Archive for the ‘Home Staging’ Category

Toronto Home Staging Furniture

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Selling a home is stressful, but Executive Furniture Rentals can help by providing Toronto home staging furniture. Whether you plan to do the job yourself, or hire a professional home stager, your home should look its best before potential buyers come through to judge the property. Staging is all about maximizing the most sellable features of your home, so incorporating high-quality, modern furniture can make a big impact. That’s where we come in.

Our selection of Toronto home furniture is available to rent through flexible lease plans, so it’s perfect for an endeavor like home staging. The goal is to get your home sold as soon as possible and for the best price, so we will work with you to make convenient arrangements. When choosing Toronto home staging furniture, we recommend going for a neutral color palette and choosing pieces that reflect modern interior decorating trends.

Remember, you’re creating the first impression for potential buyers who visit your home, so the details count. That’s why we provide a great selection of furniture rental in Toronto, with offerings from great office furniture right down to accessories like area rugs and artwork. These will make every room in your house look streamlined and clean, yet cozy and livable. We’ve gathered a few basic home staging tips to share, which you should definitely keep in mind when attempting to stage it yourself. It’s a cost-effective alternative to hiring a professional, but does require a significant investment of time and effort.

For starters, clean as thoroughly as possible. Even the best Toronto home staging furniture will be less effective if the room around it looks dirty or cluttered. Plan on cleaning tile grout and addressing carpet stains. If you have a lot of collectibles or small figurines on display, go ahead and pack those up before showing the home. You will have to pack them at some point anyway, and their personal nature could prevent potential buyers from envisioning their own lives in the space.

Home Staging Toronto: Making Life Happen in Your Living Room

Monday, October 11th, 2010

We here at Executive Furniture Rentals are at the forefront of the home staging Toronto scene.  Though our business, when it began, was initially focused on clearance, rental, and rent-to-own furniture, we’ve since expanded our interests and concerns and wholly embrace the importance of this home sale technique.

Boiled down to its fundamentals, the essence of home staging is to portray the home or office space you’re selling in the best possible light.  This is often done by subtly augmenting the space with carefully chosen, judiciously employed furniture and decorative elements.  At Executive Furniture Rentals, we can recommend any number of highly qualified, certified home stagers, any of whom will make your space live up to its fullest in preparation for any showings.

Home staging isn’t simply a matter of putting a bouquet of flowers on the table and baking cookies.  It’s about drawing the most you can from the unique dimensions of your home and office.  Doing that takes an understanding of how people perceive and interact with a space.

When perusing some other blogs about home staging, we came across this solid article about versatile furniture when decorating your home.  Though it isn’t technically about home staging, many of the same principles apply.  Much of the post is given over to selecting furniture with an attention for specific function over form—opting for benches or ottomans, say, when you anticipate entertaining larger groups of people.  With home staging, it’s much the opposite: Since you’re not using the furniture for much of anything except as an aesthetic element, form necessarily takes precedence over function.

However, once the article moves toward decorating, it dispenses some good tips.  It helps to build furniture in a room around a focal point, rather than haphazardly strewing furniture about the floor.  The example the article uses is using a couch as the primary piece of furniture.  Subsequent pieces of furniture should be selected and arranged with that couch in mind.  That will go a long way toward creating harmony.

Home Staging Questions to Ask

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

home staging torontoHome staging is a rapidly growing field within the real estate industry. Formerly reserved for an extreme case that needed major sprucing up (what some real estate agents might refer to as a “project”), home staging is now a viable and accepted option for virtually any home or office on the market today.  There’s a good reason why, too: Home staging, and the people who do it well, can bring wonderful results, accentuating the positive features of a property on the market while simultaneously minimizing the impact of a space’s weaker points.

The question, however, is this: Who does do it well, and how can you find that out?  We found an excellent home staging article while browsing around the internet, reading up on industry news and publications.  It lists some questions that you might want to consider asking a prospective home stager when you first contact them.  We think that some of these are good to keep in mind.

Basically, hiring a home stager is like hiring any specialist to do work for you.  You’ll want to do  your homework, especially if their expertise falls outside what you can typically claim.  Asking questions, then, is a wonderfully simple way to determine what kind of service you can expect.  You can determine what sort of experience your stager has had by asking for references or a portfolio.  You can get a decent indicator of the quality of the home stager by asking how long properties they’ve staged usually take to sell.  Want to figure out what sort of style the stager will employ?  Simply ask!

Looking to sell a home or office in the Toronto area?  Contact us at Executive Furniture Rentals!  We’ll be glad to put our proven expertise in home staging to work to help you get an excellent price from your property in a reasonable time period.  And don’t  forget—we have a whole host of other excellent products and services available, including some of the best office furniture in Toronto!

Home Staging: What You Might Not Know

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

If you’ve read this blog with any regularity, you’ll know that we’re big proponents of supporting home staging in Toronto and the surrounding area.  There’s a simple reason for that:
We’ve seen it work time and again.

