You may love your home, but that doesn’t mean that everyone coming through the door will feel the same way. What may be “charming” to the seller may seem off-putting to a prospective buyer. Many sellers attempt to stage their home themselves and, in doing so, create mistakes that can actually sidetrack the sale of their homes. Here are some of the biggest staging mistakes, according to professional home stagers.
1. Getting too personal: Home staging is meant to create a neutral canvas that will appeal to the majority of buyers. Staging is all about de-personalizing the space, and creating more of a luxury hotel or a model home look that will appeal to most everyone. This is not the time to bring in your unique style and create a look that appeals to just you.
2 . Using dark colors: If painting, you should choose a nice, neutral and warm color, such as beige tones, grey tones, or light blue or pale greens. You’ll be amazed at the transformation a few coats of fresh paint will make on your home.
3. Not taking advantage of natural light: People love natural light, so blocking off any light with heavy curtains or furniture can hurt your sale, especially if the home has attractive views. Anything dated in a home is a turn-off to a potential buyer and window treatments are one of them.
4. Thinking more is better: Scale down your furniture. The size of the furniture needs to be in balance with the scale of the room and the other furniture in it. Remember that the purpose of furniture when selling a home is to define the purpose of the room and to show what will fit where. It is not meant to show that you can provide seating for 15 in your living room and every seat has a side table to rest drinks on.
5. Leaving pets at home: You need to remove all traces of animals from the house and make sure “Fido” or “Sunshine” is away during showings. Having a pet could kill a sale before someone even steps into a house.
6. Neglecting the outside: People care about the outside space just as much as the inside, so add flowers, make sure the lawn is mowed, the yard is tidy and add a few backyard accessories for the kids.
7. Only dealing with “main” rooms: People are quick to stage living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, but don’t forget to spruce up the garage, basement and closets as well.
8. Forgetting fixtures: When staging a home, it’s important to ensure all lights are burning with fresh bulbs, and that all fixtures are working.
Remember, staging a home means showcasing the property’s many features, not concealing its flaws. Make sure your house is in good condition and use staging to cast the home in the best light.
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Roseland, Burlington - We invite everyone to visit our OPEN HOUSE at 414 Pine Cove Road on January 29 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
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• 1 bath, 3 bdrm 1 1/2 story - MLS®
One and a half storey, 3 bedroom home situated in the prime Roseland area of south Burlington. Fabulous curb appeal. Backing onto greenspace. Large deck ideal for entertaining. Upgrades include high efficiency furnace, air conditioning, tankless hot water heater, renovated kitchen and bathroom, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors. Main floor laundry, main floor master bedroom. No wasted space! Tuck & Nelson school district. A great find for the most discerning buyers!
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At any time, you can decide to change the road you're on in life, take a new direction, follow a new trail. You are the only one who really knows what you want from life and if you're on the right road for you. You are the only one who can fulfill your dreams and receive the joys and happiness that come from reaching those aspirations and goals.
Don't expect others to be responsible for your happiness and your success. You must take control and be in charge of your destiny and day-to-day situations. Take advice (most of the time it's free) and listen to what others have to say and what concerns they have; it's important to have different points of view. But always validate those words of wisdom with your own set of standards and make sure that the advice has meaning to your sense of reality.
You must understand yourself enough to know what you want in life and what desires you believe are worthwhile for your future. You need to depend upon yourself and your talents. Appreciate others for their personal skills and abilities, but always continue to focus on your own strengths and energies. Life is much too short to spend it worrying about someone else's accomplishments or expecting someone else to be responsible for making your life better.
If you have dreams, then you have a purpose. You have something to believe in and work towards obtaining. Dedicate yourself to yourself. Promise yourself a life filled with love, and then whatever roads you travel will be the roads you want them to be.
With winter weather gripping most of the country the fireplace takes on greater importance in the sale of a home.
The National Association of REALTORS® recently conducted a survey that found nearly two-thirds of homebuyers had a fireplace on their wish list. The fireplace has become a coveted amenity and homes boasting this feature see its benefits during resale. “The fireplace is a focal point when people come to see your home,” said Hillary Staats, an interior designer for Sanctuary on Church in Vienna, Va.
That’s why it’s important to make sure that the look of your fireplace has been updated and is working properly. An older looking fireplace that seems an eye-sore can be easily updated. “There is a lot you can do to enhance the fireplace before a sale. A lot of times, if it has older brick, I will re-stone a fireplace. Other times it could be as simple as changing mantels, adding a fancier screen or placing a beautiful piece of art above it.”
