Home staging홈 스테이징

What is it?

Home staging is getting a home into its best possible shape before it goes on the market. You clear out clutter, clean, fix small things and arrange furniture and decor so each room looks its best. The goal is for buyers to see the photos and showings and think "I want to live here."

An empty home may be filled with rented furniture; a lived-in home may just have less furniture, rearranged. A professional staging company can do it, or the agent or the owner can do it themselves.

What does it usually include?

Every home is different, but staging commonly means:

• Decluttering: removing personal items, photos and clutter so rooms look bigger.
• Cleaning: windows, floors, kitchen and bathrooms, and dealing with smells (food, pets).
• Small repairs and paint: nail holes, cracked tiles, dripping taps, dark walls repainted in light colours.
• Furniture and decor: arranging furniture so each room’s purpose is clear, then finishing with linens, cushions, towels and plants. Empty homes get rented furniture.
• Lighting and window coverings: brighter bulbs, curtains open.
• Outside: lawn, front entrance and snow clearing for a good first impression (curb appeal).
• Photos and video: professional photos, video and virtual tours are taken after staging is done.

Who does it, and who pays?

There is no rule. The listing agreement (your contract with the brokerage) must list the services the brokerage will provide, so check whether staging is included, how much of it (a consultation only, decor only, or furniture rental too) and who pays. Some brokerages cover the cost; in other cases the seller pays the staging company directly.

RECO’s Information Guide lists "referrals to other professionals you’ll need, like a lawyer or home staging company" as one of the things a brokerage may do for a seller. If your brokerage only gives a referral, ask who pays the staging company.

The cost varies a lot with the size of the home, how much furniture is rented and for how long. Get a quote. Check whether the agreement states an amount or a rental period (for example, a set number of weeks) and whether there are extra charges after that period.

Photos and ads must not mislead

Staging makes a home look its best; it must not make it look like a different home. RECO’s advertising rules (Bulletin 5.1) require every ad by an agent or brokerage, including listings, websites and social media, to be factually correct, accurate and verifiable. A "misleading" statement is one that gives someone a wrong impression, and it counts as misleading even if not every reader is fooled.

So editing that hides a defect (for example, removing a water stain or a crack from a photo), photos that make a room look larger than it is, or added windows or features that do not exist are a problem. RECO’s seller’s checklist also says every detail in the listing, from square footage and renovations to taxes, lot size and what is or is not included, must be accurate.

Staging furniture and decor are not part of the price. What stays and what goes must be written in the offer as included items (chattels) and excluded items.

Virtual staging

Virtual staging means adding furniture and decor to photos of empty rooms with software. It is cheaper and faster than renting real furniture.

Buyers must not be led to think the furniture is real. Because RECO’s advertising rules prohibit misleading representations, virtually staged photos are normally labelled "virtually staged" and the original empty-room photos are posted too. Edits that change the actual home, such as its layout, windows, flooring or wall condition, are not done. If you are unsure what is allowed, ask your brokerage’s advertising compliance person or RECO.

If you are the buyer

• A staged home looks great, but you are buying the house, not the furniture. Look at the structure, windows, floors, plumbing, electrical and roof. A home inspection is just as necessary in a staged home.
• Staging furniture is often smaller than normal so rooms look bigger. Measure whether your own furniture will fit, and check the room sizes stated in the listing.
• If a photo is labelled "virtually staged", that furniture does not exist. Check the empty-room photos or visit in person.
• If you like a piece of furniture or decor, write it into the offer as an included item and get the seller’s agreement. If it is not written, it leaves. Rented staging pieces belong to the staging company, so first ask whether the seller owns the item. Attached items such as ceiling lights are usually fixtures that stay unless they are excluded, but write them down too so there is no dispute.
• Whether a home was staged says nothing about its condition. A home with defects can be staged beautifully, and an unstaged home can be in great shape.

Empty homes, lived-in homes and tenanted homes

Empty homes (the sellers have moved, or a newly delivered pre-construction condo) are often fully furnished with rentals. A home you live in while selling is usually just decluttered and rearranged, and you tidy before every showing.

If a tenant lives in the home, you cannot remove the tenant’s belongings, and showings require notice under the law (see "Landlord entry"). Talk to the tenant about staging before you start.

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