It seems to be a common misconception among Sellers and Realtors that if a home has been professionally decorated, the home does not need a Stager. Yes the home may look well put together, but the home has been decorated with the Seller's personal needs in mind. The home is probably too personal to appeal to a wide variety of viewers. Interior Designers focus on how the client will use the space for living. They focus on colours that make their client comfortable. It doesn't matter if the colour is vivid. If the client has a collection the Interior Designer will find a way to display it so it can be enjoyed. The Interior Designer will find a way for everyone to watch TV together. In short the home is perfect for living. When the house goes on the market the focus switches to selling - g... 09/16/2010

Chrysalis Yoga Studio, Burlington, Ontario - Prepare to Be Transformed!Have you ever met someone who is a regular practitioner of yoga? Notice their skin, sense of calm, bright eyes, gentle smile, supple body and general state of exemplary health? You too can transform your self and your life to one of health and vitality. Yoga is known to                      increase longevity                          increase immunity                          give a person more energy                          restore health to body organs                          restore people with disease to a state of health                          help a person to look and feel younger                          reduce or elimate stress                          restore suppleness and muscle tone An exciting new yo... 09/08/2010

Or should I say a team effort .... Today I did a consult for a young couple. They had wisely rented a 'pod' storage unit and it was sitting in the drive waiting to be filled. When I entered the home I was greeted by a family waiting to help .... 3 sisters, a mother, a brother and the couple. It was great to see such a close knit family that was geared for action. When I tried to separate the seller from the group I found out that wasn't to be. The sisters and Mom came along as well. They said they were there to hear what needed to be done and make sure that the seller carried out all my suggestions. So off we went with me wondering if I had just lost control of the situation. The short story is that the family affair worked. Everyone listened and asked appropriate questions. I left feel... 08/21/2010

House Prices stay high as Sellers fight to keep them up !! In many of my Blog Posts I always maintained in the past prices will remain high. Also buy a house you love and do not just look at is as an investment . One article today was published in the Hamilton Spectator, which prompted me to write this short blog. A quote from one article in the Spectator was as follows "Sellers stubbornly hold onto their perception of what their home is worth, whereas buyers turn on a dime." In tough economic times Sellers will fight to keep their homes that is for sure. I also have always pointed out in my own view the Canadian Economy is evolving to a " European type of economy" The HST is similar to the VAT ! Houses are expensive and we have to work longer and harder to keep them. Burlington Invento... 08/16/2010

Karen Fiddler did a great post about people's perceptions of Flippers. While I see nothing wrong with buying a house that needs work, fixing it up and selling it for a profit, apparently others do. This brings me to, who gets the profit, you or the flipper? I am always disappointed when a seller doesn't want to invest in their home before selling. They are leaving the door open for Flippers and DIY buyers. This type of buyer is looking for basement bargain prices so they have room for a profit when they in turn sell the home. To me it only makes sense to update and improve the home yourself so that you the seller reaps the profits - gets the equity you have invested out of the house. I'm not talking about major kitchen or bathroom renovations. I'm talking about paint, flooring, sinks, t... 08/13/2010

  Dezigner Digz was recently called in to do a home staging consultation for the owners of this stunning 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home complete with renovated kitchen and granite counters.  This one is located in the sought after area of Millcroft in Burlington.  We just wanted to share a few photos with you:               To find out more information about this home, click here or contact the Listing Agent, Barbara Beers of Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate at (905) 634-2335.  Visit Barbara's site at www.barbarabeers.com to view her other listings in the area as well. When the time comes to sell your home, consider hiring a professional Home Stager to do a walkthrough of your property.  He or she will be able to provide you with some expert advice on preparing your home for sale.  If your ... 08/08/2010

Dezigner Digz was recently called in to do a home staging consultation for the owners of this fantastic 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath freehold in the Tansley Woods area of Burlington.  We just wanted to share a few photos with you:            To find out more information about this home, click here or contact the Listing Agent, Barbara Beers of Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate at (905) 634-2335.  Visit Barbara's site at www.barbarabeers.com to view her other listings in the area as well. When the time comes to sell your home, consider hiring a professional Home Stager to do a walkthrough of your property.  He or she will be able to provide you with some expert advice on preparing your home for sale.  If your home is in Burlington, Ontario or its surrounding areas, visit our website at www.dezig... 08/08/2010

