WinnipegREALTORS® housing statistics for January 2018 showed Just under 1,500 new listings and 3,096 active listings. Even narrowing it down to account for a buyer’s specific criteria – location, price range, size, style, number of bedrooms – you may well be competing with hundreds of other properties to sell your home.

View January 2018 housing statistics at the WinnipegREALTORS® website > 

So what can you do to stand out against all that competition? Achieving the best possible results in selling your home means marketing your property so the broadest cross-section of buyers can see themselves living there. Rather than a home that tells your story, you want to present a home that speaks to its new owners.

A certified staging professional can walk you through the process that includes cleaning, de-cluttering, repairing and showcasing to highlight the positives and minimize the negatives of your property. The end goal is always to market your home to motivate buyers to make an offer.

Strategic home staging addresses the three key opportunities to catch the attention of potential buyers: online research, drive-by reviews, and in-home viewings.

• Create an irresistible online first impression. Most people now start their home search online, so strategically staged and photographed homes attract more potential buyers.
• Pay special attention to curb appeal. The next step in the home search is often driving by a shortlist gleaned from online research. Presenting a welcoming and appealing exterior is critical to get potential buyers to visit the open house or set up a viewing.
• Help potential buyers see themselves living in your home. Once inside, most people are looking for a move-in ready property – clean and uncluttered, and in good repair with modern finishes.

On a more personal note, there are also significant benefits for you, the home seller, of staging your property.

• Maximize the equity gain for the sale of your property. Strategically staged homes – clean, clutter-free, in good repair, with modern finishes – don’t provide any ammunition for potential buyers to chip away at the list price.
• Reduce the stress of keeping your home show-ready at all times. Who wants to vacuum, dust and clean bathrooms every day for months on end while waiting for their property to sell?
• Gain an early sense of accomplishment in sorting, organizing and purging. Imagine the relief of getting half your packing done before the house is even listed and then starting fresh in your new home.

In Winnipeg's real estate market, some sellers feel staging isn’t necessary, that their home will sell no matter what. Homes certainly are selling – for example, WinnipegREALTORS® show an average in January for single-attached properties of 53 days on the market. But with a little advice from a certified staging professional (can be as little as a one-hour consultation), you can be much more confident you have the greatest chance to get the best offer in the least amount of time.

Remember: While staging is an investment in time, resources and money, it can be far less than the first price drop when your home isn’t selling as quickly as you had hoped.

Designer DIY:

After staging, I hear many sellers say their home has never looked better and wonder if they should stay. So, even if you’re not considering selling right away, why not start the staging process now to get maximum enjoyment from your home while you’re still living there? The added bonus is you will have peace of mind knowing your home is ready to sell when you are.