Just Go And Look At A Model Home .... No Way! - 11/30/10 10:26 AM
  JUST GO AND LOOK AT A MODEL HOME.
As a Stager, I hate to hear this comment. It means someone is using a cookie cutter approach to selling houses.
 Someone, a seller or a Realtor is hoping that by looking at a model home they will absorb enough by osmosis to prepare their home for sale.
  Yes that home will be designed to appeal to buyers, but will a seller be able to translate that to their own home?
Will the seller know which pieces of furniture should be removed from their room?
Will that seller know why the model home appeals … (12 comments)

Kids and Pets - What Do I Do? - 11/29/10 10:23 AM
       
 
                                   AND    
 
 
What do I do? How am I ever going to manage selling the house?
Let's face it they both come with a lot of equipment ;).
Both are a priority in our lives. We put their needs first.
So what do you do while your house is on the market?
Their toys need to be accessible. Their beds ready for action.
But when you are selling it is also necessary to show the buyer a tidy, uncluttered home. Your home should be neutral enough for the buyer to place their lifestyle into … (10 comments)

I Feel Like I Just Stepped Into A Spa! - 11/28/10 02:41 PM
This is not what a buyer wants to see when looking for a home ->
Bathrooms are another area in a home that command a lot of money.
Let's face it, bathroom renovations are not cheap and take time.
That's why buyers prefer to see the bathroom of their dreams rather than one in need of major work.
Subconsciously buyers are not big on the 'used' factor. When Staging a bathroom try for a hotel/spa feel. Think of the way a bathroom in a hotel is presented - clean, fresh, new soaps and shampoos and lots of fluffy towels.
It is important … (12 comments)

Wow! Look at this kitchen! - 11/27/10 10:46 AM
There is more than one way to take that exclamation. When you are selling your home you want it to be expressed in a positive way.
Kitchens can make or break a sale for some buyers.
Kitchens are areas of hygiene and should sparkle that means the appliances too.
Buyers like eat-in kitchens so if at all possible show them, even if it is at the counter or a small bistro set.
 A buyer's list of 'I wants' will have something about a kitchen on it.
Even if your kitchen needs updating show the buyer the potential. Staging the kitchen will … (14 comments)

It's a Masterful Room When You're Selling - 11/26/10 08:18 PM
The Master Bedroom .... The Master Suite ...
You see it advertised in glowing terms. That is because this area is as important as the main floor when you are selling your home.
The 'Master' is the retreat from the world for the owner of the home. It supposed to be a serene refuge for relaxing, unwinding, sleeping and let's not forget romance.
It may be just a bedroom or it may have an en suite bathroom and walk-in closet. Even the smallest townhouses now have at the very least an en suite privilege to the bathroom.
In older homes the … (41 comments)

Myth Be Gone! - 11/22/10 03:49 PM
There is this persistent myth that Staging is about fluffing pillows.
The myth leads people to think Stagers do only finishing touches in a decorative vent.
 People  believe that if their home is professionally decorated, Staging is not needed.
The myth keeps people from tapping into a valuable resource.
By getting a Staging consult you will get an impartial view of your home.
Yes there will be decorative tips involved.
Your Stager will look at colors, furniture placement,accents and traffic flow.
The consult will help you edit furnishings, collectibles and general clutter.
But more importantly your Stager will tell you some home … (16 comments)

The Do's and Don'ts of Selling Your House - 11/19/10 07:50 PM
DO: Clean Everywhere!  Places of hygiene like kitchens and bathrooms should sparkle.
Get rid of those marks on the walls left from living in the house.
Windows should sparkle, carpeting spotless, floors shining.
Wash down the front porch area. Those light fixtures should look clean too.
Rake those leaves in  the fall. Get that 'stuff' out of the eaves.
Opening a cupboard should not be shocking.
 
DON'T :  Smoke in the house.
Leave open kitty litter boxes in the master bath or powder room.
Cook strong smelling foods that hang around for hours.
Leave your dog home alone while your … (21 comments)

Yikes ! Too Much Character For Me! - 11/17/10 02:46 PM
When we live in a house we get used to the home's 'Character'. You know, those charming creaks and squeaks. Things that stick or are hard to open.
It's just part of our daily routine... part of 'home'.
Now it's time to move on. You are putting your home on the market.
You need to see your home the way buyers will see it.