      You have decided to sell your home. It's all prepared for that first Open House. But who have you prepared it for? What type of buyer will be interested in your home? I have talked about this before in my posts. A consult I did this past weekend showed me once again how important 'who' can be. The seller of a 3 bedroom home had one guest room as an office and one as a bedroom. The problem was, that the office was in the larger of the two rooms. This meant the bed was in a room about the size of a large walk-in closet. I recommended switching the two rooms so that they showed their best. The seller was not eager to do all that work if it wasn't necessary. So we discussed who the house was being marketed to. I talked to her agent and found out that indeed the house was being market... 08/03/2010

      The sale of your home will be influenced by Price, Location, Terms and Condition. Staging deals with Condition.   When your home goes on the market those first 2 or 3 weeks are very important. That is when interest is high and lots of people will be taking off their shoes to view your home. That is when your home is labeled with things like 'a dream to show' or 'needs work'. To get the good labels that will help sell your home, you need to Stage it. Staging simply means preparing it for sale. Staging sets the stage for buyers by highlighting the features of your home. A properly Staged home has no issues to raise red flags for buyers. It is sale ready. When your home is properly prepared the Realtor's photos will look better on the Internet. This helps the buyer see if your home ... 07/25/2010

Another one of our staging projects has just wrapped up.  This gorgeous home was on Lakeshore Road in one of Burlington's most prestigious areas; a stones throw from Lake Ontario.  It was listed for sale at $819,000 or lease at $3,000 per month. We thought this one might be around a little longer since the market has slowed down a bit from its earlier spring bustle.  The property had been listed previously with another Realtor® and was not sold or leased.  The homeowner switched Realtors® and chose one of our Realtor® partners to re-list with.  Dezigner Digz was then brought in to do the home staging. We are pleased to announce that this property was leased in 7 weeks.  It goes to show you that home staging is of benefit for rental properties as well.  If you want a quicker result, your... 07/22/2010

The Bank of Canada raised their rate by 1/4% this morning. Bank prime is now at 2.75%.The Government has commented that inflation is at a predictable rate. The Banking sector remains strong. I took an average of the lender rates emailed to me on a daily/weekly basis and the best five year rate I could find was 4.09 and the best 10 year rate was 5.20 . Fixed rates on five and ten year terms remain very competitive. As of this morning their is a total of 767 active listings in Burlington. Its good to note a few short months ago we were around 400 if I recall. However staged homes and if  priced correctly still result in bidding wars or at least quick sales usually around 98% of asking price. I have notices Buyers are more cautious and the inventory is a sign of a more balanced market . Al... 07/20/2010

        Clutter is a dirty word when you are selling your home. It cannot be said often enough. Clutter eats equity! Everyone wants to free up as much equity as possible when they sell their home. You need that money to put into your next home. As an investor you want your profit. Why do Stagers tell sellers to de-clutter? Because we want the buyer to see the features of your home not your 'stuff'.     We don't want the buyer to remember how cluttered your desk was during their visit. We don't want the buyer to think the room was 'so small'. That's what clutter does, it shrinks a room.                   We don't want the buyers to feel your home lacks storage. We don't want them to see a room full of potential as only fit for storing things or needing a lot of work to make livable or w... 07/14/2010

     Staging is all about how the buyer perceives a property.   In this photo one sees the family room as small and hard to place furniture.   Buyers only know what they see, not the way it's going to be.             After Staging the buyer can see one possible arrangement that allows good traffic flow to the kitchen and the window seat. The room has been decluttered enough to open up the feel of the room while leaving some warmth in the room.              How would a buyer percieve this room?   What it the purpose of the room?   What size of furniture will it take?                  It's a dining room!  A full sized table and a buffet fits!  Buyers need a reference point to work from.             Set the stage for your buyer. Help them perceive themselves living the great lifestyle tha... 07/07/2010

