The staging process, and what clients can expect

Before Staging

After Staging

                

The goal of the companies that offer home staging services is to ensure preparation for sale of a client’s house is stress free. The staging company handles everything that deals with the sale of land. The first process that is followed when it comes to home staging is a consultation. This is the process in which the home stager assesses the property from top to button providing  notes to the seller on items that should be addressed prior to listing. 

 The list may contain things like de-personalizing, de-cluttering, removal of pieces of furniture, landscaping details etc. The second process is that of prep work. This is the process where the company that is offering the staging process helps clients in storing, packing, repairing and painting. Generally, this is a preparatory stage. The third stage is known as staging where the company adds lifestyle and warmth to the home which will attract potential buyers. Lastly we have the de-staging process where the company returns removes and packs the inventory items.  

 Clients expect that after the staging process has been carried out the potential buyers can visualize living in the house. They expect that this process will make their property appealing to a wide range of buyers. Staging will eliminate their personality and will  neutralize the décor so that the number of buyers will be increased. It is said that those homes which have been staged have a great appearance compared to homes that have not been staged.  It will give the home an atmosphere that will encourage sale of it. The most important thing that the clients expect from staging is the fact that it will lead to the reduction of stress that comes with moving. 

Curb Appeal In The Winter

 Home staging and curb appeal are even more important in Calgary's cold winter months. Getting the details right, can greatly impact your properties appeal to potential buyers. Often times, the buyer will decide if they want to tour the home by how the curb appeal appears both physically and online. Almost 98% of people start their home search online and MLS maybe your only chance at at first impression.

 Clear the way! Shoveling the sidewalks, driveways and clearing a path to the front door welcomes potential buyers from the moment they drive up. This also shows the high standards the current owners keeps for the property. If shoveling is not for you, consider hiring a service to take care of it.

 Showcasing the front of your property is difficult, during the colder weather with brown lawns, leafless bare trees and a grey frosty background; here are a few tips to improve your curb in the coming season 

• Lawn maintenance -  create some appeal by raking  up all leaves and garbage that may have blown in to your yard. 
• Landscaping- clean up flower beds pulling up all dead and brown flowers, trim trees and shrubs.
• Hide what you need to keep - put summer items away like children's toys and garden hoses. 
• Slash of colour- keep holiday decor simple, try hanging a wreath on the door or get a festive planter, a little bit goes a long way! 
• New bling - a new mailbox, welcome mat, house numbers and handle are details that complete a polished look.
• Warm it up - Keep the furnace at a comfortable temperature, cold floors and chilly air  is a turn off especially in vacant properties . 
• Safety first- daylight hours are shorter in the winter and good lighting is important, most people tour after work and don’t want to go into a dark home. Replace any burnt out bulbs and increase lightening by adding solar lights or motion lighting, to light up pathways and driveways.

 It's not expensive to improve curb appeal in the winter, just a little thought and a few hours of hard work.

Home Staging the Investment

Home staging in Calgary has become very popular. Many companies have emerged that offer staging services, experts who have specialized in property staging. T.V shows, which advised people on how they can benefit from the sale of their property, have contributed to the popularity of home staging.

 Property staging will help you see what the potential buyer sees upon touring your home and that is why it is seen as an investment. As an investment, property staging depersonalizes a persons property to enable potential buyers imagine themselves living in a house that was originally yours. It is a way of ensuring that you get the premium price for your property. It improves the sale ability of an individual’s home. It also makes the home stand out to potential buyers. Staging is an investment that is always much less than a price reduction and carrying costs.

 If you are thinking of selling your house then you need to plan on investing in staging. It may not increase the list price of the house but it will increase the chances of you selling the house. It is of much benefit for those who want to dispose of their property quickly. It is also important for those whose property have been in the market for a long period of time by ensuring that they sell faster. It is expensive to have a property in the market for a long period of time and staging ensures that you avoid this expense  

Kitchen Updates That Don't Break The Bank

The kitchen is known for being the heart of the family because it is where the family’s food comes from. In most homes it is the kitchen that has small space that is why most people carry out remodeling of the kitchen. It is not easy to carry out remodeling because it takes time and it can turn out to be an expensive affair. But if you are tight on budget there are ways that you can invent in order to carry out kitchen updates without breaking the bank.

