Center Stage

Today, I have put together some tips for staging your home. Staging your home is a way of setting up for buyers so that your home may look more appealing. Though you may have to hide some personal things, you also want them to feel that the house has charm and potential. If you feel uncomfortable to do this yourself, I offer the services of hiring a staging consultant for your home.

First off; Dressing Up the Outdoors

-Curb appeal

Your home needs to look inviting from the side of the road; no one wants to look at an icky looking home

-Decorate the Front Porch

Small pots of flowers, a welcome mat, and an outdoor dining set should do the trick

-Keep it Seasonal

Flowers for Spring, opened pool in the Summer, gourds and pumpkins in Autumn, and Wreathes in the Winter

-Gardening and Shrubbery

Keep the gardens healthy and free of pests

 

Keep Your House Clean

-It has to shine!

-Organization is Key (this includes the garage)

-No one wants to walk on dirt

-void your home of any clutter, it is very unappealing

Daily cleaning instead of Weekly is essential

-Get rid of pet odours and keep the pets at a friend’s or family member’s home

-No toys should be left in plain sight, start packing them neatly some where

 

Add Flare To Every Room

-A Little Style Never Hurt Anyone

So long as the styling isn’t too overwhelming, it should feel welcoming to others

-Symmetry is inviting

Rearrange furniture to make the rooms feel balanced and harmonized

-Think Whimsical and Crisp!

-Openness

Homes should be able to be explored by buyers, leave hallways clear and open up closets to entice the buyers

 

Colours

-Neutral Based

No gender based, no fancy coloured based, and no kids based spaces; everything should feel a little bit toned down, your style isn’t everyone else’s style

 

So, there you have it. A complete guide and list on how to present yourself by means of arranging your home. The more someone like the little hints of style that you place in your home while selling it, it is more likely that they will take care of the home as you did. Call me if you need help with staging consultation for  your home and we’ll get right on it!

-Sarah

Renovations

How you present your home is how others will perceive it. When selling, you’ll have to do a bit of tinkering here and there and not just mowing the lawn or cleaning the sink. Home buyers want to know that you took good care of the home; they want to know that they can trust their decision if they buy your home. Small things like a splashy faucet or old carpet can set people off. Remember, they have a price range and if your home’s price doesn’t leave much leftover money for them to renovate, they will not be interested. Of course, doing a renovation such as tearing up the carpet can add value to your home. Carpet absorbs stains and smells much better than hardwood or tile.

If you do so choose to “update” your home after ten or twenty years of living there, your money will always get paid back in the end. The home value goes up because it is newly updated, taken care of, and it appeals to a wider range of buyers; older buyers would probably be looking for small, carpeted apartments. The money that you will get from selling your home will be like the renovations paying for themselves.

Also, as a home buyer, you should be asking all the right questions. Here are a few examples:

How old, approximately, is the home?

When was the last renovation done?

What appliances will be sold with the home?

Can we take a look at the gas meter?

Just by asking these types of questions will allow you to unravel the story of the home. You don’t want a home that floods too often, right? So ask about issues like that. However, don’t overbear the agent with these questions, the home owners may not have wanted to tell the agent about any issues. That alone plus any spotted issues that you saw during your showing, should tell you that this particular home is not for you. Unless, of course, you’d like to do a bit of work to the home or if it is too perfect of a price to pass on.

So, if you ever in the neighborhood, either wanting tips like this or you’re wanting to get more for your money on a home, just call me and we can set up an appointment as soon as possible!

 

-Sarah

A Chill In The Air

This Fall season looks like a cold one. This reminds me to tell you to not get sick! Catching a cold or the flu can lead to having less motivation and also a raging headache. Take care of yourself and others this season by using disinfectants like Purell every time you use a door handle, get into the habit of sneezing into your arm and not your hands, and most importantly, get the flu shot if it is necessary.

When I go to meet my clients, I love to see them happy and cheery. I also like to know that they are healthy enough to be up to the challenge of selling, buying and moving. The more you take care of yourself, the more immune you become against viruses and illnesses and I would rather you having better days than not.

Also, try not to go to the doctor’s office or a hospital if you don’t need to; which I really hope you don’t. During this season, people go to clinics and hospitals if they have become very ill and you don’t want to be in a place full of contagious germs. The best thing you can do for yourself is trying to be isolated from public transport or rest rooms. They have thousands of germs as it is and when the flu season is added on top of that, it is certain that there will be a week needed to be spent laying in your bed sometime in the near future.

If public places like these are your only options, disinfect and wash your hands as much and as good as possible. And if you’re already sick, avoid these public places, too. Going out just to feel better might not make someone else feel better. If you’re going to pass your germs on, pass it into a Tissue or a garbage can.

Let’s all have a good season and not become ill! Stay vigilant of germs and public places and we should be alright!

-Sarah