Home Staging Sells home for over asking price

Create The WOW With Home Staging!


Brisk February Sales

"These Real Estate Agents understand the benefit of Home Staging for their clients!"

Create The WOW With Home Staging!

Home staging could easily put several thousand dollars in your pocket. One of my clients just listed their home for over $20,000 dollars higher than for what a similar model (or any model), had just sold for on their street. They received multiple offers which resulted in their property selling in just three days for several thousand above the listing price. Yes, they had their home staged, and yes, it looked great!

If you have any questions about selling or buying a home or would like to find out more about home staging, please give me a call. Kathryn Wilson, with Home Ready Home Staging, along with a few extra hours of work helped give this home that WOW effect! This helped lead to a fast sale at a great price!

For many of us, besides being a home, our property is our largest investment, and any capital gains on our principal residents is tax free. It all goes into our pocket and not Revenue Canada’s. Home staging is a great vehicle to help do just that.

RePrinted from Heads Up Real Estate, John Head and Susan Chaulk
                                                           Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty Brokerage
                                                           2034 St. Joseph Blvd.
                                                           Ottawa, On  K1E 1E6
                                                           613-830-9999
                                                           john@TheHeadTeam.com
                                                           http://www.theheadteam.com/

How Do Real Estate Agents Benefit from Home Staging?

There are many ways that Home Staging benefits the Real Estate Agent.  First of all, research shows that Staged homes sell for more money and are on the market for a shorter amount of time compared to non-staged homes, thus lowering the Agent's marketing costs.  And lets face it, Staged homes quite simply show better!  Other Agents will be pleased to show the listing, bringing along more prospective buyers.  This may increase their profitability too.  Staged homes help grow the Agent's business as satisfied buyers and sellers more frequently refer the Agent who has Staged their listings.  And Staged homes look better in print ads, Internet listings and virtual tours.  All this lend credibility to the Real Estate Agent's marketing and selling skills. 
And the bottom line here is that clients are satisfied and the Real Estate Agent proves their worth and understanding of the importance of Home Staging.  Oh, and yes the Home Stager greatly benefits too.  It's a win-win-win situation.  What could be better!

If you are planning to sell your home soon, ask you Real Estate Agent to refer to HomeReady Homestaging.  If you do not have an Agent at this time, your Home Stager at HomeReady Home Staging can refer you to a Real Estate Agent who values the role of Home Staging in their business.
homeready@homereadyhomestaging.ca
613-894-4155

Tackling the Toilet

I know I've been on a bit of a bathroom kick lately.  Guess it comes with renovating that room in my own house.  Today though, I want to focus on the TOILET.  Yes that lowly bowl we all so well know. . . OK I will stop here!  

From a Professional Home Staging point of view, I've seen a lot of toilets and they are not all pretty.  No Sir, some are downright ugly and gross.  The point I want make though is that the toilet often sets the tone for the whole bathroom.  When prospective buyers are viewing a home, a clean, well presented toilet speaks volumes about the rest of the home too.  Cleanliness is next to godliness and there is nothing better to turn off prospective buyers like a toilet that is not pristine enough to brush your teeth in.  OK I may have gone a bit too far again but you get the point!  It's not only the inside of the toilet that needs to be stain free but also the outside front and sides and also behind it on the floor etc.  Fluffy rugs on the lid, tank top or the floor do not enhance the look or disguise stains or odors that might emanate from the throne.  On the contrary, those little shag covers are harbours for germs and other nastys.  Kleenex boxes too are not considered decorative accessories in my mind either.  The library can be re-located too! 

And please keep that lid down.  No one wants to enter the bathroom to be immediately confronted by the open abyss beckoning to them.  Prospective buyers often are attracted to bathrooms that appear never to have been used.  This is what you want the toilet to say (if it could talk)!

RESA

What an exciting evening meeting all the big names in the Home Staging business.  Met lots of Canadian CSPs including the founder of Canadian Staging Professionals, Christine Rae.  Also here is a picture of me with Matthew Finlason, from The Stagers.  Wow!  Matthew kicks things off early tomorrow am and on it goes until late tomorrow evening with the RESA awards.  Although I was nominated for the Rookie of the Year,  my colleaque Kristy made it to the finals so cheering for her!