Because of grease and dirt build up, sometimes kitchen appliances look dull and old. To give them an attractive look you can carryout a thorough cleaning. When cleaning, use products that are safe for all surfaces. This will make your kitchen appliances look as if they are new.

Updating hardware is very affordable, think of the hardware as jewelry for the kitchen. Hardware will enhance the total design of the kitchen. Just like how you would accessories a dress for an evening out.   

Painting out wood cabinets is another inexpensive trick to breathe new life in to a dated kitchen. Nothing says “fresh” like a new coat of paint. Consider updated counter tops with a looks like granite product, sold at most hardware stores to complete the look.

Update fixtures, kitchen fixtures are practical and a great way to add some flair to your space. Look for a fixture that matches your style this will enhance the overall design.

Planning is important when carrying out kitchen updates. This will ensure that the budget you have is enough for carrying out the updates. The first thing to do when it comes to remodeling is to carryout thorough cleaning. You can introduce new fabrics that reflect your personality, removing those fabrics which are outdated. The goal is to make your home have a fresh appeal and you don’t have to break the bank so as to achieve this goal.   

Common Design Mistakes in Home Decorations

People today are constantly decorating and redecorating their homes in order to make it beautiful and trendy. However, there are many problems interior designers encounter, especially ordinary interior decorators in their attempt to make their homes go with the trend. These are some of the common decorating mistakes in interior decorations.

First decorating mistake is disregarding the importance of a focal point. A focal point is the main point or the “center stage” in a room, it is where you focus your designs and draw people’s attention to. A focal point may be a fireplace, the bed, a fabulous painting or such. Using the focal point as the base of your decoration, you then build around it.

For example, if your focal point is a fireplace, you can place sofas and chair around the fireplace inviting people to turn their attention to that focal point, the fire place, this is the same in other rooms in the house. You must first consider your focal point and then build or decorate around it in order to focus the attention of people towards it. Time and time again, people tend to clutter rooms with decor rather than designing it. They tend to add things to a room until it becomes more of a stockroom rather than decorating it.

Before

After

 Next decorating mistake  is to ignore lighting, especially the use of different kinds of artificial light to add flavor to a room. Lighting is very important as it dictates the mood of the room. The correct use of artificial light is also as important as with natural light. Many today will settle with ordinary fluorescent bulbs to light up the interiors, but it gives bland light. If you want to spice your nights, candle lamps and other bulbs with different shades can really add an exotic flavor to your room.

Before

                                                                  

After

Another mistake is not using mirrors as a decorating tool. Mirrors are a fabulous item to use in order to make your room beautiful and cozy. The reflective nature of mirrors can fill up your home with natural light during the day which can deeply enhance the liveliness of your home. You can place a mirror directly opposite a window, allowing sunlight to be reflected, filling your house with natural light.

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After

Design Predictions For 2013

There are many things that have happened this year and we have seen all of these innovations and creative ideas that flooded the market. As this year comes to an end, the trending styles in home designing for 2013, is slowly taking shape. These are some of the designing forecast by professional interior designers on the trending styles that will be in demand next year.

First of these trending designs is the increased preference of interior designers and homeowners for spacious and “triangular” living rooms. The open spaces make living rooms more lively and beautiful. The demand for such living room styles have began late this year and it expected to spread like wildfire next year.Triangular placement of sofas and the couch is gaining popularity than the traditional box style where the sofas and couch are placed in a box like position with a small table in the middle.

Next is the revival of outdoor “living rooms” in vast open areas. Outdoor living is now being preferred more as compared to the declining taste of outdoor kitchens which was prevalent during the recent years. More homeowners are favoring houses with open lawns and backyards in order to transform it into a beautiful place for outdoor living.

Another thing that is gaining preference and trending is the use of extended units or rooms outside of the house for entertaining guests. These units are still connected to the house but are not part of the house proper. It is a stand alone “house” intended just as a receiving area for entertaining guests.  

Also glass rooms where 90% of the walls are transparent glass to create a light-filled space perfect for relaxing and enjoying natural light. These open spaces in a home has been prevalent during the last decade, but today and especially in the year to come, this room design will surely be one of the most used style in home designing.

Lastly, the use of small compact, pocket office is in high demand today. Utilizing a small corner of a house or a small space normally used as places to store excess items into a small office is gaining popularity today, especially with the increasing rate of people working at home. The compact office will surely dominate homes of people nationwide.

