Home Staging Consultations

In today's market, staging has become more then a buzzword; in some cases, it's become a necessary step to assist you in preparing your home for sale. Staging is the process of depersonalizing a space and creating an image of an inviting lifestyle that potential buyers picture themselves living. Stagers consult on such issues as furniture layout, de-cluttering, cosmetic touch-ups and lighting, and work towards increasing your homes' appeal, and eventually your sale price by increasing its appeal among potential buyers. From beautifully furnished luxury homes to vacant properties and estate sales with a very dated look, stagers enhance the positive features of a home by properly arranging existing furniture and accessories, or providing rental items as needed. The end result is a model home effect that outshines comparable properties and offers Buyers a glimpse of your home's possibility, while often dramatically increasing your sale price. Simply put, staged homes sell faster and for more money then unstaged homes.

A bedroom (top) and living room (bottom) before and after staging.

As part of my listing package, I am pleased to offer my clients the opportunity to have a certified professional stager visit their home for a full consultation, and provide them with the complete room-by-room plan of how to achieve maximum appeal. This comprehensive report offers suggestions ranging from simple (i.e. which items to pack away and store, where to move furniture), to professional (i.e. paint colours, lighting, flooring, furniture rental). How much you choose is up to you, but I can offer you the tools to achieve the highest return on investment in the shortest period of time.

Trades Referrals

Small details can sometimes make a big difference in the overall presentation of your home. Buyers, especially first-timers, will often overestimate the cost and effort required to remedy even simple issues, which is why it is important for your home to show as well-cared for as possible. In my over twenty years of real estate experience, I have worked with and compiled a list of reliable tradespeople and service providers who can assist you in making your home as perfect as possible. We can work together to find simple solutions to most problems, minimizing the expense to you while ensuring that your home is functional and appealing to buyers. As always, all referrals are based entirely on my past experience; I receive no referral fee whatsoever.

Professional Real Estate Photography

There is a saying in real estate, If you can't see it, you can't sell it. As buyers search through large numbers of properties in their location and price range of interest, the search process becomes a visual contest to see which primary image is attention grabbing enough to get the buyer to look further. In this contest, you have a split second to impress them. You may have a fantastic home, but if the pictures don't grab the buyers interest they are not going to look farther; they will click to the next property. Additionally, it is a common sentiment among buyers that the absence of interior pictures may mean that the home needs repair, or that the Seller has something to hide. As part of my listing services, I engage a professional real estate photographer using press-quality equipment and high resolution imagery to showcase your home. Lighting is adjusted, personal effects are carefully digitally removed from photographs, and image color is enhanced to make sure your home simply shines.

Different photographs of the same house can emphasize the wrong attributes.

Digital Floorplans

In an age in which Buyers are increasingly information hungry, digital floorplans offer prospects the details that they need to make an informed decision and asses the suitability of your home to their needs prior to ever stepping foot inside the door. Accurate room dimensions and square footage means less time guessing if furniture will fit, helps them to visualize the home in real-space, and can assist buyers in planning for immediate and long-term renovations which may help to increase the value of you home. Floorplans are especially vital in condos, split-levels, and houses with finished lower levels where the buyer might not be aware of the amount of space you home has to offer They can help to clarify complex or unconventional layouts, and are used to emphasize unique features and finishes of your home. Floorplans also become essential in capturing the large segment of Ontario-bound relocation buyers, who often make decisions about purchasing a property before ever reaching their destination city.

 

Virtual Tours

In today's on-line world, an ever-increasing percentage of buyers are tech-savvy. In fact, Royal LePage estimates that more then two-thirds of all perspective buyers have viewed the online listing of the homes that they visit before they ever even step foot inside the door. Giving clients 360 degree panoramic views and still images of your property, streetscape and home's interior, virtual tours are quickly emerging as the most effective marketing tool in the real estate industry today. Interactive features allow the buyer to take a closer look and to revisit the property digitally as many times as they like. A hidden visit counter assists both the Seller and Sales Representative in obtaining a clear picture of how popular you property is among clients, and how popular it is in comparison to other properties. Please find enclosed a CD sample of a virtual tour I recently provided for one of my clients. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine what a virtual tour will be worth to your listing!

Feature Sheets

When buyers are choosing from among several homes, there is one selling tool that is indispensable - the feature sheet. This brochure not only contains photos & a floorplan of the home to jog the buyer's memory, it also lays out the special features & upgrades of the home that they might not have noticed during their viewing. This is especially helpful in noting recent updates that might not be visible to the average buyer, including things like mechanical upgrades and the quality of finishes. I am pleased to offer my clients with customized feature sheets that are professionally designed and printed at our on-site Xerox facility by trained graphic artists. Buyers leave their showing with a full-color glossed brochure reminding them of the highlights of your property, keeping your home top-of-mind in their search for real estate.

