home selling: Time to pack up your eccentricities, your passions, and your personality! - 02/06/11 04:42 PM
Is it time to dig into your stores of the bland, boring, generic, or dull decorative items?
Yes, if you are merchandising your property for sale, it is time to make the old switcheroo!!
When buyers view your property, they are interested in the actual “bones” of your home. They are not going to be seeking financing based on all of your belongings coming with the property. They are not there to buy your “stuff”.
Buyers are also limited on time and excess imagination. I mention buyers being limited on their visualization skills because the buying process can be hectic and … (9 comments)

home selling: “Thanks, but please tell Mr. Potential Buyer to go suck rocks!” - 01/30/11 07:42 AM
WHOA, HORSEY!! This blog post discusses the seller’s knee-jerk reflex when it comes to “low-ball” offers on their properties.
The first thing I will point out is that I am a Home Stager, so pricing, negotiating, or any part of the sales process is simply not within the scope of my profession. This HAS to be left up to the Professionals.
The reason I am writing this is that I run into the following situation all the time. Most recently, I had a client for whom I had provided Staging services, e-mail me just yesterday.
Their vacant century-character-home here in Edmonton, … (17 comments)

home selling: 2011...The Year of the “Instant Gratification Buyer” - 01/15/11 05:02 PM
Over the past few years, we have seen a rising trend of buyers seeking out the “Move-in-Ready” properties. This is largely due to the fact that people are becoming more and more time-deprived. But, also, due to large amounts of inventory on the market at all times, buyers can simply be a lot more selective.
I have, however, come to a conclusion regarding the evolution of buyers, and have been witnessing a new, and growing, group of buyers for this coming year.
A new breed, if you will.
Throughout my daily work as a Professional Home Stager, I am in constant … (8 comments)

home selling: Do you tend to put your cart before your horse? - 01/13/11 08:19 AM
Or are you quick to realize that more efficiency comes from doing it the other way around?
Do you pull on a door that is sporting loud signage stating “Push”?
Do you walk backwards downhill?
Do you paint expansive walls with a brush rather than a roller?
And my favourite, do you choose to drive a nail into a stud by hand when there is a perfectly good hammer sitting right in front of you?

No, we don’t do any of these things.
Why?
Humans logically assess situations and choose the path of least resistance.
We look for options that … (7 comments)

home selling: Home Stagers Dig Deeper into the Concept of De-cluttering before Listing for Sale - 01/12/11 07:47 AM
 
It is no mystery that a de-cluttered property shows much better than a cluttered one.
Where the mystery lies is inside of each unique individual’s personal definition of clutter.
And, here is where the line gets severely blurred.
Most of us define clutter as scattered piles of miscellaneous “things”.  And, the majority of us see clutter as mostly small items.
When we hear the word “clutter” we think of the following: Excess ornaments, too much framed artwork on walls and surfaces, piles of laundry, stacks of paperwork, toys, office/stationary items, boxes, bags, shoes, tools, over-stuffed cupboards/drawers/closets, etc.
And, these are … (2 comments)

home selling: Vacant Condos Can be a Tough Sell - 01/10/11 05:59 PM
 
Professionally Educated Home Stagers are trained to delve into the psyche of the buyer, how to identify specific target-markets for each unique property, and know how to tweak the presentation of each individual property for optimal results.
Let’s think of all the assorted reasons a buyer would be looking to purchase a condo.
      
Downsizing due to age and diminishing ability to maintain a larger property.
Downsizing due to unexpected financial hardship or changes in finances.
Mandatory life circumstance relocation, only to find geographical lack of listed properties.
Marital changes translating into smaller family unit.
Affordability and/or Credit … (9 comments)

home selling: What did YOU Love about your home when you were inspired to make an offer to purchase it? - 12/08/10 06:25 AM
Let's face it, whether it is a hot-tub, a pool, a jetted soaker-tub in the master en-suite, or fire-place, it took our breath away when we bought the home, but, now, the novelty has worn off.
When we originally viewed the property during our home-search, these features often make the home stand out above the competition. This is because the idea of them is nice, and the visualization that they create for buyers is fantastic.
But, because humans lead such busy lives these days, finding the time to enjoy these features dwindles over the years. So, these features get lost or … (0 comments)

