With so much inventory in the Vancouver market, and fewer sales since the same period in 2009, sellers are definitely feeling the impact of a BUYERS MARKET.   Multiple offers are no longer the norm.  Days on market have been increasing.   See what the Vancouver Sun has to say about our current ” Buyers Market”.

So how do you actually sell YOUR house when there is so much competition AND get the highest price possible that you’ll  feel good about?

1. By working with a expert realtor that understands the market, understands your expectations, markets to the hilt and represents YOU.
2. By setting your price realistically & competitively in todays market ( remember that you’re competing with a load of other fine properties )
3. By preparing your house to sell with EFFECTIVE HOME STAGING.

With so much competition, EFFECTIVE HOME STAGING is a top real estate strategy to ensure that your property STANDS OUT IN THE MARKET, gets noticed and SELLS !

Put yourself in the role of a buyer.

You view two (2) properties in the same neighbourhood.  All things considered equal (size, layout, neighbourhood amenties, price) which property would you most likely pick?

…the house that you’ll need to clean, paint, upgrade before you can really feel at home.

….or….

…the house that is move in ready and already feels like HOME?

 How about two (2) properties in the same condomium complex.  All things considered equal (size, layout, neighbourhood amenties, price) which property would you most likely pick?

….the  “bowling alley” condo that looks impossible to furnish? 

….or….

… the “Liveable” Room with a View?

The choices are clear and proof that STAGED HOMES SELL!   By portraying a “liveable” lifestyle that sellers want, your staged property will sell faster and for a higher price than the competition.

Here’s the facts:

• 63% of buyers will pay more for a property that  is move in ready!
• Staged homes sell up to 50% faster than un-staged homes
• Staged homes sell for up to 7% more than un-staged homes

EFFECTIVE HOME STAGING ensures that the property you are selling STANDS OUT IN THE MARKET.    Make it memorable, make it STAND OUT and it’s as good as SOLD!

For more details about Home Staging, Vacant Staging, Occupied Staging or Interior Design, call Accentuate Home Staging Design Group today at 604-328-6479 or visit our website at http://www.accentuate.ca/.

In our previous article Staging a Vacant Property – “The Full Stage” we reviewed the benefits of vacant staging.   These benefits still hold true:

• Staged homes can sell up to 50% faster than unstaged home
• Staged homes can sell for up to 7% more than an unstaged home

Emotions and first impressions play a key role in buyers decisions to make an offer.  Furnishing and accessorizing vacant properties is – hands down – one of the top real estate strategies to ensure that your property Stands Out in the Market.

Make your house APPEALING and MEMORABLE to potential buyers and you’re as good as SOLD !

But what it your budget simply doesn’t allow you to stage your entire property?

Perhaps most of your bedrooms are actually quite generous in size or that basement suite simply speaks for itself?

You may even be in the midst of relocating homes.  You’ve already sold or donated your living room or dining furniture ( for example)  in anticipation of starting fresh in your new home.  While you continue to live in the house during the selling process, your key rooms are now bare and unfurnished.

Whatever the reason may be, you’re best bet may be to opt for a Partial Vacant Stage.    Any staging is better than no staging if you want to maximize the market demand of your house in a competitive market.    So consider staging  just the necessary key rooms of your property ( the living room, dining room, the master bedroom for instance ).   Presenting your house and especially your key rooms with show home style will do wonders and give you the market edge.

Make it APPEALING and MEMORABLE to potential buyers and you’re as good as SOLD !

Call us at 604-328-6479 to learn how Accentuate Home Staging can stage your vacant property so that it Stands Out in the Market.

• Did you know that stage homes can sell up to 50% faster than unstaged or homes? 
• Did you know that a staged home can sell for up to 7% more than an unstaged home? 

With increasing activity and competition in the Vancouver Real Estate market this spring, can you afford NOT to stage your property?

We all know that buyers emotions and first impressions play a key role in their decisions to make an offer.  Furnishing and accesorizing vacant properties is – hands down – one of the top real estate strategies to ensure that your property Stands Out in the Market.

Make your house APPEALING and MEMORABLE to potential buyers and you’re as good as SOLD !

So now you’re ready to stage your vacant property.  Do you opt to stage the entire property or maybe just key rooms only? 

Let’s first explore the benefits of a FULL PROPERTY STAGE. 

You don’t need to look too far to find the recipe for vacant staging success.  Take heed from every new development SALES home that you’ve ever toured.  Each and every room has been furnished. 

Why?….to create a MEMORABLE portrayal of a lifestyle that buyers want.  No imagination needed, no tape measures here.   Buyers see first hand how their furniture can fit in that home.   More importantly, they experience an emotional connection to the space, as if they’ve “come home”.   “I CAN live here”….is music to our ears!

Consider also the impact on todays downsizing baby boomers who are often moving from full scaled homes to 1000 sq.ft condominiums.    This desire for high density urban living has made it’s mark…leaving many potential buyers touring properties that are seemingly impossible to furnish and entirely “un-livable”.  

