My clients sometimes ask me, "Why does my home need to be staged?" In fact, staging your home can be an asset in today's real estate market.

Staging a home before putting it up for sale has numerous benefits that can greatly increase the likelihood of a successful sale at a higher price point. By making strategic adjustments to a home's décor and layout, professional stagers create an environment that maximizes the home's positive features and minimizes its negative attributes. Here are some of the main benefits of home staging:

First and foremost, staged homes tend to sell faster than those that are not staged. This is because a staged home will make a great impression on potential buyers, allowing them to envision themselves living in that space. Buyers are more likely to make an offer on a home that feels welcoming, clean, and well-maintained. Additionally, staging helps to highlight key features of the property, such as spacious rooms or updated appliances, which can be easily overlooked otherwise.

In addition to selling faster, staged homes also tend to sell at a higher price point. By showcasing the home in the best possible light, staging adds perceived value to the property, which can prompt buyers to offer more for it. It is important to keep in mind that buyers will be comparing the home to others they have seen on the market, so staging can really make a difference in standing out from the competition.

Finally, staging a home can make the selling process less stressful for the homeowner. By working with a professional stager, the homeowner can benefit from their expertise in creating a welcoming, attractive environment that will appeal to buyers. This can take the pressure off the homeowner to figure out how to stage the home themselves and allow them to focus on other aspects of the sale, such as working with their agent or preparing for the move.

Overall, staging is a valuable tool that homeowners can use to improve the chances of a successful sale at a higher price point. With the help of a professional stager, even a modest home can be transformed into a showpiece that will leave a lasting impression on potential buyers.

Kind regards,

- Jill

Here's What You Need To Know To Keep Cool This Summer

Having trouble sleeping? Finding your doors sticky? Do the rooms smell musty? If you’re experiencing these symptoms, you may have high humidity (or too much moisture) in your home.

First, a quick rundown of why high humidity in hot weather causes so much personal discomfort. When your body is too warm, it produces sweat to stay cool. The moisture evaporating off your skin removes heat and makes you feel better. However, if the air is humid and already saturated with moisture, your sweat can’t evaporate, leaving you with a very muggy feeling.

The ideal humidity level for your home should be between 30 and 50 percent. During the summer, managing humidity is especially important for indoor comfort because warm air holds a lot more moisture than cold air. In your daily life, you experience this change in humidity levels when you shower, cook with uncovered pots on the stove, or leave standing water in a tub or sink (i.e. take a bath or wash dishes). To find out the humidity level in your home, you can use a hygrometer purchased from most home improvement retailers.

Let’s talk about air conditioners. ACs reduce humidity by drawing warm indoor air through a cold evaporator coil and condenses the water vapor from the air. The condensation is similar to the water beads that form on a cold drink. The water collected is then removed through a drain.

So, what if you’ve got the air conditioner running but your home still feels unbearably humid? It’s most likely because you’ve got an incorrectly sized unit or your equipment needs servicing. Having the right size AC for the job is crucial. Think about it this way. If you had a tiny window in a large room, or a huge window in a tiny room, you either have the window open 24/7 or you’ll find yourself opening and closing it constantly to reach a comfortable temperature. Neither sized window would be very effective. If your AC is too large, it will run for shorter amounts of time and stop before the length of time needed to dehumidify your home. If it’s too small, it can’t remove enough heat or humidity to reach the desired temperature and therefore runs all the time. The best thing to do is to get an assessment from a professional HVAC specialist who can calculate the appropriate size AC your home needs.

Just like temperature, having the right humidity level at home is imperative to staying comfortable. Understanding what comfort feels like to you will help you identify which systems you need and how you can make your space more energy efficient.

Bring the kids, bring your friends, it's time to enjoy the Concerts in the Park once again this year and they have a pretty exciting lineup. From July 6 - August 24, 2023 at Riverwalk Commons (200 Doug Duncan Dr.) Every Thursday evening there is a free tribute band concert and each concert will feature amazing local performers and a premier tribute band. 

Concert Dates: 

Thursday July 27 - The Liverpool 4 (Canada's tribute to The Beatles)

Thursday August 3 - The Natural Women Show (a tribute to Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Chaka Kahn)

Thursday August 10 - Epic Elton (a tribute to Elton John)

Thursday August 17 - George St. Kitts Band (Ultimate 80's pop – the best of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, Madonna and more!)

Thursday August 24 - Blushing Brides (The original tribute to the Rolling Stones)

These concerts are a lot of fun and to top it off, each Thursday there will be food and beverages available from some the local restaurants and breweries.

I hope to see you there! And, don't forget to bring your chair :)