ARTICLES

Attention All Home Sellers!

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2008

Have you ever wondered why homebuilders take their time, money and effort to build a home, decorate it, furnish it from top to bottom, and landscape it? They are marketing. Homebuilders know and understand their potential homebuyer’s needs, wants and desires.

Colleen Ernewein, a professional home stager of Home Impressions Staging and Decorating, suggests that if you are selling your home, you are no different than the homebuilder. You too are selling to the needs, wants and desires of the potential homebuyer.

How do you speak to these areas? Colleen Ernewein suggests :

While many homebuyers shop with specific criteria in mind, most will always buy because of emotional persuasion.
If there are renovations to be made potential homebuyers will view this as extra money and time that will need to be spent on the house, over and above the asking price – since most couples work, they don’t have the time; even if it is just a coat of paint.
Humans enjoy and appreciate beauty. It gives us a feeling of joy and contentment; making us happy and feeling better about ourselves and our surroundings.
Houses that offer cleanliness, uncluttered space, and updated décor to give beauty will sell your home, because you are speaking well to every emotion a person has.
Empty homes may have everything in it a person could want. Unfortunately, many people have a hard time envisioning what an empty home has to offer, it is lacking the decorating that offers beauty, giving the home a warm personality.

Home sellers, you are also in competition with other homes on the market. Colleen Ernewein advises that in order to sell your home, you need to understand what your competition is and how to at least match, if not make your home more desirable. This will ensure a fast sale and allow you to receive well within a fair asking price.

Many home sellers believe that it is the real estate agent who sells the home. An agent can only market the product you have created. If it is not meeting the needs, wants and desires your potential homebuyer is looking for, the agent can’t sell it.

Bottom line, if you want to sell your home fast and for top dollar, take the time, money and effort to get your home ready to create a tough competition for the rest of the homes on the market.

If you have further questions on how to get your home ready, contact Colleen at: (519) 749-0667, or by email at: home-impressions@hotmail.com.

I’m Trying to Sell My House! Where Can All The Clutter Go?

TUESDAY, SEPT 18, 2007

The age old quandary that many of us face on a day-to-day basis is how to eliminate the clutter. We all receive more than our need of “junk mail”, notes home from school, office, church, or any other extracurricular activities we are involved in. Have I mentioned the shoes, coats, hats, mitts, dog leashes, and all the other “stuff” that gets shoved into our front hall closets? Before we know it, our houses look like a tornado hit it at the end of the day. Hard to believe when no one has been home.

All of us need to a “place” to throw the junk mail, keys, forms etc., where it is out of sight, and to be dealt with at our own leisure.

Front Halls: Try keeping a basket with a lid on it, for fliers, mail, or any other items that would normally be placed on the staircase, or window ledge. A basket looks pretty, gives a focal point, but is a hard worker at keeping the clutter out of sight.

Front Closets: These closets are helpful, but try opening one, without everything falling out all over you! Creating “cubbies” for each person of the household with hangers, a hook and some shelves with baskets, really keeps the closet clean, allowing everyone to know where their things are at all times.

Bathrooms: Bathroom cabinets are hard to keep neat and tidy. There are so many little items rolling around. It is much easier to get each person in the household their own plastic container with a lid. In these containers, place your personal toiletries, i.e. brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant etc. This eliminates the look of clutter, while keeping everything in its place.

These suggestions can be utilized whether you are selling your home or not. All of us desire a home that is organized and tidy.

If you are selling, these suggestions will only help in the mad dash to get the house in order, before that potential homebuyer comes to look at your home.

For more suggestions, or ideas, please contact Colleen Ernewein for a consultation. (519) 749-0667

Can’t Sell Your Home? Staging May Be The Answer!

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2007

What is Staging?

Staging is the service of preparing your home to create a lasting first impression to potential homebuyers. The staging process can be as simple as de-cluttering and organizing. It can be more complex by doing renovations, to the extreme of furnishing an empty house from top to bottom.

Many homes that are on the market could use some work to make that critical "first impression" to potential homebuyers. To sell today, you need to do so much more than just place a "For Sale" sign on your front lawn.

Why is staging a home so important?

Homebuyers always shop with logic, but the purchase is usually because of emotional feelings toward the house.
Many cannot see the house's true condition if there is clutter, is unclean and lack’s of decorating taste.
Since many families have both partners working, they cannot afford the time to fix up a home. They want "move in" condition.
Many people are more aware of what a beautiful home can offer, because of television shows, magazines and other medias.
With real estate prices being so high, people want what they pay for.

Since you want to sell your home fast and for top dollar, you must consider these points and decide whether your home fits the criteria.

Is your home clean, free of clutter and showing optimum storage?
Is your decorating neutral as to attract as many different homebuyers as possible?
Is decor updated, creating a home that is warm, welcoming and offering a place of refuge?
Are there unfurnished rooms? Bare rooms make it hard for a person to see how the room would look finished.
Does the outside of your home welcome you in, or could it use some sprucing up to create a warm presence?

