New View Home Staging Blog

Research suggests that the Moving-Up Buyer is going to purchase a new home for perhaps 50% more than the one they're selling.  You've probably worked with these buyers, and typical wish lists are for a bigger kitchen, a 4th bedroom, a luxurious "spa" ensuite, and more room in general.

Getting into the head of the Moving-Up Buyer may be hard sometimes, because they know what they want, but they may not be able to explain it in so many words.  What they really want cannot be truly defined, or physically built for them.  They'll just know it when they see it. 

And so what is the "it"?  It's intangible... it's a feeling... a sense of opportunity and excitement... a suggestion of a better lifestyle.

When Moving Up Buyers are out looking at homes, they're often not so much looking at the house as they are looking into the lifestyle that it suggests they could have, and it needs to be a step up from the home they are leaving. 

This is where working with a professional Home Stager can make a huge impact, to both the Buyer AND the Seller.  The price needs to be set right (realtor expertise required here), but it also needs to look great and provide the intangible IT factor... the lifestyle influence.

The perfect combination for a sale to the Moving Up Buyer is a property within their price range that exudes the quality of life they want.   For Sellers that understand this and Realtors that guide the process, it's usually a win-win-win situation.   

These days there's a statistic for everything, so let me throw one in about staging.  Staged homes STATISTICALLY sell for between 5% and 10% more than their unstaged competition.
 
So using those figures, a $260,000 home will sell for between $13,000 and $26,000 more.  That's great news for your client because you've protected their equity, but it also means that the 3% seller's commission has increased between $390 and $780, or on average $585 per home. 
 
From there the math gets easier to understand.  If, on average, you earn an additional $585 per home and sell 24 homes per year, you're AT LEAST $14,040 ahead of where you would be if you hadn't recommended staging.
 
All this is based on just a $260,000 home ... and only the commission.   Now, because we also know that a staged home typically sells 2 to 3 times faster, start factoring in the need to host fewer open houses, spend less money on advertising, leaving more time to focus on other leads... PLUS the additional referrals from satisfied clients who have realized greater profits themselves, and it becomes clear that staging makes good financial sense.  

New View Home Staging is a full services real estate staging and property styling company serving Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford and surrounding communities.  We pride ourselves in exceptional customer service and would welcome the opportunity to work with realtors and homeowners in southwestern Ontario.

Christine Bird, owner and lead stager, is a Certified Staging Professional and CSP Elite Agent trainer.  Please call 519-505-0892 to speak with Christine about your real estate staging requirements.

Kitchener-Waterloo Home Stager, Christine Bird of New View Home Staging, is helping take the home staging industry to a new level of awareness.

Home Staging has emerged as one of the most important and influential components of the selling process that remains within the seller's control.  "Location can't be changed and price has a range driven by the market, but how the house is viewed is completely up to the seller," Bird says. 

And how the house is viewed directly impacts the sale price.  Buyers will pay more for a home that's move-in ready.  They no longer want to tackle the challenges of a fixer-upper, and if they do, it will be reflected in their offer.  Buyers are busy and they're educated.  They're frugal and yet expect more for their money.

So Christine Bird is challenging the realtors themselves to assist home sellers realize their best opportunities for protecting their equity through professional home staging.  As a Canadian Certified Staging Professional, she is instructing the North American-wide CSP ELITE AGENT Designation at the local-level.  Realtors completing the designation will gain a better understanding of home staging and have the tools available to promote it more effectively to their clients.  Home sellers, working with a CSP Elite Agent, will have the confidence and trust in knowing they are being well served and their biggest asset - their home - will be market-ready and competitive. 

Home Staging is an extremely effective marketing tool, and it's here to stay.  Buyers have embraced it because it reflects their lifestyle and eases the transition to a new home.  Sellers and realtors need to understand how to help the buyer make that connection.  CSP Elite Agents will be the recognized frontrunners in their field by doing just that.

Canadian Certified Staging Professionals, CCSP ^TM, was founded in Niagara by Christine Rae, and is one of the most widely recognized and respected names in the industry the world over.  Her groundbreaking training programs have advanced the careers of thousands of home stagers internationally, and she is now offering realtors the opportunity to gain more insight into the evolution of staging over the past three decades, and its invaluable contribution to the home selling process today.

New View Home Staging is owned and operated by Christine Bird, CCSP^TM.  Located in Waterloo, she regularly travels throughout Southwestern Ontario working with home sellers and realtors to enhance and improve a home's marketability through pre-listing consultations, showcasing and staging.  Christine's strong background in business and a passion for real estate have propelled her company to one of the most sought out home staging names in the area.

