by Kim Dingwall | First Impressions, home staging, marketing, property staging, property styling, Real Estate Staging
Ninety-nine per cent of all consumers begin their home shopping online. It is fair to say that online presence is paramount to push those potential buyers to want to see the property you are selling. I’d say as important as the curb appeal if not more. It is the front line, whether it is through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or on social media.
“you need this place, it is going to improve your life“
So what does the online presence have to convey to get people to want to see the property? The message should be “you need this place, its going to improve your life”. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful house do this. Get the professional photographer and stager into that house to create that magic that will lure in those online buyers. But you need both a stager and a photographer; as neither can unilaterally create the refined appearance for online shoppers. Think of those magazine photo of rooms and of food. Both the stylist and the photographer create the desire together and have the skill to draw in the consumer.
The third component is the text in your listing material which must be enticing to the potential buyer. They need to know what it is about the house that makes it a “must see”. What is special about it? Using the punchy, action-packed words encourage excitement and desirability for buyers. Bad grammar and lacklustre descriptions are not encouraging and may disappoint potential buyers. Use all the character space you have available to explain why the house is a must see. Spelling mistakes and too many emojis are big turn-offs and also a reflection of the writer’s attention to detail.
The overall message in this post is to also stage your online presence. Bump it up and command attention! Use of active and descriptive words will encourage visits to the property. Potential buyers should feel compelled to see the property and quickly, so as to not miss out.
by Kim Dingwall | Accessories, Decorating, property staging, Real Estate Staging, Staging Consultation
There are a few things to consider when selling your house over the holidays and few more things that you must consider before you buy house. How to do it successfully when you may have showings is another key consideration. There is a staging solution that works well for sellers and potential buyers but the difficulty is how to make it happen while carrying out all the celebratory tasks already on the agenda.
Get a home staging consultation done to find out what is needed to make your house competitive with others on the market. The costs vary and so it is important to match your staging needs with what your stager will offer. A simple discussion with a stager can help you determine what your needs are so engage in the conversation first. You may not be fully aware of what home stagers can do to successfully meet your requirements.
Once the list of things to do is prepared for you, determine what you can or want to do and what your stager can take care of on your behalf when you can be partaking in holiday festivities. Some stagers have a wealth of services, resources and excellent project management skills.
Have professional photos taken once work is complete. Have your stager recommend the photographer and do it when the house is at its best. This gives your photos longevity during January and February when the holidays are over. Christmas decorated house photos are a big negative for marketing online and in printed materials.
After the professional photos are taken, decorate for the season lightly and simply. Keep in mind that you might have to remove some furniture if your rooms look too crowded because of the location of a Christmas tree. Your room will look much better to potential buyers and keep them looking at the key selling parts of your rooms, not what is on or under the tree.
Move out all wrapping and boxes after opening gifts. Don’t pile new treasures under the tree but put gifts away. Purchase a tree skirt in one colour to hide your tree stand to make it aesthetically more pleasing. Do you want your stager to do your decorating too? There are some that will also do this for you.
Other tips to help you be ready for showing calls at this time of year:
•Hide away storage containers that contain baking and cooking from counter tops
•Hide away gift wrapping materials that take up space and look cluttered
•Wash and put away all kitchen dishes
•Keep your entry clean and boot free
•After January 1st remove all your Christmas décor including the outside lights, etc.
•Update the wreath on your door to be more “wintery” rather than “holiday”
•Keep your driveway and walkway and steps clear of snow and slip free.
by Kim Dingwall | Blogging, Business Communications, Real Estate Staging
Welcome to my blog. I am a certified Real Estate Stager and communications professional. I am also a mother, wife, and sister. I love houses. Always have. I am thrilled to have a career so closely associated with this passion of mine. I chose to make this career a reality and have many people to thank for this, mostly my husband. Friends and family have been very supportive and continue to inspire me.
I sometimes think that I had to make a company to rationalize my passion for collecting furnishings and accessories and justify why I keep buying them. It is all legitimate now. Right? I think so. It works for me. My company, Refined Rooms has been around since 2009.
I will ramble about my passions here. It won’t only be about staging but about house stuff. I think House Home Haven is an appropriate name for this blog.
I will learn about blogging and word press as I go and hope to make it nicer looking than it is right now. I maintain my Refined Rooms website and rely on my insanely talented son for graphic support and web design. It will take time to get this blog the way I like it. I will move things around and create new parts much like I do when I am staging and decorating. It is fun and the result can be spectacular and very rewarding. Thanks for reading. Comments always welcome, sharing is encouraged! Now, how do I put those sharing links in?
by Kim Dingwall | curb appeal, First Impressions, Gardening, home staging, property staging, property styling, Real Estate Staging
Here are our suggestions for improving your curb appeal. This list is not just for sellers but for anyone house proud. Please feel welcome to add your ideas and comments.
- All windows coverings seen from the curb should be white or punch it up by doing the coverings the same colour of the outside trim colour.
- Add a garden structure that is open or light in visual weight like a small bench, gate or pergola to create interest.
- Layering structural elements to front of your house: shutters, lighting, railings, ornamental wrought iron, will create depth and more interest. Light things up!
- A row of boxwood kept manicured would serve as a natural border between lawn and a row of purple sand cherries. Beautiful contrast from road!
- Full and lush bushes at the front of the house add interest and depth to the look; try different types of foliage for even more contrast.
- Hang out that wreath on your front door.
- Paint the trim around your garage and front doors this weekend whether selling or not, it will punctuate your facade.
- Cleaning up dead leaf and foliage from your front gardens greatly improves its appearance in early spring.
- Homes for sale facing north would benefit from brighter plantings like gold leaf spirea; blue junipers, white, yellow and orange annuals.
- Your front door should be the focal point, not the garage. A bright front door colour that complements the house colour leads visitors to your entry easily.
- Over seed your lawn in cooler temperatures, a rich, healthy lawn says “well maintained” and makes buyers pay attention.
- A clean-edged garden looks professional and better than those framed with little metal or plastic edgers.
- Clean up your gardens now if you are selling! New garden soil top up will look rich, deep and healthy. This shows you maintain well.
- Bushes and grasses can enhance your curb appeal both thru colour and structure. Using these effectively can be welcoming.
- Gardens have a big impact on your curb appeal. Choose the right colour and types of plantings for your house.
- Wash around door handle and trim (use a baking soda & water paste), remove all spider webs.
- Sweep and pressure wash your steps; people will notice everything when waiting at the door.
- Wash your outside lighting; they will be brighter and sparkle, adding to your curb appeal.
- Don’t clean your windows on a sunny day = too many streaks! Do it on a cloudy day instead.
- If selling and your home looks like it is missing some curb appeal add some shutters to the windows. They give a friendly and balanced look.
- If your house faces North and you’re selling, put a punchier and brighter colour on the front door so it grabs attn from potential buyers.
- Are your eavestroughs dripping? Clean ’em out and repair so water doesn’t flow to your basement and doesn’t drip on buyers at the front door.