Transformation materials that are inexpensive and easy to work with are tile, manufactured stone, granite, marble and wood. Sometimes even painting over old, ugly brick will make a huge improvement. “A masonry fireplace can really set a home apart from the rest and significantly improve resale value,” said Larry Kett, owner of Kett’s Hearth and Home in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Adding a mantel also helps. An engaging fireplace and mantel can provide grandeur for an otherwise ho-hum room.”
Keeping the mantel clean and uncluttered is also a must. “You want the fireplace to look inviting but not cluttered, so keep the mantel clear of all photos and knickknacks,” Staats said. “It’s fine to decorate with accessories, but they shouldn’t distract from the fireplace itself.”
If you want to add a fireplace to improve your home’s resale value, consider an electric fireplace as it’s often the least expensive option and reasonably easy to install.
Gas fireplaces are more common today and easy to use, plus they can be installed just about anywhere. There is no need for a chimney, wood or even matches with this type of fireplace and there is no mess to clean up either. Ceramic log kits are efficient and look like the real deal, without ashes to clean up.
Finally, regardless of the season, a fireplace should be kept clean and in working order. “You want your buyer to go home feeling really great about that room and knowing they can move in and sit in front of that wonderful fireplace and hearth,” Staats said. “There are few things as warm and inviting as a burning fire on a wintry day.”
669 Carmen Court, Burlington - We invite everyone to visit our open house on Sunday January 15 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
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Finished on all levels!
• 1,773 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm - MLS® $458,000
Gorgeous 4 level side-split on a quiet kid-friendly court. Double garage converted to Dining Room and heated workshop. Spacious principle rooms include Family Room with gas fireplace & French doors to the back patio, separate formal Dining Room, Living Room with gas fireplace and built-in window seat on the bay window overlooking the front yard. Generous sized Master Bedroom with lots of closet space. Updated 4 piece bathroom. Lower level Recreation Room is perfect for the kids to play or as a games room. Hardwood floors throughout. Beautifully finished on all levels. Backyard is an entertainer’s delight offering many different seating areas with a patio, deck and gazebo plus space for a pool. Many updates are evident through-out the home. Call now to book your personal tour!
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By Forgiving...
You hear people say this all the time: “I have a right to be upset because of the way I’ve been treated. I have a right to be angry, hurt, depressed, sad, and resentful.” Learning to avoid this kind of thinking is one of my secrets for living a life of inner peace, success, and happiness. Anytime you’re filled with resentment, you’re turning the controls of your emotional life over to others to manipulate.
Removing resentment and blame from your life means never assigning responsibility to anyone for what you’re experiencing. It means that you’re willing to say, “I may not understand why I feel this way, why I have this illness, why I’ve been victimized, or why I had this accident, but I’m willing to say without any guilt or resentment that I own it. I live with, and I am responsible for, having it in my life.” Why do this? If you take responsibility for having it, then at least you have a chance to also take responsibility for removing it or learning from it.
First, you have to get past blame. Then you have to learn to send love to all, rather than anger and resentment. Just as no one can define you, neither do you have the privilege of defining others. When you stop judging and simply become an observer, you will know inner peace. With that sense of inner peace, you’ll find yourself free of the negative energy of resentment, and you’ll be able to live a life of contentment. A bonus is that you’ll find that others are much more attracted to you. A peaceful person attracts peaceful energy.
At the root of virtually all spiritual practice is the notion of forgiveness. Think about every single person who has ever harmed you, cheated you, defrauded you, or said unkind things about you. Your experience of them is nothing more that a thought that you carry around with you. These thoughts of resentment, anger, and hatred represent slow, debilitating energies that will disempower you. If you could release them, you would know more peace.
You practice forgiveness for two reasons: to let others know that you no longer wish to be in a state of hostility with them and to free yourself from the self-defeating energy of resentment. Send love in some form to those you feel have wronged you and notice how much better you feel.
Start 2012 with a clean heart and see how great it feels and through good feelings what amazing opportunities lie ahead for you!!
Have a safe & Happy New Year's!!
e2 
Wow, this has been a fast year, it's hard to imagine that Christmas is only days away. Are you done shopping? Are you prepared to embrace the festivities? I know all the little children are excited for Santas visit, and the bigger children excited to get all their gifts too!