Home staging refers to the process of temporarily and strategically furnishing a space when showing it for resale.  The goal is to accentuate the positive features of a space, as well as to illustrate the possibilities of the layout of a particular home or office.  Home staging, when done well, can transform any space from an interchangeable, empty room into an inviting, welcoming area.  What’s more, it doesn’t interfere with any moving schedule you might have.  You can pack up whatever furniture and decor you’re planning on taking without worrying about showing an empty place to prospective buyers if you’re planning on staging your property.

Home staging might sound like a very straightforward process in which someone simply rents furniture and sticks it in an empty space.  It might come as a surprise, then, to know that home staging is actually a rather delicate and complex process.  Balances need to be struck.  Too little furniture, and a space looks awkwardly empty.  Too much, and it looks cluttered.  The best home stagers put a significant amount of effort into their work, almost as though they were decorating their own home, and their results reflect that commitment.  We are pleased to provide you with recommendations for a number of home stagers in the Toronto area upon request.

We bring the same dedication to excellent service to this new and burgeoning field as we do with our many other endeavors, which include renting home and office furniture in Toronto.  After all, as the premier destination for furniture for hire in this fine city, we have a reputation to hold up.  Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of services.

More Than a Home Stager!

Monday, June 14th, 2010

By now, we all know that home staging has grown into a legitimate multi-million dollar industry, servicing many home sellers with talented interior solutions to maximize real estate value. But did you know the decorative talents of home stagers are being successfully used in other sectors such as temporary relocation and corporate housing?

As a furniture rental company, I am finding more opportunities to provide turn-key housing solutions to temporarily relocated employees by contracting or referring home stagers to plan and prepare corporate houses and suites. Companies who rent furniture as a housing option are beginning to demand the suite (or house) be completely ready for the employee to move in: furniture planned; kitchen; bath; bedrooms and linen all organized; and the house has become a home.

I truly enjoy providing a custom corporate residence option. The economic benefits for companies are immeasurable from a cost benefit analysis to instant employee productivity. When asked, in my mind there is no better qualified person to provide a decorative, budget conscious solution than the professional home stager.

Selling Your Toronto Home

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

When it comes to selling a home in Toronto, home staging gives sellers an edge. Staged homes look impressive to potential buyers and sell faster.

A friend recently forwarded us an interesting article in Palm Springs, California’s Desert Sun newspaper, in which expert Kenn Cross offers tips to help homeowners sell their property. “This is a very completive market and homes no longer sell themselves,” writes Cross. “A Realtor can use every resource under the sun to market a home, but it is up to the homeowner to prepare the house to be sold.”

Cross’ tips for homeowners are simple, and he reminds everyone that even though completing the tips is easy and will help a home shine, there’s always room for improvement. First on the list? Fragrance. According to the writer, small diffuser bottles can help cover up not-so-pleasant smells from pets, cigarette smoke or just that “old house” smell. He also recommends paying attention to your windows: Clean them and use window treatments. And instead of personal art on the walls, hang mirrors to “increase the perceived size of the space” and “help potential buyers visualize themselves in your home.”

Personal photos are a no-no as well, as they can make potential buyers feel like they’re taking over someone’s house, according to Cross. Don’t forget to clean —  even baseboards, ceiling fans and under furniture — and de-clutter. Too much furniture in rooms and too many clothes in closets doesn’t look good. This is where home staging can really help. The writer didn’t mention it, but we feel home staging is a smart, efficient way to make sure you not only have the right amount of furniture in your home, but that your home looks as attractive as possible.

Our Toronto home staging services at Executive Furniture Rentals are easy and affordable. We have experts who can help you determine exactly what you need for your home and where it should be placed. We’d love to help you sell your Toronto home — contact us online or call us at (416) 785-0932 to get started. Additionally, we offer an amazing selection of Toronto used furniture and office furniture.

Renting Furniture Helps Rent Your Property

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

A friend of ours forwarded us a great article recently published at RealtyTimes.com, titled “Landlords Move In Furniture to Help Rent Properties.” It seems that more and more landlords are realizing how attractive, quality furniture already in place can help make a home more appealing to potential renters. Some are even marketing their properties as furnished, which is a big plus for renters who don’t have their own furniture. Home staging is a great idea.

One of our favorite quotes from the article is this one: “If the furnishings are done in good taste and are gender-neutral, I think that when someone walks in they already feel like it’s a home versus just an empty shell.” This is a great point. If a person can see himself at home in a space they’re considering, they’re more likely to rent it or buy it.

Though the article focuses quite a bit on landlords who rent apartments furnished with their own extra furniture (this saves them the trouble of moving it or storing it), they mention the benefits of home staging: “We have showed our furnished properties to renters who have their own furniture and I think it just helps sell the space because … it’s staged.”

Consider Home Staging

Whether you’re trying to rent or sell your home, consider home staging. It’s easy and affordable, and it could pay off greatly if your property rents or sells much more quickly than if it were empty. Businesses like Executive Furniture Rentals make furniture rental for home staging a breeze. We’re proud to offer fantastic looking, quality furniture that will make your home sparkle. We have everything from bedroom sets to sofas to dining room tables and even home office furniture.