The charm of the character of your home may not be appreciated by potential buyers.
It's time to look at all those little issues you have learned to live with daily.
Time to have the radiators … (12 comments)

Storage is a big part of your sale. - 11/16/10 01:42 PM
Storage works its way into your sale on many levels.
There is the storage space in the basement, garage, closets and cupboards. Even the amount of space in the refrigerator can be important.
Then there is the storage spaces you can rent for all that extra 'stuff' you end up with when you Stage your home.
Storage is valuable space in a home. The buyer may be moving up to get more space or downsizing and not wanting to give up too much space.
In the basement, buyers want to see that there is enough storage space for all their extra … (14 comments)

Don't Let The Fear Of The Unknown Hold You Back. - 11/12/10 12:03 PM
Roger Mucci did a post today about the power of the unreal vs. the real.
It made me think about Sellers and Staging - how sellers are sometimes so stressed by the thought of getting their home ready for sale that they give up before they begin.
The Seller knows they have not edited their home for years.
They may have young children and toys everywhere.
The idea of removing pieces of furniture and boxes to a storage unit is overwhelming.
It's all tied in with the unknowns of leaving their sanctuary and creating a new one somewhere else.
No doubt … (16 comments)

Home Staging is not unlike Retail Merchandising - 11/12/10 10:57 AM
Rhonda Wilson relates Staging to Retail Merchandising and she is so right. As a Stager, we help the seller see their home as a product that needs merchandising to the buyer. We strive to create a setting that invites the buyer to imagine themselves living in the home.

Via Rhonda Wilson (Revealing Assets - Home Staging and Decluttering Services):
The Brick...one of Canada's Largest Furnishing Retailers, right?
How does The Brick suck the buyer in to purchasing more than what they were planning to purchase?
VIGNETTES!
Go to The Brick, and walk around their store, even just for a few minutes. … (6 comments)

Do I Have To Stage the Whole House? - 11/09/10 03:30 PM
To answer this question let's split it up into two types of homes.
Vacant: You have moved already or the it's an investment.
Occupied: you are still living in the home while you sell.
 
 
Vacant homes should definitely be Staged. It helps the buyer size the rooms and imagine living their lifestyle in the home. There is Staging available for every budget level. You can start with something as simple as accessories in the bathrooms and kitchen. You can up it to Vignette Staging. This places small settings in each room that show the buyer the purpose of the … (6 comments)

Should You Mix and Match Styles When Staging? - 11/09/10 02:54 PM
Recently I was asked if it was ok to mix traditional furnishings with contemporary furnishings when Staging a vacant home.
Two people had tried to contribute furniture to fill in the blanks in the home.
My advice would be not to try and mix different styles. Take your lead from the home itself. Is the home very contemporary or rustic or turn of the century ....
Whatever you choose, stick to it so that the house flows from room to room. While designers can add a different piece for an 'edgy' look, if you don't know how you will probably end … (7 comments)

What color should your Christmas be? - 11/07/10 07:45 PM
It's that time of year again. Christmas decorations are popping up everywhere. The stores seem to jump into Christmas decor at Halloween.
I've always been big on Christmas. I think over the years I have collected or inherited several houses worth of decorations. I like to go out and look at all the new ones each year.
There is usually a new color theme brought out to encourage us to buy. This year surprised me.
I haven't seen any new color. The traditional red and green is there of course. The silver and black look is there. That copper bronze scheme has … (9 comments)

FEATURE ... YES!!! - 11/04/10 10:34 AM
  FEATURE!!!!! YES!!!!
I'm celebrating today cause I got my first feature on ACTIVE RAIN ;)!
I've waited sooo long LOL!
So today I'm doing my happy dance!


 
… (25 comments)

Make that strong bond with your house. - 11/03/10 11:43 AM

 
When you live in a home you bond with it. The house becomes your home. You know every nook and cranny and it's comfortable.
You may not realize it but that bond started when you first saw the house. Something about it appealed to you. The fireplace, the family room, the kitchen or the master bedroom said 'I'm perfect for your lifestyle.
Now that you are selling your home needs to become the house we had on X street. That bond needs to be broken so you can move on.
In a way that is what Staging is all … (39 comments)

 
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Janice Ankrett Burlington Ontario Accredited Staging Professional

Burlington, ON

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Janice Ankrett Home Staging

Cell Phone: (905) 467-5353

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Home Staging tips and advice offered to help sellers. Working in Burlington Ont. and surrounding areas Janice Ankrett ASP helps sellers prepare their homes for sale. Janice works with real estate agents and owners to help the home sell as quickly as possible for the best possible price.


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