"I am very excited to be offering this innovative training program to realtors in Southwestern Ontario on behalf of CCSP^TM.   I hope to advance their businesses by furthering their understanding of mine, and in fact that of all professional home stagers," she said.

To contact Christine Bird email christine@newviewhomestaging.ca, call 519-505-0892 or visit New View Home Staging's website at www.newviewhomestaging.ca.

Realtors interested in learning more about CSP Elite designation, registering for a local class or finding a CSP Elite Stager in their area can contact CSP by calling 1-888-STAGING or visiting www.cspelite.com.

CCSP, Certified Canadian Staging Professionals (CSP in the US) have rolled out a terrific new designation for Realtors ~ the CCSP Elite Agent program!

The Elite Agent program is designed to increase undestanding and marketability of real estate staging; to allow a realtor to differentiate their services through a proven strategic process; and to have an improved listing package with statistics, articles, DVD's and an abundance of information for sellers. 

As a CCSP Elite Agent you will be setting yourself apart from your peers... you will better understand and utilize the tools provided through home staging to sell more properties quickly and for top dollar, sign more listings, get paid faster and have happier clients!  And happier clients lead to more referrals... which will be sold quickly, for a better price, resulting in happier clients...

The CSP Elite Agent logo will be provided to you upon graduation which you can include in all marketing, and on-line and print advertising.  Why not align yourself with one of the most respected home staging names in North America?

As an added benefit in Ontario, CCSP Elite Agents will receive a voucher to complete an on-line CE course, free of charge.  CE credits vary by State/Province so you will need to check in your area for comparable offers. 

As a CCSP Elite Trainer, I will be conducting the one-day workshops in southwestern Ontario, and classes will start this fall.  You can contact me directly for more information or go to www.cspelite.com

Gone are the days of "Stagents"... because busy agents don't have time to stage.

Christine Bird

New View Home Staging

www.newviewhomestaging.ca

christine@newviewhomestaging.ca

This is a piece originally published in my September newsletter...

A mentor to many in the staging profession, and certainly to me, is Christine Rae.  Christine is the founder of Canadian Staging Professionals, known as Certified Staging Professionals in the US.  She travels the world, recently expanding CSP into Australia, and is keynote speaker internationally at both real estate and staging specific conventions.  In her spare time, along with co-author Jan Saunders Maresh, Christine penned Home Staging for Dummies.  Yes, there really is one, although it's for anyone BUT Dummies.
 
I find one chapter of this book to be particularly relevant, and would like to share some of it here.  These are their thoughts, condensed by me. 
 
Reasons Sellers Don't Stage Their Properties (But Should)

"We don't have time for home staging"
 
If you have time to sell your house, you have time to stage it for sale.  Don't undervalue the staging process unless you are prepared to accept less than the property is worth.  No one can guarantee the results, but statistically unstaged properties realize a lower return on investment than staged properties, and they may be on the market longer.  Why would you gamble with the equity?
 
"Location and Price will do the work"
 
While location is important, and price is key, a house that isn't in great condition will probably still stay on the market longer than the seller would like, convincing them to eventually sell for less.   Improving the condition of the home before listing will positively influence the selling price.
 
"I get compliments on my home all the time, so I don't need to stage it."
 
Remember that the home is not being sold to family and friends.  Decorating a home for living, and staging a property for selling are two very different things. 
 
Selling a house isn't about taste or decorating style, it's about what the buyer wants.
 
"My neighbor's house sold without staging"
 
Well done, but we'll never know if they got as much for their home as they could have.  Again, why gamble with your equity?  A property that has been properly staged leaves a positive and lasting impression and stimulates multiple offers.
 
"If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for anyone"
 
Buyers are more educated about the real estate market than ever before.  They're busy, and most make a short list of homes to see off the internet.  Staging before listing gives the property more opportunities to get on that short list because the on-line photos will be so much better.   Remember, buying a home that requires lots of work is only appealing if the price is low.
 
"Staging is just de-cluttering and cleaning and I've done that already"
 
True, these are huge parts of preparing to sell, but far from the entire picture.  There's also furniture editing, reducing, replacing and placement, correct use of colour, lighting,  props and art, all targeted to the buyer most likely to be looking to purchase the home.
 
The home is going to be competing with every other home on the market, and many will have been staged.  In order to sell the property at a price that everyone is happy with, it needs to compete with EVERY home out there ~ and win!

Christine Bird, owner and lead Stager of NEW VIEW HOME STAGING, is a Canadian Staging Professional.

We can be reached in Kitchener-Waterloo at 519-505-0892

www.newviewhomestaging.ca

christine@newviewhomestaging.ca

This is just a quick add-on note I wrote for my newsletter recently.

