Vacant Staging Project of the Year, Canada™

Set your work apart by entering the Vacant Staging Project of the Year, Canada™ award, presented by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA®).

This category recognizes professional home stagers who specialize in vacant listings that fall outside the top 20 percent of their local market.

These are properties where staging plays a critical role in helping buyers understand value, functionality, and potential, often within tighter budgets, shorter timelines, and highly competitive conditions.

Successful vacant staging in this segment requires a different kind of expertise. It is about making smart, intentional decisions that clarify layout, reduce buyer hesitation, and position a home effectively against comparable listings. These projects demonstrate how professional staging influences perception and performance, even when the property is not positioned as luxury.

If you stage vacant homes in everyday markets and understand how to elevate listings through thoughtful, strategic staging, this category was created for you.

Entry Fee:

$70 USD each entry

Submissions Guidelines:

• Use of rented, purchased, or stager inventory furniture is required. 
• NEW FOR 2026: This category is intended for vacant properties that are not positioned within the top 20 percent of their local market.

Before Photo Requirements – 2026 Update

For the 2026 Awards year, the Home Staging Industry Awards will allow before photos that include construction items, debris, or existing contents when they reflect the home’s actual pre-staging condition.

This change ensures entries reflect the realities of the staging profession and allows judges to more fully appreciate the transformation and problem-solving expertise demonstrated in each project.

Submissions Will Be Judged On The Following:

• Focal point or architectural feature highlighted.
• Furniture layout, scale and flow.
• Well balanced color palette.
• Use of accessories in size, scale, color and style.
• Overall cohesiveness of the staging.

Applicants Will Submit: 

• One before and after photo set containing your best work completed during the last twelve months. 
• Company name, location, designations, and website URL.
• Photo of yourself (jpg)
• Company logo (jpg)
• To be eligible for consideration for a possible case study feature story on top ten winners please add the project details. You will not be judged by this information.
  • Number of rooms staged
  • Total cost to stage (including rental fees for the initial term of your contract)
  • What were the days on market
  • If sold for over list price, how much over list did it sell?

Vacant staging sets the tone for buyer perception.

Finalists and winners receive ongoing visibility through RESA® marketing, education, and media outreach, along with special placement in the RESA® directory.

Submit your project and have your work recognized for the impact it delivers.