HOMEBuyer/Seller™issue 12

5 Unusual (but effective) Home Staging Ideas

“Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.” Denis Waitley

“Do or do not. There is no try.” Yoda

“If we magnified our successes as much as we magnified our disappointments, we’d all be much happier.” Abraham Lincoln

Not intended to cause or induce the breach of, cancellation of, assignment of, or to interfere in any way with the existing agency agreement of another REALTOR®.

“Staging” your home is all about making the spacein your home as appealing as possible to buyers.You may already know the basics, such aseliminating clutter. Here are some other tips thatare less well known yet very effective:Chandeliers. Surprisingly, these are one of thesimplest ways to make a foyer, dining room orliving room dramatically more eye-catching. Youcan buy a good-looking chandelier for a fewhundred dollars.New linen. This is something many home sellersdon’t consider, but should. Replace any worn linen– sheets, coverings, towels, and even oven mittswith new ones. Believe it or not, new linen makes abig impression on buyers.Pedestal sinks. It may not be practical for you toreplace a bathroom sink. However, if you aredoing a renovation, keep in mind that pedestalsinks – especially in small washrooms – are a bighit with buyers.New appliances. A brand new fridge, stove anddishwasher are motivating selling features tobuyers. That’s because new appliances make thewhole kitchen look brand new.Avoid multi-use rooms. Have a spare bedroomthat doubles as a home office? That’s a turnoff tobuyers. Whenever possible, stage each room so

that it has a singular purpose. A guest bedroom,for example, should be only that.Want more tips on how to stage your home so thatit attracts buyers? Call today.INFO

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You would have to visit your localpharmacy or science lab to rival thenumber of potentially dangerouschemicals in the average home. Youlikely store everything from fertilizersand acidic cleaners to gasoline andcorrosive drain openers.Obviously, it makes sense to ensurethat everyone in your home uses andstores such items safely.For example, laundry detergent packs– which have become popular recently

– are attractive to children. Keep themlocked and out of sight. You should dothe same with all laundry products.Even exposure to fabric softener padscan cause skin irritation to a child.Always read and follow the labels onhousehold chemical products. Use andstore them as directed. Keep corrosives, such as harshcleaners and drain openers, separatefrom other chemicals and in a placewhere, should they leak, they will cause

minimal or no damage.Also, never put a chemical in anythingother than its original container. Youdon’t want to take the chance that paintthinner stored in an old water bottle, forexample, is mistaken for water!Finally, make sure you have the phonenumber to your local Poison ControlCenter in a handy place, such as yourfridge door. (You can find a list ofnumbers at www.CAPCC.ca in Canadaand www.AAPCC.org in the U.S.)

Being Safe about Chemicals in Your Home

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