Signage

Perhaps the most conventional method of advertising your home is the For Sale sign; it lets your neighbors and visitors to the community know that your home is for sale. The telephone number on the sign directs potential buyers to call my office, which will page me 24-hours a day. It also directs them to my website, where your home's listing, virtual tour, pictures and floorplan are located. At your discretion, sign will be placed on your property in a location that maximizes visibility 24 hours prior to your house coming onto the market. All callers are carefully screened to ensure your privacy, and we restrict access to detailed listing information to people actually viewing the house with an agent. 

Traditional Print & Virtual Advertising

Despite the trend towards on-line marketing, a large proportion of real estate business continues to be generated through local, regional and national traditional print media. Most importantly, these publications drive buyers to your listing's online home, where they can access other digital information about your property. Complimenting this is the fact that almost all publications now have internet presence, offering their listings online as well as in print. Nonetheless, local print media like The Guardian (Etobicoke), SNAP (Etobicoke), and regional publications like The Real Estate Book (West Toronto) and the Globe & Mail real estate section continue to offer the best success in advertising open houses and exposing properties to the immediate community. Your home will be featured in a wide variety of local advertising specifically targeted to your neighborhood.

On-Line Presence

In addition to other listing benefits, your property is featured on www.joannegludish.com, which receives over 100 hits from individual users per day. This website is professionally designed, maintained in real-time, and appears on all of my promotional material and print advertising. It is a valuable resource for buyers and seller alike, offering information about real estate trends, market conditions and tips for increasing the value of your home. Your home is featured among my current listings of available properties, and linked to both www.royallepage.ca and www.mls.ca, the two largest real estate websites in Canada. Potential buyers can view your listing along with the virtual tour, pictures, floorplans & feature sheets literally 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving your home the online edge over other listings.

Just Listed Card Mailings

Just Listed Cards are used to increase word-of-mouth interest among neighbors about your listing, and are useful in capturing buyers who may be looking do downsize or upsize within the same neighborhood. At your discretion, these postcards are mailed to your immediate community to coincide with the listing of your house and offer basic information about list price, special features, and lot size. Just listed cards are a great way to increase traffic at your open house, and are very effective in encouraging buyers who may not be actively searching to consider your home.

Open Houses & Open House Card Mailings

On the day after your listing appears on the market, I arrange for an Agents' Only Open House to give other real estate professionals a chance to preview your home on behalf of their own pre-qualified buyers. These open houses are industry-standard among full-time, professional realtors who, each morning, preview a number of new listings in the areas they most commonly trade in. Typically held from 10:30am to 12:00pm from Tuesday to Friday, these open houses offer leading real estate professionals the opportunity to walk-thru you home to assess it's suitability for their own clients. These open houses are advertised through out realtors-only website and only licensed realtors are permitted.

Public Open Houses can also be a great way to expose your home to the local market. Usually held between 2:00 and 4:00pm on Saturday and/ or Sunday, they can often attract buyers who are not currently working with an agent and may not have otherwise seen your listing. At you discretion, we can arrange for public open houses that are run in an orderly fashion with the utmost importance placed on your security and privacy. Each guest is asked to sign in and will be required to present identification upon request. These open houses are advertised through local publications and direct mailings to increase interest

Direct Mail Drops

As an added layer of advertising, your home is also featured in two large direct mail publications which are dropped directly into the mailboxes of homes in west Toronto. My Realtor Sweep and Marketwatch programs are professionally designed newsletters highlighting current market conditions, neighborhood trends, valuable information for homeowners, and featuring various properties that I have listed for sale. Unlike the industry-standard marketing pieces, these geographically-based micro-marketing pieces are designed with article content that engages readers and distinguishes these mailers from the junk. Together, these two programs reach a combined total of more then 9,000 households in west Toronto per month.

Corporate Advertising & Sales Rep Recognition

Founded in 1913, Royal LePage is the oldest and most trusted name in Canadian real estate. We remain steadfastly and proudly Canadian – the only national real estate company that is 100% owned and operated by Canadians, for Canadians. Today, Royal LePage has over 13,000 realtors in more than 600 locations across Canada offering the highest standards of ethical and professional service. Corporate referrals, office picture windows, promotional mail-outs, billboards & outdoor furniture, and branch walk-ins are just a handful of ways in which Royal LePage surpasses its competitors in corporate advertising, giving your home the RLP Advantage.

