Once Upon a Time.....

...long long ago (October) there was a handsome young real estate agent who wanted to use Regroup to stage a condo. The condo was a scary, empty place with no furniture. (Read: a vacant condo in North York) The young agent had a partner on this deal who was a frightening ogre with fiery breath who said “NO STAGING” (really he was just an old school type agent). So the young agent had to postpone using our services.

Then on a bright and sunny day about a month later the young agent called Regroup and said ‘I have listed another empty scary condo and want you to stage it right away. We need you to rescue the vendor.’ (Read: vacant condo in boutique building on Davisville)

So Regroup used their magic and transformed the scary empty condo into a showpiece that would win over the heart of a buyer.

A young maiden saw the condo and bought it! (In fact it sold in under a week, with multiple offers, in December.)

Now the frightening ogre saw what Regroup magic could do and he said to the handsome young agent “Ok, let’s get Regroup to do magic on our North York condo listing”. Suddenly the frightening ogre changed into a kind and wise businessman.

So we did our magic on the North York condo and what happened next…?

Will it sell fast so the handsome young agent, the wise businessman, and Regroup can live happily ever after?

Stay tuned!

Happy 2014 From Maddy & Patricia

Christmas 2012 Rerun, Twas The Night Before Listing

A 'Styling To Sell' TIP for NOW

We are still seeing homes with flip flops in the hall closet, swimming pool

equipment, patio furniture and other leftover things from the lazy hazy days.(unfortunately long gone!)

All off-season items should be packed away by now.
Pool equipment should be stored neatly out of site such as a corner in the basement or packed. If pool equipment is stashed in the mud room, and patio cushions are in the family room, the prospective buyers will wonder where they will stash this paraphernalia if they buy the house.
Still having summer jackets in the closets shouts that there is not enough storage space.
Closets should be season appropriate and room appropriate. That means
no food /pantry items in the hall closet, no adult clothes in the kids' rooms.

 
In winter, Styling to Sell is more important than ever. Our short days and winter weather bring challenges - luckily Regroup can handle it!

Worthwhile Style: A Fresh Funky Look for a Yonge & Eglinton Condo

This was a great collaboration with Regroup and the condo owners.  The owners had minimal furniture in the unit and what they had was very tired, drab and had no Wow factor what so ever. A single bed was in the living room, an older pine country style table and folding chairs were in the dining area. A TV stand was used as a desk and the bedroom was boring and bland. But this is a super bright large soft loft, it just needed a refresh.

The vendors did not want to rent furniture but were willing to purchase, so we advised them on what to buy. We looked at pictures on-line together and guided them throughout the 'shopping sprees'. They did a great job on choosing a modern sofa, dining set,and desk. They also removed every item we suggested including a huge shelving unit that divided the space, took down drapes, and purged closets.

We came in with accessories and wall art and made the transformation from dull to dazzling.

Mid Project

Before

After

Bedroom Before

Bedroom After

The vendor emailed me:

"Thank you Thank you. I can't believe it is our condo!"

 Yes, this was Worthwhile Style.

Back To School? Home For Sale?

Back To School?   Home For Sale? 

Here are 5 Back to School Tips to Help Keep it 'show-ready':

( Yes..this is the same as last year. I was asked to run it again, so here it is)

Selling a home can be a stressful time; combine this with the new schedules, the school bags, lunch bags, gym shoes, text books, pencil cases and paperwork, and early September can become as hectic as the Christmas rush. 

Here are 5 Tips to keep a home 'show-ready'.

#1 If kids usually use the front door – now is the time for them to use the side or back door. Keep the WOW factor at the front door; keep shoes & school bags at the other one.

#2 Have a dedicated spot for books and school bags, and homework, that looks neat and organized, and somewhat clutter free. Baskets and foldable coloured storage bins work perfectly.

#3 Don’t let kids' summer paraphernalia and back to school equipment overlap  - put some items that belong to the lazy hazy days away early. Pack them up, ready to move or put them in storage.

#4 The first weeks of school mean dizzying amounts of paperwork such as permission slips. Get these signed, back in the school bag and returned to school immediately. Don’t let them pile up.

#5 Student moving out to university?

This means a considerable amount of ‘stuff’ will be moving out too – clothes, toiletries, and clutter…all good to go. But if you have removed beds, bookcases, chairs, carpets, dressers, and accessories look at the room with new eyes and see what needs to be replaced to show the room at its best.

Does size matter? Of course I’m talking about …….decks!

We all love a big deck but it’s really what you do with it.

Even when it is a small deck, you can do some amazing things.

Patios and decks add to the living space and especially in our geographical area – they should not be overlooked or forgotten about.

There is a current trend for ‘outdoor rooms’ so if you have a deck or patio create an extended living space – use colourful cushions, put out bright coloured patio dishes, a lemonade set, and lots of blooming plants. On large decks and patios use outdoor furniture sets that say “hey come sit down, stay & visit”.

If you have a small deck or a balcony use planter boxes so as not to use up deck floor space, put out a size-appropriate bistro set and make the area welcoming.

Most small patios can handle a bench or small bistro set, and pots with lots of blooming plants.

At this time of year vendors should put as much care and prep into the outdoor space as into the home. Prospective buyers need to envision themselves spending time in this area too. It can give you a competitive edge.

On the deck, be sure there are no nail heads or screws sticking out, that it is structurally sound and re-stain or power wash.

On the patio be sure slabs are not cracked, crooked, or raised. Also be sure there are no weeds or grass sneaking up between the slabs.

A gazebo on a large deck, in the backyard or on a patio is a great touch.

TIP: if you have a vendor who is planning on selling in the fall, take pictures this summer, so you can show potential buyers the paradise they can expect to see next summer.

Great idea for a small balcony!

This is in Dallas - just had to add it!

One of my favourites...in Alberta.