Why Didn't That Buyer Come Back For A Second Look? - 03/29/11 12:10 PM
Your house is on the market with a good Realtor.
You feel it is priced right and you have had lots of viewings ..... but nobody comes back for a second look or an offer.
Why? What is turning them off?
Maybe it's your presentation. Either they or their agent sees enough potential to make the first visit but when they step into your home something is falling flat.
Ask yourself:
Can the buyers see the house when they pull up outside? If they can see it, are they seeing too much? Your home's curb appeal should reassure the buyer and … (16 comments)

Always remember, you are in a home. - 03/28/11 04:18 PM
One of the most important things my instructor said was "always remember you are in someone's home."
It's my job to help sellers prepare their home for sale. To do this I walk through the public and private areas of their home. In the process of staging we will deal with decluttering, cleaning, editing furnishings and updating.
Sometimes sellers are ready to move on and embrace the changes.
Sometimes the seller is selling under duress and really doesn't want to give up their home. If that is the case I have to be very sensitive to their feelings while still getting … (9 comments)

A Buyer Uses All Their Senses, Even Common Sense - 03/24/11 10:10 AM
A Buyer uses all their senses while looking for their future home.
It starts as soon as they arrive. Buyers use 'sight' to form that first impression of your home. They decide if they like the style, colors and materials used. Next they form an opinion on how well maintained your home looks. If the exterior is well cared for with neat landscaping and clean, they assume this attitude is carried throughout the house. Once the Buyer is inside he uses his sense of sight to judge the space available for storage, the size of the rooms, the amount of light … (12 comments)

150 Meadowland Cr. Campbellville On. is waiting for you. - 03/23/11 11:27 AM
 

150 Meadowland Cr. Campbellville On.
This Estate Home offers 3 floors of gracious living.
Contact: Jalaj Arora 
 Re/Max Real Estate Centre Inc.
905-878-7777 or Toll Free 1-877-878-7729
Click on the link below to view this wonderful home.
 http://marketing.remaxdesigncenter.com/20/70720/1436541/index.ipv
… (7 comments)

It's a Bird, it's a plane, it's .... dirty! - 03/23/11 09:54 AM
When you are preparing your home for sale, remember to look up. So often we are busy in our daily lives and don't notice changes in our home's condition or learn to walk by something that is not a major issue.
Many of these issues are missed because we haven't looked up lately.
While you are dealing with your curb appeal look up. You may find eaves that need attention, a roof that has seen better days or a tree that needs trimming. Are your windows sparkling clean?
Inside your home you may find cracks in the door molding joints or … (11 comments)

Is Your House Out of Focus? - 03/22/11 01:37 PM

 
I'm not just talking about the MLS photos of your home.
I'm referring to the Buyer's focus. The focus of their attention should be your home and its features. Nothing should distract them from comparing their 'I want' list with your home.
Staging your home will keep the Buyer's focus where it belongs. By de-personalizing we remove these distractions.
Family photos should be one of the first things to be put away. If the buyer is concentrating on how cute your family is they may be missing the feature in that room. Will they remember the size of the … (6 comments)

Don't forget you are selling a dream. - 03/20/11 08:41 PM

 
When you are selling your home you are not just selling your house, you are selling someone their dream home.
Buyers have a wish list full of 'I wants' and they are trying to match your house to their list.
It is your job as the seller to show the buyers out there that your home will be their dream home.
That is why Staging highlights the features of a home. If done correctly Staging shows the buyers the architectural features that will WOW the buyers. If your home has a less than WOW  feature, Staging will show them … (4 comments)

That Deer Caught In The Headlights Look - 03/18/11 10:04 AM
Thank you for the report;  it seemed like the list was much much longer when we were talking!
I appreciate that the experience today was painless.  It wasn't scary at all 
Sometimes at the end of the consult I catch a glimpse of that deer caught in the headlights look. That's not a good thing. It usually happens when the seller is in a fragile place or has a lot of work to do to prepare their home for sale.
The two comments above come from recent clients who had that look ;). The first client was feeling overwhelmed at the … (13 comments)

How Public Do You Want Your Life To Be? - 03/17/11 10:09 AM
When you put your home on the market you open your house to the world.
Your home is in the news paper, on the Internet and has strangers walking through it.
There are agent open houses and public open houses. All this exposure is designed to sell your home so you can move on with your life.
Staging your home helps you prepare and presents your home in a positive manner to the buyers.
In staging we try to de-personalize your space. This helps the buyer see past you and allows them to imagine how their lifestyle will fit into your … (12 comments)

