BTSH Reflects on 2017

As another year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past 12 months, and peer through the looking glass at the year ahead. We want to thank you for continuing to be a part of our journey, and look forward to another year serving the residents of Waterloo Region.

So what made this year so fantastic? Here are just a few things that happened at Beyond The Stage Homes - thank you for being a part of it!

January - Shauna Lynn Simon and Jennifer Roth attended the biggest home staging industry event in North America, RESACON in Las Vegas, where they continued to develop their skills and build relationships. In addition, Beyond The Stage Homes’ sister company, SLS Academy, was honoured as a finalist for Most Innovative Product for their Client Care Package, a staple in all BTSH consultations since inception.

January – Shauna Lynn was officially sworn in as the Canadian Representative on the National Board of Directors for the Real Estate Staging Association. In her 2-year term, her aim is to grow a stronger home staging community across the country, build awareness for the industry, and forge relationships with Canadian home staging leaders. In her first year, she has travelled to visit all Canadian RESA Chapters, and was instrumental in bringing the Staging to Sell – What Every Agent Should Know professional development course to Canada. The inaugural Canadian class was taught right here in Kitchener-Waterloo in September, providing savvy KW agents with the CSA (Certified Staging Advocate) designation. 

April – Spring is a time to refresh, and BTSH took this as a great opportunity to refresh our home staging inventory! We sold off most of our inventory, helping us to clear out space to bring in new, top-quality items for staging our homes, as we continue to be Waterloo Region’s #1 choice for vacant home staging.

May - BTSH continues to be a proud sponsor of the KW MS Walk by raising funds at our hosted home sellers workshops, providing TeamMS prizes at the walk, and volunteering their time before, during, and following the event. This event helps to raise much needed funds for the MS Society’s Grand River chapter.

July - Received 1st place Diamond Award for the Waterloo Chronicle Reader Awards Interior Design/Furnishings Category 2017

October - Received 1st place Diamond Award for the Record Reader Awards Favourite Interior Decorator 2017 (our 3^rd year in a row, thank you so much!!). To say thanks to our loyal supporters, we are offering a chance to win a $500 shopping spree from Wayfair!

Other notables of 2017:

BTSH enjoyed surprising clients with home-grown maple syrup from Harvey Martin Farm, in commemoration of Canada’s 150!

Shauna Lynn was featured on CTV, Rogers Daytime, podcasts, blogs, and more!

We continue to support local businesses and new entrepreneurs through the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre. Shauna Lynn is a volunteer mentor with the centre, and has provided leadership through guest speaking and 1-on-1 coaching.

We met some incredible people throughout the year, and we couldn’t forget about the furry friends that we made as well.

  

What does 2018 have in store?

You know what they – time flies when you’re having fun! Well, we cannot believe that the spring of 2018 will mark our 10 year anniversary – stay tuned for details on how you can help us to celebrate this incredible milestone!

In July, Jennifer Roth and Shauna Lynn Simon will attend the 2018 RESA Convention at M Resort in Las Vegas where SLS Academy will be exhibiting once again. 

Beyond The Stage Homes will continue to make Waterloo Region’s homes beautiful, and service our clients in the only way that we know how – by always exceeding expectations in our designs, and in our service, and by creating a home that they can cherish, regardless of whether they are selling staying.

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2018!

All the best, from Shauna Lynn and the entire BTSH team 

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Phone: 1-266-240-0766
Email: info@btshomes.com
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

Inexpensive Kitchen Updates that Sell

1. Light Fixtures 

Review all of your lighting in your kitchen and identify when it was last updated? This includes your eating area, above your island (if applicable), and above the sink. As a general rule, if the light fixtures have not been installed within the past 10 years, they will likely need to be replaced. If the light fixtures are the original ones that the builder installed, they should likely be replaced.

Here is what not to do:

Here are some great alternative options: 

While you’re updating your lighting, why not consider adding under-cabinet lights? These add a great task lighting and are a great selling feature! 

2. Faucet/Sink 

Out with the old, and in with the new! If your faucet is showing age and/or wear, upgrading it can be a great low-cost update. 

Find something with a spray head included, and select a faucet that compliments the overall style of the kitchen (i.e. that antique style faucet may look nice, but if your house is a newer house with clean lines and very little traditional style and feel, it may not be the best choice). Brushed nickel is still the preferred choice for the kitchen, but if your light fixtures and/or door hardware has been upgraded to an oil-rubbed bronze, you may want to consider adding a faucet to match. 

Stainless steel sinks are becoming a thing of the past, and are being traded up in favour of granite sinks and other alternatives. If you are replacing your countertops, it would be a great time to consider replacing your sink as well (note that if you are not replacing your counters, you will need to find a sink that is comparable in size to your current sink, and may require some minor counter adjustments to be made).

3. Cabinet Hardware

Plastic, wooden, brass, or other outdated cabinet hardware should be upgraded in favour of a newer style and finish. Again, brushed nickel is the preferred choice, however oil-rubbed bronze is a great consideration if it compliments other aspects of the home. This could be one of the least expensive updates in your kitchen, with the greatest impact.

4. Refinish/Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Remember that when selling a home, our goal is to provide a move-in ready house. If the kitchen cabinets are in need of a facelift but a full renovation is not in the budget, consider painting or refinishing them instead.

5. Backsplash

A backsplash is the finishing touch that every kitchen needs. It’s like that last accessory that you put on to complete your outfit before heading for an evening out! When you’re dressing your kitchen, the backsplash will complete the look. It always amazes me how many homes do not have a backsplash. If you’re installing a new backsplash, and have not yet installed under cabinet lighting, I recommend installing the lighting first, as it will be much more difficult to properly run the electrical for it after the backsplash is installed.

6. Countertops 

It’s truly amazing what a new countertop can do for a kitchen. Most buyers today would prefer to see a granite or other stone countertop in a home, regardless of the price point of the house. Again, our focus is on move-in ready, so if the kitchen is likely to be fully renovated by the new homeowners within a couple of years, you may opt for a low-cost counter solution such as laminate, in an updated style/colour. If the kitchen has a great layout however, and the cabinets are in good shape, it’s unlikely that the new owners would take on a full renovation, in which case an upgrade to a stone countertop is a worthwhile investment. Take a look at this example:

This is a great example of a kitchen with a good layout, and good quality cabinets, but the counter makes it seem dated and uninviting. The home had been previously listed for approximately six months prior to calling Beyond The Stage Homes. The homeowners were concerned that we would suggest a full renovation, but instead we recommended adding a backsplash, new countertop, and updated cabinet hardware. The transformation was just what the home needed.

7. Appliances 

Most buyers expect to purchase all appliances with the home. While they may not need to be stainless, if they’re dated, or broken in any way, they should be replaced. Check out your local scratch and dent stores for good quality appliances at a discounted price.  

For more information on how to update your home, whether or selling or living, contact Beyond The Stage Homes!

Phone: 1-266-240-0766
Email: info@btshomes.com
www.beyondthestagehomes.com