Tips to Update Your Bathroom under $50

When thinking of selling your home there are many relatively inexpensive up-dates you can do in your home yourself to give it that WOW without breaking the bank.  For instance, in the bathroom here are five up-dates that cost under $50 and can give new life to a tired or outdated decor.  They all speak "well-cared for" to a prospective buyer and can distract from more major renovations that could be done.

1. A new coat of paint in a pleasing neutral colour is the most obvious up-date and can transform the bathroom from a dingy, outdated room to a warm, inviting and clean space.  The bathroom pictured here is painted with ICI Oyster White, #30YY 64/149.  Previously it was a gaudy aqua blue which was cold and oppressive.
2. New fluffy white towels for showing are an inviting addition to any bathroom and aren't expensive if you don't buy designer towels or you manage to get them on sale (they seem to be at every major store at any one time).
3. A new coordinating shower curtain speaks volumes about freshness.
4. Un-dated hardware for the cabinets may be just the thing to up-date the older vanity in your bathroom.
5. Matching small plastic bins to store personal items neatly under the counter in the vanity when not in use are a smart and inexpensive choice.  Prospective buyers do not want to see your deoderant or toothbrush lying on the vanity counter when viewing your home.  This can be a huge turnoff.

These are just five inexpensive tips for up-dating your bathroom.  Now that I've got you started, I'm sure you can think of some more yourself.  However, if you would like some more inexpensive and helpful ideas for up-dating your bathroom or other rooms in your home before selling your home, I'd be happy to come to consult with you!  For a free quote on my services do email me at kathryn.a.wilson@gmail.com. 

The Emotions of Selling

Homeowners sell their homes for many reasons.  Some are happy, hopeful thoughts of moving onto something better.  Some reasons are out of necessity; usually financial.  Other reasons are not so hopeful; life transitions, broken relationships, again necessitating a move.  Most homeowners have some ambivalent thoughts and feelings though, all normal.   Our shelter and physical environment is one of our basic needs that helps us to feel secure in life and when there are changes anticipated here we often experience a wide range of emotions.  This is why using the services of an understanding Home Stager can lessen the confusion of emotions when preparing your home for sale.  With a more objective eye, a Home Stager will view your home and make reccomendations that will help you understand what will make your home look best to secure a quick and profitable sale.  If you need a more "hands-on" approach, a Home Stager will be there too.  Rearranging furnishings and accessories is the work that a Home Stager is trained to do.  Knowing just what to pack away now and what to perhaps let go of can bring a sense of relief and clarity that Home Stagers can help with too!

If you are selling your home this year and are having some emotional reactions thinking about this prospect do not hestitate to call a reputable Home Staging company such as HomeReady Home Staging.  We can help you through the hurdles of emotions that can come with preparing your home for sale.  Once you feel more "centered" and less emotionally attached  to your present home, it will be easier to make those all important sale decisions.  One thing to remember too is that buyers also are experiencing many different emotions in selecting a new home to buy.  But this will be a different chapter!

Getting Rid of Rug Indentations - Home Staging tip 2010 - 1

Moving furniture around at Christmas this year to accomodate the Christmas tree, reminded me of what sometimes happens when homeowners are moving around their furniture when Staging to sell.  Where the furniture used to sit is marked by a depression or indentation in the rug that does not seem to go away with any amount of rubbing or vaccuming!  These unsightly marks unfortunately draw ones eye immediately to that spot(s) and can detract from the overall impression (no pun intended) that the homeowner is trying to create. 

However, I have found a way to get rid of these indentations.  Simply put an ice-cube on the indentation and just let it melt.

As the ice-cube melts, the rug fibres "puff" up and expand and in a little while the indentation is no longer visible.

Just blot up any excess moisture with a towel and give a gentle little rub and voila. . . the indentation is completely gone and noone would ever know that a heavy piece of furniture used to be on that spot.

Rug, after this procedure looks like nothing ever sat on the spot and now is no longer an unsightly distraction!