Keeping curb appeal current with the season is important, and early September is a good time to add some Fall flowers to your landscaping. Some ideas would be the safe standbys mums and pansies but also kale, asters, pumpkins ~white, orange and even funky looking ones.  Fall is definitely the season for deep reds, golds and citrus colours of all shades.

Pull out some of the older annuals that have gotten tired, and dig the late summer plantings into gardens to add a sense of permanence and belonging, rather than just dropping a grocery store container onto the porch.  There's no need to advertise "The house doesn't usually look this nice so I picked this up today".

If you're interested in home staging in and around Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge & Guelph, please contact New View Home Staging.  Christine Bird is a Certified Canadian Staging Professional. 

Call Today!

519-505-0892

www.newviewhomestaging.ca

christine@newviewhomestaging.ca

I often wonder if sellers realize all the personal information their home is giving away and that some buyers may turned off because of it?   This can be a hard conversation to have because just talking about it could indicate you personally are turned off too, however the risk of losing a potential buyer over of a negative emotional response is far worse.   We all know the taboo topics in daily conversation ~ sex, religion and politics ~ and we need to consider that these may come up unintentionally while selling a home.  If you've raised teenagers you understand already, but some keep mementos and photos of "good times" and their choice of accessories and poster art is sometimes "questionable". 
 
Teenagers are just an example.  You can also look to the books stacked beside beds or around living areas and they usually tell a clear story of the people that live there.  If the buyer can't connect with the space because their personal beliefs are so different, then either the offer will reflect this or there won't be an offer at all. 
 
A way to discuss this tactfully would be to remind your sellers that this is their home's job interview...they need to prepare for their home's interview with the same frame of mind as if they are attending one themselves.   
 
Here's my plug, which of course you knew was coming ... hiring a home stager to work with the seller and handle tricky conversations such as these will protect your client relationship!

New View Home Staging is a full service home staging and property styling company.   We offer effective, attractive and affordable solutions for preparing a property for a quick and profitable sale.  Consultations with written reports include curb appeal, space management and flow, lighting, de-personalizing, neutralizing, and colours, and all projects can be tailored to fit every budget.
 
Christine Bird, owner and lead stager, is a Certified Canadian Staging Professional.   

www.newviewhomestaging.ca

christine@newviewhomestaging.ca

All too often homeowners are in a scramble to get their house on the market, so that they don't miss the perceived "window of opportunity".  No doubt, that actually does exist in some markets at different times of the year, but is taking an extra couple of days going to make such a huge difference that a home should be photographed and presented while not yet looking it's best?

Actually, rushing to get on the market can work against you. 

Buyers make decisions for a number of reasons, not the least of which is an emotional connection to the house.  They also need to see the "space" without an overwhelming sense of the people that live there, before they can picture themselves moving in.  Both of these connections can best be achieved by putting some extra effort into getting the home ready, and turning it into the "marketable product" that it needs to be.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when preparing to sell:

• Is the curb appeal welcoming and inviting so that prospective buyer's will get out of their cars, or are they going to drive right by?
• When they enter, are they greated with a warm, neutral environment that invites them to linger?
• Are the colours and decor on-trend or outdated?
• Is the home clutter-free?  Have you reduced items and objects by pre-packing? 
• Can buyer's see beyond your personality and taste to truly feel the space you are selling?

A professional stager will guide the homeowner through the process of identifying priorities and the order in which they should be addressed, to ensure your house hits the market looking it's best. 

New View Home Staging is a professional staging and property styling company providing services to both Realtors and Homeowners.  We offer effective and affordable solutions to properly prepare your home for a quick and profitable sale, by creating winning first impressions that appeal to the broadest base of buyers.   Christine Bird, owner and lead stager is a Certified Canadian Staging Professional.

To ensure you are "list ready" call for a consultation!  It takes a couple of hours, and could be the difference between a profitable transaction or a so-so sale.  519-505-0892.

www.newviewhomestaging.ca

1,2,3 SOLD!  Showcasing isn't just for vacant homes.  An occupied home will benefit from showcasing as much as a vacant, we just approach it differently. It's the third step of a three step process -- Consultation; Improvements; Showcasing.  Showcasing creates and promotes the positive feelings and emotions that we want the potential buyer to experience when they view the home, and it's done economically, using primarily items already owned by the homeowner.