Staging a Behind the Scenes Look

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When I tell people I’m a home stager, they say “What a fun job!”

I love my job, but there is so much more to it than arranging stuff in a house.

A typical staging job starts the moment a homeowner or Realtor calls. Step one is to go look at the property. Every property is unique, with distinct features. And each property will have a unique buying audience that we wish to target. This is why Stagers don’t prefer to estimate fees over the phone, site unseen. After careful consideration of the property’s needs, style, and demographics, a quote is prepared for the client within 24 hours.

Step Two: With the client approval and a date set, we move ahead with creating the design plan. After identifying the property’s needs, we head to the furniture store to pick out pieces for rental. We then source accessories, artwork, area rugs and anything else needed to complete the look. A full toolkit is essential too.

The pre-work is done. Step Three is staging day! Jessica from Fresh Moves and I meet at the property promptly at 9am with two full SUVs. The property is on the main level but down several looooong hallways. We unload our cars, piling everything in the lobby. The sight of beautiful accessories, furniture, and yes, a broom, makes passersby curious. We stop to chat with a few homeowners wondering if we are the new neighbours!

  

Shortly after, the large furniture pieces arrive. The moving men careful swivel the furniture into the condo. Andrei and Raymond of The Supermovers are simply awesome! Cheerful, skilled, and service-oriented, they really live up their name. We recommend them to anyone needing movers. They graciously help us move a pile of stuff from the lobby into the condo before heading off to the next job. Jessica and I are very thankful since each trip, that hallway gets a little looooooonger.

Now Jess and I are in full staging mode. Jessica starts to unpack accessories as I set up the beds in both bedrooms. We find it works best to put everything in the kitchen, but what a mess!                            

Starting in the bedrooms we first decide on the best layout, then choose the perfect pillows, artwork and accessories to complete the bedroom. We want to draw attention to the windows. This condo is nestled in Discovery Ridge and all the windows have a superb view of huge pine trees, your own private forest. In our opinion, an excellent selling feature! 

Now it’s time to tackle the main living area. Placing the furniture and art to highlight the focal points, dressing the sofa, mantle, and tables with just the right finishing touches – this is the art of staging that we love! A well-positioned mirror reflects the gorgeous kitchen and the wonderful view.

A few simple touches in the bathrooms takes them from empty-feeling to well-dressed and spa-like.

Now comes the steaming process! All bedding and towels are steamed so they are wrinkle-free, fresh and crisp. Time to tidy up and re-pack our cars with any extras floating around, plus the recycling.

Finally we snap a few shots for our portfolio and a quick phone call brings the homeowner running to the reveal. She is thrilled with the transformation! We’re thrilled that she’s thrilled. Another great day of staging complete!

For more information on having YOUR home transformed, contact Elysse at Simplystylishstaging@gmail.com; or Jessica@FreshMoves.ca.

To contact The Supermovers, call 403.437.MOVE (6683)

Reading Lamps for any Budget.

Looking for a reading lamp, this rainy weather makes for a guilt free day of staying in and curling up with a good book. We comb the streets and internet to find that perfect reading lamp for any budget that will look great in your space too. Here are a few tips to pick a reading lamp to suit your reading needs.

 When buying a reading lamp you need to consider where you will be reading? Depending on your position you can choose from desk lamps, floor lamps and wall lamps.

 You also should consider the height of the lamp. It be should be tall enough so it provides a direct spotlight on your reading materials, but not to tall to create glare.

Keeping these couple tips in mind we hit the streets to find a floor reading lamp to fit any budget and design. 

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West Elm's Overarching floor lamp is our favorite from our online research. It offers a sleek design but is at the top of the budget and can only be ordered. $249.99 

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Urban Barn's Lochellen Floor Lamp, the minimal shade on a thin base perfect for any space. It has spotlighting, perfect for reading. Price $189.00

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Pottery Barn's Adair Floor lamp has a vintage feel also offering adjustable height $179.00. If you like this style its also offered as a bedside lamp.

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Pier 1 Imports Down Bridge Floor lamp is budget friendly ringing in at $125.00. 

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Ikea's Regolit floor lamp has adjustable height perfect to suit your reading needs $79.99.

