Homeowners Help Realtors Sell Your House - #1. Leave the Lights On

There are many ways which homeowners can help Realtors. 
One way is to leave the lights on inside and outside when appropriate.

When a Realtor is showing your house to a qualified potential buyer
it is because either the Realtor or the buyer have chosen your house
to view from all the other comparable houses for sale on the Multiple
Listing Service.

The Realtor does not know your house, but wants to show it to its
best potential. Motivated buyers view houses at all hours of the day
and evening, during nice weather, as well as during inclement weather.

You can help by leaving your exterior lights on especially during the
evening hours so the Realtor can easily get the lockbox open.  The buyer
will get a good look at the front of the house and curb appeal upon arrival.  
Leaving the backyard lights on will catch the attention of the buyers and
make sure they look in your backyard and easily see its features.  Installing
timers or motion detectors on exterior lights and timers on a few interior
lights would be an alternative.

As I mentioned the Realtor does not know your house, most light switches
are easy to find, but some are not.  A well lit room is always more inviting.
If you have special lighting, for example pot lights that are a selling feature,
we want to make sure the buyer sees them.  We especially want the buyers
to be aware of all your upgrades and selling features.

Leaving the lights on inside and outside when appropriate benefits
everyone in the end.

Lydia Pollard, Sales Representative
Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage
Direct:   905-272-4764
Office:   905-812-8123

Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com
http://www.lydiasellshomes.com/ and www.OwnersPride.ca

In every market, including the holidays, it is important that you stage
your house.  It is important that your house appeals to the tastes of the
widest range of potential buyers, that selling features are highlighted
and enhanced.  During the holidays, refrain from covering or hiding
the houses architectural features with holiday decorations. It is best
to avoid decorations that will distract buyers from really seeing the house. 
Avoid anything that is in bad taste, tacky, vulgar, offensive or overwhelming
in any way.  If in doubt, pack it away for next year.

A spot light on the entrance.  A simple cheerful wreath on the front door
in holiday colors that coordinate with and compliment the house will welcome
potential buyers.  Exterior lights, kept simple in one complimentary color
will flatter the house, look more elegant and be less distracting.

You can't go wrong with greenery, wreaths, garland, and branches
of evergreen, pine cones and decorative ribbon inside or outside
during the holidays.

Use simple, elegant decorations that maintain the color scheme in the house,
avoid clashing or too many different colors.  Use holiday decorations in place
of the existing accessories during the holidays, to avoid a cluttered or overdone
look.   Be selective in the decorations used; use decorations that compliment
the style of the décor.  A poinsettia enhances any room.  In today's multicultural
society it is best to keep all religious Icons packed to use in your new home
next season.

The goal is for the house to be warm, inviting and festive, the decorations tasteful
and minimal so the potential buyers can picture their family celebrating the next
holiday season in this house. 

Also keep security and safety in mind.  It's probably not a good idea
to leave gifts under the tree.

Remember the Home Staging basics..."Keep it Simple", "Less is More"

Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday.


Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada
http://www.ownerspride.ca/
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Agents, If you are interested in Home Staging articles to use in newsletters,
emails, on your website, etc., you are welcome to use my articles at
lydiapollard.activerain.com as long as they are left intact including full text,
contact information and link to my website.

Staging is for selling.  Please don't be offended by the suggestions
that your Home Stager or Real Estate Sales Representative make.

How you live, how you decorate your home is your choice alone.
A home should reflect its family, their likes and preferences.

When a Home Stager suggests that you remove several pieces of
furniture and put them into storage...this is very common.  Don't
take it personally; it usually has nothing to do with the furniture itself.
The reasoning is to show off your rooms, their size, and their features
so that they show their best.  Buyers are not buying your belongings,
they are buying the house, so we what to show it off.

The Home Stager is looking at your house through the eyes of the most
discriminating buyer and will notice things that you don't.  You live in the
house every day, it has sentimental value, memories and you just get
used to small irregularities and don't notice them any more.  So when
the Home Stager recommends repairs, color changes, the removal or
replacing of specific items, don't take it personally. It's the Home Stager's
job to see these things and mention them for your attention.  Many times
it is not because they are right or wrong, it is because it's the way that
Buyers have become accustomed to expect homes on the market to look.

So love your treasures that you have collected over the years, and don't
be offended if it is suggested you put them away and pack them up to
take to your new home. These are the special irreplaceable souvenirs,
treasures and keepsakes that will make your new house special and
turn it into your home.


Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada
http://www.ownerspride.ca/
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Agents, If you are interested in Home Staging articles to use in newsletters,
emails, on your website, etc., you are welcome to use my articles at
lydiapollard.activerain.com as long as they are left intact including full text,
contact information and link to my website.

My tag line on my business card is:

A home is where you live,
A house is what you sell.

Decorating is for living,
Staging is for selling.

A home is where you live and decorating is for living refer to
a home that is not on the market. 

"Your home is your castle," and you should enjoy it. You should
live with the colors you like, the style of furniture of your preference,
and the photos and accessories that are special to you and that make
your house a home.

A house is what you sell, Staging is for selling refers to a home which
is on the market, completing for the attention of all the buyers.

The best way to get the best price and a quicker sale is to modify the
house to meet the buying criteria of the largest share of the buyers.

The best way to do this is to neutralize all the colors, de-clutter which
includes the removal of anything that is of a personal nature, including
family photos, culturally, religiously or politically specific.  And the
cheapest way to improve you house is to clean, clean, clean.

Home Staging is taking the home out of the house.


Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Agents, If you are interested in Home Staging articles to use in newsletters,
emails, on your website, etc., you are welcome to use my articles at
lydiapollard.activerain.com as long as they are left intact including full text,
contact information and link to my website.

In Home Staging no two projects will ever be the same.
There are such a wide variety of variables and circumstances
that can come into play; the age of the house, if it has been
updated over the years, the clients budget, time factor,
price point of the house, target market, the type of furniture
and accessories the client has or does not have, if the client
is going to do the work themselves or have the Stager do it,
if repairs need to be done.

It also depends on how motivated the seller is.  Motivated
sellers tend to be open to suggestions and possibilities.

The final decisions as to what suggestions are or
are not implemented are entirely the clients’ decision.

The purpose of Home Staging is to position the house
to be more competitive and appeal to the greatest range
of potential buyers in the target market. 

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke, Ontario
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

When Staging a house for sale, some of the things that
should be addressed include; visual flow, furniture layout,
scale and proportion, balance and harmony, focal points
and room function.

When enhancing the functionality of the rooms, you
should take into consideration the over all layout of
the house, and the intended purpose for each room.

A good example is the formal dining room.  Today,
many dining rooms have turned into home offices,
or multi purpose rooms.  If your house plan has a formal
living/dining room combination, when preparing your
house for sale, the ideal situation would be to return
the dining room to its intended purpose.

Many buyers can't look at a dining room which has
been turned into a home office and picture their dining
room furniture in the room. On the other hand, when
the room has dining room furniture, it is easier for
them to look the space and feel confident their own
furniture will or will not be appropriate for the space.

Home Staging includes room function as well as
enhancing room functionality.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
http://www.ownerspride.ca/
lydia@ownerspride.ca

There are many ways to quickly, simply and
inexpensively update the look of your house.

Take down old curtains and put up sheers or blinds.
The room will look larger and brighter.

Strategically placed mirrors can make a room look
larger and lighter.  Replacing a small bathroom
mirror with a larger one can have dramatic results.

Give you bathroom a lift with some new towels,
fancy soaps, candles, give it that spa look and feel.

Plants come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures,
they are an inexpensive and easy to accessorize with.

Replacing an old light fixture, with a modern one, can
update as well as add more light.  Updating light switches
and plates are an inexpensive.

Replacing the handles and hardware on kitchen and
bathroom cupboards can update instantly.

The right pictures can make or break a room.  If your
room does not have a focal point, a large appropriate
picture will do the trick.

Home Staging can be easy, simple and inexpensive.


Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Houses go on the market at various times of
the year for various reasons.  If you are listing
in the winter or fall months, the chances are
the landscaping and curb appeal is not showing
at its best.

Landscaping in the front and back yards are
selling features.  Perennials, shrubs, trees, decks,
patios, pools etc. are all part of the landscaping. 
You want to entice prospective buyers; you want
them to see all these features when they look their best.

Sometimes, this is not possible, the alternative
would be, if you are planning to put your house
up for sale next year, plan ahead.  If your house
is not going to be on the market when the landscaping
is at its best, why not take some pictures when it is. 
The listing salesperson will have these pictures to
show the prospective buyers in the photo gallery and
the presentation folder.

A deck covered in snow, is not as inviting as a
picture of the deck in the summer sun, with the patio
furniture laid out, accessorized tastefully.  A covered
pool is not as enticing and appealing as it is when
you see the sun reflecting off the water and pool
accessories and landscaping in the back ground.

Take a few minutes and plan ahead and take some
pictures of all the selling features of your house
when they are the most appealing and attractive.

Home Staging includes the outside of your house.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

A sparking clean, tidy, uncluttered well maintained
house and yard make it look easy to maintain.

Uncut grass, weeds and overgrown hedges will
remind them of work.

Put away the tools, lawnmowers etc. outside.
Hide the vacuum and cleaning products inside. 
Buyers don't need to see reminders that it takes
work and upkeep for the house to look this good.

Put out the patio furniture, accentuate fun and relaxation.
Play some soft music in the background to set the mood.

If it is a hot summer day, have the air conditioning on.
If it's a cold winter night, have the fire place crackling.

Don't have them coming into a house that is cold, dark,
and silent with the curtains drawn.

Welcome them to a warm cozy atmosphere that will
make them feel like they are home.

Put the Home into Home Staging.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Take a look at the light fixtures in your house.  Are they the
original fixtures that the builder installed?  Do your light fixtures
give off enough light?  Does the room look dark and dreary or
does it look bright, light, airy, and spacious?  Does the room
have an ambiance which is welcoming to the potential buyer?

Light fixtures today come in a large variety of styles, sizes,
shapes, colours and price points.

Light fixtures can add luxury to a room.  The style of lighting
chosen can make a big difference to the over all feel of a room. 
For example, if you have an elegant traditional dining room,
you would pick an appropriate chandelier with perhaps a couple
of wall sconces to give the room the feel you are looking for.
A country style fixture with a fan would take away from the
look you are trying to portray, as would a sleek modern fixture.
Use the lighting to enhance the style and mood of the room.

Light fixtures can be replaced at minimal costs.  This quick
and easy change can immediately update the look of a room,
increase the visual attractiveness; show off a rooms best features.

Make sure the light fixture and bulbs are clean, the highest
wattage allowable used, all the bulbs of the same wattage and
working, free of dust and cobwebs.

Home Staging addresses the lighting as well as the lighting
fixtures in a house.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
http://www.ownerspride.ca/
lydia@ownerspride.ca