Hospice Care

A recent story about a cause dear to my sister-in-laws mom.  She's a trooper trying to get some important needs met.  Check out the link to the Globe article.

Cheers!

Janice
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/globe-to/a-toronto-hospices-biggest-hurdle-isnt-finding-land-or-staff-its-the-city-itself/article2416446/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Referrer%3A+Social+Network+%2F+Media&utm_content=2416446&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Budget-friendly Design!

Amazing work proving once and for all that budget does not always drive good design.  Check out the link and be amazed!

Cheers!  Janice

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2072809/list?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u90&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery2

In the Garden

Thinking about hiring a landscaper?  Click on the link above to check out some useful tips.

Cheers!

Janice

Preparing Your Home for Sale - Stage 3: Staging

When discussing the last of the three steps in preparing your home for sale, I could go on for days about the proven benefits of staging your home and the statistics that demonstrate that a properly staged home will sell faster and for more money than a home that is not staged. I could bore you to tears with how to place your furniture just so, and why indigo blue is not a colour you want on the walls of your family room when you’re selling your home, but I won’t. In the end, a few hours with a good stager will help you determine what furniture should stay and what should go, what elements of your space you need to change and what works just as it is. Staging is a process that for each house is as individual as the house itself.


What I will tell you is that there are two major things you can do to significantly improve the odds of selling your home quickly and at the best price possible. The first, de-personalizing will go a long way to making your Realtor’s work more efficient and effective. The second, creating an experience will help potential buyers connect with your home.

If you’re like me, over the years you’ve squirreled away just enough stuff to make your space comfortable and familiar. You’ve surrounded yourself with wonderful personal belongings that tell people who you are. Whether it be a collection of antique china, the stuffed animals on the spare bed that once was your child’s, or all the family photos over your fireplace, we all strive to make our homes a reflection of ourselves and of the life we’ve led in the years since we moved in.

After placing a great deal of focus on making your house a home you now face the often difficult task of ridding your space of all the items that made it uniquely yours, but you must do so in order to prepare for the prospect of someone else living there. Stripping your home of your personal touch is a very important part of getting ready to sell.

The reality is, prospective buyers going through your home may not like what they see and for many homeowners this can be a difficult pill to swallow. Your taste in décor, the wall colour selections you so painstakingly made and the shag carpet for which you searched high and low to give your bedroom that je ne sais quoi, simply may not appeal to everyone. Your personal tastes and indeed your personal belongings, often distract a buyer from seeing your property as somewhere they could picture themselves living. Such distractions can make it difficult for them to feel a connection with the house.

De-personalize your home by removing any and all (or at least as many as possible) personal photos, monogrammed items, kids’ trophies, children’s artwork and drawings on the fridge… anything that indicates that your family lives there. Taking the “you” out of your home removes all emotion and sentimentalism from your property, allowing others to connect themselves with your space.

Once your home is de-personalized, you need to “set the stage” for it to be sold. Create an experience for people viewing your property so that they have an emotional reaction to your home. Doing so will increase the chances that a buyer will feel it is a space they want to live in.

Pay special attention to the front entrance by making it welcoming, open and bright. A good …rather great first impression is something no one forgets. Make beds with serene, relaxing linens so buyers find a space they would want to return to. Ensuring the lights throughout the house are on will give a sunlit, warm impression of your home. Putting on some quiet music will go a long way to making your house more inviting and buying fresh flowers for a few of the rooms will add colour and life. I have even gone so far as to bake some pre-mixed cookies just prior to a showing to ensure that sweet smells permeate the house. There’s nothing more inviting then the smells of fresh baking!

Put effort into creating a cozy and inviting house that is free from items that identify you as the homeowner will ensure that your space is staged for the perfect buyer!

Cheers!
Janice Clements

Aurora Home Show

A huge thanks to all those who came out to visit us at the Aurora Home Show this past weekend!  The turnout was great and we were pleased with the number of new people in the community we were able to connect with. I'm grateful for some of the feedback we received from visitors and am excited about the inspirations it's given me for my next column in The Auroran!  Keep an eye open for it!

Cheers!

Janice

Wowee Kazowee! I love this stuff!

Imagine, magnetic wallpaper your kids can play with and move around!  It's a new story EVERY day!

Preparing Your Home for Sale - Stage 2: Repairs

Two weeks ago, I supplied readers with tips for tackling the often arduous task of preparing their homes for the spring real estate market.  If you managed to get any of the de-cluttering work done, be proud of yourself, it’s a huge task!

In providing staging services for my husband Wayne, a Realtor with the local Keller Williams office, I have seen firsthand the results of listing a home properly prepared for sale.  A well cleaned property with all outstanding repairs addressed is proven to sell quicker than one in disrepair.  If you’ve sold a home in the past you know the nuisance of keeping the house tidy while it’s on the market; add children into the mix and you’re potentially primed for many a family feud.  Clearly, minimizing the number of days your home is on the market will simply make life easier.

Perhaps like me, you create a mental list of much needed home repairs each and every time you clean.  While you can likely spot many areas requiring maintenance, sometimes it’s what you don’t see that can be the most problematic.  Consider hiring your own home inspector before you list your property and for a few hundred dollars, you’ll gain piece of mind knowing that the larger elements of your property (such as foundations, roofs, windows, attics and electrical work) have been given the once over.  Displaying a written inspection report and the related repair bills during open houses will show potential buyers that you have already taken steps to ensure your property is in good working order.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to hire a home inspector, be sure to check these elements of your property to ensure they are up to snuff:

Floors:  If you’ve already invested in the polish of hardwood but notice major scratches that might be undesirable to potential buyers, consider hiring a flooring specialist to repair just those areas that are damaged.  Often times, specific strips of hardwood can be replaced, improving the overall look of your floors. 

Broadloom can warm a home and create a space that’s comfortable and inviting; unfortunately it also traps dirt and odors.  Large stains and/or smells such as mold, smoke or pet urine draw attention to an element of your property that potential buyers will feel compelled to repair or replace themselves.  There is perhaps nothing more off-putting than the smell of cat urine, so ensuring that your home is free of such distractions will serve you well in your efforts to successfully market your house.

Windows:  Check for cracks and gaps and ensure all cranks and screens are working properly.  The mere age of your windows may be a good indicator as to whether or not they require replacement.  Do your window coverings need repair?  If you have broken or bent blinds remove or replace them.

Colours:  “Repairs” can and typically do include painting of some sort.  A fresh coat of colour will help ensure your walls are free of scuffs and will allow buyers to see the beauty of your home.  If your colour palette resembles a rainbow, consider painting at the least the main areas in more neutral tones to ensure a broad range of buyers will see your home as a place they can envision themselves living.

Lighting:  Good lighting can help draw attention to the best features of your home.  Ensuring that all fixtures are current looking, in good repair and that you have adequately lit spaces helps buyers see all those things you love about your home.  People won’t buy what they can’t see.

Winter repair:  The winter months can wreak havoc on your property.  Take time to clean up the remnants left on your lawn during the cold months, remove any dead plants from your gardens and prune damaged trees and shrubs.  As the weather warms up, ensure your garage and front doors are in good condition and paint them if necessary.  Sweep and clear out your front and back porches. 

While investing in your home prior to selling might seem like a futile endeavor, be assured that money spent on repairs and clean-up increases the visual value of your property.  Spending a few dollars up front will go a long way to help your Realtor get the best price in the least amount of time when selling your home!

Join me in two weeks for the final step in prepping your home for sale:  Staging!

Cheers!

Janice