Kitchener Waterloo, ON

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 for a potential buyer to decide not to preview the interior because the exterior is treacherous or difficult to get access to due to snow and ice. Make the exterior too much of a challenge and your buyers will simply move onto the next property on their list. By keeping all access points clear, you will welcome visitors inside and showcase the fact that your home is well maintained and taken care of.

Be wary of heavy or potent smells. Winter makes it almost impossible to open windows so a home’s smells are important to be aware of. While your house is on the market, do your best to refrain from using incense, heavy perfumes or pot pourri and doing a lot of cooking with heavy spices. These things not only linger in the air for days, they also permeate the soft decor in your home – your carpets, draperies, pillows and these smells can stay trapped in these items for long time. This means even if you air out the house, when you close it back up, your soft decor items will still release the same heavy smells back into the home. Keep on top of pet smells and ensure that their litter or bedding is changed daily – sometimes twice daily. To keep the air light and fresh, keep the house clean, keep the air purifier working and use natural citrus scents to add a warm welcome to the air.

Make sure every room is well-lit. This sounds logical however there are a staggering number of people who do not have adequate lighting in their home. In order for buyers to buy a home they need to not only be able to see each room but they also need to be romanced – especially in the key selling areas such as the living room, family room, bedroom and kitchen. This means having levels of lighting, not just a harsh overhead light, so that you set the mood and ambiance for your visitors. In the winter when sunny days are at a premium and it gets dark very quickly, these levels of lighting are vital to proper showcasing. From table lamps to modern floor lamps and kitchen fixtures – these items play an important part in a home’s overall presentation. Another way to ensure rooms are well-lit is to keep blinds and window treatments open as natural light is one of the best ways to make sure a space appears bright and welcoming.

Keep holiday decorating minimal and tasteful. As we discussed during our postStaging to Sell over the Holidays, while decorating for festivities is important, it’s also vital to keep the decorating tasteful and in balance with the space. It’s very easy to overwhelm a room with too many decorations, too many ornaments and too much cheer. Your buyers will appreciate simple decorating touches so don’t feel you can’t celebrate. Once the holidays are over however, make sure decorations get taken down quickly and if any photos online showcase holiday decor, have them refreshed so your listing doesn’t seem stale in January.

Create simple winter curb appeal. Regardless of the time of year, your home needs to have welcoming appeal. Shoveling is a first step but one of our top suggestions is to add some urns with seasonal greenery, hazel twigs, berries and even soft white lights flanking your front door which will add pops of color against the snow as well as warmth and welcome to your porch. Ensuring bushes and small trees are trimmed back, house numbers are visible from the curb, all lights work are all elements of strong curb appeal.

Clean out closets and storage areas to make room for winter clothing. From heavy winter coats and snowpants to heavy boots and skis – winter comes with a lot of extra things to store. Pare down the contents of hall or mudroom closets, taking the opportunity to pack away lighter clothing to make room for all these winter must haves. As a general rule, all winter clothing and boots should be stored neatly in these closets so buyers don’t think the house has storage issues. Skis, snowshoes etc should have a home in a closet or in the garage however it may mean packing away other items to make room for these winter essentials.

Be aware of your home’s temperature. You don’t want your house to be overly warm so your buyers are too hot to enjoy previewing the home. At the same time, we have been in a lot of homes which are freezing – either because they are vacant or because that is how the current home owners like the temperature. Keep the temperature comfortable so your buyers feel welcome and then want to stay.

Warmth and welcome are key aspects to luring buyers out to see your home during colder months. By following these tips and consulting with a professional stager to ensure all areas of your home are properly showcased, sellers will reap the benefits of impressing the buyers who are shopping for properties even when the market typically slows. Regardless of the time of year, a home which has been properly prepared and staged will stand out against its competition, making it the house to see!

Home Staging in Kitchener Waterloo, ON

Do you live in Kitchener Waterloo, ON and surrounding area, but can't seem to get your house to sell? In today's slow market, adding a bit of flare to your home can be a good thing, and that's why you should consider home staging. Home staging can make a tremendous difference in your selling experience, not only making your home that much more appealing to buyers but the result being your home selling quicker.