While staging consultations may identify literally dozens of projects and enhancements that the homeowner should take advantage of, there still needs to be a plan to present, aka showcase, the home once the work is done.  Some homeowners can do this themselves, but many will end up with the home looking exactly as it had before, which is only natural because because they live in it, and are used to the way it looks and feels.  Bringing in a professional home stager to showcase, the final act of staging, ensures maximum appeal with the least amount of wiggle room in the resulting OFFERS.  ~ A professional stager understands about lighting the space and improving traffic flow,  plus can create focal points and vignettes that pull on the heartstrings ~
 
It's all about creating winning first impressions, and showcasing is a huge part of that.  Great on-line photos and curb appeal will give a buyer incentive to get out of the car and enter the home, while showcasing invites them to stay.  If they can't picture themselves living there, it's going to be reflected in the offer and this is where a professional stager can help!

  Consultation + Improvements + Showcasing = MAXIMUM APPEAL or 1 +2 + 3 = SOLD! 

New View Home Staging
www.newviewhomestaging.ca

The June issue of Staging the New View has been dedicated to Curb Appeal, and following are excerpts from the newsletter.

Buyer's decide within seconds if they want to view a property, and if the outside is a bit questionable, the logical thought progression is that the inside is going to be too.  They will spend the rest of their tour looking to confirm their initial reactions instead of focusing on the positive features of the home.  Alternatively, if the outside is simply fantastic, then they'll be able to see what's going on inside with a more open mind. 

Welcoming Buyers with Fabulous Front Doors...

Properly prep your front door and porch or deck areas so that buyers can form positive expectations about the rest of the house as soon as they walk through your well-cared-for front door.

Here are some ideas (provided by Christine Rae, President and Founder of Canadian Staging Professionals) that will add the wow to your entryway and build your equity:

• Replace or paint the front door
• Clean, spray paint, or replace the hardware and door knob
• Add a kick plate
• Add a new welcome mat
• Clean, paint or replace house numbers
• Clean, paint or replace the light fixtures, making sure the lightbulbs work
• Sweep the front porch
• Add a pot of fresh flowers in the spring, summer or fall; place an evergreen in the winter
• Keep the front porch shoveled, salted or sanded in the winter
• Paint or replace the garage door
• Paint or replace outdoor steps
• Paint or change outdated railings

These things all seem like common sense, and yet you would be surprised how often they are not addressed.  Small changes can have a huge impact, and what better place to say "Welcome.  We're happy to have you here", than the front door.

Selling the House from the Outside...   

June is typically when all our outside planting is done, or almost done, and the plants tend to look their best.  Nothing is too overgrown yet, and there is no real sign of the weeds that are going to be your adversary by August. 

As a Realtor, make sure your current clients are taking advantage of the natural Curb Appeal opportunities that June presents. 

• Make sure flower beds are actually that... remove weeds and dead plants from previous seasons, pinecones and leaves
• Prune and trim shrubs and bushes, particularly those that hamper any view of the front door or the house number
• Edge and sweep the walks, patios and decks
• Remove trash, toys, animal waste and debris
• Power wash or stain decks
• Get the RV, boat or snowmobile stored away from the house completely. 
• If you are showing at night, make sure the house is well light, fixtures are clean and bulbs work, and there is ample lighting for people entering and leaving the property.

The general rule is that a buyer should feel that this beautiful yard almost takes care of itself.  Unless they love gardening, they'll hesitate about buying into anything that screams "I TAKE A LOT OF WORK".  Sellers should be creating a welcoming, relaxing environment, by keeping things easy, elegant and understated. 

The winning combination of black plus punches of citrus colours, reds and purples, goes a long way at appealing to the broadest base of buyers.

Adding Living Space Where It Doesn't Really Exist...

Remind your clients that at this time of year they probably have access to a few hundred more square feet of "living space".  That 10 x 12 deck sitting off the back of the house can easily become an extra 120sq.ft.of living space, easily and inexpensively.  By investing in a patio set that they love and will eventually take with them to their next home, or by improving the ambience of the existing furnishings with solar lights, topiary trees and a canopy, all of a sudden they have created a space for cocktails, evening coffee and family time. 

At the front, many homes have a small cement porch which is easily transformed into a quiet sitting when furnished with two wrought iron chairs, a small table and colourful flowers.  It will look great from the street!

The power of suggestion is huge in selling, and carefree outdoor living space will appeal to just about everyone, particularly coming on the heels of a winter like we just had in Southwestern Ontario!  

New View Home Staging is a full service home staging and property styling company located in Waterloo, and serving KW/Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford and all surrounding communities. 

We specialize in creating winning first impressions.   Great photos and curb appeal will give a buyer incentive to drive to the property, get out of the car and enter the home; and showcasing from inside the front door and beyond will invite them to linger longer and experience the space.  If they can't picture themselves living there, it's going to be reflected in the offer and this is where a professional stager can help!

Consultation + Improvements + Showcasing = MAXIMUM APPEAL

Trust New View Home Staging to provide professional advice and personal service for your listing clients.