make them choose yours. Statistics clearly demonstrate that a clean, spacious and well decorated home sells faster and for more money than other comparable properties.

Staging uses some simple but highly effective techniques to make your house look its best in preparation for sale. So, by spending a few hundred dollars on preparing your house properly, you will be gaining a lot more at the sale time. And staging services cost much less than a price «adjustment» on the house!

So should your house be staged before you sell?

This article was written by Sveta Melchuk from www.Home-Staging-Montreal.com. A Montreal firm specializing in Home Staging and Interior Re-design services.

Posted By: Sveta Melchuk. Founder of Home Staging Montreal, a Montreal firm specializing in Home Staging and Interior Redesign. Simple and effective solutions, to help you sell your property faster and for more money. Call Sveta at: 514-482-9776 http://www.home-staging-montreal.com/

Would you like to rent your property for more money?

Sveta Melchuk — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:20:11 +0000

Posted by: Sveta Melchuk. Founder of Home Staging Montreal

Professional staging/decorating for rental of a condo or an apartment is becoming more and more in demand. If you are looking for executive rental income for your unit, the property has to be presented accordingly.

Some of the apartments are quite new and others require some cosmetic renovations before decorating for rental. Some clients need help with managing the total project from beginning to end and taking care of things such as:

Make the list of what needs to be updated
Purchase all the materials, tiles, light fixtures, etc.
Provide renovation team to do the work
Provide cleaning team
Purchase all furniture
Purchase all accessories
Purchase linens, towels, even dishes if required
Decorate the apartment for rental

Decorating for rental involves some clever and creative thinking. We want it to look nice but we don’t want to spend a lot. We have to keep in mind the necessities for someone renting the apartment but also be practical. The unit has to look inviting but remain neutral in look and color.

We need to take into consideration our market and potential clientele we want to reach and stage/decorate accordingly. But chances are that our tenants will be less careful with our furnishings, so we need to plan for that as well. For example, I recommend darker color furniture and carpets as they will stay cleaner for a longer time. We want to include the minimum amount of furniture but it has to be comfortable for living. In general, the objective of decorating for rental is the same as that of home staging; creating a great first impression and allowing our potential tenant to see himself/herself living in that space.

As an example, please view a recent “decorating for rental” project by Home Staging Montreal team, where we first started by fixing up and repainting the condo and had it cleaned. Then we went shopping for vertical blinds, new furniture and accessories and we put it all together for a simple but effective urban look.

Here are some before and after pictures, to give you an idea:

If you would like to discuss with us how we can help you decorate for rental, give us a call or email us.
Our contact info is displayed just below this message. Looking forward to your comments!

How to Make a Small Room Appear Bigger

Deya Bautista — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:21:43 +0000

Updated from the Home Staging archive. Originally posted on May 08, 2007.

Small rooms are the bane of the home decorator. How do you achieve a pleasing look that doesn’t feel cramped and claustrophobic? Without to have to build an addition or knock down walls, you are limited to a few, but effective, decorating tricks that create the illusion of space.

Use color to your advantage

The strategic use of colour and light is the best way to achieve this. Choose light shades of paint or wallpaper for the walls. Lighter colours reflect light making for a brighter room. Use an even lighter shade of the same colour or white for ceilings and floors. A darker colour on the ceiling will make the ceiling look lower and tends to make the walls look as though they are closing in.

Avoid harshly contrasting colours. In fact, a monochromatic colour scheme that carries throughout the room into fabrics and accessories is very effective. Steer away from too many patterned items. The goal here is to blur perspective.

Anything you can do to bring light into the room will also give the effect of increased space.Try to vary lighting effects for interest. A skylight is a great way to add light to a room, but isn’t always practical or affordable.

Mirrors are a great solution for small rooms.

Place mirrors directly across from another for maximum impact. A mirror placed across from a window is also effective. Place a lamp in front of a mirror to add more light to your room.

If you have wood or patterned flooring, have it installed so that the lines run diagonally across the room. This makes for longer lines, which give the appearance of a larger space.

Furniture Size Matters

When furnishing the room, pick objects that are proportioned to the size of the room. For example, opt for a loveseat over a full-sized sofa.

Keep it tidy, keep it clean
Lastly, keep the clutter to a minimum. Avoid using a lot of knick-knacks and keep the room tidy and well organized.

Subscribe to our blog post , if you really liked this article :)

Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/

Spring is Here…with Open House Weekends!

Deya Bautista — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:44:55 +0000

photo: Deya Bautista

Spring is here! It’s not warm enough to find blooming flowers, like the one in the picture, but they will soon be covering our gardens.

No more heavy coats to wear, and ugly winter shoes get stored in a dark corner of our closets.
For those like us who work outside, we look forward to the Restos offering outdoor spaces at lunch-time and dinner.

But in real estate, the greatest thing about spring it’s the weekend’s open houses. Lovely weather to walk around and visit homes. With that, here at the blog, we will begin a new section:

Open House Weekend.

A list of the best homes available to visit each weekend, chosen by a criteria of Best Presentation: Good photography, Design & Location.
We’ll post it on Saturday, so you’ll have the time to review and organize yourself for Sunday afternoon visits.