Although it sounds basic - "Make things look nice" - there is a science to interior design and decor. Home staging provides you with tips such as one of the most important things you should do to prepare for the sale of your home: get rid of the clutter. Now, some people want to make their home seem livable and set it up to allow a potential buyer to relate with living there. Yes, this is great, but there's a fine line between personalized appeal and personalized clutter.

I specialize in home staging and can assist you with everything from furniture grouping and lighting to complete room transformation.

One wonderful thing about home staging is it doesn't have to stay behind when you move; the tips and techniques are somewhat universal. For example, any small room is going to look bigger with mirrors.

With my vast knowledge through both training and extensive personal experience, I know that with the help of my partner Sharon and I, we can make sure home staging will leave your home staged to sell!

Let us sell your Kitchener Waterloo, ON home faster through home staging!

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 could put a for sale sign in the front yard and trust that a buyer would be able to look past the way in which they lived in the house and envision what it could look like. Truthfully, it’s a little sad that buyers have changed so drastically that they would rather walk away from a property which has potential and just needs a little TLC rather than accept the challenge the home offers.

Buyers – especially first time buyers – expect a certain level of home when they make the decision to purchase. They aren’t just buying a house, they are buying into a lifestyle – one which has all those bells and whistles they see on TV and in decorated model homes. The expectations of these discerning buyers and their willingness to pay more money for homes which model the lifestyle they want to have, is shaking up the real estate industry. Savvy sellers are becoming aware that in order to get the full value of their home, they need to be prepared to do what it takes to showcase their homes properly.

In order to reap the benefits of this new real estate trend, we often tell home owners that they should be prepared to invest some time and money in both the preparation of their home as well as in the professional staging or showcasing. By committing to this two part process, the family home will then take on a polished, modern appeal which will be memorable to all buyers previewing the property. The cost? Normally about 1% of the home’s list price and always significantly lower than a price reduction once the property is on the market.

Neutral Bedroom with no Showcasing makes this space fall Flat!

Adding some WOW to this space suddenly makes it memorable!

Competing against new build homes is difficult to begin with (and a whole other article), however there is NO competition when a resale home fails to impress buyers. First time buyers are young and hip; they gravitate instinctively towards homes which are updated and beautiful to look at. This puts the average seller who is over 50, at a distinct disadvantage. Wallpaper, dated fixtures and finishes, cozy rooms stuffed full of collectibles and belongings – all trademarks of a happy, well lived in and loved home are key components to making a home’s target buyers run for the hills - or the nearest model home.

So what does it take to sell to this new generation? Well, it used to be that simply doing some painting, packing away personal pictures and cleaning off counters were the most important things. These are still important aspects of the preparation process but without proper showcasing, the house can still fall flat with buyers. Going to the next level and professionally staging a home by using modern furnishings and beautiful accents to create memorable focal points is what makes buyers go WOW.

Bringing in a pro stager bridges this generation gap and puts a powerful tool in any home owner’s arsenal. From the initial consultation which gives sellers a customized preparation plan to staging options for their home, consulting with a professional stager is a great first step. Instead of a general list of things ‘to do’, working with a professional will take the guesswork out of how to properly showcase your house and maximize its selling features. Investing both the time and money to be sure your home is staged to sell is the best way to ensure that this new generation of buyers see the value and appeal in your home, regardless of the price point.

Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc. is an award winning company based out of Kitchener-Waterloo, ON. For more information on our home staging services or to book a home staging consultation, please contact us. To view our extensive portfolio, please visit us online at www.homestagingdesign.ca.

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 also took in the fact that because it was an open concept living room/dining room/kitchen that staging one area wasn't really going to do justice to the space. The builder had put in a couch/loveseat, rug and coffee table but their custom fireplace wasn't being highlighted and with all the heavy custom cabinetry the room felt very weighted to one side of the room.

Below you can see the results after we staged this open concept area:

We replaced their rug with a thick cream shag rug and added matching end tables with lamps to really finish off this living space. We also used a lot of custom florals to add softness, color and texture in all the different areas of this one room.

