September 2024
What makes your condo appealing to a buyer. Is it the layout, lighting or space? Building amenities? Price is certainly an important consideration.
Perhaps it is something less tangible. This is a place they want to be a part of.
There is always an intangible component. Someone sees the space and just loves it. Your goal is to capitalize on this to maximize the final sales price of your property.
Real estate agents recommend you do so by staging the unit. That is, giving it a makeover to make it feel like home for a prospective buyer.
What you want to do is make your home feel like their home when they walk through it. Part of staging requires that your home be depersonalized. Have it deep cleaned and tidied up. Remove anything that personalizes the home including photographs, refrigerator magnets, children’s artwork and trophies. Unclutter the space by removing shoes, boots and coats. Clear tabletops and surfaces. Eliminate harsh fluorescent lighting without making spaces look dark. This makes it easier for a prospective buyer to visualize themselves living in the space.
The ideal staging is a vacant, freshly renovated and newly-painted unit with tasteful and nondescript rental furnishings. This may be prohibitive and most continue to live in their home until sold. At a minimum consider a complete cleaning, fresh paint in a neutral colour, decluttering, some flowers or artificial plants, depersonalization, improved lighting, and some artwork. Rugs and wall art can grab potential buyers’ attention and create more appealing images for listings.
Staged properties can sell more quickly and are more likely to sell over asking price.