Which lamp do you like? I like arched lamps for their sleek design which won’t take up to 

much space. They work great in larger or small spaces to offer task lighting to suit your needs. They also look stunning in an office space or living area.                    

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging 

Checklist for Showings

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Once your home is on the market you need to keep it in tip top shape for showings. Don’t get over whelmed here is a checklist of things you can before each showing. This short list will only take 15 to 20 minutes to complete and it will ensure that your home shows best to potential buyers.

1)     Open the curtains and blinds, this will allow natural light in, which make your property look bright, clean and spacious.

2)     Make the bed, have you ever noticed how clean the bedroom looks once you have made the bed?  It’s the biggest piece if furniture in the room so your eye is drawn to it.

3)     Pick up everyday items, day to day items are small and eat up visual space, I tell my clients anything smaller then a soccer ball should be put away.

4)     Remove pets – Only about half the people that tour your home with be pet people the other half not so much. The best way to combat this is to remove all signs of pets, food dishes, toys, cat litter and even the food in the pantry.

5)     Put out display towels in the bathroom and make sure the toilet seat is down.

6)     Weather permitting, open the windows. When showing your home the best smell is no smell.

7)     Ensure laundry is out of sight

8)     Wipe down counter in bathroom and kitchen to ensure they show clean.

9)     Turn on all the light even outside, this will welcome the buyer into the property.

10)  Go out! This is important one buyer’s will feel uncomfortable if you are home while they tour your property. The goal is to keep the buyer in the home as long as possible.

For a complete list and advice on prepping your home for the market or showing please contact us at 403-710 -4229

Simply Stylish staging

Step into the Buyers Shoes

Which one would you buy?

When you list your home, remember that your home is now a product on the market and like any product, it must have nice packing. Buyers are not looking to buy work or in the case above are not sure what the purpose or function of the space is.

I have heard that buyer shop with blinders on only focusing on the negative. Staging will highlight the features of the property helping buyers take the blinder off to see the positive features of the property.

Over 90% of home buyers search online for homes they would like to tour. The more pictures the better. No pictures say to the buyer “this house must need work” or “there is a reason there’s no pictures “sending signals to the buyers they is something wrong with the property. The buyer will quickly cross that house off their list.

MLS photographs need to show clean, free from clutter and each photo must show the function of the space. Photos should highlight the features and focal points of the property too.

The Internet is a very powerful tool for real estate, your home needs to make a good first impression.  In today’s market you need to capture the buyer online in order for them to come take a closer look.

Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish staging

Occupied Staging For Your Calgary Home.

Occupied Staging is becoming more popular in Calgary. Most sellers just need help arranging furniture to make their space buyer friendly. With a few tweaks to what this client already had we were able to create a space with function, allowing buyers to see the potential in this spacious bonus room.

                                     
 

Staging Your Way to Success

A lovely family friendly home just came on to the market on Friday in Discovery Ridge, Simply Stylish Staging came in for a staging consultation. We gave the sellers a detailed list; which we addressed furniture arrangement, depersonalizing and showing tips. The sellers have great Realtors® that had already advised them on pre-packing.

I rolled up my sleeves and went to work in all the impact rooms, working with what the seller had. My goal in each room is to lighten, brighten and make the space look larger. Within a couple hours with the homeowners help the property was sale ready.

The listing went on the market Friday afternoon and was conditionally sold on the first showing Saturday night. When home sellers, agents and stagers all work together, houses sell quickly.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Staging on a Budget

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If you’re trying to sell your home, then you know that your biggest challenge is to make your home interesting to potential buyers. Staging can be a way to appeal to buyers, but many people reluctant because they think they can’t afford staging.  There are many ways to stage a home that won’t break the wallet.

I am sure you have already heard this, if you’re selling your home de clutter and de personalizes are the easiest and cheapest ways to prepare for the market. Buyers are easily distracted by stuff. You are selling the home not the stuff in the home. Less is always more when it comes to staging.

Paint is money in a can; bold colored paint can to be overly personalized. Consider painting neural and muted tones like browns, grays, blues and even yellow. Buyers want to know their décor will match.

Staging tell a story inviting buyers in, make the beds, and fluff the pillows on the couch. These easy household tasks will give the buyer thoughts of a well taken care of house, making it easier for them to see the positive features of the property.

