Okay, I am Canadian; therefore, am automatically painted with the "polite" brush. To get this out of the way, I am also bilingual. I speak two languages. The first is English. The second is Sarcasm. But I never speak my second language during business. Sarcasm can be perceived as being rude. As well, it can open doors to misunderstandings beyond belief if someone doesn't catch the "tone". Being blunt is also a form of being rude and should not be used in business. Rudeness closes doors. Even if you and a potential client don't agree at that point in time, anything can happen in that person's day, during the course of any day, to change his/her mind, where he/she might re-approach you and even tell you that you were right. BUT THAT WON'T HAPPEN IF YOU WERE RUDE. Aside from just ticking p... 02/14/2010

After being told several times over the past few months that one of the main reasons realtors opt to not call us is because their listings are already "nicely or professionally decorated", we decided to do some homework. Over the past few weeks, my partner and I have had the opportunity to go through many open houses and look at homes which were marketed as "updated and decorated beautifully throughout". We weren't sure what to expect and it became increasingly clear that the term decorated encompassed a wide variety of personal design styles, colours and even room functions! Professionally Decorated Basement: Great for the Family, not for Buyers! We are already tough critics so we took along with us people who were not professional home stagers and deliberately made no comments, inste... 02/12/2010

I've not been "in the business" all that long, but I have been buying and/or selling homes personally on and off for about 20 years, and I used a real estate agent almost every time :) During those twenty years I have noticed some very significant changes in how business in real estate is done: 1) Clients no longer want to be picked up and dropped off. They'll meet you at the house. 2) The keys are at the house, safely tucked away in a secure lockbox - no more having to make a trip to the selling agent's office and back again. 3) Clients (and agents) can preview the homes on the market through pictures and virtual tours before making a trip out to actually tour them. 4) Information about the homes is at your fingertips and changes to that information can be done in a second - not like w... 02/11/2010

Consumers and real estate agents alike may have to open their minds to a new way of doing things in real estate. According to a press release in Ottawa on February 8, 2010, "The Commissioner of Competition has determined that CREA's rules restrict the ability of consumers to choose the real estate services they want, forcing them to pay for services they do not need. The rules also prevent real estate agents from offering more innovative service and pricing options to consumers. The Commissioner's application to the Competition Tribunal seeks to strike down these anti-competitive rules." Read the full press release here: http://competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/03196.html What does this mean? The short of it is, that the Competition Bureau feels that consumers should not ha... 02/09/2010

This is just a short little blog today, brought on by other blogs that I've read this morning. Blogs that have been posted about situations where clients were involved but where the main points have been focussed on what the agent wanted to do, what the agent thought of the situation, what the agent did based on his or her own feelings of a situation. What I would like to know more about, is what did that agent's client want to do? What did the client think of the situation, how did the client react, and what were his or her feelings about a particular situation? I realize that we learn by our mistakes, and if we feel we've made a mistake it is great to get the opinions of other professionals. But I think sometimes we forget that we can also learn by watching and consulting with the peo... 02/09/2010

And by "I don't get it" I don't mean I've never gotten it - never had it, never lived with it. I mean I've had hardwood and laminate floors and I just don't get the attraction. Okay, I understand that there are a few who benefit for health reasons - they have severe allergies to dust and removing carpet is helpful, and this is why the whole hardwood/laminate thing got started - but what about the rest of us? Surely, it's not a craze for health reasons alone. I'll admit that when I was selling my last house and peeked under the carpet to see what was there I got a tingle when I saw the hardwood. And after I got the floor stripped and lacquered (a painfully stinky process, I might add), I thought, "Wow. Look at that shine. Beautiful". But then I lived with those floors and I gotta tell ya... 02/04/2010

Some of you will tell me to get a grip, cuz it is just a commercial, but everytime I see it, I want to pull that woman out of the TV and say, "Really? Are you out of your mind?" The commercial I'm referring to is the one where the real estate agent (I can't remember if she calls herself a REALTOR or not), states she sprays Febreze in all her houses for sale. Okay. First of all, they are not HER HOUSES! Those houses are her clients homes, which brings me to the biggie... Does she really spray that stuff all over her clients homes? Really? I could not imagine even asking a client if I could do such a thing. Not only because I think opening a window is a much better solution than spraying chemicals in the air and all over furniture (what about allergies and sensitivities her clients may ha... 02/02/2010