2011 has been a year of ups and downs, most definitely a year of positive change. That's how life is in our world...I'm an avid believer in if something doesn't work, change it. If people are negative and bringing you down, get them out of your life...because, as we can see from 2011 alone, time flies by and truly, what is the point in staying in a situation that makes you entirely miserable or what's the point of being around people who are selfish or negative or simply suck the energy out of you.
The Christmas season and heading into the New Year is a great time to reflect on your immediate past and figure what you want, who you want to spend time with, prioritize how you want spend your time in your life for it to continue to grow. What changes (either physically or mentally) do you need to make in your life.Of course, it's mainly a time to spend with loved ones and family members you may or may not often see through out the year...It's a great opportunity to sit down over that wonderful turkey dinner and actually share some laughs, communicate with each other and find out how everyone else's year has been. Perhaps even ask them about their goals and what changes they'd like for the New Year.
So after the gift giving and merriment, and as we focus on 2012 take time to think about what you actually want. Do you still want to be where you are now? In the same job? In the same house? Are you happpy? Would you like to make changes but scared to? Do the people in your life fulfill you? Family, friends etc. Things to ponder and ask yourself.
On a lighter note we would simply like to wish all of you amazing people a very Merry Christmas!! May 2012 be filled with peace, love and prosperity in abundance!!
Our Best.
I believe-
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I believe-
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I believe-
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them
I believe-
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I believe-
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I believe-
That regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.
I believe-
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I believe-
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time!
I believe-
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe-
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I believe-
That just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I believe-
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I believe-
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe-
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I believe-
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I believe-
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I believe-
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.
I believe-
That the people you care about most in life are the essence of life. Tell them today how much you love them and what they mean to you.
A stressful part of putting your home on the market is trying to figure out what to fix and upgrade to get the very best price. An experienced agent will recommend projects to consider and ones to avoid. After all, just because you put money into a renovation project doesn’t mean you will recoup the money in a sale.
You may also want to consult Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for a breakdown of typical returns on renovation projects large and small. The 24th annual edition published earlier this year contains input from some of the country’s top remodeling professionals and ranked 35 remodeling projects for highest returns.
In many cases, smaller-scale renovation projects recoup more of their initial cost than larger, pricier ones, according to the report. For example, a minor $20,000 kitchen upgrade returns 72.8% of renovation costs, but a more expensive $58,000 kitchen remodel only retains 68.7% of its value on resale.
Surprisingly, the report noted that exterior upgrades recoup more of their costs than interior renovations -- a trend that’s been building for the past five years. What’s the hottest exterior upgrade according to this year’s report? Replacing the front door with a steel entry door, which typically returns more than 100% of its cost. The report also lists garage doors as a wise investment, returning up to 83% of their original cost when the home sells. Other prudent outdoor renovations include siding and window replacement, returning 80% and 72.4 %, respectively.
Interior improvements retaining the most value include attic renovations and basement remodels, recouping 72.2% and 70%. “Just like an addition to the home, an unfinished space—such as the attic or basement—will instantly add value and livability to your home, as it increases the square footage and changes the way your family lives in it,” said Will Tomlinson, owner of greyHouse Inc. Renovation and Remodeling. “You will be transforming a space that likely gets very little use into a fully functional area for your family to enjoy.” The report also notes that non-essential features have less resale value. Sunroom additions recoup only 48.6% of renovation costs; home office remodels, 45.8%; and backup power generators, 48.5%.
Of course, homeowners’ needs and budgets dictate their choice of home-improvement projects. Still, it helps to know projects’ cost vs. return ratio when making the final decisions.
Everyone wants success, and yet they often don't know when they have it. Do you know? What's your definition of success?
For most, it is the maddening chase toward a better way of life or more of something. More fame, power, recognition, money, or material stuff. For some, it is the understanding of a loving partner, the love of their child, or the people that they can count on when life throws them a curve.
I am, personally, coming to believe that success is not more material wealth, but peace, happiness, contentment, and love.
Most of all love.
Real success is not to be sought after in the outer world, but discovered in your inner world. I am not condemning the stuff of life. We all want the things that life offers.
But we don't need as much as we think we do. Sooner or later you will discover that real success is friends, strangers, and anyone who crosses our path. It is kindness shared, support given and received, listening, giving, and caring.
These will endure while your car rusts, your toys break, and you tire of the temporary gratifications that bring you what you think is real.
What matters is people. What lasts is love. What counts are true friends, and if you treasure these you can count yourself a success.
