Transformations are Andrea Foxman's specialty. Andrea is a professional stager.

Her company, Home Ingredients, uses everything from furniture and plants --- to more unique pieces like cuckoo clocks to improve the look of a home before it sells.

"We go down to the location and we take photos and we take measurements and we figure out what is it that we need for that particular project," says Foxman.

One recent job brought Andrea to a building at Main St. and 12th Ave. The brand-new corner unit is on sale for $468,000 -- and completely empty.

"When you're selling a home it's really important to keep things neutral and to be open to the broadest audience you want to attract," says Foxman.

Beating a cooling market

But can staging also boost your selling price?

"Last year, certainly," says realtor Artem August. "This year I think it justifies your asking price."

Artem says staging can also help with that critical first impression.

"Within the first ten seconds, people make up their minds as to whether or not they're to spend their time to go in and look," says August.

"When the place looks better it can be photographed better, and can be better presented on the Internet which is where most people start their search."

Staging can also be done in a home that's already being lived in, but it can be a little more challenging.

"I've encountered places where people don't clean out their fridges, and they've left the entire closets full of stuff," says Foxman.

"It's a matter of letting people know to de-clutter and de-personalize."

That means cleaning up and removing any personal photos or other unique-to-you items.

"People have differing personal tastes and a lot of them are fantastic but they're not right for when you sell," say August.

"When we're selling to someone else we like to keep things neutral and transitional, open and fresh," says Foxman.

Easy steps to staging

While you may not have a warehouse full of home goodies like Andrea Foxman does, there are some key components you may want to consider, like artwork.

"This will bring in colour and a lot of the time artwork inspires us around a room," says Foxman.

The stager says she sometimes chooses a key colour and incorporates it throughout the home. Plants are also important.

"It just gives life to the place and it adds the texture and the color that you need and it's great to fill in space," she says.

Andrea says changing your lighting is another relatively simple step that can help change the look of a room. If you'd rather hire a professional, the cost varies.

"If we're talking about a vacant home -- a one-bedroom can be anywhere from $2,500 to a fully staged house for $10,000 to $15,000."

Staging a new condo costs about $2,900 -- for some sellers, it's the price of making a sale.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber