Staging the wedding

WE are about to have our first family wedding and couldn't be more excited. Our son is being married in the park in Waterloo this Saturday. The young couple are quite "laid back" and are having a very non-traditional wedding. It is an outdoor wedding and they have planned everything themselves. It is now though that bride is thinking about bringing all the details together so that the day goes off without a hitch for them and the 130 some guests coming. Yikes!! The tent will be set up and tables and chairs brought in, but what about the lighting, where will the bar be set up and the self-catered food table (it is pot-luck), the flowers. . . all the details. So enter the Stager, aka Step-mom/motherinlaw to be. I will be at the venue early Saturday morning to help bring sense and sensibility to the last minute details. After all, this is what staging is all about; presenting an image. Do you know that Home Stagers can help you with "staging" for your event? It could very well take away much of the anxiety and worry about the venue you will be using so that you can concentrate on the more important details like your presentation, the ceremony or what ever the reason for your get together. Think about it and call me next time! Kathryn Wilson, HomeReady Home Staging, www.homereadyhomestaging.ca . In the meantime, I will be busy this Saturday morning doing what I love to do; making the wedding venue magical for the happy couple.

Home Staging the Backyard

Home Staging the Backyard
As we enter the lazy, hazy days of summer, prospective buyers are more acutely focused on the backyard and outdoor living. As a seller, you need to pay particular attention to what lies beyond the backdoor. The following tips will help you set priorities to ensure that your backyard is inviting for buyers to come and sit awhile and enjoy the ambience.
· First of all, take a good look at your lawn. It should be well manicured and as weed free as possible. Take care of insect infestations such as ant hills or grub patches. Garden Centres have safe and eco-friendly products available. Re-sod if parts of the lawn are beyond resurrection. Remember to water well!
· Secondly, inspect your deck and/or patio. Power washing and re-staining a deck can do wonders at refreshing and revitalizing the main gathering area. On the patio, look for pavers that are cracked or heaved from winter frost. Replace or level. Weeds or grass growing up between patio stones gives the impression of not caring so get busy and start pulling (you might get the whole family involved here!).
· Thirdly, let’s look at the main landscape elements. Are the trees and shrubs/hedges in good shape? Some pruning might be in order to tame an overgrown jungle. If you are not into DIY activities call someone in who knows what to do. Badly pruned shrubs/hedges look worse than non pruned shrubs/hedges.
· Fourthly, pay attention to your gardens. If gardening is your thing then likely minor weeding and tidying up is all that is needed. Perennials and annuals help to brighten up the backyard. Applying mulch will cut down on the need to water and weed and will provide a neat and orderly look to the garden. This gives the illusion that the garden will take care of itself and is just there to enjoy!
· Fifthly, pools. This may not always be an asset when selling your home in this area. You need to have your pool in perfect working order with clear sparkling water and attractive surroundings that suggest maintenance free.
· Number six on your list might be playground equipment. Are you planning on taking the swing set and climber or trampoline with you? If so, dismantle and store off the property. If not, then it could be an asset if the equipment is in very good condition and you are selling in a very family oriented neighbourhood. Otherwise, again dismantle and sell or give away. Make sure you repair the ground and/or the lawn beneath any equipment that is removed.
· And last, but not least, you need to “dress” the deck and/or patio. Inspect your outdoor furnishings. If you are thinking about replacing your tired looking patio set or barbeque, now is the time. Accessories such as lighting (lanterns, candles, and solar lights), container plantings and garden “art” all add to the mood you want to portray. The idea here is to invite buyers outside to sit and relax and enjoy the view and ambience. Outdoor entertaining, barbecuing, dining and just lounging seem to be one of our favourite summer pastimes given our short season in Eastern Ontario. This is what many buyers are looking for this time of year. Play up this asset of your home’s backyard. You won’t be sorry!
For more Home Staging ideas, contact HomeReady Home Staging, Ottawa area, http://www.homereadyhomestaging.ca/, 613-894-4155

Hot and Hazy

We never seem to be satisfied with the weather in Eastern Ontario. It's too cool, rainy; now hot and humid. Question is "Do you leave the blinds shut or open when showing your house?" Generally it is recommended to leave blinds open, curtains pulled back to let lots of light in so that prospective buyers can see what they are looking at and have that light and airy feeling in your home. Also, you may have a great view that would be obstructed if blinds are closed. Another missed opportunity to show off! Well, the house might be filled with light and the view of the backyard is great, but it might be stinking hot in the house if no A/C and this may be a turnoff to potential buyers or the A/C will be running non-stop (mega bucks for you).

Well I still opt for openness. We bought our home mid-July one year and the view was great even though it was 86 degrees in the house. Yes, the following spring we invested in an air conditioner and haven't looked back!

Reflections

I have actively been in the Home Staging business for six months now. This may sound corny but I know soo much more now than I did back in January when I though all I had to do was send out a few notices and referrals would fly to me. Sorry kido it doesn't work like that unless your spouse is a Realtor or your Daddy owns a construction company. What I have learned is that most of the time I work at marketing what I work at. What a surprise! I sell my Home Staging services by meeting people, getting to know them, educating them and then hopefully gaining their trust that I will do a good job for them or their clients. Then maybe I get to do what I love - making people's homes look wonderful so that buyers will say "Yes, this is the one we want to buy".

Back in January, I didn't know what Social marketing was (I'm still on a steep learning curve here), I didn't know that there were so many networking groups, I didn't know that there were so many fantastic people out there slogging away just like me. Wow! It takes a lot changing careers at my age (I won't tell you), leaving a regular salary, benefits and pension - I must be crazy! I have eyed this growing profession of Home Staging for several years before finally deciding last year to make my move. I am a seasoned voyeur of real estate listings and open houses and model homes. I'm sure I've driven several agents around the bend with incessant house viewings only to back out at the 11th hour. Our last agent won't speak to us now. My interest in helping people, fascination with decor and design and real estate all marry nicely together with Home Staging. It's perfect!

Now what about the next six months? Some things have taken an interesting turn. What I thought would happen hasn't - but other opportunities have opened new doors. I'm excited about new prospects and have left any disappointments far behind. Yes, it's a good life and I'm looking forward to providing a wide range of Home Staging services to all who need them. I am confident, have many years of life experience behind me and yes, I am really good at what I do!