For sale signs are sprouting up on front lawns like the proverbial daffodil. And as sure as it's spring, you can bet there are homeowners thinking about selling the manor.
Setting the stage for a quick and prosperous sale makes good sense when putting a house on the market.
A well-lit, clutter-free home painted in neutral colours will attract far more potential homebuyers than a dark and dingy space with an entranceway adorned with 50 pairs of shoes.
"Making the right first impression is imperative," says Dianne Usher, senior manager with Royal LePage Real Estate Services.
But how do you get your home from drab to fab and what kind of payback can you expect?
"Home staging will increase the value and saleability of a house by approximately $5,000-$10,000, and one of the best returns is paint," says Margie Kiersnowski, a realtor with Re/Max West. "You only get one chance to make an impression -- people will not return to see if a home has been fixed up," she adds.
At the high end of the market, you can spend a lot to gain even more. "I had one client spend $30,000 and received more than $125,000 of the original asking price," says professional home stager Kim Stephenson. "I could see the potential of the home, even though it was ugly and in very bad repair."
No strong colours
So homeowners can lose a lot of money if the house presents poorly. "It's hard to divorce the interior of the house and just look at the shell," says Stephenson, owner of Market Fresh Design.
Using strong colours is a big mistake: "It can be a beautiful colour and suit the person living there, but home stagers know what prospective buyers are looking for even if they don't know it themselves," adds Stephenson. And they want a home in move-in condition.
"I received 20% more by using the services of a home stager," says Lane Coleman. "Kim is an artist and she approached her job like a sculptor approaches an uncut rock," adds the director for Theatre Passe Muraille. "She turned a very stressful event into an adventure."
A reputable home stager will tell you when a home needs a lick of paint and nothing more, but if the countertops are in poor condition or new light fixtures will spruce things up, then it's worth the cost.
Stephenson also says to clean the windows and leave them bare.
"Don't draw the shades and leave a room in the dark -- two of the things you're selling are space and light. People want to see how much light is streaming in, if it's an unsightly view then hang sheer curtains."
Potential buyers will often drive by a house at night before booking an appointment to view it.
"If the lighting is right, a room will look warm and inviting. Open the curtains and leave the lights on -- the room will look really great," she adds.
It could push a buyer into making an offer since sellers want their home to sell fast and at the price they're asking.
