decorators: Kelowna BC * Living Spaces Design Interior Design & Staging - 05/04/08 11:13 PM
 
Kelowna British Columbia...
.. God's country many are wont to call it. Spectacular Mountain & Lakeview Scenery has attracted from the start, travellers from all over the world, now more than ever. 
Long famous for a climate conducive to growing fabulous fresh fruit, shipping internationally, a thriving internationally acclaimed wine industry has evolved on perfect valley slopes.
Kelowna, an international vacation hub, & central BC business center has spread it's irresisitible appeal worldwide.
Internationals & Canadians relocate here for the various amenities, hot summers & mild winters. Many purchase vacation, golf & ski resort properties as second & main residences.
The retirement population along with the weather has earned the region the nick-name, "Miami North". Scaling from that … (3 comments)

decorators: Central Okanagan * Living Spaces * Home Staging Kelowna - 05/04/08 10:44 PM
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decorators: Home Staging Kelowna - What Is The Future of Property Presentation? - 01/23/08 02:43 PM
Staging Property is on the fast track all the way from here!
These are the Happy facts. There is no stopping a good thing
that workswith proven profitabilitythat puts property on the leading edgethat prepares a home to be lived in immediatelyIf your property is on the market and has sat for a period of time you are likely to be thinking about staging. 
The sorry facts are these:
The most critical period is the first 2 weeksChances of sale are reduced after that pointProspective Buyers are unlikely to take a second look unless the property appeals to themPrice Reductions are inevitableINVEST A LITTLE FOR A GREAT RETURN - FASTER SALE  … (2 comments)

decorators: Kelowna Home Staging - The Best Looking Homes Sell First! - 01/23/08 02:25 PM
This is no surprise. But what does it really mean? 
You think your house looks great. Your realtor may also give that impression. How does yours look compared to others? Is it one in the sea of many? Is it out front? Does it give you the edge? The market is changing. There are a lot of homes on the market - that means it is a highly competitive market. Property Presentation (Staging) is changing the way property is being sold.
The future of Staging is that before too long it be established criteria for selling. 
Why?
Because it works.
Stage Right - Stage From The … (2 comments)

decorators: Kelowna Home Staging Living Spaces Interior Design ...MY PRO MEME - 01/14/08 07:34 PM
The 'Meme', for public understanding is 'Active Rain's' idea of 'tag', the purpose being, getting to know others in this 65,000+ network. This my 5th, thanks to Martin Abeshaus I decided to publish my career journey.
Academic Studies - A 'visual' girl, I dreamed sugar plum fantasies of exquisite interiors. Academic studies in the sciences were fascinating - math is beautifully the only precise science - you can always count on it! However I couldn't see that I would want to work in academia.
Design Studies - For a brief fortunate period, Interior Design at Okanagan College was facilitated by a brilliant graduate of design and engineering, who crammed her … (22 comments)

decorators: Sellers in a Hot Market - Putting Your Property Out Front - 12/03/07 04:40 PM
There is the tendency in a hot market to believe that the market is 'bullish' enough to get the sale through. That is the old thinking. Sure it likely will, but at what cost?
The cost will be the 'expected' lowering of the price. Why expect this negative phenomenon? Instead get proactive and expect faster profitable sale. 
It can be difficult for sellers to wrap their minds around the concept of spending a comparatively small amount on staging to set their property out front at the head of the pack to ensure quicker profitable sale. Instead of waiting out sale offers and sliding price.......
stage right … (2 comments)

decorators: Staging The Market - Home Staging Kelowna - 11/15/07 01:18 PM
Realtors, Stagers and Home Sellers
Who is home staging for? First who it isn't directly for is the seller and I will explain. It isn't directly for the stager's or realtor's benefits either.
The direct benefit of staging should be focused on the buyer - your market. Who will be buying this home?  
Staging is not all created equal. Unfortunately a lot of what we're seeing in staging is the typical contemporary interior, lacking focus on the most important goal of staging. The purpose of staging a home for sale is to create appeal that allows the potential buyers to 'see' themselves in any given property. 
If … (0 comments)

decorators: Stage Vacants - Kelowna Home Staging - 10/10/07 06:56 PM
 
Vacant homes can take the longest to sell. Consequently the original asking price can also depreciate considerably.  They are often taken off the market. The longer on the market, the less appealing property becomes and don't kid yourself, people remember! Potential buyers are not likely to come back once they have already viewed a property that they cannot see themselves in.
Less than 10% of people can visualize spatially. They cannot see the end from the beginning. They will breeze through an vacant house so fast, because there is nothing stopping them! They need a reason to stop and say, "Oh, I like this reading corner", … (8 comments)

decorators: Sellers - Finish Renovations Before Showing - Kelowna Home Staging - 10/10/07 06:51 PM
 
