Dramatic Spaces Home Staging and Design

Doesn’t everyone dream of making it BIG, winning the lottery and being able to retire at an early age?  I know I do.  Well, I know of a way to spend a small amount of money and get a big return, almost guaranteed (remember – nothing is guaranteed in life except taxes and dying some day).

Let me explain.  You go out and buy a lottery ticket and spend $1.00.  You may even buy several spending $10.00.  You hope that your numbers are called and you probably would even be happy with a partial winning, although everyone wants more than the $10 or $100 payout.

After the drawings for the winning number you find you didn’t win a thing and your heart sinks at the thought that it wasn’t your turn, but maybe next time.  If only you could win the lottery to pay some bills and have the life that you dream about. (more…)

I was visiting some open houses today and I wanted to share my experience.  As a home stager I have the distinct advantage of looking past the dated furniture and wrong placement of it, clutter, ugly wallpaper, poor workmanship of home improvements, cold floors and personal belongings.  As a potential buyer my instinct is NEXT!!

When looking for a home the majority of home buyers are looking for near perfection.  One of the thoughts I had from most of the homes was this place would need work. Now there were a few that could be move in ready, but for me as a potential buyer there were things I would need to do for it to stand up to my expectations.

In a 2 hour time span I was able to visit 5 open houses.   All homes were in the price range I was looking for, with the exception of one which I spotted on my journey and decided to drop in.

(more…)

I was reading an article from the Port Jefferson Patch that caught my attention. It said that “for the serious home seller, December is becoming more popular“. In the past, the winter months, specifically around the holiday season, listing a home for sale has been a turn off for most home sellers. It can be viewed as a hassle and it is thought that not as many buyers will come to take a look at their home.

In reality though, if people are out looking for homes at this time of year, they really need to find one so they are in effect more serious about their home shopping. The article points out that “when selling your home, it’s the quality of the buyer you need for a successful sale, not the quantity“. I agree with this comment and if you set up your home to WOW viewers you will have a better chance of getting your home sold.

This is a different perspective to our common train of thought. The positive aspect of selling at this time of year is that you have less competition. If a buyer is looking for a home and they have 5 to choose from instead of 10 or even 15 you have a better chance of selling in these difficult months. If you also put your best foot forward and properly prepare your home to sell, by utilizing a home stager you increase the likelihood of your home being chosen. I think of the phrase “pick me, pick me” and the best of the bunch will be picked. It is in your favour that there is less to pick from.

There are always circumstances that force people to move and we can’t put off moving just because it is winter or the holidays. I think there is a misperception that moving during the holidays will be difficult. Sure there is the cold weather and snow to deal with, but you can make it work.

Here are a few positive reasons to buy and sell during the winter or the holidays:

• more moving companies available and for you to choose from and possibly a discount for moving during the slower months

• you can look at moving in December as a new start, a new year and a new house

• there are less homes on the market so less competition that you are up against

• the quality of the buyer is higher – they are more serious

• if you have kids they have a 2 week break in their schedule and it is a break that allows them to adjust to a new school

Moving is a pain, no matter what time of year you do it. It is a disruption in your life, but it is all in your perception. Selling your home in the slower months can be a beneficial and positive experience. Take a look at all the reasons that selling in the winter is a bad idea or a negative and turn them into positives – use them to your advantage. When you look at the bigger picture and you keep focused on the outcome everything will work out.

I hope this gives you a different perspective on what is thought to be a bad time of year to list your home.

Are you setting your home apart from the rest?

Home staging is making the news. In a down market it is very stressful selling a home. When there are a lot of houses on the market, there is a lot for the buyer to choose from. They can be picky about their choices.

This is the time that home owners have to step up their game. They have to do what they need to do to get their home noticed. Real estate agents are great at making recommendations on what changes you need to make in your home in order for it to compete.

So often we love our homes and we falsely believe it is ready to sell. The problem is the obvious suggestions from agents are ignored. These obvious changes can make the real difference in your home being sold.

It doesn’t matter where you live – HOME STAGING WORKS!

It doesn’t matter what your homes listing price is.

The good news is a home stager can help at any point in the home selling process. It is best to have a home stager do a consultation before the sign goes on the lawn, but it is never too late.