If you say yes to any of these questions, this may be the reason you are not getting desired offers.

To review, your home is your biggest asset. To sell it, you must consider it as a product. You must market to the needs, wants and desires of the potential buyer.

If you need help getting your house sale ready, Colleen Ernewein of Home Impressions Staging and Decorating will get you there. With her skills in organizing, furniture placement, color schemes, lighting and accessorizing, you will be confident to place your home on the market.

To book your consultation with Colleen Ernewein, call 519-749-0667. Email: homeimpressions@netscape.ca

Published in the K-W Record, August 11, 2007

Is Your House REALLY Ready To Go On The Market?

SATURDAY, MAY 19, 2007

Now that the March break is over and spring is here, the real estate market is getting into full swing. If you plan on putting your house on the market, is it really showing its absolute best, so that it will sell quickly and for top dollar?

The majority of homes that are on the market could use some work to make that ever critical "first impression" to potential homebuyers. To sell a home in today's market, you need to do so much more than just place a "For Sale" sign on your front lawn.

Why is staging a home so important?

Homebuyers always shop with logic, but the purchase is usually because of emotional feelings toward the house.
Many cannot see the house's true condition if there is a lot of clutter, uncleanliness and lack of decorating taste.
Since many families have both partners working, they do not want to purchase a home to fix up. They want "move in" condition.
Many people are more aware of what a beautiful home can offer, because of television shows, magazines and other medias.
With real estate prices being so high, people want what they pay for.

Since you want to sell your home fast and for top dollar, you must consider these points coming from a homebuyers angle and decide whether your home fits their criteria.

Is your home clean, free of clutter and showing optimum storage?
Is your decorating neutral as to attract as many different homebuyers as possible?
Is your decorating updated, creating a home that is warm, welcoming and offering a place of refuge?
Does your house have rooms that are not furnished, or furnished well? Again, you are trying to create a great impression. Rooms that are empty create a lack of personality and makes the home cold, and undesirable.
Does the outside of your home welcome you in, or does it lack character and warmth?

If you say no to any of these questions, you are not ready to put your house up for sale, unless you are willing to take a large cut of the top of your asking price.

To review, your home is your biggest asset. To sell it, you must consider it as a product. Anyone marketing a product must speak to the needs, wants and desires of the potential buyer.

To book your consultation with Colleen Ernewein, call 519-749-0667.

Romance in the Backyard

APRIL 15, 2007

Before and after photos of the backyard.

Its summer and many of us are having dreams of hot sunny days, and warm romantic nights.

Whether you are in the process of selling your home or not, there is no reason why an area that would be made specifically for romance could not be created in your backyard, or balcony.

When thinking of a romantic dinner for two, many musts come to mind. You need flowers, tableware, tablecloth, music and candlelight. This does not have to be an expensive project. Many of us have most of the necessary elements needed to create such a romantic setting; just a bit of imagination will have you well on your way.

First of all, you do need the table and chairs. Some are not so fortunate to have either the room, or finances to purchase patio furniture. Not to worry. Many flea markets, garage sales and home auctions are a great place to begin your search. You can find small round tables, bistro sets, or even round decorator tables. These are small enough that would fit onto a balcony, or would create a nice focal point in a large backyard.

Once you have the table and chairs, choose the area where you would like to host this romantic dinner. Now the fun part begins.

Many of us decorate our homes, with colours that make us feel warm and relaxed. Since this is the atmosphere you wish to create, bring those colours to your table. A nice tablecloth that flows to the ground creates romance and elegance. Wine glasses, whether expensive, or not make a table breathtaking. Choose your dishes to coordinate with your tablecloth so that continuity is achieved. You are almost to the final touches. Flowers in gardens or containers make beautiful backdrops, as well as flowers on the table help to create that special atmosphere. Again you can utilize items that you already have in your home. Plants in containers surrounding the table can stay throughout the entire season, creating a beautiful focal point for anytime of the day, or night.

The last thing needed to create this special area, is lighting and music. We all have a little portable radio that can be battery operated. Hiding this in some of the plants and playing soft music sets the stage for romance. Candles and lighting around and on the table will give a soft glow that brings out the mood for the evening. If you do not have any outlets to plug in a lamp, or garden lighting, flashlights placed into the garden shining up will also create the effect that we all enjoy.

Now is the time to make that sumptuous dinner to share with that special someone.

Stores to Shop For Inexpensive Accessories

Winners™ provides many choices of containers, vases, tablecloths, stem wear, plus many other household needs.

Dollarama™ is also a great place for candles, silk flowers, placemats, tablecloths (paper/plastic, sometimes material) glass stem wear, and dishes. They also sell hardware, such as flashlights and batteries.

Zellers™

Walmart™ carries all of the necessary items that you would need to create a beautiful, romantic setting.