Tips for Sellers, Emotionally detaching from your home

Here is a video on some tips on why emotionally detaching from your home prior to the sale of it is crucial! as well as some safety tips for selling when you have kids!

Defining a rooms purpose during staging.

Office Nook BEFORE
Office Nook After

When it comes to home staging, defining a rooms purpose is very important. Before you can see that this nook was used as a guest bedroom & Storage. Since this space did not have doors because it was an open loft leaving it as a bedroom would be in appropriate. Especially since the bed was way to big for the space.

Since 1/2 of this room was used for an office I decided to make the nook a nice reading/ relaxing space. Adding a rug, 2 chairs, and table with the owners existing accessories allowed this space to become an actual focal point.

HOME SOLD IN 2 DAYS, with MULTIPLE OFFERS.

Agents do you know how to sell home staging?

Telling your clients that you work with a home stager should make them jump for joy! but as a matter of fact some are quite scared and even may put up a fight to bring one in....why is that?
I mentioned earlier that home owners are very protective as well as sensitive about their homes. They frequently confuse a home stager with an interior decorator, WE ARE NOT (we may have credentials as a decorator but that is a bonus, decorating has NOTHING to do with staging)
Since sellers confuse staging with decorating they worry that the stager will be critical of their belongings.

As a professional home stager we will NEVER criticize someones decor no matter what it is like. The whole home could be decked out in Christmas decorations all year round because it's their favorite time of year, well that is great all the power to them! but when it comes to selling a home it becomes a PRODUCT this is what we need to convey to every home owner, to make their home compete in the market it must become a house.

Now, what do you tell your clients about home staging?
well first of all you need to decide who, when, and why you will be providing this service to your clients. Hear are a few options:
- Some agents will choose to stage 100% of all of their listings no matter what the price, condition, location, or willingness of the owners are to participate.
- Stage only homes over a certain price range
- Stage only ugly homes
- Stage 90% of their listings
- Use "Basic package" for homes $XXX and the "Enhanced package" for home over $XXX
- Stage only if the owners request it
ETC their are a million possibilities to how and why you should choose to stage a home. The choice is ultimately up to you but this is how you can sell home staging so it works for you, your clients to the maximum potential.

I suggest you incorporate home staging to 100% of your listings, first of all what do you have to lose? You will make more money by selling faster for top dollar, you will make your clients more money by selling for top dollar and they will love you for ever for that, you will show your clients that you are a modern day real estate professional who keeps up with the changing times by providing them with top notch services.

So lets assume you choose to use home staging on 90-100% of your listings now what do you tell your clients? Tell them the truth!
Tell them that you are dedicated to getting them the best price for their home as well as doing it in a timely manor. Tell them that you use home staging on ALL of your listings no matter how they are decorated (this will ease your clients mind that you are not "singling" them out because of "poor decor"). Inform your clients that home staging has been proven to work and by using this in your marketing plan you are better than all other agents out their (Especially against the ones that don't use home staging or don't use it often)

We all know that times change and we need to adapt. We are in the era of social networking with twitter, blogging, facebook and more. Home Staging is like home inspections, when they first came out people did not see the point now it's necessary to have a home inspector with all home purchases, home staging is obtaining that necessity as well so why not start before EVERYONE else does it. You will have developed a great relationship with your home stager and be on their top list.

If you are a dedicated real estate professional obtain a home stager and use them frequently this will free up some time for you to do your job as a realtor and in turn not only providing top notch service to your clients but also rewarding them and yourself with an appropriate sale price in the end!

Help your clients hold on to their equity in their home once you explain this they will thank you for your effort and once it becomes a reality you will have their trust, support and recommendation to their friends and family written in stone! Home staging is an invaluable tool that you can easily use for your clients.

Happy Staging.

Can you see past the Clutter?

Kitchen Before Staging


This kitchen's main function here not only is it to house kitchen items and cook but it also housed the child's frequently used toys. 90% of buyers can not envision the potential of a space. That means 90% of the people walking into this home to view it and decide if they want it will not see the clean, cleared out kitchen they will use but what they see in the above photo. Clutter and instantly think that there is not enough room for cooking, storing kitchen items or even eating.


Does this kitchen make you go WOW I want to cook here!?..........I bet you your answer is No! The point of home staging is to make the home appeal to the general home buyer, and the general buyer will not want a kitchen like this. What should be done to be ready for viewings!?



1) DECLUTTER: remove 100% of the children's toys. Toy's belong in the kids room only not all over the house.