So, take some of the stress out of selling your home and consider hiring a home stager.

This is the question on many homeowners minds when it comes time to sell. My question to you is what is it worth to you to sell your home faster than other homes and for the BEST price possible?

For some it may not matter if they sell quickly as long as they get what THEY WANT for their home. For others, it may only matter that they sell quickly. (more…)

I recently read a post from a fellow home stager, Sally Weatherley of Exit Stage Right in Vancouver BC, who showed before and after pictures of her vacant home staging job. When I look at the before pictures I do not feel excited about the home. I think it looks blah and boring and it really gives me no reason to put this house on my list. Any buyer would have to do a lot of figuring on how to set up the space and what size furniture would fit. It is the after pictures that trigger a whole array of emotions.

In today’s market the buyer wants things done for them. Using their imagination is not everyone’s strong point so it is up to the home seller to make it as easy as possible for a potential buyer to say yes, I want this house. Don’t make them guess on your space.

In her living room picture the first thing I see is the van out the window and the wires in the corner. When you look at the after picture you immediately feel like it is a warm place that you could hang out in. You don’t even notice what is outside.

Every home also seems to have an area that can stump any homeowner, like a washer and dryer in the bedroom? What do you do with that. Home stagers are creative individuals and have many ideas on how to deal with your homes uniqueness. They are that extra pair of eyes and possess out of the box thinking that can really make a difference with your home.

Sally did some quick thinking on this problem and she emphasizes that home staging is not about “hiding” but de-emphasizing a problem spot.

Take a look at the rest of her photos and notice the difference in your reaction between the before and the after shots. If you were looking for a place to live would you choose the house in the before pictures or the house in the after pictures?

I have been reading the book Nothing Down for Women: The Smart Woman’s Quick-Start Guide to Real Estate Investing, which I highly recommend, and the author Karen Nelson Bell says “in real estate investing, we are not in the house business, we’re in the people business.” This is so true in the home staging business as well.

As a home stager our objective is to solve problems.  The problem or the goal for most homeowners is to sell their home quickly for as much as they can in order to get on with their life.  It just goes without saying that in doing this we are making their life easier and making the whole process simpler.

Statistics show that predominately women are the ones buying houses.  She is the one who decides where the family lives.   Karen Nelson Bell says that 18% of first time home buyers are single women.  The advantage that women have when selling a house or in staging a house is that we know what we are looking for in a home.  We don’t like cold, impersonal vacant homes, but homes that we can see our family living in, homes that have a warmth, welcoming and relaxing atmosphere.  We want that emotional connection to the home.

Sure we want everything on our logical list, but when a house feels right, it just is. The way you create this for the buyer, again the woman, is to show the homes warmth and potential.  The details are what seals the deal.  The majority of home stagers are women.  We know what to pay attention to, what really captures our heart within a home.  Anyone who tries to tell you that their is no emotion in buying a home is wrong.

If you are selling your home and thinking of hiring a home stager, remember that we want to help you solve your problem. Whatever your circumstances or your budget your home stager wants to help you as a person deal with the selling process as efficiently and as effectively as possible. Home staging is a people business, not a home staging business.

Karen Nelson Bell’s book, with co-author Robert G. Allen Nothing Down for Women: The Smart Woman’s Quick-Start Guide to Real Estate Investing has a lot of great information and ideas on how to become financially free. It is written in bite size chunks for easy reading. It is for those who don’t have a lot of time for reading, but who want to have more time in life for the important things.

Believe it or not the real estate season is slowing down.  Spring is the time that most sellers put there house on the market and there is a flurry of activity.  What if you missed this hot selling/buying period and your home is still on the market or you haven’t even listed it yet?

I went on MLS the other day, as I frequently do, and it is unbelievable the amount of little red dots that pop up.  Those little red dots show the location of all the houses for sale in a particular area (I know you know this).  I often wonder what these homeowners are feeling at this time. Are they totally stressed and freaking out or just feeling it’s okay, someone will eventually come along and want my house.

My guess is most homeowners are experiencing the stress and the freaking out feeling.  Whether to fret or not depends on your selling strategy. You do have a selling strategy, don’t you?

(more…)