home selling: Change those Exterior Listing Photos!!! Pronto! - 12/05/10 09:00 AM
Obviously, ALL of my clients are currently "sellers", but what is often ignored is that they are also "buyers" on the flip side. They have made the decision to list for sale, so obviously they have to start their search for their new home. So, they also fit the demographic of "buyer" when I am working with them. So, I have a first-hand chance to always be researching and asking them questions. This information I get from my clients is invaluable, as it represents what the BUYER, in the current market is looking for.
Whenever the seasons have noticeably changed in … (55 comments)

home selling: Here's a Fun Game! My "Duffle Bag Prescription"... - 11/21/10 08:54 AM
A Professional Home Stager is invested in ensuring that the ground-work they do with a seller HELPS the Realtors® to experience nothing but a seamless process with their client.
If this is not a paramount goal in the Home Stager's mind, they are in the wrong profession. A Home Stager will NOT succeed in their business unless they are working towards success for everyone involved in a listing/selling process.
All Realtors® know how horrible it feels to walk into a property to show it to an eager buyer, only to find that the owners have left it in a terrible state … (9 comments)

home selling: How do they come up with all of these Home Staging Statistics anyway? - 11/20/10 06:55 PM
I have Realtors®, home-sellers, and potential clients ask me consistently.
As a Home Staging Professional, I love to blog on regularly expressed areas of concern or confusion.
Statistics.... If you have been keen on the Real Estate Market for any amount of time, you have seen or heard all of the claims and numbers regarding the efficacy of Home Staging when listing a property for sale.
•1.  Home Staging sells a property in up to 50% less time, and for 7-10% more money.
•2.  In 2009, over 98% of buyers stated that they created their "short-list" of homes to view solely on the … (6 comments)

home selling: A mandatory, but over-looked, key to Selling a Property Successfully! - 11/20/10 04:57 PM
A mandatory, but over-looked, key to Selling a Property Successfully!
It is not your "home" anymore, so a shift in mentality is in order.
Perhaps the most difficult, yet necessary, adjustments to make when selling your "home" is letting go of all emotional attachments.
"Home IS where the heart is"! This will never be a false statement. "Home" is where many of your fond and/or less-than-favourable memories are created. Maybe you have raised children there, had grand-children over for festivities, accomplished great things during your time there, or have experienced great loss whilst living there.
No matter how you cut it, … (9 comments)

home selling: No, not just anyone can be a Home Stager!!!! - 11/12/10 05:12 PM
The world of Home Staging includes many "out-of-the-box" concepts, or abstract ideas.
Home Staging is not solely about preparing a property for sale, and does not strictly deal with pretty presentation.
There is so much more to this profession than most people realize. And, this is precisely why successful Professional Home Stagers are the ones who have had extensive relevant education, training, and experience. Successful Home Stagers are also talented, are incredibly intuitive, and follow the Real Estate Market very closely.
I have heard many Interior Decorators/Designers say that they could do a Home Staging job "any day".
This is so … (14 comments)

home selling: Why are most Realtors® so reluctant to utilize such a readily available tool and increase their income by at least 10%? - 11/11/10 03:11 PM
It simply baffles me.
There "IT" is, much like a gleaming gemstone, sitting right in front of Realtors®, yet most of you turn your back, and adopt an attitude of "If it isn't broken, don't fix it".
It is "broken" if you are making less than your full potential!
This is much like continuing to attempt to force a nail into a stud by hand, when there is a perfectly good hammer within reach.
Must I provide you with more blunt comparisons?
(3 comments)

home selling: Home Staging is not unlike Retail Merchandising - 11/11/10 01:58 PM
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. Take note of how their furniture pieces, accessories, and electronics are displayed, or "merchandised".
Not only are individual items more attractive as part of a grouping, the vignettes give the buyer a greater sense of scale and stimulate realistic visualization within their minds.
These vignettes are set up and styled by professional "merchandisers", and their goal is to create … (5 comments)

