What is Home Staging?

Home staging is the art & science of preparing a home for your local real estate market. For us at the Styled Home Co., we specialize in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.

The goal of home staging is to make make the property look its best and appeal to the greatest number of buyers, so that it sells quickly and for the highest possible price.

What’s Involved in Home Staging?

At a minimum, home staging involves strategizing, planning, decluttering, deep cleaning, depersonalizing, rearranging furniture, and utilizing decor to make a house look its best. A well-staged home shows buyers that the house is move-in ready and has been well-cared for.

Home Staging in Ontario, Canada

Home staging in Ontario, Canada is becoming increasingly popular as homeowners look for ways to stand out in a competitive real estate market. According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, the average selling price for detached homes in the Greater Toronto Area was $1,015,000 in March 2021, up 21% from March 2020.

With prices like these, it's no wonder that home sellers are looking for ways to get top dollar for their homes. Home staging is one way to do that.

Types of Home Staging Services

Different home staging strategies will apply based on factors such as the type of property, the real estate market, and the level of service desired. For example, in a hot real estate market where properties are selling quickly, a more basic home staging approach may be sufficient. However, in a slower market or for a more expensive property, a more comprehensive home staging solution may be necessary in order to make the property stand out from the competition.

There are 3 main types of home staging services: plan & consultation only, full home staging solution with inventory set up, and a premium, "do everything for you" model where a home stager is your partner for every step in the process.

TYPES OF HOME STAGING

  • Premium Home Staging Solution

    Premium Home Staging Solution

    Premium Home Staging with "Do Everything For You" Model

    This home staging service is where a home stager will work together with you, your realtor, and any other stakeholders to develop a strategy for listing your home on the market. Then, the home staging team will implement all aspects of the plan, including collaborating with your real estate photographer and media production team, being responsible for selecting inventory and perhaps purchasing new items within a budget, moving the items in and out, and ensuring your property is always at it's best.

    Who is it for?
    This service is ideal for real estate investors and builders / developers who want the highest return on investment, and who want a partner to handle all aspects of staging.

  • Standard Home Staging Service

    Standard Home Staging Service

    Full Home Staging Solution with Inventory & Set Up.

    In this type of service, a professional home stager will not only give you an action plan but they will also implement the recommendations themselves. This may involve bringing in furniture and accessories from their own inventory to stage the home, or renting furniture and accessories if necessary. In some cases, they may even work with the homeowners to purchase new furniture and decor specifically for staging purposes.

    Who is it for?
    This service is ideal for realtors. It’s also good for investors or homeowners who want to take a hands-off approach to preparing their homes for sale.

  • Home Staging Consultation

    Home Staging Consultation

    Home Staging Plan & Consultation Only.

    In this type of service, a professional home stager will generally provide a virtual consultation over video call, or, might come to your house and give you a custom action plan outlining what needs to be done to prepare your home for sale. After the consultation, the home stager will provide a written report with specific recommendations on how to prepare the home for sale. The report will cover topics such as decluttering, furniture placement, paint colours, and curb appeal.

    Who is it for?

    This service is ideal for homeowners on a tight budget & timeline who are comfortable doing the work themselves but need some guidance on where to start and what to prioritize.

View All Packages

What Type of Home Staging Should I Choose?

The type of service you choose will depend on your budget, time frame, and your desired level of involvement.

If you have the time and money to invest in fully staging your home, it will pay off when you sell. According to the National Association of Realtors, staged homes sell on average for 17% more than non-staged homes and spend half as much time on the market.

If you’re not sure, you can always talk with a professional. We offer a Free Estimate and can guide you though your options.

Home Staging 101

Want to know the Home Staging basics? There are some general home staging musts that apply regardless of where you live. However, you must also account for your local real estate market too.

Below are some general best practices and also some Ontario-specific priorities to keep in mind when preparing your home for sale.

General Home Staging Best Practices

  1. Declutter
    Get rid of any excess clutter so that rooms appear larger and more inviting

  2. Depersonalize
    Remove personal items such as family photos so that buyers can imagine themselves living in the space

  3. Neutralize
    Use neutral colours throughout the house so that buyers can easily envision their own style in the space

Ontario-Specific Home Staging Priorities

  1. Service your HVAC
    Make sure your air conditioner & furnace are in good working order, including changing air filters. This is especially important in our hot summers & cold winters with indoor air quality & smell.

  2. Know Your Neighbourhood & Stage Accordingly
    As an example, buyers looking for properties in one neighbourhood would prefer that 3rd bedroom staged as a home office - buyers in a different neighbourhood would prefer the opposite.

  3. It’s Not Only the Home, Highlight the Area
    Include info about local amenities in your marketing materials. Out of town buyers want to know about schools, public transit, shopping, etc.

The Advantage of a Home Stager’s Inventory

Did you know that paying for Professional Home Staging often costs less overall that doing it yourself?

How? Hiring a home staging company delivers more ROI than doing it yourself, since

  1. You have to devote significant time to planning, arranging, selecting items, installing, etc…

  2. Home Stagers have been at this game for a while, and have sharpened their expertise with staging to sell, and,

  3. INVENTORY! Home Stagers often have access to a deep, curated inventory of items which you would have to purchase yourself.

Home stagers carry an inventory of items which increase the home’s appeal and perceived value.

Here’s a brief list of items home stagers should have in their inventory:

o   Books

o   Accent chairs

o   Couches

o   Sectionals

o   Coffee tables

o   Side tables

o   Lighting accessories, table lamps, floor lamps

o   Textiles – pillows, blankets

o   Artwork

o   Mirrors

o   Clocks

o   Carpets

o   Rugs

o   Kitchen utensils & accessories

o   Children’s toys, tables, chairs, desks

o   Work desks

o   Computer chairs

Home Staging is for the Outside too!

Sometimes clients don’t realize that Professional Home Staging is also for outside a property! Areas such as a condo balcony, a rooftop patio, a backyard deck, a front veranda, can all be transformed by a home stager’s touch!

In Conclusion: Home Staging is about Maximizing Your Return on Investment

Home staging is becoming increasingly popular in Ontario as homeowners look for ways to stand out.

Home staging is time-tested and proven. This remains true both in a competitive real estate seller’s market with bidding wars, and in a buyer’s market where properties must capture attention and connect emotionally.

By investing in a home staging professional to declutter, depersonalize, and neutralize your space, then add curated proven inventory items to bring out the best in your home and demonstrate it's true potential, you can make your home more appealing to potential buyers and increase your chances of selling quickly and for top dollar.

Contact The Styled Home Today for your Free Estimate.