Previewing the home, we didn't discern the master bedroom until we noted the adjoining ensuite and walk in closet. To us, with the drop down pendant and custom fireplace we were unsure of its function so this was something we conveyed to our client. We stressed the importance of staging the whole main floor so that buyers didn't question the function of a space and so that all the large architectural features and window treatments were balanced with scale appropriate furnishings. So .. instead of just staging the dining room, we ended up staging the whole main floor!

All of the furnishings were bought, delivered and set up within two weeks of the quote being accepted by the builder - a phenomenal turn around time! We normally take between 2 - 4 months to stage a model home however the staging faeries must have been on our side this time because it all came together like a dream.

Our client, the builder, loved the results so much that they can't wait for us to help them again in the spring with another model. We loved working with them and can't wait to do it all again!

For more information on this home, please contact Nino Orasanin with Remax Twin City Realty or visit www.premierproperties.ca.

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 hold modern appeal? It’s very confusing and if sellers don’t get it right or they don’t do what they need to do, they are missing out on maximizing on the equity in their home.

Wondering how best to present your home for sale is stressful!

While that basic premise does involve cleaning, painting, repairing, or editing furnishings; its really about a change in perspective. You must stop seeing your house as your home and instead see it as a product which needs to be merchandised effectively to be sold at the highest price possible. To do this successfully, you must put aside your ego and view the home selling process without emotion. This is probably the toughest thing a seller has to do because to them, the house represents home and it is very difficult to be objective about what needs to be done to get the best possible return on the sale of the family home.

So what does this mean? First off, it means you realize you aren’t selling your home you’re selling someone else’s dream. But it doesn’t stop there; once you understand that your home is a commodity and you’re marketing a dream, that is when the real shift has to take place and your ego needs to move aside.

The way you decorate and live in your home is probably not the best way to market your home. Ouch! Even if it has been professionally decorated (especially then). Even if you clean until the whole house sparkles and you declutter and depersonalize, it’s likely that your personality and the way you relate to the rooms in your home will shine through. It is also a safe bet that your home is decorated to suit your individual tastes, not the broad market. Too often this is the point where the homeseller draws the line, mistakenly thinking that buyers will look past pink carpets, acres of wallpaper and personal decor choices! A seller will think “I think this house looks great! I’d buy it, and if I would buy it, then other people will appreciate it the same way!”

Selling Your Home? You're Selling a Lifestyle Upgrade not a Dated Time Capsule.

What a shame! It’s likely, with this mistaken thinking, that the seller – you – just turned your back on cash. The truth is, if your house is priced correctly for the market, somebody will buy it. But in terms of maximizing your selling price, a home’s appearance needs to be memorable and impressive to get the best return on investment. The more people who fall in love with your house, the better the chance you will maximize the equity in your home. However it’s more than just getting the right number of people or the right price. Ask any marketing professional and they will tell you that price and packaging go hand in hand. The better the packaging is at selling the dream, the higher the price a consumer is willing to pay.

Design savvy Buyers pay Top Dollar for Bright Spaces with Modern Appeal

That’s where a professional home stager comes into the picture. Home Stagers understand the art and science of marketing homes. Since they have no attachment to the contents or decorating style of your home they can view your home objectively and make the changes that will maximize your sales price. Additionally, they will have the resources and partnerships to take a home from ho-hum to stunning in a very short amount of time. From modern furnishings available for rental to creative and innovative ideas on how to maximize the value and impact of every space in a home, their assistance is invaluable. An experienced and talented professional home stager will add the tangible WOW factor to a property so buyers fall in love with every space and can therefore justify the list price – whatever it happens to be!

Professional home stagers specialize in marketing homes and creating appealing lifestyles. For more information or to get Rooms in Bloom’s professional assistance with making your home ‘show-worthy’, visit us online today!

A sincere thanks for some article content and inspiration courtesy of Larry Hahn, a Realtor in St. John’s Newfoundland. To read his original article, follow the above link.