Staging News

living room wow with rented items

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:21:49 -0600

Before...what is this room? THis was actually the first room seen by the buyers....and our WOW factor casued a sale the first week....summer of 2009

Update in Alberta

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:36:24 -0500

Recession? Perhaps, but it is all part of the ride we take as business owners. So how we handle it is really the question. Do we give up? Do we spend more? Do we ride it out and see what happens? There are many theories to support each one of those concepts, yet I believe that we have to listen to our hearts on this and in my case, I pray. I seek the Lord's direction and He always shows me the way. May I suggest that you do the same? Perhaps it's been a while since you spoke to Him and He would love to hear from you.

The market here is up from what it was but nowhere near where it should be. I hear from Agents every day, that they are either very busy or not at all. So it makes me wonder if it's the strong who survive? Maybe success is a state of mind?

Jill

Just some afters...

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:44:36 -0600

love this shot...great red dress. We thought it would add to the lack of color in the room and it drew the eye away from the dirt yard

desk accessories....always need a bunch!

small grouping in dead space...worked really well

these rooms were beautiful finishes....I have a very talented team!

Jill

Market blues?

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:21:09 -0600

I see this as an opprotunity to do many things like catch up on areas I am behind, tie up loose ends, complete projects that have been started and left behind....this is a great time to implement new ideas, get the paperwork cleared away and get moving onto new goals!

Do I think it's slower? No. It's just different and I am fortunatly adaptable!

Jill

The January Box was a hit

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:06:49 -0600

I did do the January Box at my New Years Eve gathering at the lake, and it was a hit- I was kinda surprised because of the mix of people, but I brought enough boxes (gift boxes at the boxing week sales) for everyone and printed off my version of this concept.

Questions were about:

an honest look at where I am at in these areas and do I like it?

financial goals and true current measurements, assets & liabilities...net worth

"There's a BIG difference in not wanting to retire and not being able to."

spiritual growth or plans for that and scriptures that encourage me

dictionary definitions on CHOICE.

Family goals

Personal goals for weight, relationships, and an honest assesment of where they are at now as well as what needs to happen to move them forward

questions like " who do I need to make ammends with? When will I do this?

Is my conscience clear? Why not? How can I clear it?

IsS there anyone I need to forgive? Who and when will I do it?

Where do I see my weak areas? My strengths?

Am I taking care of my health? What can I do differntly?

Would I like to travel and where? Will I this year? How do I arrive at that?

What are my hobbies? DO I need new ones?

What can I try that I always wanted to try?

Where is your head right now? Where are your emotions?

What do you love to do? DO you do it?

Just some of the concepts. I tried to copy and paste it but it did not work.

Happy New Year!

Below, I am shooting an old Israeli Building in Jerusalem....go where you love to go, live your life !

Jill

testing my live signature!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:10:24 -0600

testing out the www.mylivesignature.com website to see if it worked! All the Best;

Jill Gargus is
Leading Home Staging in Edmonton

simply irresistible interiors inc. - Western Canada\'s Leading Home Staging Company
780.968-7444
780-968-7688
homestaging@telus.net
http://www.stageandsell.ca

January Box Time Capsule

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:34:10 -0600

Having a Merry Christmas I hope? I am taking some time off from the toy explosion in the living room to hide out in my sister's office and blog. Maybe I am a new addict.

This year I am starting a January Box. It's going to be a recall of the major successes, trials, ups & downs of the last year in every department of my life and business, so that next year I can measure my growth better. I am doing this because I am always trying to look back to see where I was and how far I have come and never can seem to remember the details.

So -if you are so inclined to join this...feel free....a January Box listing the: success and failures, growth, new opprotunities, financial standing, assests, liabilities, relationships (or lack or them!) spiritual growth and areas that are currently being worked on, age, weight, hairstyle...etc

This will be like a Yearly Time Capsule I guess....It should be interesting.

Merry Christmas....

Jill

Realtor Connector Program

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:57:25 -0600

As a former Real Estate Agent turned home stager, I have found a need to maintain my Alberta License for Real Estate in order to provide referrals to Agents. I come across many sellers as we do Home Staging consultations, who are not in an Agency Relationship yet and are unsure of how to find a great agent, so I take their information and hook them up with an Agent that is suited to their needs, location and personality. It has been a fabulous outcome for all involved. see http://www.stageandsell.ca for office information if you are interested in learning more.

Beautiful After Pictures in Edmonton- SOLD very fast!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:24:46 -0600

This home was vacant and we did the whole house, of course that is the best way to go when staging a property. Here are some after shots we took. We had a few of the seller's items to work with and so that of course plays into what the final look will be. We had a great result with a sale in just a couple weeks during the downturn of the market here.

more before and afters to be seen at http://www.stageandsell.ca or http://www.edmontonhomestaging.ca

"Summer Staging at Frank's"

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:07:36 -0600

Well folks. here they are the coveted before and after's-- hee hee I am so dramatic... we loved doing this job, it was a great house in a great location and the seller was open to doing things I suggested- that is always great and we had a fabulous end result. Enjoy Summer Staging at Frank's! we also have many more before and afters at http://www.stageandsell.ca or http://www.edmontonhomestaging.ca if you are interested...

