| |
home staging: Flexibility is essential to Home Staging - 08/05/09 09:19 PM
As I teach Home Staging classes, I always get tons of questions from aspiring home stagers, looking for a fail-proof formula to success.
I probably disappoint them by telling them that there is no such thing, but I give them suggestions and ideas and tell them what works (and what doesn't!) for me, everything I have learned from trial and error in the last four years.
Several factors are important to make us successful. Today, I want to concentrate on FLEXIBILITY.
Every property is unique, every seller's needs and requirements are different and so are their personalities! It's almost impossible, I … (4 comments)
|
home staging: Realtors & Home Staging - what's the problem? - 06/27/09 01:28 PM
Today's blog is about a topic that has been bothering me for several months now and I would like some help in finding the answer.
Even if the recession has hit Montreal less than some other areas in North America, the last several months were tough on realtors and home sellers, the average decline in the number of transactions hovering between 30% and 37% compared to the same month in 2008. The time to sell a property doubled as well, on average from 3 to 6 months...
With these statistics, I was convinced that my time has finally come and the … (15 comments)
|
home staging: Staged Home sells the same day! - 06/07/09 04:57 PM
Good day to you all!
I wanted to share this recent story with you - a Staged house sells in 3 hours! Of course it's exceptional but it does happen inspite of a slower real estate market.
I was recently asked to help a client to prepare her home for sale. The house is small (2 bedrooms only and a very small office), but very well located and well maintained. The paint was recent and the color neutral enough on the main floor but needed to be refreshed in a couple of rooms on the upper floor.
The problem? Old and … (7 comments)
|
home staging: A practice session Home staging - 03/08/09 09:15 PM
As part of my Home Staging training program, I organize practice session at a client's home. As each home is different, each staging project is different as well. We have staged vacant homes as well as performed a minor miracle on a lived-in home and all that in about 4 hours!
I want to share some projects my classes worked on, as I am very proud of the results.
The first one is a vacant condominium in downtown Montreal, which is listed for $300K. I prepared everything in advance by renting the appropriate furniture and bringing the accessories in before the staging … (7 comments)
|
home staging: Will 2009 be good to Home Stagers? - 02/12/09 06:27 PM
Everyone wants to know. I get that question in all my training sessions and I understand why. The state of the economy being what it is, real estate is in crisis...How bad is it really?
Here are the most recent stats and predictions from the Montreal Real Estate Board:
In January 2009, there were 37% LESS transactions recorded than 12 months ago, but the median price of a typical single family home is keeping steady. Good news and bad news!
The realtors still list properties but they are taking longer to sell. There seems to be less buyers out there and … (6 comments)
|
home staging: Staging a vacant property = higher offer! - 12/13/08 08:11 PM
I just had to share this one with all of you, as this real life case is proof on what Staging a vacant property can do!
I had a client who was not able to sell his condo for several months, as in spite of the fact that it's quite nice, it is situated in a very lively area of Montreal (not to say 'party time' central') - not to everyone's taste...The client already moved to another house in suburbs and the property was sitting empty. Several visits a week but no offers...
So, I asked the client to use his place … (1 comments)
|
home staging: Home Stager Training programs galore! - 10/12/08 05:51 PM
Hello,
I know, I have been delinquent lately, too busy with everyday running of a Home Staging business (and travelling to France to teach - poor me LOL).
But there is a topic that has been on my mind for a while now and that is the training programs available out on the market as well as the number of Home Staging graduates in the market.
Home Staging services in Quebec are on the rise ! As the general awareness of the concept is spreading, the demand for Home Staging is increasing and more sellers and realtors are open to the idea.
… (3 comments)
|
home staging: Home Staging Montreal is developping the market in France! - 08/03/08 05:26 PM
Home Staging has arrived in France - through the media, of course! As France is experiencing a severe real estate crisis, the Home Staging seems an obvious service to help sellers and realtors.
Great Britain has been at the forefront of the Home Staging for a while, but the rest of Europe is catching on as well. Slowly but surely, the French are becoming aware of Home Staging and its benefits. Several newspaper articles and TV shows paid attention to the Home Staging in the last few months and the effect is quite dramatic, with hundreds of people interested in exercising the profession … (5 comments)
|
home staging: So, you think you don't need to stage your house? - 04/27/08 10:52 AM
You have decided to sell your property. You love the home decorating shows on TV. You have good taste and you house is well decorated. You are ready to put the property on the market. But, are you really?
I often hear this kind of thinking from certain home sellers, especially women. It's perfectly normal, as home decorating is becoming an established hobby and is well represented all over the media (on TV, magazines, books, Internet, etc). That's great!
But, please remember that Home Staging is a set of specific and very efficient techniques. The goal of Staging a home is not at … (0 comments)
|
home staging: A video interview with me on Home Staging on YouTube (in French) - 02/16/08 09:57 PM
A really quick blog post tonight, I am quite tired and need to be in shape tomorrow, as I am giving a 45 minute conference on Home Staging at a very big «Country homes and cottages» exhibition in Montreal.
About a year ago I approached the Founder and President of the biggest Sell-by-the-owner website in Canada. It started with a cold call (or several) and blossomed into a great business relationship. I might not get tons of direct business from them, but the exposure for me is outstanding and I do get a lot of business from that. They, on the other … (2 comments)
|
home staging: Home Stagers and realtors unite! - 02/01/08 09:02 PM
I have been away from Activerain for a while, but I have had a very busy month of January.