Stop by our Toronto furniture showroom, contact us online or call us for more information:(416) 785-0932 in Toronto, or 1 (800) 618-1733 toll-free. And if you’re looking for Toronto used furniture, we have that, too!

Selling Your Home in Toronto? Home Staging Could Be Your Best Bet

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

If you’re selling your home in Toronto, home staging could give you the edge and help make your home as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Similar homes for sale may have old furniture or mismatched furniture, and to potential buyers, this can be a terrible first impression even though they’re looking at buying the house, not the furniture. But with a home that’s using home staging, potential buyers are wowed when they walk in the door.

From rental sofas to rental dining room sets to rental bedroom furniture, home staging covers it all. Neutral colors and quality furniture in your home help make it easy for buyers to see themselves living comfortably in your home. And if they feel comfortable in it, they’re more likely to buy it.

Don’t think you could pick out the right rental furniture for home staging? No problem. Our home staging professionals can help you pick out the rental furniture that will make your home shine.

Home staging is affordable and easy. Some real estate agents and experts recommend updating a home’s look and style by improving the furniture, draperies and rugs, but many people assume they mean you should go out and buy these things. That can add up fast, costing you thousands of dollars. With furniture for hire, you rent monthly and do not have to worry about what you’ll do with the furniture once your home sells. Executive Furniture Rentals moves in the furniture and also moves it out.

So if you’re selling your home in Toronto, home staging may be a great bet. Contact us or stop by our showroom to find out more about how our rental furniture can make your home outstanding on the market. Also, feel free to take a look at our home staging photo gallery to see some examples of what can be done.

Toronto Home Staging

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Toronto home staging is a great idea if you’re selling your house. And, really, that’s the point of home staging: to sell your home! So if you’re selling your home in Toronto, home staging may be your best bet for attracting buyers. But it’s not just for sellers. Property managers and developers can also benefit from this.

Toronto Home Staging for Sellers

It’s something that has been getting more and more attention as of late, and for good reason — home staging in Toronto or any other city really gives sellers a boost. While it may seem easy to stage a home, a Toronto home staging professional will go above and beyond to bring your home to its full potential. A good Toronto home staging professional has been educated and trained for years and has plenty of experience to know what will work best for your home. Though it will cost money to consult with one of these professionals and to rent furniture, it can really pay off.

Toronto Home Staging for Property Managers

Property managers looking to rent out an apartment in Toronto should consider home staging. Since the goal is to find a renter, making the space look as appealing as possible, especially making it look to the potential renter like it’d be a great place to call home, can help to quickly achieve that goal. Furniture, window coverings and accessories can all come together quickly to accomplish Toronto home staging.

Continue reading about Toronto Home Staging

Home Staging: Perspectives from a Furniture Rental Guy

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

I love home staging! Over the past 10 years, home staging has exploded into a legitimate, professional full time industry, when in fact, it once was the exclusive domain of “home decorators” and interior designers. It is estimated that over 1300+  graduate an initial certificated home staging course annually in Ontario . Hey, you can even buy a copy of “Home Staging for Dummies”.

So what makes home stagers good? Well, like all professions, the “good ones” are locked in the 20/80 rule. Twenty per cent of all home stagers are doing 80% of all the business. It is not too dissimilar to what is experienced by the real estate industry. Like real estate, the top home stagers are entrepreneurial, professional, detail-oriented and have an instinctive feeling of what is best for the client and their main objective – to sell his/her property!

Although from the outside home staging may seem easy to do….like just taking a 3-day course and off you go! But that only takes you to the 5-yard line. It prepares potential home stagers with the tools to become a successful professional. Enhancing one’s education with additional learning modules and experience greatly helps, learning to be resourceful takes any home stager to a new level.

Aside from window coverings, paint and accessories, furniture rental for home staging can be essential to the look required. Everything from living to dining to bedroom furnishings are available to transform a home in 48 hours.

Honestly, I have seen homes sit on the market for 4 months, yet, after home staging with furniture rentals, it sold in one weekend!!

What I don’t understand is that some home sellers are prepared to pay up to 5%  in commission, yet balk at an introductory consultation with a home stager for around $250. Furthermore, I have seen home sellers pay as low as .002% of the selling price to have a home sell quickly with home staging. That’s a lot of zeros in the opposite direction. It doesn’t result to much money, yet, it works!

As home staging further progresses as a marketing tool, I foresee national or international standards created for home stagers, again to be compared to the real estate industry or design community who have created licensing qualifications for its  members. This would even instill greater confidence to clients and more importantly, it will just make better home stagers.

I hope in the future to further illustrate how furniture rental in Toronto (Ontario) has transformed itself very quickly to the demand of home staging professionals. In fact, it has made furniture rental companies better from a product offering and service perspective.

Moral to the Blog: Hire a home stager and sell that home now!

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