With over 20 years of real estate experience in the west end of Toronto, I have steadily built my business on a solid network of past clients and my ability to bring buyers and sellers together. The importance of listing your home with a respected and trusted sales representative & brokerage cannot be underestimated. Greater agent & corporate recognition means greater credibility and attention when you need it the most.

Exceptional Marketing for Exceptional Homes

Experience the difference it makes when your home is showcased among the world's best to the international market! I believe that premier listings deserve unique marketing plans that feature & promote them well beyond traditional advertising techniques. In addition to a plethora of high-quality marketing materials and local advertising, I am pleased to be able to offer my clients with exceptional properties access to listing services with a variety of luxury home-specific firms and publications. I look forward to working with you to develop a highly-personalized, unique marketing strategy that promotes your distinct residence to national and international buyers.

Carriage Trade Luxury Properties is Canada's most distinguished luxury property listing service, featuring only the most unique & noteworthy homes in the country. From coast to cost, the Carriage Trade brand has become the hallmark of Canadian premier homes, marketing only $1 Million+ homes to elite national and international buyers. In 2006, Carriage Trade listed more luxury properties than any other advertising outlet in the country, and undoubtedly contributes to the unprecedented growth of luxury home sales in Canada. Taking into account the prestige of the neighborhood, the uniqueness of amenities and features, the desirability of landscaping and design, and the historical significance of your home, Carriage Trade defines your listing as one of notability & distinction on a national market.
The Real Estate Book is a leading multi-media publisher of real estate advertising with a strong presence in over 400 markets across North America, and is nearly double the size of their closest competitor. With more than 8.5 million copies printed & distributed throughout the continent every four weeks, The Real Estate Book is the consumers' choice for a current, free, full-color publication showcasing homes & real estate professionals in their area. In addition to this, they also provide an advanced 24-hour website linking buyers and sellers from across the globe, visited by more than 1.5 million unique users monthly. Their website employs advanced search features for featured listings that highlight your home as one of distinction. I am very pleased to offer my clients a full-page monthly advertisement in this publication, and front-page coverage of my most exceptional homes.

Full Staff Support

For most people their home is their biggest asset. As your sales representative, it is my responsibility to make sure that the sale of it is handled with the importance and attention to detail that the transaction demands. Royal LePage's Kingsway office is a full service brokerage, offering sales representatives and their clients the very best in professional administrative assistance through the work of 6 full-time support staff – one of the largest staffs in Etobicoke – as well as a non-selling branch manager. Clients and perspective buyers are always treated with care & courtesy.

Making sure that my clients' needs come ahead of my own success is paramount to me. Too often, top-performing sales representatives spend too much of their time worrying abut securing their next listing before making sure their current vendor's needs are being met. In addition to a fully-staffed office, I personally employ a full-time non-selling Client Care Manager whose time is dedicated specifically to ensuring that my clients are well-served & that no detail is overlooked. She is trained and qualified to assist with making your sale as stress-free for you as possible. Together, we take the time to make sure each and every listing & related legal documents are accurate, and that your home is always presented in the very best way possible. My assistant & I will make sure that you are prepared for showings, your listing is up-to-date, marketing materials & advertisements are always accurate and on time, and that all potential buyers are well taken care of. Both of us are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions, deal with emergencies, and assist you in any way possible.

Post-Closing

Like every sales representative, my goal is to sell your home for as much money and as fast as possible. However unlike many sales reps, I know that my service to you does not end when the sold sign goes up and the listing comes down. The process of selling a home is a lengthy one, and often requires further consultation on my part with your real estate lawyer, movers, contractors, and other professionals during the pre-closing period. I even offer personal touches like complimentary We're Moving cards that you can mail to your friends and family.

Feeling good about your choice

The sale of your home should bring you more then a healthy sale price; it should give you piece of mind that your commission dollars go, in part, to help make the world around us and the community that you live in a better place. I am proud to say that I support a large number of local and international charities. Each holiday season, I make a substantial donation of animals or supplies to developing countries through World Vision Canada on behalf of my clients. I am a life-long supporter of the Ukrainian Care Centre in Toronto, and I routinely donate ad space to animal welfare organizations to assist them in re-homing abandoned pets.

Continuing Client Support

My service to you extends well past the time when the last box is unpacked and you are settled in your new home. I am pleased to report that I routinely get calls from clients looking for my advice on home renovations, referrals to tradespeople, and estate planning. As always, I available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you in whatever way possible. Why? Because it is my hope that you will use my services again, should your plans call for the assistance of a professional, dedicated real estate sales representative. And remember, I am never too busy for your referrals of friends or family members!

Thank you for taking the time to read through my marketing plan for your home, and for considering my professional services. Whether you are an existing client or a new client, I am looking forward to assisting you with the sale of your home!