I am working hard on my website, which is my main marketing tool, always expanding it and making it better for my visitors. One client recently hired me after a 10 minute conversation over the phone (after finding me on the Web) and told me that I was not the first Stager she contacted. Why me? Because she LOVED my website and felt that I could answer any of her questions and concerns. I have helped these sellers establish a marketing plan for their … (7 comments)
|
home staging: Reflexions on the New Year 2008 - 01/04/08 03:20 PM
I would like to wish a Happy and Healthy New Year to everyone. Let it bring you joy and success in whatever areas are important to you!
As for me, I am looking forward to a better year than the one that just passed. I've had some good times and some bad times and learnt (and am still learning) to adapt and deal with new situations and challenges.
As for my Home Staging venture, I suspect the year 2008 will be the Coming OUT year! I have noticed a lot more awareness and requests for my services in the last six months of 2007. … (1 comments)
|
home staging: Home Staging and more (renos, realtors and a friendly ear) - 11/29/07 11:46 PM
I was recently called in to a client who needs to sell his home quickly. He has tried to sell it on his own, then with an agent and didn't get any offers in a year. He realized he had a serious problem, as visitors (especially women) would walk in and walk out quickly, without giving the property a chance.
So he asked me to help him fix the house up. When I walked in, I was discouraged, not only by clutter everywhere and lack of proper furniture and decor, but also by the choice of colors....hmmmm, check it out below, you'll know … (3 comments)
|
home staging: Home staging starts with top quality pictures (Part 1) - 11/15/07 07:28 PM
Home Staging starts with good quality real estate portfolio.
Since the Internet became readily available in North America, more and more home buyers use the Web to shop for properties and select the ones they want to visit. The latest statistics indicate that over 85% of the potential buyers for YOUR home will use your pictures to make a decision whether to visit based on what they see. So, if your pictures are out of focus, blurry or unclear, you'll likely lose many of those potential visitors....
One important question to consider for best quality photographs is the number of megapixels your digital … (0 comments)
|
home staging: Realtors meeting - Home Staging presentation - did I succeed? - 10/30/07 10:52 PM
I went to my first realtors office meeting this morning to introduce myself and my Home Staging services and it was quite an enlightening experience! I get almost all of my business through my website, from home sellers directly or the agents who are looking for a Home Stager.
The office manager was great - but the crowd was tough! There were seven of them this morning and most of them didn't look interested at all in the beginning. I have been in sales for many years and am used to making client presentations. I almost felt like a high school teacher … (12 comments)
|
home staging: Home Staging is worth over $80,000 to a client! - 08/28/07 11:54 AM
I have recently helped a client prepare his house for sale. Before the renovations and staging, the realtors told him that he would be lucky to get $350,000 for it. Not only did he implement all of my recommendations, he actually did more - he built a room in the basement and then we furnished it to make it a playroom/TV room.
I used mostly his furniture, added some inexpensive furnishings from Ikea for the playroom in the basement, changed and added light fixtures, had the house repainted, decluttered and cleaned, changed handles and towel holders, and accesorized with new towels and … (8 comments)
|
home staging: Call to follow up (or not) and what to say? - 08/24/07 02:06 PM
I know I 'll get a lot of help on this one, as, I am sure, it happens to every Home Stager....Someone contacts you for information. You take several minutes of your time to answer all their questions and explain how Home Staging works and how he/she will benefit from it. The prospect is excited and tells you he/she will be calling back for sure. Then....nothing.
What should you do? Do you call him/her back after a few days? If so, what do you say? Or you don't do anything and hope he/she will call back?
I know we don't get to sell … (6 comments)
|
home staging: What can I guarantee my clients as a Home Stager? - 08/03/07 04:11 PM
I have been thinking about this for a while. Everbody loves to have a guarantee on product or service they purchase, as it makes them feel safe. So, as a Home Stager, are there any guarantees I can offer my clients?
Maybe it's easier to start by determining the things which I can NOT guarantee...I can not guarantee that the house will sell faster and for more money (and how much more!) after Staging, as there are several factors which are out of my control, including the sale price, the location, the condition of the structure itself, the marketing efforts put into the sale … (10 comments)
|
home staging: Home Staging - outside counts too! - 06/29/07 06:10 PM
I just completed home staging project of an empty property. The owner purchased this property, a duplex, in order to renovate it and flip it. The renovation work took 4 months, finally the 2 units are ready to be put on the market. The condos are beautiful and brand new wood decks were built in the back.....
But there was a problem - look at the backyard before it was cleaned up! Anyone coming out onto the deck would be looking at a "jungle" and thinking how much money and time they will have to invest to landscape this backyard.
Solution: One of my contacts … (1 comments)
|
home staging: My V-Flyer is ready! - 05/27/07 07:32 PM
HOME STAGING MONTREALAre you looking to sell your house quickly and for most money? Home Staging Montreal is a professional home staging (house fluffing) and interior redesign firm, serving Montreal area. Home Staging will insure that your visitors first impressions are the best impressions by using simple and efficient techniques to enhance the appearance of your property. From a simple one hour consultation to a full project management, we will help you to increase the VALUE of your property. Stage your house - sell your house!Or, if you simply want a " new look" to your living space without spending too … (0 comments)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sveta Melchuk (www.home-staging-montreal.com)
Montreal,
QC
More about me…
Home Staging Montreal (HSM)
Address: 5716 Westluke, CSL, QC, H4W 2N4
Office Phone: (514) 482-9776
Email Me
 Links
Archives
|
;)
;)