Beofre --the outdated kitchen...then check this out....I love this one!

Living Room before and after...

bedrooms....

Props are so FAB!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:49:35 -0600

We love props, as you already know and look forward to shopping sprees to add to our inventory. Props can make or break a room and so the right amount, the right colors and sizes all play into the final look. If your clients need prop rentals we can assist them! Check out our website at http://www.stageandsell.ca for details on consultations and pricing.

Accessory Pictures....so pretty

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:21:18 -0600

We love accessories and use lots to show off our Staged Properties....it's important to make sure that when using accessories you do not over use them. Accessories should high light the room and NOT take away from it. There are there only to create part of the WOW factor and not all of it. We at simply irresistible interiors (see www.stageandsell.ca) have an inventory of 20+ households of accessory items and love rotating them around to create different looks.

What do you need to Stage a Vacant? Check out how MUCH stuff we brought...

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:50:40 -0600

This is the LOAD we brought in my One Ton truck....so we have Options of Course!! It is so frustrating to be at a house, ready to get rolling on the project and find out that a trip across town to the nearest retail outlet is in order because of needing "just the right item" for a corner or a wall....so we bring ALOT of stuff to avoid this hassle and it makes the staging job more fun because of the variety and creativity!

Just Some After Shots, Stony Plain, Alberta

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:44:24 -0600

This home was listed in Stony Plain, Alberta and vacant and of course needed help...we only have after shots, but you can clearly see why the staging was valuable. The living room had a large walkway to the bedrooms, bath and kitchen running right through it and also had 2 SMALL windows facing the neighbors house, not alot of natural lighting and really no sense of proper space planning..that is until we were finished! I am so proud of my team, they are very good at what they do!

Before and After of Vacant Master Bedroom- Edmonton

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:12:54 -0600

This master bedroom was in need of love love love and we gave it that...the room was painted by my client, and she also had the floros re-finished. Then we arrived and spent the day staging...the turn out was great...I am so proud of my team. The results are truly fabulous. This house is in Edmonton and can be viewed at www.bobsand.com

Before and Afters...! Always a hit!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:56:41 -0600

This home was in the family and now the responsibility of the Daughter, who knew enough to reno (herself- she did a great job- ) and then to have us come in and stage it. We love the end result and for more information on this lisitng please contact the Agent, Bob Sand at www.bobsand.com it is in Edmonton; Alberta

Seller Do It Yourself Package

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:59:49 -0600

Offering a new Package to the Edmonton Home Staging Market- the Seller Do It Yourself Package...for those Home Owners who are ready, willing and able to tackle their own Home Staging project.

We will provide details on how you can plan, organize and complete your own Home Staging Project for your Property, please call the office at 780-968-7444 and we will book you for this detailed consultation. Also see www.stageandsell.ca and www.edmontonhomestaging.ca for details.

Re-Allocating Advertising Dollars Smartly DEC 2008

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:40:59 -0600

As Real Estate approachs some unfamiliar territory, Agents across North America are wondering if they should take more listings and what to do with them when they get them. It's no joke to throw away your hard earned commision or even to get into debt trying to service a listing.

It's not the way it used to be and advertising a house is much more complex, as buyers search the net first for interior photos and make their choices based on that FIRST before even calling their agents.

My suggestion to you as a former Real Estate Agent turned Home Stager, is to re-allocate your advertising dollars slightly and pay for an initial Home Staging Consultation for your sellers. This way you can improve your chances of getting a house listed that will show BETTER than it's www.mls.ca competition.

The goal is to price competivley and to SHOW BEAUTIFULLY. See our website at either www.stageandsell.ca or www.edmontonhomestaging.ca to get a better idea on what occupied homes and vacant homes can look like with Expert Home Staging Services.

This way you can advertise a listing that actaully will bring in buyer traffic and your chances of a sale are greatly increased.

Homeowners Beware!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:22:23 -0500

Trying to sell a home in this Edmonton market has proved to be a real challenge these days. With flooding of listings and stubborn sellers who are still trying to get an inflated price that will not hold now, the competition is huge and YET the buyers are few.

I think buyers are in REBELLION and refuse to pay inflated prices for homes that show less than perfect. I have seen one coat of paint on walls, unfinished flooring, holes in walls, and overall dirt, grime and disrepair asking prices that twice the house commands. Amazing.

If, you as a home owner want to sell, YOU MUST use your head about the price, condition and presentation of the home. Overpricing will get you nowhere fast and due to the vast amount of competition, presentation must be perfect or the buyer will move on- after all they have hundreds of homes just like yours to chose from.