2) Declutter Some More: go though your cabinetry and remove anything not used frequently this will free up space for your frequently used items kept on the counter top to be placed in the cabinets out of sight. If you have cabinets that do not go to the ceiling make sure you do not store anything on top of the cabinetry this will draw the buyers attention to that space and the attention is required to the kitchens actual space not on top.


3) Clear Your Countertops: On show days make sure your countertops are 100% cleared of items (even knives) place only accent pieces like a small plant or fresh fruit or fresh bread.


4) Clean Your Appliances & Kitchen: If there is one space I highly suggest spending some elbow grease is the kitchen. Everyone gauge of cleanliness is different so make this spot military clean, white glove everything especially your appliances if you are selling them with the home.
5) Turn on the Lights: Turning on the lights will show buyers how bright the space is, bright and clean are TOP selling features. People can live with a dated kitchen as long at its bright and clean.


6) Paint: If you have a dark or vibrant colour in your kitchen its worth your time and effort to paint it a neutral colour like ICI's Pillar. Buyers don't want to feel like they have to paint prior to moving in and 90% of the buyers may not like your colour selection. Play it safe stick to neutral colours.



Using those above steps in your kitchen will allow any space to be sought after. Check out the AFTER photo of the one above to see how it looks once those steps have been completed.

Kitchen After Staging

(Photo provided my Liam Swords Royal LePage's Professional Photographer)

Happy Staging!

-Kristy

Improving our Profesionalism

At Capital Home Staging & Design we have invested in the 2009 Saturn VUE. This will allow us to better serve our clients by allowing us to transport staging inventory with ease. We are very excited to perform more jobs requiring inventory. Keep your eye out for the Capital Home Staging & Design VUE (to be decaled soon).

Happy Staging

-Kristy

SOLD in 4 hrs for Full Price!

Well our home flipping project was a success! After we listed our home for sale we received an offer in 4 hours and for FULL Price!

What does it take to sell a home fast and for top dollar?
- Home Staging to it's fullest potential
- Professional Photographer
- A Real Estate Agent who believes in both.

Buyers are willing to pay a premium for "move in ready homes" they don't want to waste their time preparing for it. Don't leave your money on the table keep it in your pocket and stage before you sell!

My Home Flipping Project

Home flipping can be quite lucrative if done properly. First you must have purchased the home at an appropriate price and second invest the right amount of money in the right places. Just because you put thousands of dollars into a home doesn't mean you'll get it all out. It's all about right decisions. Everyone knows not to buy the MOST expensive home on the street it's not a good investment so don't flip to be the top of the top you want to be attractive and appropriately priced in the end. Here are some pictures of my most recent home project. I've been in this home for 2 years doing this project with my handy husband & my decorating / staging skills.
This home is listed on the market as of today! The country market is slower but this house is a gem, we've even got our first showing booked only hours of being on the market!!


Basement Bar
-Originally this bar was just a hole in the wall with an ugly orange counter interior. Gutting the area leaving the 2 primary walls and adding an angles wall improved on space. Pod lights increased on the lighting in this space. Not this is a basement hot spot.


Basement Movie Area
-The dark wood paneling & white stucco on top was very dated and ugly. We gutted that basement re-insulated the walls added new windows and re-dry walled the whole space.
The laminate was also replaced from that 99c. cheap stuff to industrial grade laminate that looks like real hardwood but stands up to more wear and tear.


Living Room
-The before room had bright yellow Venetian Plaster...yuck, with dark green curtains.
The layout and amount of items with in this room was way too much, re-arranging the furniture, decluttering and updating the paint.


Master Bedroom
-Originally this room was a disaster. Everything about it was wrong, including the green carpet with red walls. We removed the carpet and replaced it with a neutral Berber, repainted the walls and added appropriate drapery. This allowed people to view the fields and patio in the back.

So, as you can see this whole home took us some time. If you have never flipped a home before or don't know where to spend your money appropriately then DON'T DO IT! too many people fail because they get emotionally invested and spend too much in the wrong places. If you are keen on doing so hire a professional to consult with during your flipping projects. We offer such services where we can guide you on what investment's are better than others and approve or disapprove of colour schemes for the home. Keep it neutral, appealing to all don't get funky or you'll lose your money. Most homes in Ottawa will not support the "funky" aspect.

Happy Staging
-Kristy

It's a sellers market now! do you still need staging?

Right now in the Ottawa market it is considered a "Sellers Market" which means we have more home buyers than sellers. What does that mean? For the most part you have a high chance of selling your home quickly. BUT does that mean you still need staging? Of course you do, when you have your home staged you are appealing to the MOST amount of buyers in the LEAST amount of time. When that is done in a sellers market a lot of "general home buyers" will be making their way though your home which in hand will increase the likelihood of multiple offers. It is much easier to sell a home to the general home buyer than to someone with the same tastes as you or someone with the capability to visualize the potential. 10% of people can visualize the potential of the space, which means 90% CAN NOT! don't let your first impression fall flat, stage your home prior to listing to get it sold as fast as possible.

Remember buyers are picky, they will compare your home to all the other homes on the market and the one that appeals to them the most will be the one that sells. Think of a brand new home show room? do you see clutter? outrageous decor? personal items all over? religious items? vibrant or even dark paint colours? No, you will not ever see that in a show home because they are appealing to the most amount of home buyers. Clean, Clutter free, Neutral and fixed up is what home buyers want. Most buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home that has had it's "issues addressed" keep your home equity in your pocket & stage your home from the day you decide to sell!

Happy Staging
-Kristy

DIY Video Shoot -Behind the Scenes!

Roy waiting in the KW office.

Hello everyone,

Today (and yesterday) we interviewed 5 local real estate agents for our DIY Home Staging DVD. This gives home sellers an opportunity to meet some agents and hear what they have to say about staging & selling a home in Ottawa.

I'm not going to show you the video you'll have to wait till that is closer to release date! but enjoy the few pics below.

Above (From left to right) Kristy double checking the video position. Roy setting up for our next video shoot. Greg H waiting for his interview to begin.

The day was fun an flew by faster than anticipated! Everyone is excited to see the end result of this DIY DVD, great questions even greater answers from all of our professional agents.

Who's who in the pictures:

Kristy- Owner of Capital Home Staging & Design

Roy- Video Producer from MVProductions

Greg- Agent in orleans from Remax.

Staging in Ottawa WORKS!

Thanks to Dave @ 360Reno's take a look at this article posted by the Ottawa Citizen talking about home staging in Ottawa & how it works. (June 2009)
"Professional stagers are highly skilled artists," says the website About.com. "They can take a blank canvas and paint a sensuous portrait without ever lifting a paintbrush. Stagers possess the skills of a top-level designer and they create dramatic scenery that appeals to all five senses."
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/Staged+sell/1738230/story.html

In February of 2009 I was featured in the Ottawa Citizen giving my top 3 tips for home staging check it out: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Life/Secrets+home+stagers/1438949/story.html
(this article was re-released again March 2009)

April 2009 I made the RESA News (Real Estate Staging Association News) Staging is not just for homes you can also stage events which is what I did for the Suzanne Somers Event. Here is that article for your viewing: RESA-Suzanne,Somers,Event

I hope you enjoy these articles they are very fun and informative!
Happy Staging
-Kristy

Why use a professional stager.

Home Staging is a very popular service all over North America for everyone selling a home. You've seen the TV shows and it doesn't seem too hard to fluff pillows and pack up items so you can do it right?

Wrong, well you can start packing we wont stop you on that but being a professional home stager is more than just fluffing pillows and re hanging art. To be a professional home stager you have to understand the real estate market, know who your target purchaser is, and history of decor so you know what type of layout or accessories is appropriate for each room. It also involves graduating from an Home Staging School, I graduated from Quality Course Design School which is a local school here in Ottawa. In school we learned about colour history, psychology, and applications, Room styles and what makes a certain room a "Traditional" "Casual" "Eclectic" etc type room. We also learn about decluttering properly, neutralizing decor, depersonalizing with out impersonalizing, the visual weights with in a room, Focal points whether it's natural or made, how to make a focal point if you need to and more! I could go on for ever talking about what we learned in school but I'm sure you wouldn't want to read it all! Home Staging is our career so we know the Ottawa market and what each homes needs or doesnt need.
If you are the hands on type we have packages where you get to assist us with the projects that way you get to put your staging skills to the test.

As you may know FIRST impressions are everything. Dont pass up the opportunity to have a professional stager take a comb though your home and let you know the BEST way to appeal to the most amount of home buyers.
-Kristy

DIY Staging

We are currently working on pulling together a DIY Staging kit. This is not your average "book" that talks about how important staging is.....you know that! that's why you want to DIY!!
So we are making a DVD, putting together a work book, room layout templates, list of where you can buy or rent items in Ottawa for staging & MORE!!

This package is going to be pulled together from all of the CHS&D Staging professionals to input their own suggestions and tips for staging. It will help you get a starting point to what you need to do with in your home.
If you are thinking of adding upgrades to your home such as flooring or a bathroom, consider bringing in use to asess if it's really needed. Some homes will sell with out renovations other will need it no matter what! Dont waste your money on un-necessary renovations we can determine if it's needed or not.

Our DIY Staging Kit is estimated to be out late August.

