staging: Thank You To The Real Estate Staging Association For The Honour Of Choosing Me As Local Chapter President Of The Year - 01/14/08 12:39 PM
Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners of the Staging Industry Awards.  These awards were a fantastic opportunity for each of you to showcase your work to the public and let them see that you were truly worthy of the nominations by your industry peers.  You are all winners as far as I'm concerned.  It must have been a very close race as you are all tremendously talented people.
I would like to thank the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) for presenting me with the award of Local Chapter President of the Year.  It is truly an honour.  This would … (9 comments)

staging: REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington Predicts a Seller's Market For 2008 - 01/13/08 03:40 AM
The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington recently predicted a Seller's market for 2008.  This is good news if you are planning on selling your home this year.  If you are ready to take the plunge, here are a few tips to start preparing your home for sale:
•  Clean your home from top to bottom.  Once you have thoroughly cleaned it, clean it once again.  Your home should be spotless and remain that way for every showing and open house.
•  Remove any unnecessary clutter.  Rooms that are cluttered look smaller and distract buyers.
•  Tidy up cupboards and closets.  Believe it or not, people will look inside … (3 comments)

staging: Personal Safety Seminar For Home Stagers - Real Estate Staging Association - Local Chapter - 01/08/08 10:44 AM
The Halton & Hamilton-Wentworth Real Estate Staging Association is pleased to announce that we will be holding a personal safety seminar for our members on Monday, January 21st at 7:00 p.m.  Constable Mike Dinsmore of Halton Regional Police Services will be speaking with us about safety tips for home stagers.  Personal safety is something that we all need to be aware of in this industry.  Not all staging appointments are referred to us by real estate agents.  There are times when you have to meet with clients at their homes without the benefit of a referral.  Constable Dinsmore will give us … (4 comments)

staging: Catching SunLight For Interior Staging Photos - 12/09/07 09:26 AM
 
 
I am the first to admit that I am an amateur when it comes to photography.  That's why I have been trying different lighting conditions for taking my photos.  It has certainly been very experimental and at times I have stumbled across things that I think make a difference when taking pictures; catching natural sunlight is one of them.  This is a photo of my newest inventory piece.  I chose this as my subject because it's right by a window.  I have not altered the colours or exposure of these pictures through any photo programmes because I wanted to compare the difference without any outside alterations.  The picture on the left … (34 comments)

staging: Glass Wall Vases As Artwork - Great for Staging! - 11/29/07 11:01 AM

I came across these glass vases a while back and am using them now for staging purposes.  They hang on the wall from a regular nail.  The glass is flat on the back with a hole for the nail to fit through.  They are something just a little different from hanging a painting if you are looking for a little drama in a room.  They can make quite a statement, especially if you have a very long wall and hang 3 of them in a row.  I wouldn't recommend putting anything too heavy in them though, and I definitely wouldn't use real flowers.  I'm … (29 comments)

staging: Pets and Home Showings - Tips From A Home Stager - 07/11/07 05:52 AM

Look at this picture.  You've got to love her.  No wonder they call dogs Man's Best Friend.  Nobody loves dogs more than I do, however, when you are selling your home there are certain things you need to consider:
Hair - As the owner of a Golden Retriever, I sure know what it's like to keep on top of the constant accumulation of pet hair.  No matter how many times you clean, the hair will seem to magically reappear within no time at all.  It's important while selling your home that you vacuum and sweep on a daily basis to keep on … (15 comments)

staging: Trust Your Home Stager - It's Hard To Be Impartial - 06/06/07 06:14 AM
Let's face it.  When the time comes to sell your home, my guess is that you'll think yours is the one that will be swept up the minute the sign is on your lawn.  Or in more modern lingo, the minute it hits the net.  It's human nature.  We all think that way, regardless of market conditions.
The large grey elephant that you painstakingly painted on your dining room wall inspired by your summer vacation may be a selling feature to you.  However, not everyone else is going to feel the same way.  The same goes for dear old Aunt Edna's life-size … (0 comments)