So.  You've decided to take the plunge. You're tired of renting or you've lived with your parents so you can save up a down payment, and now you're ready to buy your first house. YIPPPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!!! Wow. It's exciting, isn't it? But now that you've decided, where do you start? When deciding to buy a new home (even if you're not a first timer), it's always best to visit with a mortgage advisor to see what you can afford to buy. That way you know what you can look at. There's nothing worse than getting excited about a house and then finding out later you can't afford to buy it. Know how much you can afford, so your agent can show you houses that fit your budget. Then find yourself a good real estate agent. Talk to people who have bought and/or sold and see who they used. Interview a few... 01/29/2010

Everyone measures his or her success as a professional differently. Some think the money they've made at the end of the year is a good measure.Some think that an award or recognition from the industry is an indication of how good they are.Some think the number of solicited testimonials they've gotten shows their value. But does anyone measure success by: How many clients you've made smile?How many sincere handshakes and thank-you's you've received in a day, a week, a month?How many random e-mails from clients have you gotten that say how much they appreciate what you've done for them? To me, those smiles, handshakes and random e-mails mean more than anything. I am in a service-based business. I am in a business where people - where my clients' wants and needs -come first. And if they've... 01/29/2010

Yesterday I got a text message from one of my daughters. The message asked if so-and-so on Facebook was a friend of mine. I told her he used to be a customer when I had the book store, and a client when he was selling his house, that I've had him as a "friend" on Facebook for a few years...why? Well, she texted...the guy freaks me out. Wow - didn't see that coming. I knew so-and-so had added my daughter as a Facebook friend and really didn't see a problem. But apparently he had sent her an e-mail telling her how sexy her latest pictures were. This man is around 40-years-old. He should know better then to send e-mail like that to a teenager. His comment may have been innocent...a compliment badly worded, but I decided it is not worth the chance. So, I told my daughter if he freaks her ou... 01/26/2010

I research For Sale By Owner properties. I reply to their ads and offer advice to the homeowners, if I see blatant errors in their advertising. And I'll answer via e-mail any questions they may have to assist them. Why would I do this? It's simple really. I want to help them. I want to help them, because sometimes my clients want to see For Sale By Owner properties and I want to be able to have a wide variety of options to offer. I want to help them because sometimes they need help and I believe in the services that I provide. I am secure enough in my knowledge about this industry that I know I can give up a few tips here and there and still have plenty left over for my clients. I want to help them because sometimes their advertising is misleading, and that kind of business never benefi... 01/26/2010

When I worked with this particular Real Estate Agent, before I had become one myself, he told me, "If you get rid of your dog you'll get $10,000.00 more for your house." Really? And how much more will I get if I get rid of my daughters? Telling clients to get rid of their pets while they try to sell their homes is absolutely ridiculous, and to put a monetary value on a pet (a family member) is downright insulting. What this agent should have told me was this: I know you love your dog, but some people aren't animal lovers and don't appreciate that he is part of your family. Here are a few things you can do so potential buyers will be able to picture themselves living in this house instead of worrying about what's living in it now: Carpets and upholstery can capture your dog's odour, so a... 01/24/2010

You're looking for a new place to live. Or You're selling your house. This piece of advice is very short and sweet, but could mean the difference between finding the right house to buy or selling your home. When you're working with a Real Estate Agent and they ask for your contact information, provide that agent with accurate information and make sure you are available to respond. Also, in this day and age of home phones, business phones, cell phones, e-mail, instant messaging, and texting, be sure to tell your agent what method best works for you and when. That way when that perfect house for you has just been listed your REALTOR can contact you to see if you're interested, when you'd like to see it, and confirm that the showing has been set up. If the house is a great deal, you could ... 01/19/2010

