Staging a Dated Condo for Sale
Have I mentioned lately how important it is to stage your home before it goes on the market? This condo that we recently staged in Edmonton is a perfect example of the impact staging can make on a home sale. And guess what? This one sold in under a month ,at a time when the market for condos was otherwise very slow.
I’m not going to lie, when we did the initial site visit I was a bit worried about how we were going to pull all the elements together. The yellow wood, various colours of tile and paint, the wallpaper, unique layout and more. But we made our list and got to work on pulling it all together!
The entryway
I am a big believer that the first reaction to a home has to be strong. It can make or break a buyer’s decision. This condo posed a real challenge because the entryway is made up of three hallway segments you pass through before you get into the core of the home. So I got creative and put together a sort of art gallery vibe as you enter the space. I used larger artwork to help keep the buyer’s interest as they entered the space, and as a way to visually lead them further into the home, so that they weren’t just focused on how much hallway there was!
I love how just around the corner you get a peek at the next piece of art, which makes you want to come through and explore the space further.
Main Areas
As much as we can plan in advance, staging often depends on what happens to be available. I feel like we lucked out with a few pieces - like the sofa and the rug - which truly tied so many of the elements together. The unique colours of the tile in the kitchen set the tone for this space. When you have a unique element that may not be particularly on-trend, it’s important to make it feel intentional with the rest of the decor.
It’s also important to give purpose to spaces that might be confusing to a buyer. Which is exactly why we created this focal point where previously there was just a bit of an unknown.
Since the dining area wasn’t particularly large, we kept it simple with just two chairs and a round table. We also wanted the focus to be on the beautiful view of the river valley (you’ll notice we removed the old curtain panels to really open it up too).
The living area was actually quite large so we wanted to show that off. The blue sofa fit perfectly in the space and the pops of pink and peach continued to tie in the kitchen tiles.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
I almost always recommend having each bedroom staged with a bed in it. It helps buyers to see that, yes, a bed can fit. It’s easy for buyers to see a queen bed and mentally know that they can make it into an office, but it’s harder to see an empty room or even an office and imagine a full bed set fitting there. For this stage, we ended up leaving the second bedroom empty at the homeowner’s request. So we focused on the primary bedroom, its ensuite and the main bathroom.
Continuing the theme from other spaces, we repeated the peach tones in the bedroom but also kept a fairly neutral palette overall. The curtains were replaced with sheers which helped to brighten the space, and to make it feel more expansive. The round rug and my favourite flamingo lamps kept it feeling eclectic, which is another way I like to pull together a space that has some unique features.
For the ensuite, I wanted to help guide people into the space, so we made the closet area feel cozy with a faux sheepskin rug, and added some pops of white and greenery to the washroom. A little bit can really go a long way when it comes to staging bathrooms.
Get those eyes on your property
At the time that this condo was on the market, there were two other units also for sale. While obviously you need to price your property correctly for the market and the comps, staging goes a long way to catching the buyer’s eye and leave them wanting more. Even if your property isn’t updated or on trend, having a thoughtful design that makes all the elements work together still tells the story of what is possible in your space. And at the end of the day, it’s all about visually guiding a buyer through their potential life in their potential new home.
If you’re in the Edmonton area and are getting ready to sell your home, we offer a 1 hour Pre-Sale Consultation to provide you all the advice and guidance you need to prep your home for sale. Especially if the property is occupied, this can make all the difference during showings. We also offer partial staging for occupied properties (think accents and decor) and full staging for vacant properties. Please get in touch if you’d like assistance to ensure your home puts its best foot forward to attract potential buyers.