The Staged home sells faster – and often for more money – than comparable homes that look more “lived in.” Yes, even in a hot Seller’s market like Guelph currently has, most agree that Staging works. Home Staging is the act of preparing your home to show optimally by drawing a Buyer’s attention to its features and benefits – and often away from its drawbacks. Staging can also be useful as a way of helping Buyers visualize themselves living in the home.
Selling a home is very stressful, even in the best of scenarios. Currently, our market in Guelph is very fast-paced. Homes typically sell here in a week or less. With such low inventory and high Buyer demand, competition is fierce. Often, showings feel like a revolving door – especially in the Covid era, where shared showings are no longer booked. Add this volume to the reality that a great deal of what happens in real estate occurs after 4pm or on weekends and, well, it’s extremely disruptive for the Sellers.
Consider Leaving Your Staged Home (Temporarily)
When I’m listing a Staged home, I always recommend that clients clear out for at least the first several days while it’s on market. I’ll be honest, in the past this was a lot easier. Sellers could book some time away or crash with friends or relatives. In the Covid era, all of those scenarios have logistical and safety implications. 
I suggest leaving the home firstly because the disruption caused by showings is very stressful. It’s also quite a challenge to live in a home and simultaneously keep it spotless! For those of us with kids or pets (or both, for some of us!) it can feel impossible to keep on top of cleaning and tidying at times.
The number of people coming through can feel pretty overwhelming, and Sellers quickly find out that the vast majority of real estate business occurs after 4pm or on weekends! Not ideal… but that’s how it is. All in all, it’s just hard to remain in a Staged home and keep it looking immaculate.
Worth noting is the fact that most Stagers request that a home be vacant, if they’re bringing in a lot of furniture. This is obviously to avoid having their inventory damaged. From my experience, this may not be a concern if it’s just a few tables or chairs coming in. But if it’s a full Stage with couches, bed linens, artwork, etc., it’s likely you’ll be expected to leave – or prepared to foot the bill for any/all damage.
That said, not everyone can just up and ‘move out’ for a number of days. Many want to (or have to) remain in the home during the entire sales process.
So, if you list your Staged home, and you remain there while it’s being shown, how can you maintain it in pristine condition? It takes a lot of work, but here are some tips that might help:
Keeping Your Staged Home Clean
Before you list, you clean. Nothing costs less but yields more in the Selling process than good, old-fashioned elbow grease! I like to bring a professional in to help tackle the kinds of things that most of us let slide while we are going about the business of living. Baseboards, cupboards, light fixtures, blinds, window tracks… all of it needs to be cleaned. But once it’s immaculate… then what? Because it needs to stay that clean until it’s sold firm.
For those of us with kids and/or pets, it’s definitely a challenge to stay on top of this. Depending upon the kids’ ages, sometimes I suggest clients try to make cleaning a game or challenge of some sort – points for specific tasks, etc. I know that bribery works well in my house for this sort of thing! As for pets, honestly it’s an uphill battle from my experience!
I suggest creating a “before you leave the house” list. In an ideal world, you’ve got a partner or kids who can help, because doing this a few times a day is not easy. My list, for example, would look something like this:
- Clean dogs’ goober and kiddo’s handprints from the glass on the back door
- Empty all garbages
- Clean bathroom mirrors and counters
- Toilets cleaned, flushed, and lids closed
- Clean kitty litter boxes and add some freshener powder while I’m at it
- Quick vacuum of floors and mop front entry and kitchen
- Turn all lights on and open all blinds
- Put away small appliances to keep counters clear
- Set temperature to be toasty warm – or cool, depending on the season
- Ensure walkway to front door is clear of any dirt or snow
Another good tip, if you have more than one bathroom, is to try to use just one during the period your home is on the market. At least for showers and baths, if you boil down to one bathroom you will save yourself quite a lot of cleaning time.
Speaking of bathrooms, if you’re like me and “need” several different varieties of shampoo and conditioner and such in your bathroom, get a little plastic caddy and plan to put all of those items in it after you’ve gotten yourself ready. Most Stagers advise having all of these items out of sight, so clear some room under your sink or in a linen cupboard where your collection of lotions and potions can easily go.
Meal Planning Amid Showings
Because so many showings occur after 4pm, it’s wise to formulate a plan for dinners while your home is on the market. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting a showing request right as you’re sitting down for a dinner. Then, it’s a mad scramble to eat up, tidy everything, and head out.
That aside, food odours linger and some can be off-putting to Buyers. For that reason, I say cook as little as possible during this process. Add some take-out or dine-in expenses to your home selling budget, and embrace at-home meals that are quick, easy, and odourless. Sandwiches, charcuterie, salads… you get the idea.
Living in a Staged home isn’t impossible, but it does take some work. In heated Seller’s markets, thankfully the process tends to be over pretty quickly. And, while it’s an inconvenience to be sure, Staging works and it’s typically a case of short-term pain for long-term gain.
