How to stage your home for a quick sale

Betty Wharton of Happy Homes Transitions shares some home-staging tips.

New Home + Condo Guide: When you’re staging a smaller studio apartment, what are some of the tricks you use to make it feel more spacious? If there’s a Murphy bed, would you leave it up, or down?

Betty Wharton: The first rule to make a small condo feel larger is to declutter, declutter, declutter! Limit decor, add a few pieces of large-scale art and use furniture with exposed legs to create a feeling of openness and movement. A fresh coat of white paint along with a mirror will add light, reflection and the perception of more space. Leaving a Murphy bed down gives a chance to add drama, comfort and warmth and helps the buyer really connect with the home. People can then imagine the space with the bed up but may have a hard time envisioning it down.

NHCG: If there’s a particular selling feature of a home you’re staging, how do you draw people’s attention to that?

B.W.: It’s very important to determine what makes your property stand out from the rest and to really showcase these features: Using low profile well-placed furnishings to keep the buyer’s eye moving past the interior to an amazing view; clearing kitchen counters except for a few key items to frame high-end appliances; arranging furniture to make a beautiful fireplace the focal point of a room – these are all great ways to draw people’s attention to the things that count. Of course, it’s also very important to make sure windows are spotless and appliances polished to really bring these selling features home.

NHCG: How do you downplay deficits?

B.W.: If a kitchen / bathroom reno isn’t in the budget, then the best thing you can do is opt for spotless and simple. Investing in fresh paint and updating lighting can often make a huge impact at a low price point. In the bathroom, a fresh white shower curtain, white towels and a plant will add light and warmth. In the kitchen, add a few well-placed accessories, and if space permits, a piece of art to draw the eye away from problem areas.

NHCG: How do you know when to create a really modern ambiance and when you should stick to something basic?

B.W.: Every property and every stage is different, but the goal is to connect with the most potential buyers. A brand-new vacant show home is going to demand a high-end modern feel that may seem out of place in an older lived-in home. In these cases, editing, rearranging then adding accessories to polish and elevate existing furnishings is often a more palatable and cost-effective approach. Properties in the Fraser Valley tend to be larger, so homeowners often opt to only stage “the heart” (entry, living room, dining room, kitchen and master) of a vacant property to keep the budget more reasonable and focus on the space that the buyer really needs to fall in love with.