By staging all rooms of a vacant property you will leave nothing to the imagination.  Buyers will see that:

• YES, that small and narrow room CAN accommodate their bedroom furniture or their dining room suite. 

That’s a CRUCIAL selling point for any interested buyer and potentially the key to their decision to make an offer. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming article:  Vacant Staging : “The PARTIAL Stage”

 Call us at 604-328-6479 to learn how Accentuate Home Staging can help you stage your vacant property so that it Stands Out in the Market !

In our opinion as expert home stagers, the optimal scenario is to stage your property just prior to photographing it for MLS and as close to the first agents open or buyer open house as possible.   This takes any last minute de-cluttering or open house preparation off the sellers plate and ensures that the road is clear for the realtor to focus on the pure task of selling that property.  Sounds pretty straight forward…right?

But what if your house needs a little or a lot of extra “TLC” before putting it up for sale?  Should you stage the house before or after hiring a realtor? 

Move-Out CLUTTER		Mid-Reno CONFUSION

If you know that your house can do with some ”TLC” because you are:

• in the midst of downsizing, packing and/or moving out
• completing the last of your renovations
• preparing to make minor repairs including painting, yardwork, etc

…….then you may want to consider staging your house before hiring a realtor.

Ultimately, you want to present your house at its very best…and that includes to realtors that you may be interviewing for hire.    Realtors are experts on pricing your home and they provide you with valuable insight into what today’s saavy buyers are after.   

By enlisting the help of an expert Home Stager first and getting a jump start on selling your house before hiring a realtor, you may get a higher listing price from Realtors.    Show them the clear potential of the effectively staged house and they will know that the marketing and selling  of that staged property will be easier and quicker than that of an unstaged house.

Time to Downsize		Ready to Show – SOLD!

That’s what these Accentuate clients did.   By staging their property first and “setting the the stage”,  realtors could accurately assess the house for it’s true features –  free of any guesswork as to how each room should be marketed and clear of the distractions of clutter and over-crowded  rooms.   By staging this house before hiring the realtor, the final real estate process was  streamlined and the chosen realtor was able to focus on listing, marketing and selling the house…fast and for top dollar!

Whether you’re downsizing, renovating or repairing  – staging your house before hiring a realtor may indeed be the best course of action for you.     And if you already have a realtor or if the house is already listed?…. it’s never too late.    Just know that it’s still important to stage it and have new pictures taken for the MLS and other advertising avenues.     Before you know it…..SOLD!

When you’re ready to get a jump start on selling your house, call Accentuate Home Staging at 604-328-6479. We can help!

1. You’re selling a condo in a vibrant downtown location – great!
2. A competing suite for sale in the same building is furnished.  Yours is vacant  – hmmm….
3. The only bedroom is the suite is so small and oddly shaped that it seems to  barely accommodate even a twin size bed – Oh no!

What do you do? Furnish it to start!…. Most buyers have difficulty ‘imagining’ how to furnish vacant rooms and many may not even give your property a second thought.

Now, how do you turn the negative of a small master bedroom into a positive selling feature?

Here’s how Accentuate Home Staging creatively transformed this undersized bedroom into a modern, liveable retreat.

1.  The Challenges:

• Long and narrow layout = Difficult to furnish (or so they think…)
• Narrow floor to ceiling windows emphasize the narrow floor layout                                
• Overall impression is uninviting and functionally unlivable

2.  The Creative Details:

• Dramatic backdrop: We installed a simple, yet dramatic floor to ceiling window treatment that widens the room, giving the ‘illusion’ of more space and a greater expanse of windows beyond.
• Functional layout: We oriented the bed ‘across the grain’…that is, we placed the Queen Sized bed across the narrow length of the room – not with the length of the room.  This created a sense of space and ‘place’ for furniture to each side of the bed, demonstrating the true potential of the room.
• Fresh colour scheme: We incorporated a light and airy colour scheme.  The softness of whites, greys and chrome accents echo the design approach of the remaining suite, creating a balanced flow of colour, texture and a cohesive sense of style.

3.  The Result: A calming and livable retreat. SOLD !

Need help with your difficult space?  Accentuate can help.  Call us today at 604-328-6479.

One of the most common issues we all face when marketing properties for sale are difficult room sizes and shapes. Size really does matter!

We all know that every potential buyer is ‘sizing’ up each listing and imagining if they can realistically live there. Small, cramped and narrow spaces can be the same turn off as too much space. Sales have been lost because a potential buyer can’t fathom how their own furniture could squeeze into that small space.  On the flip side, overly large spaces can scare off the buyer who imagines that they’ll have to purchase a truck load of furniture to fill the house.

Effective home staging can transform the most difficult room shapes and sizes into truly ‘liveable’ spaces that sell.  Spend less time helping buyers ‘imagine’ that they can live in the property and more time SHOWING them! A picture, in person or on MLS, speaks a thousand words.  By  increasing  the demand for the property you’ll increase your potential to sell it fast and for top dollar.

Don’t leave a property’s difficult areas to the buyer’s imagination… SHOW them the potential !

So how does Accentuate tackle matters of ‘size’? Click here for an inside look at what it takes to “accentuate” large or small properties.