We will keep you posted on it's development.....actually everything is ready except our DVD so hopefully we'll be able to provide you with this set ASAP!

-Kristy

Flashback to Suzanne Somers

Flashback to April 4th 2009.

This was the most nervous and exciting day in CHS&D history. We were staging the media room for Neutrichem's Event with special guest Suzanne Somers. Yes THE Suzanne Somers, She was staying in a local hotel but 1 hr prior and 2 hrs post her talk about her new book "8 Steps to Wellness" she would be relaxing and lounging in this media room.

(1 month prior to event)

When I first walked into this room I was stunned. Hot flamingo pink with pail pink sponged over it for the walls with a bright pink carpet with black accents......."Can we paint" I asked the event planner at the time......she already asked the owners of the location and they said no AND I wasn't allowed to tape, tack or hang anything on the walls anywhere. So, I have to stage around this vibrant colour as well as make it feel warm, inviting, relaxing and comfortable. Ok, so I had thousand of ideas spinning though my head spitting one out after another. The event planner loved the ideas and gave me full reign of the room's lay out and furniture selection, she was very happy with my idea's and knew I was fully capable of making this room the perfect location.

I jetted off to my furniture place and started to pull together my ideas for what we need. This was quite a large room so I decided to make 2 separate seating areas (one for Suzanne & her posse and the other for guests). Furniture selected, room layout planned, accessories selected, flowers done.....were ready to go!

(The Day of the Event.....April 4'09)

Today is the day! WOW it's finally here!......

.....Where are my furniture delivery guys? it's 9:00 and no sign of them........9:30, 10, 10:30, 10:45 the show up 1 hr 45 min late.....Suzanne is arriving at 11:30 do i have time?? the event planner is getting nervous, and I tell her we have plenty of time, I know my lay out it's just a matter of getting these items up the stairs and into the room which is true but I like to plan for the worst & hope for the best.

We had luck on our side, everything made it upstairs and Natasha & I got to work moving the couches, chairs, tables all around the room in the plan that I prepared. It took us 20 min to arrange the furniture and then another 10-20 to set out the flowers & accessories. DONE!

Phew! The event participants trailed up to see the room one by one.....they LOVED it! yeah! now the real test is coming up faster and faster every minute.....will Suzanne like it??

...........She's HERE! Suzanne arrived and walked in the front door absolutely stunning and I'm in LOVE with her rain jacket she is wearing...I wondered if she brought that from California or was out shopping here in Ottawa, it's probably from California...oh well. She goes up stairs and disappears into the room.

.......................................................................EVENT SPEAKER..................................................................

Suzanne did her talk for a couple of hours it was very inspiring and educational, everything she said made total sense! the use of pesticides and chemicals are on the rise and so is cancer, she feels it's related and I think that is a great hypotheses! I ended up buying her book "8 Steps to Wellness" which I am currently working my way though, the book is much funner than I anticipated!........The even speech ended and the 10 Majic 100 winners got to go upstairs and meet 1 on 1 with Suzanne. This is very exciting! The event coordinator pulled Natasha & I aside and told us not to stray too far we were next......next to meet Suzanne. I was so excited and nervous it's dooms day in a way I find out what Suzanne thought of my room, my staging / decorating of this room. A million possibilities filled my head, I liked the room, others like the room but would her California nature make her likes completely different from ours here in Ottawa?? "Time to go up now" I hear, WOW......Natasha and I head up stairs it seemed like I was climbing the empire state building the stairs kept growing and growing....we got to the door and it opened. THERE she was! wow she's tiny I thought she was so fun and vibrant and was absolutely stunning (hardly looked 62) we were introduced "Here are the Stagers to Staged your room"........Suzanne replied "Oh! you did all of this for me!? it's absolutely beautiful and I'm so comfortable here!" WOW...........she loved my room! I am so excited! she signed my book "Many Thanks -Suzanne Somers" and then we finished with some photo's of us together.

That was exhilarating! Suzanne loved our room, we were proud of it and now the long day was over PHEW! Here are the before and after shot of the room.

High-ho High-Ho it's off to School We go......

Well, I received a fabulous call from Bell High school recently....They have asked if I would be their teacher for a general education course on Home Staging, Choosing Colour & Professional Organizing! Of course I said MOST DEFINITELY!

Starting September 2009 I will be teaching these 3 general education courses for 10 weeks! More information can be found in the printed books that come out at the end of the summer. We are going to learn how to stage a home to make it look it's best for sale. How to determine what colour you should be choosing for your walls and how to get organized in ANY room!

if you have any questions about the up coming courses let me know and I'd be glad to help!
-Kristy