home selling: I would greatly appreciate some feedback and/or opinions on the new Home Staging Tool I have just officially launched.... - 10/22/10 04:01 PM
I LOVE Active Rain, and I certainly value the ability to throw ideas out to an amazingly qualified and professional crowd.
My question is this: Do you see value in my new Home Staging Service outlined below? Do you view this as a tool that would be valuable to Realtors(R) and Home Sellers? I would love to hear what you think. NO HOLDS BARRED!!! Thank you in advance!
E-Home Staging
 Brought to you by Edmonton's Leading Canadian Certified Staging Professional!
Premiere Service of its Kind in Alberta!
Real Estate Sales.......You have heard all of the buzz words such as; Neutralize, … (11 comments)

home selling: Forget Home Staging! Get Back to Basics First! - 09/30/10 05:49 PM
"I tried to explain to him that you can hang tinsel on a pile of feces, but it still is not pretty."
I have written many posts regarding the importance of Home Staging in ANY market.
And, yes, presentation is still paramount! It always will be.
But, this post is solely focused on the fact that cleanliness of a listing property is MANDATORY!
I received a call from a Realtor® asking me to meet him at a listing of his that has been sitting on the market for 90 days.
Now, bear with me. I know in the U.S., 90 days … (8 comments)

home selling: The Proverbial “Doily” Must Die!!!!! - 09/22/10 08:52 AM
Ahhhhh, Doilies....the memories.
You are a blatant liar if you claim that you have never had a doily in your possession.
You are an even bigger liar if you claim that you have never seen a doily.

Now, don't get me wrong right off the hop, here, okay?
You are more than entitled to possess a fondness of doilies due to the desire to memorialize a loved one, or for any reason at all. And, heck, you are also certainly welcome to have some doilies either on display in the home you are living in, or in storage for similar … (7 comments)

home selling: Just Say NO to Febreeze! - 09/16/10 05:49 PM
 
Okay, I know I keep harping on the importance of not scenting our homes with chemical-based fragrances and room "deodorizers",  but I have witnessed yet another potential sale go south due to a buyer's violent allergic reaction.
Oh, yes, and I LOVE the commercial with the Realtor® who is dancing around with the bottle of Febreeze, exclaiming, "I use this in every client's home!"
Have you been anywhere public in society lately?
Have you seen the signs posted everywhere that warn us of existing "scent-sensitivities" and ask us to refrain from wearing perfumes and deodorants?
More and more people out … (21 comments)

home selling: We Prove, once again, that Professional Home Staging yields Success! - 07/15/10 06:04 PM
So, the Edmonton Real Estate Board has released statistics for the end of June, and "Days on Market" were up to 47.
I just wanted to share another success story as I believe that the timing is right.
There are still many sceptics out there who don't believe in the importance of Home Staging.
Yet, it was shown that in 2009, 98% of buyers completed their entire search for their new home on the internet. What does that tell us? It tells us that photos are exactly what is attracting the buyers (or not attracting them).
Of course, the buyer will … (0 comments)

home selling: Now is the time to bring your best game! - 07/06/10 06:36 PM
So, we have all heard the big news by now.
It was announced last night on the news that there are officially over 9400 listings on the Edmonton area Market as we speak.
Sales have also slowed to a halt for the time being.
That being said, now is the time to pay very close attention to your competition if you have a property on the market.
The goal is to stand out above your competition with your pricing AND your product presentation.
Now, more than ever, attaining the services of a Professional Home Stager to assist you in the preparation of your … (2 comments)

 
Rhonda Wilson (Revealing Assets - Home Staging Services)

Rhonda Wilson

Edmonton, AB

More about me…

Revealing Assets - Home Staging Services

Address: 10920-124 Street, Edmonton, AB, T5M0H5

Office: (780) 913-5589

Mobile: (780) 913-5589

Revealing Assets has been Staging properties of all types/sizes in Edmonton, Alberta and surrounding areas since 2009 with a consistent track record of success. Professional Home Staging is an absolutely invaluable tool that, statistically, yields between 298%-500% ROI (return on investment). When providing Home Staging services to our clients (home-sellers, REALTORS, Real Estate Investors/Flippers, Builders), it is our undying goal to do everything within our power to help get their property SOLD in the shortest time-frame possible for the largest amount of money possible. Here, in our ActiveRain Blog, you will find Home Staging Tips and some crazy stories. Enjoy and thank you for stopping by!


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