Are you selling your home and looking for an extra edge?

One option to consider is "home staging" -- merchandising a home for sale -- which can boost its appeal and increase its value.

"Your home is a product you are selling and we can help with that," says interior designer Tracey Mills, Calgary branch manager of Dekora.

"It's a very emotional decision to buy a home. It's amazing how fast someone will walk into a home and say: 'Yes -- I want to be here.'"

Home staging is all about appealing to buyers' emotions and drawing them in, and it's a strategy that works.

A trend that began in California about 10 years ago, home staging has also started to catch on in Vancouver, where Dekora has been operating for the past four years.

The company, which opened its Calgary office in September, offers a full range of services: consultations, home staging, and cosmetic changes for homes including painting, landscaping and installing carpeting.

These are services that are in demand. Dekora has seen its business increase five-fold since it first opened its doors.

Home staging can make a difference no matter what the size of home.

It can make a small house feel substantially larger, which is significant for entry-level homes and condominiums, says Jeff James, design consultation manager for Wen-Di Interiors in Calgary.

Home stagers bring an objective eye to your home. "Often, people don't notice little flaws that are often red flags to potential buyers," says James.

Many realtors will routinely have stagers come in to work their magic on homes that are up for sale, because home staging can help attract offers higher than the asking price.

Dekora has found it's not out of the norm to receive $50,000 above asking price for a typical $550,000 house in Vancouver, and to sell within a 10-day period.

Why are more homeowners turning to home staging professionals instead of doing it themselves?

There is a variety of reasons, says Mills. Most people are too busy to do the work themselves. It also takes knowledge and an esthetic eye to shop for the right accessory or perfect piece of furniture.

Home staging is also catching on because expectations are much higher than in the past.

"You can't just put a home on the market without giving it some thought," says Mills, noting that home buyers today are very selective. "They are much more aware, they are more design-savvy, and they know what they want."

Home staging professionals use a combination of interior design, home improvement and real estate sales techniques to ensure a home that's up for sale will show to its best advantage -- all with the end goal of achieving the best possible sale price in the fastest possible time.

Home stagers will ensure that a home is pulled together, inside and out.

They will arrange furniture and, whenever necessary, will bring in a variety of items to enhance the whole look, including furnishings, lighting and artwork.

Sometimes, they will even go so far as to bring in new towels and bedding. They will also incorporate a host of organic elements, such as planters on the front step filled with seasonal greenery, fresh flowers on the dining table, a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter, or a potted plant in the bathroom.

They can also advise owners who are considering home improvements, about what changes will really count in terms of resale value.

With home staging, a home will typically sell more quickly and for more money.

"It shows buyers what the potential of a home can be," says Julian Bannister, owner of Catalyst Contracting, a West Vancouver real estate development company, which builds high end single family homes.

Last spring, Catalyst Contracting asked Dekora to do a full staging of a 6,000-square-foot luxury home in West Vancouver.

"It turned the house into a home," says Bannister, noting that the house sold for the full asking price of $3.7 million, with no conditions. "It made all the difference."

Home staging can make a difference no matter what the size of home.

It can make a small house feel substantially larger, which is significant for entry-level homes and condominiums, says James.

Home stagers bring an objective eye to your home. "Often, people don't notice little flaws that are often red flags to potential buyers," he says. Home staging can also make a big difference for people who end up moving to their new home before their old one has sold.

A vacant property that is up for sale can be costly in a number of ways, says Rod Turnbull, a real estate agent with Re/Max First.

"When a buyer comes in, that home does not show nearly as well," he says. "It loses all its warmth and appeal."

In addition, if a home is vacant, the buyer will realize the homeowner is more likely to be motivated to sell.

As a result, what often happens is that offers will start out lower.

When a property is staged -- compared to a vacant one that hasn't been -- it could mean a difference in selling price of several thousand dollars, says Turnbull.

"In a market like we're in right now, the real value is in getting it sold," he says. "You want to make sure it sells in a reasonable period of time."

It isn't just couples or families looking to trade up to a bigger house who can benefit from home staging. It can also be helpful for people who are separating or divorcing -- because when one spouse leaves with half the furniture, nothing matches any more.

"You end up with a home going on the market that isn't really furnished properly or completely," says Mills.

These are some of the reasons that home staging can be a great tool for home owners who are putting their house on the market.

As James puts it: "Anyone could benefit from home staging, even if you're not selling your house. A properly staged house looks great to live in as well as to sell."

Source Calgary Herald