The advancements in technology have definitely changed the way we now touch base with each other...like blogging for example. Right now I am at home in my jammies, talking to you through an on-line source, and you have the opportunity to talk back to me - and it doesn't matter where in the world you are or what time it is! Fascinating. And I can also be reached through instant messaging, e-mail and texting, and let us not forget the old stand-bys: telephone and fax. And then of course there is the size of the equipment used now. I have this little box that I can either carry on my belt or in my pocket, no bigger than what the old stainless steel cigarette cases used to be, that can be easily lost because it's so light. And with this little box I can "surf the ‘net", e-mail people and ge... 01/19/2010

I work for my customers/clients. I always have. I did when I had my pet supply store, my desktop publishing business, when I did freelance business writing, and when I sold used books. And I do now, as a real estate agent. But are my customers and clients always right? Should they be? I don't think so. For if they are always right and if they already know everything, then why have they hired me? Why? I'll tell you why. Because I am educated in my field; because I have contacts in the industry; because I work in the industry full-time and therefore can't help but know more about what's going on than they do. But first and foremost, I know more than them, because I am an outsider. An outsider? What do I mean? I mean that if someone is buying and/or selling a new home, things can get quite... 01/12/2010

A few months ago my partner and I were asked to do a consultation on a large home in very exclusive area of Kitchener. The realtor who asked for our assistance said that while the home was impressive, the furnishings were not. It needed help. We recommended a lot of things from paint to rental furniture to create the lavish and stunning decor style expected by buyers in this price point. The sellers pared down our suggestions to the absolute bare minimum and at the end only agreed to allow us to bring in some art, accessories, a dinette table and upscale bedding because of their budget. We moved furniture around, created a den which had previously been a toy room, created an office in an empty bedroom with furniture from the client's basement and front room - and made the furniture look... 12/23/2009

My partner Alana and I started our business nineteen months ago with a great combination of design background/experience, an inventory of home decor accessories .. and a passion for making spaces beautiful. We were lucky and landed some great contracts right away and with lots of smart marketing, hard work and combined efforts we have made Rooms in Bloom a well known name in the real estate community. Along the way we have had numerous people make well meant comments on the fact that we are partners in what is usually a solo career. Profits are split down the middle and when you're starting a young company that can be a tough reality. My partner and I see that - we have lived it - but we don't share a moment's regret for choosing to be partners. Everyday we say to each other - and to ot... 10/26/2009

This is a piece originally published in my September newsletter... A mentor to many in the staging profession, and certainly to me, is Christine Rae.  Christine is the founder of Canadian Staging Professionals, known as Certified Staging Professionals in the US.  She travels the world, recently expanding CSP into Australia, and is keynote speaker internationally at both real estate and staging specific conventions.  In her spare time, along with co-author Jan Saunders Maresh, Christine penned Home Staging for Dummies.  Yes, there really is one, although it's for anyone BUT Dummies. I find one chapter of this book to be particularly relevant, and would like to share some of it here.  These are their thoughts, condensed by me.   Reasons Sellers Don't Stage Their Properties (But Should) "W... 09/08/2009

This is just a quick add-on note I wrote for my newsletter recently. Keeping curb appeal current with the season is important, and early September is a good time to add some Fall flowers to your landscaping. Some ideas would be the safe standbys mums and pansies but also kale, asters, pumpkins ~white, orange and even funky looking ones.  Fall is definitely the season for deep reds, golds and citrus colours of all shades. Pull out some of the older annuals that have gotten tired, and dig the late summer plantings into gardens to add a sense of permanence and belonging, rather than just dropping a grocery store container onto the porch.  There's no need to advertise "The house doesn't usually look this nice so I picked this up today". If you're interested in home staging in and around Kit... 09/04/2009

Dispite a sizzling hot market characterized short supply and and high demand resulting in quick sales, multiple offer situations and frustrated buyers, average prices do not seem to be increasing dramatically. Number of Units Sold per Month   JUL AUG 2008 666 471 2009 661 594 Fewer properties sold in August than in July. This a normal decline for this time of year. 26% more properties sold in August 2009 vs. August 2008. This is a significant increase, particularily in light of consistent inventory levels.  New Listings Processed per Month   JUL AUG        2008        928         774         2009        909       756 Similar, or in fact slightly fewer properties have come onto the market over the summer months of July and August compared with last year. Similar or slightly fewer new lis... 09/04/2009