home staging: Selling Your Kitchener-Waterloo Home over the Winter
- 12/03/11 12:44 PM
Selling your home is always stressful and inconvenient however selling during the winter presents its own unique set of challenges. Not only is the market typically slower during colder, winter months but the holidays can make it difficult to juggle the need to decorate with the importance to properly showcase your home. As there are less buyers looking for a home its vital to make sure your property shows beautifully so buyers will willingly – and eagerly – face winter’s cold wrath to preview your home.
Keep your driveway and walkways shoveled and accessible. The last thing a seller wants is … (14 comments)
home staging: Professional Marketing Tools for Your Business
- 10/21/11 09:52 AM
So, for the first time in I don't know how long - many months at least - I have had a chance to go through our projects and start working on some new marketing materials and tools. This is something I thoroughly enjoy however I simply haven't had the time for it; between business being crazy busy and my sister getting married (two ceremonies) I have been neglecting this side of our business. You may have noticed the lack of blog articles - or maybe not lol - but I'm baaaack!
So here are some fun things I made up … (17 comments)
home staging: Model Home Mentality: The Effects of HGTV
- 10/18/11 10:20 AM
Home staging, which has changed the landscape of how homes are sold today, has made really dramatic strides in only the past few years. These changes come in response to a new generation of home buyers whose high expectations are dictating what sells homes – and what doesn’t. We call this change in mindset Model Home Mentality and it encapsulates the effects of HGTV and snazzy model homes on impressionable home buyers who must have all those fancy upgrades as well as a home which has ‘the look’ before they buy it.
Gone are the days when a home owner … (13 comments)
home staging: Deer Ridge Model Home Staged to Sell
- 09/09/11 10:00 AM
At the beginning of August, we were contacted by a local builder about the possibility of staging one of their model homes which had been up for sale for a year. We met with them and toured the home, taking in all the gorgeous architectural features in the home and the extensive upgrades. Originally, they asked us to simply quote them on staging the dining area as they had gotten alot of comments that without furniture, their buyers just couldn't 'see' how their table and chairs set would fit. We agreed that this area was in need of staging however we … (12 comments)
home staging: Getting Top Dollar for Your Property with Home Staging
- 07/09/11 06:35 AM
Regardless of whether you call it home staging or home fluffing; the goal is the same – to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar. There is an abundance of articles and information which will tell you how to go about staging your home. These articles however, while they tell you the basics of what to do to get your home ready for sale, they don’t say how to do it. Told to de-clutter and neutralize, sellers often scratch their heads and wonder what should get packed away, how much is too much and what are neutral colors to decorate with which … (10 comments)
home staging: Top 10 Things NOT to do When Listing Your Home for Sale
- 06/05/11 06:27 AM
In an age when home staging is such a prevalent real estate tool, it is amazing how many real estate listings are out there which are clearly not in any way ready for potential buyers to walk through. We work with a lot of realtors and know just how tight their marketing budgets are when it comes to their listings. It only makes sense to maximize these dollars by showcasing pictures of modern, bright, uncluttered spaces which will attract buyers in droves. This seems logical to me and I know of many realtors who will refuse to list a property unless … (27 comments)
home staging: So You Want to Be a Home Stager: Top 10 Things to Consider
- 04/29/11 05:26 PM
I read a featured post today called 'So You Want to Be a Real Estate Agent? Some Unsolicited Advice written by Liz and Bill Spear and it really resonated with me. Reason being is that every week we get anywhere from half a dozen emails or resumes or phone calls from people who want to become a stager and work for our company or they want to start their own staging business and would like to be mentored. I like to help people and appreciate the inquiries but it is a little overwhelming. Its really easy to become a home stager - … (64 comments)
home staging: Lovely Waterloo Home Showcases Modern Charm
- 04/29/11 08:31 AM
Two weeks ago, Rooms in Bloom did a consultation for a client in Waterloo and it quickly became apparent throughout the course of the consult that the client was open to everything. The home was lovely however it needed painting throughout and we recommended taking up the carpet on the main floor and putting down walnut laminate in the front living/dining room and then replacing the white tiled floor with deluxe linoleum which looked like ceramics and which would ground the room much better.
Originally, this living area was stuffed with three huge couches, occasional tables and canvas drapes. After … (4 comments)
home staging: The Buyers Didn't Want to Leave ...
- 04/23/11 04:17 AM
Last month, we were contacted by a new real estate brokerage to do a consultation for a client who was just outside town in a lovely area where the houses are larger and sit on huge grand lots. We had never worked with this particular realtor before and we knew this was an opportunity to really show him what we could do! The home owners were a lovely couple who had spent the few months leading up to this point de-cluttering, packing things away and generally getting into the mindset of wanting to sell. Their home was gorgeous with beautiful peaks … (15 comments)
home staging: The Road So Far ...
- 04/11/11 10:59 AM
One of my favourite TV shows is Supernatural where two heroes (very hot heroes I might add) battle supernatural beings and triumph over evil .. as much as anyone can ever triumph over the dark forces. I enjoy how each episode has its own story even though there is a very strong mythology that has been evolving over the show's many seasons on air. I like that both heroes bring very different skill sets to the table and that often, standing up to evil has lasting repercussions that affect both heroes in personal ways.