Barbie's doll house won't sell. - 03/14/11 11:32 AM
This is the tale of Ken & Barbie.
Ken & Barbie decided to move and listed the house with a Realtor. The Realtor believed in Staging and offered a consult to Ken & Barbie. They felt they didn't need the consult and could do it themselves. Their home was fairly new and they had watched HGTV.
The house went on the market and didn't sell the first month. Oh well, it's because of the season. Then it didn't sell the second month. It was time for them and the kids to move.
The house was rented out to cover expenses. The … (17 comments)

When you don't have a basement ... - 03/11/11 08:04 PM

 
I was reminded once again today how valuable storage units can be when you are selling.
The townhouse I was in did not have a basement. Everything was in its own utility closet. The furnace had one, the breaker box had one. There was a storage space built at the end of the garage and under the stairs.
The seller had a shelf unit in her kitchen for storing extra things. Not a good thing for selling but ok for living. Then of course there were the over the door hooks that helped and the row of hooks for … (5 comments)

Does Spring Mean It's Time For The Closet Shuffle? - 03/10/11 01:29 PM
The time is fast approaching for us to do the closet shuffle. You know the routine .... winter wear comes out and spring and summer wear goes in.
If you are about to sell your home, keep in mind that storage space is important to buyers. What messages are your closets and cupboards sending out?
It's time to sort, toss and donate clothing, shoes, boots etc. Why pay to move it. Free yourself from those 'I might use it some day' items.
If you like to have only the current season's clothing in your closet, think about where last season's clothing … (8 comments)

Location not so great? - 03/08/11 12:59 PM
Is your home located on a busy street? Maybe you back onto a highway or train tracks so your view is a sound wall. Do you have a tiny yard with neighbors overlooking? Can you see in the window of your neighbor next door from your sofa?
These can all be issues for buyers. What to do ....
Show the buyer how to live with the 'issue'.
If your house is on a busier street show the buyer that when you are inside there is no noise from traffic. That means you need newer windows installed correctly. Set up a … (12 comments)

Meeting Expectations. - 03/08/11 11:24 AM
Staging or preparing your home for sale is all about meeting expectations. The buyer's expectations.
Just like any other commodity, the higher the price the more the buyer expects. This product, because your home is now a product, should offer more options and better quality than the cheaper version.
That's why Realtors do comparables to other homes. They compare your home and its features to similar homes on the market before setting the price.
As a seller you want the best price possible for your home. You have built up equity and now you want it out of the home so … (0 comments)

DIY clients welcome - 03/04/11 07:42 PM
If you are a DIY (do it yourself) kind of person don't be afraid to approach a Stager.
While we Stagers offer a wide variety of services, you don't have to take them all.
It is possible to opt for just the consult. Your consult will guide you as you prepare your home for sale. HGTV has done a lot to make sellers aware of Staging but it can be hard to apply those shows to your specific home.
When the Stager leaves you will have ideas on how to highlight the special features of your home. Issues that you may … (10 comments)

Can You Imagine in 3D? - 03/04/11 10:20 AM
You may be thinking of selling or you may be thinking about your new space.
If you are thinking about selling your home you know your home has to appeal to the buyers out there. But what is the best way to prepare your home for sale? You've always had trouble imagining if something will fit into a room when you see it in a store.
You know from watching TV that the rooms have to look just right. What do you take out? What should stay in the room and where?
Maybe you have just moved into your new home. … (10 comments)

A Romantic Tale - 03/03/11 09:48 AM
Once upon a time there was a young man living in his first home. He was very pleased with the inlaid hardwood floors and the gum wood trims. The young man was working hard to renovate the home.
Then the young man went on a holiday and met the love of his life. There was one hitch ... the love of his life lived in the US. He decided to move there when they married.
That meant the young man now had to sell his house. He got very busy and finished up all the projects. Then he called a Realtor … (14 comments)

Yes Burlington there is a difference. - 03/03/11 09:28 AM
Yes there is a difference between Living in a home and Selling a home.
Living in a home is all about your lifestyle. It is about convenience and comfort.
Your concern is about being able to see the TV from all the chairs in the family room or fitting in that perfect cabinet for your treasured collection.
Living in a home means the booster seat stays on the chair in the kitchen all the time. It could mean the dining room becomes a playroom. The guest room could also be your sewing room or computer room.
If you want to keep … (6 comments)

The 'Used' Factor - 03/02/11 02:25 PM
You would think from looking at this picture that I'm about to talk about updating or renovating bathrooms ... but I'm not.
I want to talk about the 'used' factor of bathrooms when you are selling a home.
This bathroom not only looks cluttered, it looks very 'used'. Subconsciously buyers don't like to think about the fact that they will be buying someones bathroom.
Buyers want a 'hotel/spa' feel when they tour a home. The feeling you have when you walk into a hotel bathroom and see that paper seal ;).
Bathrooms are areas of hygiene and should sparkle.

All … (14 comments)

 
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Janice Ankrett Burlington Ontario Accredited Staging Professional

Burlington, ON

More about me…

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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