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ings suiting that house.” uy Latreille, broker at Port Perry’s ReMax Scugog, echoes Pam’s opinions of the current real estate marketplace and the value of a staged property. “We encourage our agents to recommend a stager,” Guy says. “No doubt, staged homes sell faster and for more money.” The process requires the stager to think like a potential buyer. That, Pam explains, means “neutralizing” the seller’s home. Not only does a stager apply design skill and imagination to each situation, she also brings another key quality: objectivity. “Most sellers believe that buyers will look beyond its current decorat- ing and personal items. But that’s not always true. It takes a professional stager to neutralize those factors.” One strategy, dectattering, raises awareness of a room’s pot. “Minimizing clutter allows buyers to better imagine how their furnish- ings would suit a given space,” Pam explains. “And supposing the sellers have a collection on prominent dis- play: it may not be everyone's taste, and might detract from the overall appeal.” Depersonalizing a home will as- sist its sale. Dealing with this issue, Pam says as a stager she consistently presents a positive approach. “When you're dealing with someone's personal space, you have to be very sensitive. Suggesting that personal items are minimized, I make it clear I’m not criticizing people's taste or decorating, I’m helping to make their home more saleable. I tell clients they may not like me now, but they will when they sell!” The way rooms are utilized is also considered in staging. “People may be using what was originally a dining room as a kids’ play area. Or perhaps they have things stored in a back room which are obscuring its available space. When you're selling, you have to show off every possibility.” The layout and tone of each room must be considered. Effective distribution of furnishings provides “balance.” “Tt jumps out at me as soon as I come into a room. In my head, I divide the room into quadrants and distribute evenly. Balance is important for aesthetics.” Colour lends mood to a room. As Pam puts it, “a room has to ‘invite you in.” Lighter colours tend to expand the feeling of space in a room, where darker tones can make it cozier. “The choices of colour and shade depend on the dimensions of the room and its purpose,” she says. The exterior of a property — its so- rey ‘Latrele, on the patio of her Port Perry called curb appeal — is an equally im- portant aspect of the staging process. Optimizing the look may be as simple as moving stacked lawn furniture in summer, or adding accents in winter. In any season, the buyers’ evaluation begins when they pull up in front of a home. Changing colours, adding accents — it sounds costly, proposing expenses at a time when sellers may feel reluc- Please turn to page 29 we e stager Pam Houghton, seated right, discusses home staging with realtors Guy and home Photo by J.P. Hvidsten FOCUS - SEPTEMBER 2009 27