It struck me last week during … (8 comments)
home staging: Builder Takes a Chance on Staging A Model Home
- 04/08/11 06:35 AM
A few weeks ago, a local builder contacted Rooms in Bloom about the possibility of staging his vacant model home that he was trying to sell. The home had lots of appeal however buyers just weren't 'getting it' for some reason and after having it sit on the market, unsold, he started looking for help. In our area, vacant properties are an especially tough sell. Most vacant homes linger on the market for months and months without selling. There are some properties which are still for sale which we know were listed back in September of last year and still linger, … (15 comments)
home staging: What Do Your Online Photos Say About Your Kitchener Home?
- 03/23/11 05:19 AM
It’s amazing how connected people are today with the internet, iPhones, blackberries (I call mine my crackberry), iPads and more. They want information to be accessible everywhere, instantly. Virtually everything in our lives is touched by this hi-tech vibe and its revolutionizing the way people buy and sell real estate these days.
Did you know that over 95% of buyers shop online first before even going to see a property? Whether they are browsing through MLS listings at home or viewing them on their iPhone while they are out and about, people are doing their initial search first without even … (32 comments)
home staging: Top 10 Home Features Buyers Want
- 03/08/11 10:44 AM
It’s that time of year again and the spring market is ramping up with a lot of buyers out there searching for new homes. Several of our realtor partners have noted record numbers of buyers at open houses because people are once again shopping for real estate. So what are buyers looking for in 2011? Well, after reading a really great article from AvidBuilder.com called Designing for the 2011 Canadian Home Buyer, my partner and I noted trends which we had talked about previously, being highlighted. In addition to what is in the article, we have added the trends we have noted … (16 comments)
home staging: Transformation of a Waterloo Home
- 03/03/11 10:50 AM
In December of last year, we were contacted by one of the realtors we partner with about a vacant property which needed some TLC and staging before being listed. We walked through the property and from piles of christmas lights to garbage bags and rooms full of clutter, we saw that with some hard work this property would really shine. It took some time but a few weeks ago we got the go ahead from the home owner to start working and we arranged for painting, repairs, new light fixtures and staging. The results are a charming Waterloo home which really … (19 comments)
home staging: Is Your Property Stigmatized?
- 02/15/11 04:30 PM
When we put our homes on the market, we all want two things: for the home to sell fastand for the most money possible. We start the selling process with such hope however when a home doesn’t sell or develops a stigma, sellers are often confused and unable to figure out what to do next. What creates a stigma? What makes a property sit and sit on the market, generating few if any visits and absolutely no offers? Well, I feel its all about denial. Denial about price.Denial about the appearance of the home. And let’s face it, denial can cost a seller a … (34 comments)
home staging: Staging Transforms a University Residence into a Bright, Family Home
- 02/09/11 07:40 AM
A few weeks ago, one of our realtor partners contacted us to do a consultation for one of his listings which was located in a very family friendly neighbourhood. My partner Alana did the consultation and as it turned out, the home had served as a university residence for up to 20 university students in graduate programs over the course of the past five years. Painted purple, black and other vibrant colours, the home owners knew that when it came time to sell they were going to have to do some serious neutralizing. When Alana got to the home, she was … (16 comments)
home staging: Does Your Website or Business Card Feature a Current Picture of You?
- 02/03/11 11:00 AM
Okay, so this blog article was inspired by a meeting my partner Alana Merritt and I had with a realtor the other day and its not a new topic - but it IS an important one! We met with this realtor and being savvy business women, we checked out his online presence, read his blog and noted what he looked like so that we could recognize him when we met him. In his picture, he looked about mid-thirties, had a great smile and a full head of dark brown hair. Flash forward to the small coffee shop, Alana and I had … (24 comments)
home staging: RESA Convention 2011: Why It Was Such a Positive Experience!
- 01/30/11 04:41 AM
Making the decision to go to RESA's 2011 convention was one of the best business decisions I have ever made. Yes, there was a cost involved but I viewed that as an investment in our business and a way to inject fresh ideas and passion into the work we do everyday. Although the travel itself was crummy and I got sick (many of you may remember me coughing and sneezing), its an experience I will never forget and can't wait to repeat next year!
The reasons are multi-layered. First, meeting so many stagers was an incredible experience. The open-ness and … (21 comments)
home staging: Top 10 WOW Worthy Staging Moments
- 01/08/11 08:00 AM
Well, Debra Gould inspired me to write this short blog article on the top ten moments which came from my job as a home stager. You can link to her blog post and read her top 10 list which is really entertaining and inspiring as well! I should also mention that both Alana and myself get VERY involved and passionate about each job we do. At some point in every job we are grinning at each other like crazy people, loving that we are getting paid to make these transformations.
So here we go in no specific order: Getting a call from … (11 comments)
home staging: Home Staging isn't about Cute Gimmicks
- 12/11/10 10:34 AM
Home staging is a proven method of preparing a home for sale. Professional home stagers showcase a home’s architectural features and focal areas while at the same time, downplaying a home’s weaknesses. Home staging is all about adding ‘WOW’ to a property so that the house stands out and is memorable for buyers in a great way. Sunroom "After" Rooms in Bloom staged it. I’ve written and featured guest articles on how to choose a good home stager however its important to understand that when selecting the professional who will stage your home, that you do your homework. Some stagers will emphasize their … (48 comments)
Blog written by Heather Cook, award winning home staging designer for Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc. Great information on home staging & re-design for realtors, sellers and buyers!
Selling your home is always stressful and inconvenient however selling during the winter presents its own unique set of challenges. Not only is the market typically slower during colder, winter months but the holidays can make it difficult to juggle the need to decorate with the importance to properly showcase your home. As there are less buyers looking for a home its vital to make sure your property shows beautifully so buyers will willingly – and eagerly – face winter’s cold wrath to preview your home.
;)
;)