Sellers can be in too much of a hurry to list and show their properties. It is understandable to be concerned to get the sale underway, but what needs acceleration is completion of renovations first. The very thing you want - quick profitable sale will very possibly be undermined by showing prematurely. Your realtor may not tell you this, being in a hurry to get the sale going also. 
63% of buyers are willing to pay more for move-in ready status. Most people do not want to be bothered with renovations and repairs.Less than 10% of all people are able to visualize … (6 comments)

decorators: Why Do I Need A Stager In Kelowna? - 09/30/07 04:23 PM
It is a hot, hot real estate market in Kelowna. Sales activity is brisk and has been for some time. There appears to be no end to the development, construction and investment in the valley.
Some mistakenly think that because sales are high the market is 'bullish' enough to avoid staging. Countering the high rate of sales, is the fact that there are also many properties on the market. Everyone wants to be in on the action while it is lucrative. Construction is high. Renovation also enters the competing foray.
Staging gives the edge in fact in any market. In a market like the … (5 comments)

decorators: Realtors Awaken to the Value Real Estate Home Staging - 07/04/07 10:56 PM
 
"This is great David! Do you mind if I quote you in my marketing? Thanks so much for posting this. Cheers - Happy 4th!"
"Deborah, I would be honored for you to use my comments."
Used with permission these are the July 1/07 statements on the Remax Realtor David Slavin's blog.
"A staged house made me wake up!"
"I showed a vacant house this morning.  I was expecting to walk into an empty house and to my and the buyers surprise, this was a staged house.  WOW!  What a difference!  My buyers loved the house so much that they signed an offer in the house at the kitchen … (18 comments)

decorators: Lois Lane in Kelowna's Cultural District - 06/17/07 11:37 PM
If you're visiting Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley of  BC's Interior, you will not be at a loss for sights to see & activities to wear you out if you're not careful.
If you're a Kelowna local, make a point to get downtown to see what's happening here. It isn't surprising that people get caught up in the routine of work & responsibilities. A change is as good as a rest, they say!  
Don't miss Kelowna's Cultural District, just north of the downtown core near Waterfront Park. The lakeside walkway is great for a  stroll, running, cycling or whatever you think you want to do there. It connects a … (0 comments)

decorators: Is Interior Design, Redesign, Home Staging For You? - 06/15/07 01:01 AM
We are practically raised believing that Interior Design is too expensive & for the rich only. So we carry on thinking it's out of reach.
At 11, sugar plum dreams of beautifully decorated Living Spaces sparkled in my head. I loved the idea of being a designer, but who would ever pay me for having the fun of decorating?? was the consensus of the time & times to come. Well I'm not sure how it all happened, but I have been doing something creative all my life! Art, Interiors & business define my life work.
Homeowners unquestioningly hire all sorts home trades for … (0 comments)

decorators: Home Staging Kelowna BC * Proven Profitability * Living Spaces - 06/13/07 02:09 PM
Staging for Real Estate Sale or Resale is not a new concept. The term 'Staging' is what is new & perhaps creates a little confusion. It is still the professional process it has always been, of presenting property at its best. I have seen properties sell in 1 to 3 days after staging. 
The goal is to de-personalize & de-clutter, aiding the potential buyer in seeing themselves in the 'Living Spaces'.
What is new is the growing recognition that Home Real Estate Staging puts your sale at the front of the pack in any market. Whether it is a hot market or slow, staging has statistically shown higher profitability … (0 comments)

decorators: Home Staging - De-mystifying the Process - 06/10/07 03:35 PM
Home Staging is a reality in the way homes are sold. Whole communities are embracing the concept as the norm.
More than that people are seeing the delightful advantage of living in well designed Living Spaces. Why not live with it as well as merely dressing it up when you sell?!
I am finding some misunderstanding & a bit of confusion regarding the concept of Home Staging. Generally, there is some public misunderstanding, which I am happy to clarify with a call. What is more baffling is that some realtors I talk to believe staging is 'new' & don't understand the process or benefits they can be passing along to home sellers. … (0 comments)

decorators: Central Okanagan * Market Temperature * Living Spaces - 06/09/07 02:30 PM
 
Construction booms. Reaching a feverish pitch with a labour shortage, the provincial government is making agreements with other countries (ie: Jamaica) to bring in specialized labor - electricians, plumbers,etc.
A long period of provincial economic lows & the international exchange rate, supported & encouraged international investment interest creating some development flow in the nineties. The low Canadian dollar made it very appealing to BC's immediate neighbors Washington State & Alberta residents, as well as many internationals to invest in Okanagan recreational properties.
This is where I started staging in the nineties (decorating we called it then!) properties for developers' & internationals'  vacation & resort properties.
Being a … (0 comments)

 

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