            The sale of a home starts where the eye first rests. For a single family home that would be the curb appeal. Make sure that the buyer can see the house clearly through the landscaping. The front door should stand out to draw the buyer to it. The windows should sparkle. There should be no deferred maintenance. For a condo the complex will be the first thing the buyer sees. The seller has little control over that area.    But once the unit door is opened .... Stand in the doorway and look. Is it a foyer area, a view out a window, a kitchen, a wall?   Whatever the view from the door it had better say 'what a beautiful space. You need that initial focal point to draw the buyer in and make them want more.         Use the focal points in a room to draw the buyer in for a better l... 06/25/2010

Last Wednesday I was fortunate to be given two tickets to attend the media launch of 'A Taste of Burlington'.  The event was held at the beautiful Burlington Art Centre in the Shoreline Room, overlooking Lake Ontario. Numerous of Burlington's finest restaurants who are participating in the summer season's A Taste of Burlington program were present. They served a wide variety of their specialties and attendees had a pleasant afternoon dining on samplings of Burlington's best.The wines of Ontario were well represented also and we were able to sample some of the finest wines Ontario has to offer. Musical entertainment played softly in the background while we were treated to a delicious afternoon lunch from Burlington's finest. A Taste of Burlington runs from Monday, July 19th to Monday, Au... 06/18/2010

        You are selling your home.   You have switched from 'living' mode to 'selling' mode.   You have prepared your home for sale. Did you do enough? It can be hard to look at your own home objectively. Home Staging Professionals bring an objective eye to the table. Home Stagers bring their knowledge of presentation. Home Stagers will tell you honestly if they can smell cigarette smoke. Home Stagers will help you edit the clutter effectively. Home Stagers can tell you if your house says pet as soon as they walk in. Home Stagers can help you if you are selling under stressful circumstances. Home Stagers can guide you as you update your home. Be sure you have thought of all the options.             06/16/2010

    When you moved into your home you made it your own by decorating it just right. Now, for whatever reason, you are selling. This requires you to go from 'living' mode to 'selling' mode. You have found the Realtor of your choice to list your home. To you your home is wonderful and you know the buyers will see its features right away. The trouble is the buyer is not looking at this house with your memories. Buyers are seeing a product. One of many samples they will look at. Buyers will notice: chipped paint out of date colours in paint, flooring and fixtures well used taps, chipped sinks windows that need replacing counters that have seen a lot of use landscaping that is overgrown from age a roof with some cupped shingles that old furnace and air conditioner Sellers assume that the bu... 06/15/2010

  In this series about switching from 'living' mode to 'selling' mode I should address the issue of Pets.   Many sellers have them - cats, dogs, gerbils, hedge hogs, lizards, birds etc. Everyone is attached to their pets and wants the best for them.   Now that you are in selling mode with your home on the market your pet(s) is part of the equation. When you are selling you want the best price possible to get your equity out of the home. This means you need to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Your home needs to 'talk' to buyers who do not own pets as well as to pet owners. As a Stager I recommend to pet owners selling a home to: send the pet on a holiday to a relatives if possible use a doggy day care if the dog is home alone while you work keep the pet's environment extra clean wh... 06/13/2010

    Now that your house is on the market you should be in 'selling' mode.    Your home should be prepared for buyers.    There is a saying > one man's treasure is another man's  clutter.    It means what may be a special item full of  memories for you is only a thing to a buyer.   If you put a lot of these memory items together in a home it forms clutter for buyers.   Clutter makes a room feel smaller can make a buyer think - dust collectors distracts the buyer's focus from the features of the home focuses the buyer on how you live when they should be focused on how they would use the space. PACK UP your collections of dolls or sports memorabilia. PRE-PACKING does not mean losing the items. It means your belongings and your memories are ready to move to your new home. PACKING means whe... 06/13/2010

  It is my job to change the focus of the home from 'living' mode to 'selling' mode.                        There are different guide lines for both.   When in 'living' mode the seller decorates and lives as they please in their home. BUT When that same seller puts their home on the market everything should switch to 'selling' mode. This means if the seller is a smoker there home needs to become a NO SMOKING ZONE. WHY Because having a SMOKE FREE home will widen the market appeal of their home. All sellers want their home to sell for the best possible price in the shortest possible time. To do this one of the things required is a home that appeals to as many types of buyers as possible.      Odors play a big part in how a person reacts to an environment.   When preparing a home for sale... 06/11/2010