Stage-enomics........Space sells, not clutter!

Staged Home’s Economic Studies by Rose Arangio

If you are paying attention to the economic indicators then you know that home sales have decreased. GTA Realtors reported that sales for April 2011 have slightly decreased then the same time last year.

Especially when the economy is rising you still have to compete. There will be fewer homes on the market as well as fewer potential buyers. Your home must be showcased to stand out from the rest. Statistics have shown that professionally staged homes sell faster and for more money.


A recent study has shown that 63% of buyers prefer to pay more for a house that is move in ready. Statistics show that the average difference in selling price over list price for a staged home is 6.3% vs. 1.6 for unstaged homes.


GTA REALTORS® RELEASE MID‐MONTH RESALE HOUSING FIGURES
TORONTO, APRIL 18, 2011 ‐‐ Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 4,444 sales during the first two
weeks of April 2011 – a three per cent decrease compared to the first two weeks of April 2010. The
number of new listings was down by 21 per cent compared to the same period last year.
“Sales activity was quite strong during the first two weeks of April. If this level of activity is sustained for
the remainder of the month, we could see April transactions close to last year’s record result. Positive
economic news has kept households confident in their ability to purchase and pay for a home over the
long term,” said TREB President Bill Johnston.
The average selling price for firm deals reported through the first two weeks of April was $483,165,
representing a 12 per cent increase over the average price of $430,271 reported during the same period
last year.
“The number of homes listed for sale so far in 2011 has been below expectations. Market conditions
have tightened, resulting in increased competition between home buyers and accelerating rates of
average price growth,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.
“The strong rate of price growth reported for the first two weeks of April should entice more households
to list their homes for sale. This would result in more balanced market conditions and more moderate
rates of price growth,” continued Mercer.

Spring is the best time to sell so get your house in the right shape. Show off your space not your stuff, that's what potential buyers are interested in.

Here are some before and after pictures of homes that I have staged for sale. These homes were sold within the first 2 hours of listing, for full price.

By Rose Arangio