From Postive Thoughts (my daily inspiration) here are five little things we can do each day to nourish our sense of gratitude:
1. Choose your friends wisely.
If you want to be more grateful, spend time with grateful people. Spend time with positive people to be more positive; joyful people to be more joyful. If you strive to be spiritually strong, supportive, empowering, intelligent, energetic, and positive, seek those characteristics in others.
Help your friends develop more positive traits by living those positive traits yourself. Know what kind of friends will help you nurture your soul, and set out to find some.
2. Help your friends cultivate gratitude.
Before you say anything about a friend's situation, remember that everyone's situation is unique. I've seen it happen to myself and to my friends. They'll be perfectly happy until someone tells them they're being mistreated. Suddenly, they're upset.
Don't let your friends wield such power, and work to avoid wielding such power yourself.
Day by day, hour by hour, make a goal to avoid complaining about your life. Make a pact with your friends to cut the complaints from your conversations.
3. Give the gift of gratitude to your children.
Help your children to be satisfied and grateful for simple, everyday things by giving thanks aloud. Keep a Gratitude Journal in which, each day, you record five or ten things for which you are grateful, and ask your children for contributions. Give your children a journal of their own or keep a family Gratitude Journal.
4. Say "Thank You."
Whom in your life do you appreciate? Let them know, whether it's your mom, your kids, your friends, your husband, your child's daycare provider or the helpful woman behind the cosmetics counter.
Write thank you notes regularly - not just after a gift exchange - and be mindful of all the ways you show your appreciation by the things you do in return.
Tell your kids how thankful you are for them. Jot a note to each of your children in which you tell them how much you love them, why you're thankful for them, and all the ways they have enriched your life. This can be something you give them now or after they have grown.
5. Be mindful of the little things.
Today, strive to be aware of all the aspects of your personal, professional, and family life for which you are thankful.
Take a few minutes today to appreciate nature. Go for a walk and notice only those things that are beautiful. Whether you focus on the stars above, a distant mountain range, or the cottonwood tree in your backyard, try to notice the details. Give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us.
Regardless of whether you record these items, spend some time each day to focus on the little things in your life that make each day special. Perhaps it's your child's toothless grin. A warm home. Delicious food enjoyed with family.
Together, let's work on focusing on what we have--not on what we don't have-- and all the ways we can help one another have more gratitude for the gift of life.
Tommorrow is such an important day to the world. It's 11/11/11...It's "Poppy Day"...I love poppies...one of my favourite flowers as well as my favourite colour, red! It's also known as Veteran's Day or Armistice Day...but for me personally it is simply Remembrance Day, the most important of all.
This is a day observed in many countries around the world to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty since World War 1. While I personally do not know of anyone who has died in the line of duty I have many family members, even presently, who continue to serve in the armed forces. Remembrance Day is observed on this date (November 11th) to recall the official end of World War 1 on that date in 1918, and hence the significance of tomorrow being 11/11/11...we note that the hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.
The significance of the Poppy is due to the poem "In Flanders Fields" (which I have shared with you before and will again below). These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War 1, with the red colour being an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war. "Lest we forget"...
In Flanders Fields...
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
There’s an episode of the hit TV series “How I Met Your Mother” where the characters of Marshall and Lily decide to buy a home in a neighbourhood they are unfamiliar with, only to learn later that it sits downwind from a sewer plant. The message is obvious: A buyer must do his or her due diligence on prospective neighbourhoods to make the best real estate decisions.
For starters, investigate the local school district as good schools boost your property value. Research the closest parks and community centers and consider how busy streets impact the neighbourhood.
Profiling the perfect neighbourhood also involves meeting prospective neighbours. Walk through the area and say hello to people, and ask them for their impressions of the neighbourhood. While you’re at it look around. Are there lots of kids on the block? Do people walk or jog through the neighbourhood at night? A neighbourhood can speak volumes by itself.
Don’t forget to map out stores and restaurants in the area. You may be used to a five-minute drive to the local grocery store, only to find out that your new home is 25 minutes away from the nearest place to buy milk.
Of course, find out if your potential new home is part of a neighbourhood association bearing regular fees, and if your community has lawn or construction restrictions.
A good agent can furnish you with a wealth of local information, and will take you on a tour of the closest commerce centers, restaurants and shops. With a little groundwork you can help ensure that your dream house is surrounded by a dream neighbourhood!!