How To Avoid the 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Make – Video

Deya Bautista — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:36:08 +0000

Although most of this video’s content has been already mentioned in one of our first posts

Here is an animation with some important tips and reminders on how to present your home before selling, avoid mistakes when accepting offers, and how to deal with buyers.
I loved the “home-made” style animation, simple and to the point. Mind you, this video was made with a target audience of “House owners” and not condos.

There’s the curb appeal aspect and the get rid of pets for visits-type of advice that…well, for condo people with pets (like myself) doesn’t really work. Imagine having to knock on your neighbour’s door across the hall to ask him:”Can you please take my 2 cats, dog and ferret for about an hour? I really appreciate it! I have potential buyers coming over, gotta go!” – Doesn’t really work, does it? But apart from that, I would say it is quite educational. Here it is, enjoy it.

Comments, opinions and questions are welcome!

Don’t ever miss a post! Subscribe to the Montreal Real Estate Blog

Staging a vacant house

Sveta Melchuk — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:01:55 +0000

by Sveta Melchuk

Home staging is an important marketing technique for selling homes, whether they are furnished or vacant.

Important points to remember about vacant properties are:

People buy «Homes» and not «Houses»: it’s therefore essential to give them the feeling of a «Home» and you certainly won’t be able to achieve that with an empty space!
A vast majority of people (over 90%) can’t imagine what a house could look like with furniture in it and they have nothing to compare their own furnishings to in an empty space. Did you know that a room actually looks smaller empty than properly furnished?
With nothing to focus on except the bare space, the negatives will become more apparent to prospective buyers.
A vacant house gives an impression of a desperate situation and you can expect to get lower offers than otherwise.

So, to sell your property fast and for most money, what do you need to do?

Let’s start with the outside: don’t forget to take care of the lawn and the landscaping – keep cutting the grass, trim the hedge and bushes, and plants/flowers are a nice touch in the summer. Rake the leaves in the fall, continue removing the snow in the winter and make sure that there is a clear path to and around the house. Clean and paint the front door and the trim, if needed.

On the inside, the house has to be spotlessly clean – ceilings, walls, windows, floors and carpets. If needed, the house should be repainted in neutral, pleasant colors.

You don’t need to stage the full house but it’s essential to focus on a few key rooms – entrance, living room, dining room and a master bedroom.

Just a few pieces of furniture, art and accessories can suffice but they have to be well chosen and well positioned to make vignettes.

So, how do you stage a vacant house? First, can you leave any of your own furniture behind for a while? If you can’t leave anything, can you borrow from friends/family any quality items?

Another great alternative is renting furniture on a short-term basis. There are places in Montreal (and other cities) which provide brand new, beautiful furniture and accessories specifically for selling an empty house. The stager will set it up in the most advantageous way, add some accessories and a few pieces of art and voila! Some stagers have their own inventories as well and will rent you the items required. Some creativity and some simple but efficient staging techniques will turn your empty house into a «home».

And remember, first impressions can make or break a sale, so a bit of effort, time and money will go a long way to sell your house fast and for most money!

This article has been written by Sveta Melchuk, Founder of Home Staging Montreal, a Montreal area firm which specializes in Home Staging and Interior Redesign. For more information, please visit www.home-staging-montreal.com.

Make an Entrance: Warm Up Your Entryway This Winter

Deya Bautista — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:22:27 +0000

Winter. It’s a time of crisp air, gently falling snow, and piles of coats, slushy boots and soggy mittens in your front hall. This season, make your entryway organized and inviting. Here’s how:

Make first impressions count. Give your door a fresh coat of glossy paint, and put down a new doormat. Hang a nice winter wreath or plant an evergreen in a sturdy urn.

Store your stuff out of sight. If you don’t have enough closet space, add storage by hiding a garment rack behind a curtain, using an armoire, installing a coat tree or hall stand, or by trying one of these storage ideas:
- A bench with built-in storage holds your stuff and offers a convenient spot to sit down and put your boots on.
- A small bookshelf with labeled baskets is good for storing small items.
- A chest of drawers can make your front hall look more like a furnished room, and it gives you a surface for photos, a lamp or incoming mail.

Stay in season. Move non-winter items to a different part of your home. Leave some extra space and extra hangers for your guests’ coats.

Tame your shoes. Set a limit to how many pairs each person can keep by the door, and install a shoe rack to keep footwear organized. Avoid putting boots on a mat that doesn’t drain ? they won’t dry properly and the leather will get damaged. A perforated tray with a mat underneath will let your footwear drip-dry.

Hook it. Heavy-duty hooks keep backpacks, scarves, purses and coats off the floor. Hang them at a height where kids can reach them to make it easy for them to put away their things.

Make a place for your misplaceables. How much time do you spend hunting for keys, sunglasses, cell phones and dog leashes? Dedicate a basket or bowl to these important items by the front door, and you’ll never have to search under the couch cushions again.

Design idea 1: Install a hook and small shelf for each person, and stencil their name on the wall beside it.

Design idea 2: Hang an ornate frame and fill the blank space in the middle with small, pretty key hooks.

Floor décor. Offer a warm welcome with a soft, washable rug that doesn’t show dirt easily. Put a mat outside, too; wiping your feet before you go in will mean less muck and less cleaning.

Don’t forget to decorate. Paint your entryway a striking colour, hang a graceful mirror, incorporate family photos or a favourite piece of art, add a table lamp and an accessory or two. Make it welcoming and beautiful. After all, it’s the first place people see when they come into your home.

Source: Royal LePage