Open the windows let natural light in. Sunlight will help your home feel bright and warm welcoming buyers. Studies show that people are happier and more productive when exposed to natural light. We want buyers to be happy when they tour your home

These few staging tips will go a long when selling your home; just remember soon you will be on the other side of the table looking at home for sale. Think about what you are looking for when touring homes. Keep it in mind when staging on a budget and the process will be much easier.

What things do you do to stage your home for sale? What has worked for you?

 Ellysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Home Buying and Selling Seminar Calgary

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Sabrina Stevenson and I are hosting a seminar on buying, selling and preparing your Home in today’s market. We want to give you the Buyer or Seller a one stop shop for your real estate investment. We are working hard on presentation and planning our event, which will be in early June more info to be announced.


We need your input:


What kinds of information are you interested in hearing about from a mortgage associate, a Realtor home stage home inspector?


What about the home buying and selling process would you like more info on?


Have you worked with a Realtor or Stagers before and how was the experience? What was good or bad?


What would be the best evening for you to attend?


We would love to hear your feedback

How to Create a Backyard Oasis

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The days of summer will soon be here, sunshine, sandals and warm summer nights outside. Outdoor living space is becoming a trend with home buyers and sellers. Having an outdoor space is a way to expand your living space without a pricey Reno. Whether you have a patio, balcony or deck you can make use of the space to create stylish and comfortable retreat.

Comfort is at the top of the list when designing an outdoor space. It does not matter if you choose metal, wicker or wood patio furniture the comfort is in the cushion. When choosing cushions for be sure to choose a fabric the will resist the elements. Outdoor cushion come in all different colors and patterns which is a great way to incorporate more color to your outdoor space to create ambiance.

 When designing your outdoor space you need to think about your lifestyle and needs for the space. I personal like the idea of have a conversation setting in my backyard. A couch and a couple chairs will give you the most function for entertaining or family dinners.

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 If you don’t have a backyard but still crave an outside retreat a chic bistro set maybe your answer. Define the space with an outdoor rug and a few flowers presto your balcony oasis is complete.

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Well chosen accessories will turn your outdoor oasis from so-so to over the top.   Pillows and a throw are a nice addition to your outdoor space and a great way to add fun colors to your patio. Candles are a great way to add drama and lighting for summer nights outdoors. If you need more light try torches, lanterns and solar lighting to add even more drama.

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Birdhouses, feeders and bathes are great accessories for your outdoor space; they add a whimsical charm and let you enjoy nature too.

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 I wanted to give you a little inspiration to create your own back yard oasis, a place to enjoy the short summers we have in Calgary.

Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish staging

Create Your Ideal Space with Oiloboard.

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Today I discover a cool new website that could help solve your design problems. Nine out of ten people can not visualize what decor or furniture will look like in their current or new space. Oiliboard.com is an interactive tool that lets you create a mood boards picking out all the items you like and placing them together to get an idea of the full look.

Oiloboards uses brands like Crate&Barrel, Ikea and West elms, if you like the look you create you can order everything right from the store online. Clever marketing I would say!

Check out my mood broad.

Evolution Of Home Staging

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Real Estate Agents use a wide range of tools to catch the attention of buyers. Hoping that one or more will put an offer on the property, home staging continues to become a powerful tool with a lot of success. Almost 98% percent of people are starting their home search online so it’s no surprise that visual appearance will play a big role in the salability of your property.

It is very important to think about who the potential buyers are when preparing your home for sale. Home stagers have a good understanding of who the potential buyer is, what are their demographics and why someone would buy your home. It is critical that the presentation of the homes appeals to the right buying group. Think of it this way, a home needs to be presented differently to a young professional then a retired couple downsizing.

Home staging is a fairly new industry which is still evolving. Staging used to be making a property appealing to the widest range of buyer’s tastes. However the industry is now moving forward to understanding the target buyer and focusing on want these buyers want. Staging tells a story about the potential buyer’s dream lifestyle rather than de cluttering, de personalizing and neutralizing.

Stats show staged home sell in % 78 less time than a home that has not been staged. Staging helps define the space, only one out of every ten people can visualize the sizing and furniture placement in an empty space. Staging helps to show how the function of the space.

We recently help some young professional prepare their condo, which resulted in an offer close to the asking price in just five days. These client were able to move on with their life quickly with little stress and inconvenience. 


Simply Stylish Staging
Elysse Bulloch