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.

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Home buyers are very picky when choosing their new home and they can be with the abundance of homes for sale on the market. This means that they will be passing judgment. Are they looking for errors/needed repairs or are they looking for perfection?

Homeowners want the best their money can buy. And you can bet if they find anything wrong with your home they will knock a couple of $1000 off the asking price just because it isn’t perfect. At a blink of an eye they can discard your home from their list and move on.

Let’s take a look at all the tests your home needs to pass before the final score. (more…)

I was watching the premiere of The Bachelor on CityTv last night and I have to say the women were stunning. It got me thinking, how do they ensure that Brad Womack, The Bachelor, will keep them around for another night when there are 30 women for him to choose from. Especially on the first night when he has very limited time to spend one on one with any of them.

I was amazed at the creativity that some of the women had to make that critical first impression. There was one that wore sparkling ruby shoes like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, one lowered the window just enough to summons him over to open the door for her and another who ran to him as soon as she stepped out of the limo and jumped into his arms. And there were many more.

What is interesting is that if you go back to the very first episode the women stepped out of the limo, walked over to the Bachelor and introduced themselves. That was it!

Now that we have seen a few episodes, the women have learned that they have to do something original and different to get noticed. It doesn’t always mean that they stay for another night, but they do have a better chance than the women who are quietly hoping that the little time they have with him on that all important first night is enough to carry them through. There are just too many beautiful women, too many options.

This is no different when you are selling your home. The competition is fierce. It used to be that when you were ready to sell, you called an agent and the sign went on the lawn. Buyers were willing to put in the effort to improve their new home and they were staying longer.

Times have changed and now it is important that sellers change as well to meet the expectations of the buyer. Home buyers do not have the time or patience to have to think about what the home may look like if it had furniture in it or if the walls had a better colour on them. They have too many choices to even bother. They move on to the next house. They want a move in ready home, one that they could make changes to if they wanted to.

It doesn’t have to take a lot to get your home in tip top shape for buyers. Make sure it looks good overall, clean, spacious with all repairs done. It also isn’t about spending a lot of money, but it is about the details. You can be creative in making a lasting impression.

If you need to sell your home think about The Bachelor show and how on the first night so many women really put themselves out there to get noticed. You do not have a lot of time to capture your buyers attention so make it count!!

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?