Set Your Stage

Hidden Treasures in Calgary’s Real Estate Market

May 19, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

I love hidden treasures, variety, and a bit of excitement about the unknown. That’s why I can lose all sense of time when I’m browsing Pinterest and adding home staging ideas to the Set Your Stage boards. It’s that same sense of anticipation when browsing Calgary’s ‘up and coming’ neighbourhoods. There are hidden treasures in Calgary’s Real Estate Market to be found.

According to Mark Brown of MoneySense, “Satellite communities around major centres are evolving to deliver small-town flare with big-city conveniences. In that way, many of these communities aren’t just great places to live: they’re Canada’s best-kept secrets.”

Add to that the fact that Calgary continues to be one of the top 25 places to live in Canada (actually Calgary’s ranked #2), and the opportunity to get into the real estate market in an upcoming community is definitely appealing.

Recently I staged a couple of properties that provide a perfect example of what I mean about hidden treasures.

Ramsay
This renovated heritage home looks new while maintaining its charm and traditional elegance. It’s close to Inglewood (another popular up and coming neighbourhood) and a short walk to the Bow River Pathway. Close to the hustle and bustle of the city, this charming home on a tree lined street provides plenty of space inside and out. And perhaps a bit of romance!

After: Beautiful French doors welcome you into the home after you enter through the large door.

After: This dining space is perfect for enjoying family meals with view of the kitchen, living room and backyard.

After: This kitchen is a cooks dream with a gourmet stove and granite countertops.

Glamorgan
For sale by owner, this is a really cute bungalow that has been gutted and renovated from top to bottom. Glamorgan is another popular upcoming neighbourhood close to 17th Ave and Signal Hill Shopping for convenience. Once you step inside, there’s definite wow factor. Easy to live with finishings and colours make it move in ready. If you like, use your creativity to add wow to the outside.

After: I love this stunning new white kitchen with stainless steel appliances, beautiful backsplash and ample storage in the kitchen in Glamorgan we just staged.

After: This dining space is perfect for family meals.

After: This stylish bedroom is the perfect retreat for any homeowner.

If you’re up for it, Calgary has hidden treasures in real estate to be found. So get out there are take a look for your own best-kept secret. Make a move!

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Six Common Home Staging Mistakes

April 22, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Even in a hot real estate market, sellers need to avoid making home staging mistakes. We’ve all heard about the perils of not de-cluttering, cleaning and de-personalizing before you list. As a professional home stager in Calgary, here are some other mistakes that I’ve seen sellers make.

Taking bad photos: Why waste your money on staging if your photos don’t match the real thing? Read more about Real Estate Photography Tips.
Uploading bad photos: Adding bad photos (even if it’s temporary) to your online listing is counterproductive. It’s better to have no photos – the potential buyer has already made their first impression.
Cookies & strong air fresheners: Are you trying to hide a problem? The best smell is no smell.
Getting free advice from a friend: Friends and family have their hearts in the right place, but you wouldn’t get them to repair your car if they weren’t qualified. So don’t do it with one of the biggest investments of your life. One of my client’s friends told him to paint the living room peach. Cringe!
Removing staging furniture too soon: Even though you may have offers/be conditionally sold, things don’t always work out the way you hope. It’s best to keep staging furniture rentals for the extra month, week or two, until everything is finalized.
Not checking in: If you’re not living in the property that’s being sold, it’s easy to forget about it. But sometimes things aren’t left the way they were staged to be after a showing, so it’s better to do a quick check in advance.

Be proactive and avoid common home staging mistakes to present your property in a way that will appeal to your ideal buyer. For more professional home staging resources and tips, follow Set Your Stage on Twitter.

Before: Calgary living room before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes?

After: This space is now a great place to entertain company.

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Who Do Home Staging Companies Work For?

April 16, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Home staging companies work for various clients; Home and Condo owners, Realtors, Renovators and Investors. The approach may be different in working with each client group, but the goal and end result is always the same. Home staging companies help to sell properties faster and at a higher price.

Home and Condo Owners:
At Set Your Stage, most of our business to date has come directly from home owners who want to stage their property to sell quickly and at the best price. We offer a range of services to meet every budget and timeline. Personal and professional service with quality results is always our goal.

After: This formal living room is a great place to entertain.

Realtors:
We also have Realtors who hire us to help their clients with DIY home staging consultations. In some cases, the Realtor will also help to cover accessory rentals. After the home staging consultation, the client will decide whether they can handle the recommendations on their own. If not, they can hire us to help.

Realtors who know that a property is going to be a tough sell “as is” should bring up the subject of home staging with their client. Some will know of home staging companies that they can recommend. Others will let clients do their own research.

After: Relax/entertain family/friends in your own personal media room.

Renovators and Investors:
Renovators and investors are another loyal client group that we work for. They want to get an excellent return on investment fast so they can move on to their next project. In most cases, the property is vacant. Home staging companies understand how to bring in the proper furniture to create a space that appeals to potential buyers.

After: This cozy L-shaped living & dining room is the perfect space for entertaining or relaxing.

If you are thinking about selling your property, or are a Realtor who wants to provide added value for your clients, seriously consider hiring a professional home staging company to help you market the property in its best light.

Looking for successful home staging companies in Calgary? Contact Jen at Set Your Stage for more information about our services designed to suit your needs. Ask us about how our results compare.

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Staging Remains Important in the Hot Calgary Real Estate Market

April 10, 2014 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

The hot Calgary real estate market has got people excited. Over the past couple of months, buyers are loving the fully staged vacant properties Set Your Stage has worked their magic on. Almost all of our staged properties are selling within days, at or above asking price (and we’re excited to see what happens with the projects we’re currently just starting).

It can’t be stated enough: First impressions sell. And when buyers have to make decisions quickly, staging will help them choose your property plus be willing to pay more if it comes to (or to avoid) a bidding war.

Calgary’s hot real estate market has been featured on CTV news recently for good reason. There are more buyers than sellers (we’re moving into a seller’s market). Low mortgage rates are adding to the competitive nature of the market. Properties are selling fast (average 28 days versus 35 last year) and often over asking price (note the average to max paid over list price!). Buyers are prepared to pay to get what they want.

Before: Bedroom before home staging.

Yet active listings are still higher than total sales. That proves that simply putting up a ‘For Sale’ sign in a hot market is not enough. The houses that aren’t selling become harder to sell the longer they remain on the market. That’s because they start to get a negative stigma (potential buyers start to question why the property isn’t selling and assume there must be something wrong with it).

After: This stylish bedroom is the perfect retreat for any homeowner.

Location, price and condition are the types of challenges that many of these properties face. And while you can’t do much about location, it is possible to adjust the price and improve the condition of the property so that it appeals to potential buyers. Staging sooner rather than later is definitely an option to consider if you’re in this situation.

Our calendar is getting full! Contact Jen at Set Your Stage today to schedule your free Home Staging Assessment so that you can take full advantage of Calgary’s hot real estate market too!

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Hidden Treasures in Calgary’s Real Estate Market

Six Common Home Staging Mistakes

Who Do Home Staging Companies Work For?

Staging Remains Important in the Hot Calgary Real Estate Market

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