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When you’re preparing your home for a sale, you should declutter as much as possible. That makes your property appear neater and more spacious to buyers.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to toss items in the trash or haul them to a landfill site. There are many other, more environmentally-friendly ways to dispose of unwanted items.

One popular technique is to sell them online. Even if you think an old chair isn’t worth much, as the saying goes, “One person’s junk is another’s treasure.” There are several websites for selling items quickly, including Facebook Marketplace. In fact, you can list items today and potentially sell them this week. Just be sure to set prices low, as people tend to look for deals on these sites.

You can also give away items. Post items you’re willing to part with for free on your community’s Facebook page. You can also pin a poster to an announcements board in your neighbourhood.

Donating items is also an option. There are many charities that accept items such as clothes, furnishings, tools, kitchenware, and sports equipment. Google “Where to donate items” and then add the name of your area.

Finally, an old-fashioned garage or yard sale can be effective. Place signs throughout your neighbourhood announcing the sale. Start your sale early. Many hardcore garage sale lovers will be there as soon as you open, even if that’s 7am! Want more advice on how to prepare your home for sale? Call us.

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5 Ways to Add Fun to the Selling Process

When you think about selling your property, do you dwell on the possible work and stress involved? You're not alone. Many homeowners share the same concerns. But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, there are plenty of ways to add some fun, anticipation, and even a sense of adventure to the selling process.


Here are just a few ideas:


1. Plan fun things to do when your home is being shown. That can include walks, sports activities, or trying something you and your family have never done before.


2. Declutter for your own benefit. Instead of thinking about decluttering as a chore required for the sale, focus instead on how much more comfortable your home will be after decluttering. Studies consistently show that less clutter reduces stress and increases a sense of wellbeing.


3. Get everyone in your home anticipating the move in a positive way. Put pictures of your next home, including neighbourhood shots, on the fridge door. Sit together on the computer and explore your new neighbourhood's features and amenities.


4. Celebrate milestones in the selling process. For example, when you're finished preparing your property for sale, go out to celebrate. Make a checklist of milestones and how you'll celebrate each one.


5. Get the help you need. A big part of the stress of selling is the anticipated work involved. Remember, you don't have to do it all yourself. Much of what needs to be done can be handled by contractors and other professionals.


There are many other ways to make selling your home a positive and turbulentfree experience. Give us a call if you'd like more ideas and suggestions.

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Cutting Down the Time it Takes to Prepare your Home for Sale



If you're thinking of listing your property, one thing that might be holding you back is concern about preparing your home for sale. You may be wondering how much work there will be. Is it going to take a couple of months? A couple of weeks? A few days?That, of course, depends on the state of your property. However, regardless of how close your home is to “show home” ready, there is plenty you can do to reduce how long that preparation takes.


Consider these ideas:


Sell stuff online. The less cluttered your home seems to buyers, the better it will show. So, make a list of items you want to sell, and then list them on one of the many local online market websites. Price items fairly and, chances are, you'll get rid of everything in a day or two.


Have a repair day. Go through your home and make a list of everything that needs to be fixed. Then, schedule repair people to all come on the same day. Voila! In one day, all needed repairs (or, at least, most of them) are done.


Get staging advice. Instead of guessing at what changes you need to make around your home to make it look its best, get expert staging advice. You’ll find out exactly what the experts suggest you do, and you'll save a lot of time and money. (By the way, we can provide you with that advice too.)


Ask before making big improvements. Are you planning to convert a wood burning fireplace into a gas unit to help sell your home? Before doing any big improvements or renovations like that, talk to us. You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on an unnecessary project.


Hire help. You don't have to do everything on your own. Get the help you need. For example, hire a painter, a cleaner, and/or a junk removal service.


Those will significantly shorten the time it takes to prepare your home for sale and save you a lot of work. Also, the costs of those professionals may be off-set by the increase in the sale price of your home.


Bottomline: Preparing your home doesn't need to be overwhelming and time-consuming. Contact us for more ideas to help get your home ready for sale.  

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Staged to sell in Airdrie !!

This Airdrie home had been listed with another Realtor with no luck snagging a buyer. I knew instantly when I walked in that I could stage this home to draw people in. The big pieces were there but it needed some spice and softness. Also, when a home has been on the market for some time already you need to shake things up with a fresh start and that means a new look and new photos! You don’t want buyers and Realtors to see the same old photos and pass it by thinking they have already crossed that one off the list. At that point the only tool in the box is a price reduction to make it happen. We brought in a rug, some art and pillows to pop in some colour. I remember showing it to a couple of buyers who said, “I think we were in this one before but it looks so different – better!” You know when they settle in on the couch to talk about what they like about the home there’s a good chance you’ve got a sale.

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Sunnyside Condo Gets a Makeover

This condo turned around nicely with some staging. Most of the furniture belonged to the seller, we just brought in a few pieces to tie it all together. The seller’s parents had purchased the condo for him to live in while going to school in Calgary, a trend we are seeing more of these days. Now that school was finished it was time to roll that condo investment into something else. When you do the math it costs over $50,000 to pay for 4 years of rent, more if you’re in Vancouver or Toronto. So it can make a lot of sense to purchase a condo close to school. No getting kicked out by the landlord when you own the place! Getting a roommate to help pay the mortgage makes it even more attainable. Condo prices in Calgary are down 14% from 2014 so it’s a great time to pick one up as an investment or to live in. There are LOTS of things to be on the lookout for when buying a condo so pick through those condo documents with a fine toothed comb and get some good advice from your Realtor.  #calgaryrealtor #stagingcalgary #calgarycondos

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New year, new series.....I’m calling it Sarah’s Staging Saturdays!

This week’s installment - it’s not always glamorous. Sometimes it’s not about bringing furniture and staging pieces in, rather it’s about clearing everything out so that buyers can see the potential of the space. Stay tuned for this handyman special in Bowness to be listed this week, an investor alert for sure! #hotprice #buyholdprosper #yycinvestors #realestateinvestors #sarah&tammysellyyc
#calgaryrealestate #calgaryrealtor #homestaging

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