Home Owner beware and Prepare your Home with the use a Professional Home Staging Company, price right with the services of a Respected Real Estate Agent and keep your eyes open to the ever changing market.

Holiday Rest?

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:12:12 -0600

Was the holiday time a time of rest? I sure was busy, then touring to Manzanillo, Mexico after and that was true rest! What a great place, I highly recommend it. Then I came home to 16 hour days again....yikes!

As for daily rest and workloads, are you as tired as I am? It seems that it never ends and I am really taking control of my bookings and jobs and keeping them in the scope of what really matters. I think it's benefitial to take time off each week and have a start and end time to the day. Makes all the difference in the world!

How do you manage workload?

Jill Gargus -"The Realtor Connector"

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:45:41 -0600

As a former Real Estate Agent, I understand the frustration of being in a situation where people or presonalities may not mix well. I heard it from new clients all the time that they will never call back "so and so" because of ..." . This was all too common. So in an effort to assist you, the buyer or seller in this process, I have maintained my Agent's License in Alberta and now have created a "Realtor Connector" system.

For any of your buying or selling needs, this is the system for connecting the best Agent with you anywhere in Canada. If you have a need for a Agent yet are not sure who to call or what to ask them, call me and I can help you determine your needs for an Agent Relationship and make calls on your behalf to connect you to the Agent that will best suit your needs. There are many factors to consider when interviewing an Agent and together we can find you the right fit. I am a former Agent of 7 years and have many connections with Agents.

The personality and expertise of the Agent you choose is vital to the success of your buying and selling relationship. It should develop into a long term relationship built on mutual trust and respect and not every one "clicks" so together we can help you find that perfect Agent and help you make all your buying and selling derams come true!

Connect to me at 780-968-7444

or through email at homestaging@telus.net

see www.stageandsell.ca or www.edmontonhomestaging.ca for more Home Staging in Edmonton info

Funnies 2

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:08:45 -0600

--One particular four year old prayed, " And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

--A little boy was overheard praying, " Lord if you can't make me a better boy, that's ok, I am having a real good time like I am."

--A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, looking at the old pages as he turned them. Then something fell out of the Bible. He picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed between the pages. "Mama, look what I found!" the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boys voice he answered, "It's Adam's suit!"

--The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he preached he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again. After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whisperd, " If her gets loose, will he hurt us?"

Noah in 2006-funny

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:55:15 -0600

Pre-amble- The Lord has promised to never flood the earth again...this is just a joke! :)

In the year 2006, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said, "Once again the earth has become wicked and over -populated and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another ark and save 2 of every living thing along with your family."

He gave Noah the blueprints and said "You have 6 months to build the ark before I will start the rain." Six months later the Lord looked and saw that Noah was weeping in his yard, and there was no Ark! "Noah," He asked, " where is the ark? I am about to start the rain!"

"Forgive me Lord, " said Noah, " But things here have changed. I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbours claim that I have violated the neighbourhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and have exceeded the height limitations. We had to got to the Development Appeal Board for a decision. Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear passage for the Ark's move to Sea. I told them the Sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.

Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls- but no go!

When I started gathering the animals, an animals rights group sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued that the accomodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

Then the EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they conduct an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

I 'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities that I am supposed to hire for my building crew.

Immigration and Naturalization are checking the green card status of most people who want to work here. The Trade Union says I cannot use my own sons. They insist that I hire only Union Workers with Ark building experience.

To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming that I am trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

So forgive me Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish the Ark.

Suddenly the skies cleared and the sun began to shine and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean you are not going to destroy the world?"

"No, " said the Lord, " the government beat me to it."

Funny- The Haircut

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:10:15 -0600

A young boy had just gotten his driver's permit and inquired of his father if they could discuss the use of the car. His father said he'd make a deal with his son. "You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, get your hair cut and we'll talk about the car."

The boy thought for a moment and decided to agree to that offer. After about six weeks his father said, "Son, I've been real proud of you. You brought your grades up and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I am real disappointed that you haven't got your hair cut."

The young man paused and said, " You know Dad, I've been thinking about that and I've noticed in my Bible study that John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair and there's even a strong argument that Jesus has long hair."

To this his father repleid, "Did you also noticed that they all walked everywhere they went?"

Dadd'y gonna eat your finger!!

Jill Gargus-Chouinard (simply irresistible interiors) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:59:38 -0600

This one is great for anyone who has a kid, knows a kid or know will have kids!

--I was packing for my business trip and my three year old daughter was having a wonderful time playing on the bed. At one point she said, "Daddy look at this..." and she stuck out her two fingers. Trying to keep her entertianed I reached out and stuck her tiny fingers in my mouth and said "Daddy's gonna eat your fingers," pretending to eat them. I went back to packing, looked up again and my daughter was standing on the bed staring at her fingers with a devastated look on her face. I said "What's wrong honey?"

She replied, "What happened to my booger?"