Staging RSS Feed

Staging your home in the summer, spring and fall is easy(er). The weather is temperate, the days are long with light, and there’s no reason for extra clutter in your home. Staging your home in the winter can be a totally different story. Here are some tips for staging your home in the winter:

1). Keep the holiday décor to a minimum. We are not saying do not decorate at all; in fact, prospective buyers often love to see how magical their future home could be during the holiday season. However, keep it minimalist. Setting up your tree and lights is fantastic, but scale back on all the little holiday knick-knacks and figurines. Staging is about opening up your space, not filling it with even more items.

2). Ensure your entryway is clear. In the…

An Open House is the time for your home to shine. Help it shine by removing anything that may distract potential buyers from how beautiful your property is. Here are some items we recommend taking out of sight for the big day:

1). Clutter: We all have it, no matter how minimalistic our tastes are. Gather any extra clutter on countertops, bedside tables, shelves, etc. that does not serve a staging purpose and tuck it away. Whether you put it in bins beneath the stairs or stuffed into dresser drawers, make sure it is out of sight. Remember that Open House etiquette is that people will open doors, but not drawers.

2). Linens: Make sure that any towels, dishcloths, rags, etc. are put away. It does not matter if they are clean or not; throw them in…

Nothing quite fills up our homes faster than furniture. A couch here, dresser there, bookshelf in the corner, coffee table by the TV… it all adds up very quickly. The reality is some things, like a bed and a couch, are essentials in any home. However, they also eat up precious space and can make rooms seem small and cluttered.

This becomes an important issue when you try to sell your home. So, what is one to do?

We have two words for you: clever staging. The reality is furniture can be hard to work around. However, by trying some of these tips you can eliminate as many negative side effects as possible. Read on to learn more.

Use your walls. If you can have big pieces of furniture, such as couches and beds, up against a wall instead of…

One of the most attractive features of a new property can be the outdoor space included. Here in Calgary, many properties include nice outdoor living spaces compared to other cities where homes are lucky to have a strip of grass in front of the door. With this space, Calgarians get creative. If you search the city, you can find people who have created elaborate garden oasis’ in their backyard, or crafted mini hockey rinks during the winter. While these features are fun, they aren’t always the best example of maximizing the space.

Outdoor living spaces are something to be treasured and taken care of. In fact, here in Calgary we have bylaws about maintaing this part of the property. Part of taking care of your outdoor living space is properly…

Imagine this: Your backyard lawn is freshly cut, making the air smell like summers from your childhood. The flower beds have been pruned and watered, and a bouquet of blossoms are on the kitchen table . The fence has a fresh coat of paint and looks brand new, the perfect backdrop for an evening out on the deck. Speaking of the deck, it's new; you finally got around to replacing it after all these years. A cold drink is in your hand and you are surrounded by loved ones. The summer has only just begun and yet you are already finished your summer to-do list. How glorious!

Does that sound incredible? We would sure like to be relaxing on that deck alongside you! It may seem unrealistic; after all, summer always tends to be more busy than relaxing, and…

The first thing prospective buyers will notice about your home for sale is its curb appeal.

Curb appeal is all about making a great first impression. A home with great curb appeal can stop traffic. It can entice people to look a little more closely at the “For Sale” sign on the front lawn. It is what gets potential buyers out of their vehicles and onto your property.

Even the plainest properties can be eye-catching; it’s all about staging. Try these simple, cost-effective ways to give your curb appeal a boost during the listing of your home.

Make your front door a statement piece. Install a beautiful wood door, or paint the existing one a fun colour. If you don’t want to change the door itself, consider dressing it up with a seasonal wreath…

March 20th was the first official day of spring. Crazy, right? Since then we have had a number of snowstorms and cloudy skies, most notably yesterday when it snowed all day long. The good news? The snow was wet and heavy, and the heat of the sunshine today has already begun to melt it. While Mother Nature seems to want to keep winter around, the sun is on our side. Thank goodness!

Regardless of how high our snow piles still are, the beautiful reality is that it is, in fact, spring. Around this time is when our homes transition out of winter. We begin to pack away our snow pants and mittens (with a knock on wood), any remaining Christmas lights get taken down, moody blues and rich reds are replaced with pastels, and we decide to force spring into…

Spring is here and each day more and more of Calgary blossoms and comes alive. We are so thankful that Calgary gets all four seasons, especially when beautiful weather like we have had today is the outcome. The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing and we cannot wait to start seeing gardens come alive.

Calgary is home to some very dedicated gardeners who put hours of hard labour into creating beautiful landscapes for all to enjoy. A quick drive through most neighbourhoods will reveal many beautiful gardens, each with their own themes and plants. A drive through some of the most dedicated communities, such as Bowness and Mount Royal, are better inspiration than any Pinterest search.

For those of you looking to start your own garden or are looking…

Happy Open House!

We are so excited that you have begun your journey towards selling your house. This is a huge step that we know must have taken a lot of time and consideration. Do not be afraid, be excited; this is the start of a wonderful new chapter in your life.

Open Houses are a lot of fun. You get to stage your home to look its absolute best, share with others all the things you love so much about your property, and you get to start seeing offers roll in. However, hosting an open house comes with an element of risk. After all, there will be complete strangers wandering around your home.

Most realtors will welcome potential buyers but let them explore on their own to make them feel comfortable. This means there is a potential for something…

Having a guest room is a great luxury that you should not take for granted. Often guest rooms end up being the catch-all room in the house; they become a storage room, a fitness room, a home office, etc.. These rooms magically transform into guest rooms five minutes before your cousins arrive, which is a fun challenge, perhaps, but not exactly effecient.

While having a catch-all room is nice, it is not the best way to utilize space in your home. If you have so much stuff that you are shoving it into a spare room, chances are you could de-clutter your home significantly. That, or use the closet space in the spare room as an organized storage space with the help of IKEA.

For a guest room to genuinely be a guest room, you need to be committed to it.…