All I did was....Home Staging Success Stories

I was just listening to our national radio station, CBC ONE, and was inspired to learn that the state of Utah has just gone to four, ten hour days instead of five, 8 hour days to save energy in the state buildings. One day a week, the buildings are closed.

Of course they had to look at employee issues like childcare and public transit to get to work.

Also, how it would effect the public. The public loves it as they can now do their business before and after their regular work day.

The four day week was started as a movement in the 60's as a lifestyle choice, but as usual, the only way things move ahead is when it comes down to saving money corporately.

It is a good move for both reasons and I say Kudos to Utah for taking a lead in this method to save tax payers money by conserving energy.

I took the plunge finally.

Realtors are golfers.

Realty companies have charity golf tournaments.

If you want work with Realtors, you should golf.

I usually sponsor a hole or donate a home staging consultation for the silent auction as I don't play golf.

But this time it was going to be different.

I decided that I was going to play golf and take my mortgage broker, Nick Lecuyer from Dominion Lending, with me for moral support and networking reasons.

Now you may think that this was either a stroke of brillance (no pun intended) or complete lunacy on my part.

You see, I am what they call athletically challenged.

Ride a bike, crash into a parked car.

Try skiing, I end up in heap on the bunny hill with my children laughing so hard they can't offer me a hand to get up.

You get the picture.

As the day drew near, it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe, I should actually hit a golf ball  before attending.

I decided the best course of action would be to go to a golfing store the day before the tourney to buy some golf clothes and ask if someone there could give me a few pointers.

A very kind man took me aside and walked me through how to hit a ball off a tee.

He said that for someone that had never hit a ball before that I was hitting it straight off the club in the "sweet spot" and that was very unusual. I asked him if he thought I might be buying a set of golf clubs that day. He said no, I really could hit the ball quite well. I was encouraged at this point.

My husband took me out to the driving range that evening and he commented that I was much better than he thought I would be. I was even more encouraged that I could golf tomorrow and not look like a complete idiot.

The day of the tournament arrived and I eagerly went out with my foursome. I am placed with the broker owners family. GULP.

Turns out I really could hit the ball. They played off my shot for the first four holes. Not bad for a novice. I was making an impression with the Realtors.

Then I did something that became the golfing story of the day. Towards the end of the day, Nick said get my P. Now you golfers know that means your pitching wedge. To this tired girl, it meant the putter. I hit that ball with my putter over 100 yards. Apparently that is not easy. LOL!!!  I am now known throughout the Realty office and the Woodington Lake Golf course as the Home Stager who hit the ball with the putter. Everyone now knows who I am and what I do.

But that wasn't what got their attention entirely.

What really got their attention was when I stopped at the half way point to play a putting game to raise more money for the charity. It was there that I made the fatal mistake.

I putted and then left with their putter instead of putting it back for the next person. I took it for a tour of the next 9 holes not realizing that I had it until 3 holes away. I kept thinking I would return it when I got back to the clubhouse, no big deal. Upon returning, if one Realtor asked me for the putter, 20 Realtors did.It was a huge mistake on my part but it became a great way of introducing myself to the Realtors that I had not met before. Apparently between the two golfing faux pas I had made, every Realtor knew who I was and came up to ask if I had enjoyed my first day of golfing. I was a hit! It made for easy conversation and a laugh over the two situations was had by all.

So the moral to this story is... get out and mingle. Don't be afraid to try something new.

You just never know when it just might be the thing that catapults you to the front of every Realtors memory when they need a Stager.

If you want to see my golf swing, click on the link below. Let me know what you think of my technique.

http://woodingtonlake.athletesvideo.com/public/index/176

P.S.
regarding the link.. you will have to copy and paste it in your search bar as I have not mastered the skill of adding a link either. But not knowing how to do something doesn't stop me from trying!

It was a HUGE pleasure to meet Colin and Justin, design duo and very loveable TV stars, at the Toronto Gift Show today. You can see I was tickled pink to be able to see my two favourite fellas wearing their kilts. They even let me look in their sporrans. I won't say what was inside!

I wished them well while staying in Canada and continued success with their TV shows that help homeowners get their properties updated.

I recently was privileged to watch my daughter Amanda go through the process of buying her first house with her fiance Chris.

They live 2 hours apart so they would sit at the computer each night, one in Barrie and one in Brantford,  looking through MLS listings and deciding together while on the phone which properties would make it onto their "must see list" for that weekend. Five seconds max on each one. If the first picture did not have the curb appeal they clicked through to the next listing. If the first picture was appealing, it was the same procedure with the interiors. Loud colours, clutter, furniture misplaced...they clicked through to the next listing. Sound familiar? We tell our clients how critical Home Staging is to attract potential buyers, but to see it in action was a real eye opener even for me. To spend that much money by looking at photos that quickly and making snap judgements on whether to put that listing on their "must see list" was fascinating to watch.

After 5 long months they found their dream home in the neighbourhood they wanted to live in and in their price range. They will be married on September 13th and wish them every happiness in their new home.

Notice the really big calculator. That's because it was a really big deal buying their first house!  :)

That is their Realtor on the left, Auntie Kim signing the final offer with them in Barrie. We wish them many years of happiness together.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The happy couple are now married and living happily in their dream home.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners the importance of showing the purpose of a room. This room was immediately off the front foyer and was being used as a catch all instead of as it's intended purpose, a dining room.

All I did was remove the piano and chair, declutter and add a dining room set and new lighting. Now potential buyers come into the home and immediately see how they could be enjoying dinner with family and friends in this home. The fireplace and bookcase are now the focal points of the room instead of more clutter in the room.

The Realtors job of marketing this home in Barrie is much easier now that Advantage Staging has returned the room to it's intended purpose.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners that buyers want to be able to see the intended purpose of the room and not be distracted by your personal belongings. A Master Bedroom should be marketed and Staged as a retreat from a busy day, a place to rejuvenate and be ready for a new day.

In this property in Barrie, all I did was add neutral bedding and curtains, two lamps of an appropriate size, romantic artwork and decluttered.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners how to create a "gift wrapping room" where none existed before.  To create more perceived value and space in a property, I suggested to the homeowner that a "gift wrapping" room was created. Everyone wants one, but hardly anyone has one.

I suggested that an unused portion of the basement be Staged into a gift wrapping centre.

Using an existing table and chair from Ikea  and gift wrapping materials, this is the result. The homeowner purchased the peg board for under  $ 10.00. 

My client is the star here. I gave her a suggestion during the consultation and this is what she came up with.

Advantage Staging will market your property to stand out from the  competition every time.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, priceless.