See your home through a stager's eyes

When putting a house on the market, home staging aims to capitalize on your home's best features to sell it quickly for the highest price.

For a step-by-step view on what a professional stager looks for when preparing a home, we spoke to Christine Rae, Ontario President of the U.S.-based Real Estate Staging Association and author of the how-to series guidebook Home Staging for Dummies.

1. Where's the equity in your home?

"Staging is really about seeing the equity in your home and targeting the prospective buyer," says Rae. "It's not just about decorating; it's a marketing tool."

2. What's the condition of the home?

"Sixty-three percent of buyers will pay more money for a house that is move-in ready than one that needs renovations," says Rae, citing a 2006 Maritz Research/Royal LePage Canada survey. Staging is not about hiding problems, but showcasing a property's integrity: "Our mantra is that we do not cover up," says Rae, who suggests that a pre-sale home inspection may be a good investment for sellers.

3. Are there any obvious turn-offs?

The consultation process can be tough on you, the seller, as a stager reveals things about your home that you may not want to hear. "We're really looking at it through a buyer's eyes, and anticipating how a buyer will see and react," says Rae. "If you don't know that your house has a bad odour, for instance, we have to tell you." Appealing to the senses is important: More than half of buyers in the 2006 survey thought odours such as pet and cigarette smells had a stronger impact on their impression of a home than did cleanliness, strong wall colours, an outdated façade and landscaping.

4. What work needs to be done?

"Our plan is to remove any reason for a buyer not to complete a purchase," says Rae. The next step is to devise a plan to renew, repair, refresh, edit and pack away clutter. That can range from a fresh coat of paint, to updating floors. While the cost of many improvements may hold potential payback in your price, keep in mind that renovations made to sell are not about personal taste but to meet the needs of potential buyers and have wide appeal.

5. How should the budget be allocated?

"We want you to do the things that have the biggest impact," says Rae. "It's not about going out and buying new cushions for the couch if you really need a new fixture for the bathroom. Buyers are influenced by what they will inherit as part of the purchase."

6. Is each room showcased?

"The last critical component of staging is what we call showcasing: maximizing the space in each room by the placement of furniture and creating the 'lifestyle' of each room," says Rae. "It's a science as much as an art, based on the psychology of buying and selling. Something as simple as hanging artwork at the correct height can have an emotional influence on a buyer," she says.

For more information on the benefits of home staging or to find a certified home staging professional in Canada, visit the Certified Staging Professionals website.