Overview
If there was ever a textbook staging case study, I think this would be it. A home that had gone through a decade of wear and tear from teenagers, pets, lots of entertaining, acquiring inherited pieces of furniture resulting in some patchwork furniture layout and like in all family homes, there was an accumulation of possessions that were stored and no longer needed or used.
Through the homeowner’s own realization of the properties challenges and discussions with the agent and myself, she completely embraced the idea of staging. There were a few other elements to take into consideration. The property was located in a very desirable neighbourhood in Thornhill that was highly sought after with little inventory available on the market. Some comperables came across as complacent with their presentation, and there was definitely an edge to be had with a complete turn-key, beautifully presented home that would gain top dollar as a result.
The homeowner originally expected to list in April, but the agent suggested late February, which compressed a very detailed and challenging task list. The homeowner was exceptionally motivated and organized and needed no prodding to plow through a remarkably detailed spreadsheet I created outlining tasks, resources, costs, timelines down to the very minutiae. If you ever want to look at this spreadsheet I would be happy to show it to you that shows how a detailed occupied staging project can run smoothly and efficiently. Here is a summary of some of the major elements that were modified to create a seamless presentation and a worry-free inspection:
*refinishing hardwood floors
*new carpeting in basement
*conversion of storage room to bedroom
*painting throughout home with neutral colours
*repair of cabinetry, some electrical and HVAC maintenance
*some reupholstering of furniture (which homeowner had already planned)
*exterior tidy up of landscaping
*space planning, furniture rearrangement
*complete purging and organizing of all storage spaces in home with myself and an assistant; which also included pre-packing of items for moving day
*complete thorough spring cleaning of property
*sourcing of new art and accessories to augment staging work with homeowner
*rearrangement of art throughout home
*a healthy budget was supplied for plants and custom flowers for final showcasing of home
The results were fantastic. The homeowner had put a lot of effort into making sure she was creating a complete turnkey solution that would appeal to a family demographic.
The home was listed and offers held back after an 8-day period. The amount of showings and the number of people that came through the open house broke all the records I had ever seen in my career in staging. The homeowner was away for the selling cycle, and I made extra effort that the property was maintained after so many showings which included a number of trips to vacuum, make sure pillows, bedding and accessories stayed in place, refreshing florals and making sure the front entry was kept clean from heavy foot traffic and removal of snow boots etc.
The result ended in 11 offers and the property sold immediately.
Scope of work included:
*project management
*professional organizing services with assistant
*sourcing art and accessories and soft goods
*space planning
*comprehensive staging work - furniture placement, hanging art work, selection of bedding, pillows, showcasing storage spaces and bookcases; and more
*maintenance during sales cycle
WHAT THE CLIENT SAID
“Kathleen encouraged me every step of the way through transforming my home from good to great! Her organizational skills certainly matched her staging skills and we somehow managed to pull it all together in a much shorter schedule than we had anticipated.”
Carol H.