One Percent Realty
Jill Turgeon - The Staging Agent

HOME STAGING - Why you should never sell without it

Home Staging attracts more attention online and let’s be perfectly clear, that is where your first showings are happening.

H

ome staging isn’t decorating. It’s marketing. And it’s one of the most powerful tools you can use when selling your home.

Decorating is personal—it’s about your taste, your favorite colors, your memories. But once your home is on the market, it’s no longer about you… it’s about the buyer. And buyers need to walk in and immediately imagine themselves living there.

That’s where staging comes in.

Home staging is the art—and strategy—of transforming your home into a buyer magnet. It’s about creating a space that feels fresh, welcoming, and move-in ready. Not only does this increase your home's perceived value, it actually helps it sell faster and for more money.

With Home Staging the goal is to create a "series of great first impressions" that will draw a buyer in. We want to help buyers imagine themselves living there and this becoming their home, not seeing it as your home.

Show homes have been successfully staging for decades and clearly know it works or they wouldn’t go the extent they do to show off their new construction.


Why Staging Works

Buyers shop with their eyes first. And in today’s market, your first showing happens online. Gone are the days when REALTORS®️ had a catalogue of MLS®️ listings and drove you around to see it. You would only see what they wanted to show you.

Now Buyers are scrolling through listings on their phones or laptops, and they’re making lightning-fast decisions about which homes are worth seeing in person.

That means your listing photos have to pop—not just with good lighting, but with a layout, look, and feel that immediately grabs attention. If your listing shows cluttered rooms, dark paint colors, outdated décor, or even just an empty, sterile space… chances are high they’ll scroll right past it. If you have ever looked at MLS®  you know that is true.

Even if your home meets their criteria (location, price, style, etc.), if it doesn’t look move-in ready, buyers assume it needs work—and they’ll skip it.

You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Today's buyers have full access to the Multiple Listing Service®️ and spend a lot of time there looking up homes all over the area they want to live in.  They can even look up homes all over Canada.

So, if they decide they want to see a property, it is because:

  1. It is in the area they are considering living in.
  2. It is already in their price range, so yours popped up.
  3. It is a style they already like. ( Bungalow, 2 story etc.)
  4. It has schools or a location that appeals to them.

So, if these initial standards are met, and they request a showing, it is because the pictures took it to the top of their list.

The Truth About Buyer Psychology


“It checks all the boxes… but it looks like a lot of work.” I cannot tell you how many times buyers have said this to me.

Translation? The home feels overwhelming, cluttered, or dated—and the buyer doesn’t want to deal with it. Even if the bones are great, perception is everything. That’s why proper Staging is more than just tidying up—it’s a complete visual marketing plan designed to maximize appeal.

Buyers don’t want to pay for extra work. They will say “work” even if it is a great house but cluttered or too full of furniture because it is hard to see the house, and they don’t want to deal with it. 

Clutter, disrepair, dark paint colors, messy photos, and cell phone photos all contribute to a buyer's first impression. If they “think” that there is too much to do there based on a photo, they will not bother to look, in most cases.

Your decision about who you list with, how you present your home, and even how it is priced is ultimately yours. 

As a Professional Home Stager for over 22 years, I can tell you that it goes beyond a “declutter list” and a few internet tips. This is a marketing plan, and your equity depends on it, which I fully understand.

Let’s meet for a no-obligation visit. I will review the Comparable listings for your home (with photos) and discuss with you how Home Staging, paired with my Marketing Plan, can bring your home to the SOLD sign we are both looking for.


My Solution-Based Approach


Be the Home Buyers Fall in Love With

🏡 63% of buyers are willing to pay more for a move-in ready home
🏡 Staged homes get more attention, more showings, and more offers
🏡 Buyers and agents prioritize staged homes on their tour list
🏡 Staged homes consistently sell faster than unstaged properties
🏡 Great staging sets your home apart—and sets the tone for every other home they see that day


Common Home Staging Myths- Debunked

“Decluttering and cleaning up is Staging”
It is not. Although buyers expect decluttering and cleaning up when you are selling, these are only the first steps to Staging. Do not fall for the trap that "decluttering is Staging". You will end up leaving money on the table.

“I have a nice house, and it doesn’t need to be Staged”
While this may be true, all homes benefit from Staging. Staging is not about decorating your home but about marketing it, which is very different. In fact, during the process, the decorating you have done may need to be toned down to reflect a more “buyer-friendly” look. The goal is to create an atmosphere that a buyer falls in love with. It needs to present as their next home, not your current home.

“Properties like mine sell fast”
In the past that may have been the case, however in the last few years the economy and market have changed dramatically. Whether it is the economic changes in general or the increase in your competition Staging their homes, you will need to consider it or be left behind.

Your listed competitors are fighting for their sale too and so the question is…"Who will sell first?"


Jill Turgeon has been Professionally Staging in the area for over 22 years and has won multiple awards for her Home Staging.  She is also a Licensed REALTOR®  with One Percent Realty and will share all her expertise and knowledge when she lists your home, including Staging it for you if you choose that option. 

This website is not intended to solicit listings that are already under contract to another Brokerage. 

Please see my staging website for a gallery of my staging projects:

www.stageandsell.ca

Copyright 2025 by the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. All Rights Reserved.
Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by CREA and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA.