Common uses for mirrors in the home include personal grooming,
decoration, and architecture. Mirrors are used in furniture, for
example a table top, doors, as shelving and behind shelving,
in bathrooms, bedroom wardrobes, common in bar areas and
exercise rooms, as wall hangings, mirror mazes, kitchen
backsplashes and table topper to name a few uses.

Decorative Glass Mirrors come in many different shapes, round,
oval, rectangular, assorted sizes and styles, such as etched,
beveled, concave and convex. They come sandblasted, tinted,
textured, painted and can be frameless or framed in contemporary,
traditional, wrought iron, accent, antique to name a few and their
associated frames can really make them a piece of art.

On the other side of the coin, it is easy to make an unattractive
impact with the use of mirrors. Some quick tips for decorating with
mirrors are: make sure it’s in scale and proportion with the size of
the room. Every mirror should be sparkling clean. Take into
consideration the purpose of the mirror. It is important to consider
what the mirror will reflect, what images with appear duplicated.
Avoid mirrors in unattractive or cluttered areas of the home.

As a Realtor ® (www.LydiaSellsHomes.com)
and Home Stager (www.OwnersPride.ca)
I have the unique ability to enhance the presentation of your house.
Statistics show that Staged houses sell faster and at a higher selling
price. This Home Staging consultation is provided as part of my
complete listing service package, offered to my Real Estate clients.

Please feel free to contact me any time.

Lydia Pollard, Sales Representative
Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage

Direct: 905-272-4764
Office: 905-812-8123

Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com
www.LydiaSellsHomes.com

If you are thinking about buying or selling, it would be my pleasure
to assist you with your Mississauga Real Estate needs, including:
Clarkson, Cooksville, Erindale, Erin Mills, Lakeview, Lorne Park,
Malton, Mississauga Valley, Meadowvale, Port Credit, Sheridan
Homelands, Streetsville and Applewood as well as the
City of Brampton and the rest of Peel Region.

1. Seasonally appropriate wreath on the front door if you have an old or plain door. If you have a decorative door, leave it plain, you want to bring attention to it.

2. Front door should be painted and in good repair and working order. Updated coordinating door hardware, polished and free of rust. House numbers which are in good condition, match and are easy to read and visible from the road.

3. Update and clean light fixtures, install the highest bulb wattage allowable so the entry is visible from the street. It’s a good idea to leave the lights on in the evening for appointments as well as for prospective buyers driving in your neighbourhood. Timers on lighting both inside and outside are a good idea.

4. Updated coordinating mail box, free of rust, dirt, scratches and paint chips. Door bell should be clean, paint free, in good repair and operational.

5. Planter of seasonally appropriate flowers or greenery. One or two planters are sufficient, don’t over do it. Avoid obstructing the walkway and stairway with plants or accessories. Keep safety in mind. Live plants are more attractive than the plastic flowers from the dollar store.

6. Shrubs and bushes should be trimmed back keeping the walkway, stairway, porch and doorway clear. Shrubs and bushes should also be trimmed around windows, to show off the house and to let in as much natural light into the house as possible.

7. Think of your landscaping as decorating. Do the colours co-ordinate, are things in balance, harmony, proportion, is there a focal point? Declutter and depersonalize the outside as well. A few well placed
outside accessories are visually more appealing to buyers that a collection of Snow White’s Dwarfs.

8. During the Christmas season, a tasteful display of Christmas lights make you house festive and inviting. During the summer months, Christmas lights could leave a reflection on your maintenance habits.

9. Updated with a stylish neutral door mat appropriate for the entry. If the mat is decorative, the decoration or wording should face the person entering.

10. Area should be clean and tidy, free of mail, newspapers, toys, shoes, recycling boxes and garbage containers. Should reflect “Pride of Ownership”

If you are thinking about buying or selling, it would be my pleasure to assist you with your Mississauga Real Estate needs, including: Clarkson, Cooksville, Erindale, Erin Mills, Lakeview, Lorne Park, Malton, Mississauga Valley, Meadowvale, Port Credit, Sheridan Homelands, Streetsville and Applewood as well as in the rest of Peel Region.

Please feel free to contact me any time.

Lydia Pollard, Sales Representative
Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage
Direct: 905-272-4764
Office: 905-812-8123

www.LydiaSellsHomes.com
Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com

www.OwnersPride.ca
Lydia@OwnersPride.ca

There are many ways which homeowners can help Realtors.
One way is to leave the lights on inside and outside when appropriate.

When a Realtor is showing your house to a qualified potential buyer
it is because either the Realtor or the buyer have chosen your house
to view from all the other comparable houses for sale on the Multiple
Listing Service.

The Realtor does not know your house, but wants to show it to its
best potential. Motivated buyers view houses at all hours of the day
and evening, during nice weather, as well as during inclement weather.

You can help by leaving your exterior lights on especially during the
evening hours so the Realtor can easily get the lockbox open. The buyer
will get a good look at the front of the house and curb appeal upon arrival.
Leaving the backyard lights on will catch the attention of the buyers and
make sure they look in your backyard and easily see its features. Installing
timers or motion detectors on exterior lights and timers on a few interior lights
would be an alternative.

As I mentioned the Realtor does not know your house, most light switches
are easy to find, but some are not. A well lit room is always more inviting.
If you have special lighting, for example pot lights that are a selling feature,
we want to make sure the buyer sees them. We especially want the buyers
to be aware of all your upgrades and selling features.

Leaving the lights on inside and outside when appropriate benefits
everyone in the end.

Lydia Pollard, Sales Representative
Keller Williams Real Estate Associates, Brokerage
Direct: 905-272-4764
Office: 905-812-8123

Lydia@LydiaSellsHomes.com
www.LydiaSellsHomes.com and www.OwnersPride.ca

A spot light on the entrance. A simple cheerful wreath on the front door
in holiday colors that coordinate with and compliment the house will welcome
potential buyers. Exterior lights, kept simple in one complimentary color
will flatter the house, look more elegant and be less distracting.

You can’t go wrong with greenery, wreaths, garland, and branches
of evergreen, pine cones and decorative ribbon inside or outside
during the holidays.

Use simple, elegant decorations that maintain the color scheme in the house,
avoid clashing or too many different colors. Use holiday decorations in place
of the existing accessories during the holidays, to avoid a cluttered or overdone
look. Be selective in the decorations used; use decorations that compliment
the style of the décor. A poinsettia enhances any room. In today’s multicultural
society it is best to keep all religious Icons packed to use in your new home
next season.

The goal is for the house to be warm, inviting and festive, the decorations tasteful
and minimal so the potential buyers can picture their family celebrating the next
holiday season in this house.

Also keep security and safety in mind. It’s probably not a good idea
to leave gifts under the tree.

Remember the Home Staging basics…“Keep it Simple”, “Less is More”

Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

How you live, how you decorate your home is your choice alone.
A home should reflect its family, their likes and preferences.

When a Home Stager suggests that you remove several pieces of
furniture and put them into storage…this is very common. Don’t
take it personally; it usually has nothing to do with the furniture itself.
The reasoning is to show off your rooms, their size, and their features
so that they show their best. Buyers are not buying your belongings,
they are buying the house, so we what to show it off.

The Home Stager is looking at your house through the eyes of the most
discriminating buyer and will notice things that you don’t. You live in the
house every day, it has sentimental value, memories and you just get
used to small irregularities and don’t notice them any more. So when
the Home Stager recommends repairs, color changes, the removal or
replacing of specific items, don’t take it personally. It’s the Home Stager’s
job to see these things and mention them for your attention. Many times
it is not because they are right or wrong, it is because it’s the way that
Buyers have become accustomed to expect homes on the market to look.

So love your treasures that you have collected over the years, and don’t
be offended if it is suggested you put them away and pack them up to
take to your new home. These are the special irreplaceable souvenirs,
treasures and keepsakes that will make your new house special and
turn it into your home.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

A home is where you live,
A house is what you sell.

Decorating is for living,
Staging is for selling.

A home is where you live and decorating is for living refer to
a home that is not on the market.

“Your home is your castle,” and you should enjoy it. You should
live with the colors you like, the style of furniture of your preference,
and the photos and accessories that are special to you and that make
your house a home.

A house is what you sell, Staging is for selling refers to a home which
is on the market, completing for the attention of all the buyers.

The best way to get the best price and a quicker sale is to modify the
house to meet the buying criteria of the largest share of the buyers.

The best way to do this is to neutralize all the colors, de-clutter which
includes the removal of anything that is of a personal nature, including
family photos, culturally, religiously or politically specific. And the
cheapest way to improve you house is to clean, clean, clean.

Home Staging is taking the home out of the house.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke in Ontario, Canada
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

It also depends on how motivated the seller is. Motivated
sellers tend to be open to suggestions and possibilities.

The final decisions as to what suggestions are or
are not implemented are entirely the clients’ decision.

The purpose of Home Staging is to position the house
to be more competitive and appeal to the greatest range
of potential buyers in the target market.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

When enhancing the functionality of the rooms, you
should take into consideration the over all layout of
the house, and the intended purpose for each room.

A good example is the formal dining room. Today,
many dining rooms have turned into home offices,
or multi purpose rooms. If your house plan has a formal
living/dining room combination, when preparing your
house for sale, the ideal situation would be to return
the dining room to its intended purpose.

Many buyers can’t look at a dining room which has
been turned into a home office and picture their dining
room furniture in the room. On the other hand, when
the room has dining room furniture, it is easier for
them to look the space and feel confident their own
furniture will or will not be appropriate for the space.

Home Staging includes room function as well as
enhancing room functionality.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Take down old curtains and put up sheers or blinds.
The room will look larger and brighter.

Strategically placed mirrors can make a room look
larger and lighter. Replacing a small bathroom
mirror with a larger one can have dramatic results.

Give you bathroom a lift with some new towels,
fancy soaps, candles, give it that spa look and feel.

Plants come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures,
they are an inexpensive and easy to accessorize with.

Replacing an old light fixture, with a modern one, can
update as well as add more light. Updating light switches
and plates are an inexpensive.

Replacing the handles and hardware on kitchen and
bathroom cupboards can update instantly.

The right pictures can make or break a room. If your
room does not have a focal point, a large appropriate
picture will do the trick.

Home Staging can be easy, simple and inexpensive.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke, Ontario
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca

Landscaping in the front and back yards are
selling features. Perennials, shrubs, trees, decks,
patios, pools etc. are all part of the landscaping.
You want to entice prospective buyers; you want
them to see all these features when they look their best.

Sometimes, this is not possible, the alternative
would be, if you are planning to put your house
up for sale next year, plan ahead. If your house
is not going to be on the market when the landscaping
is at its best, why not take some pictures when it is.
The listing salesperson will have these pictures to
show the prospective buyers in the photo gallery and
the presentation folder.

A deck covered in snow, is not as inviting as a
picture of the deck in the summer sun, with the patio
furniture laid out, accessorized tastefully. A covered
pool is not as enticing and appealing as it is when
you see the sun reflecting off the water and pool
accessories and landscaping in the back ground.

Take a few minutes and plan ahead and take some
pictures of all the selling features of your house
when they are the most appealing and attractive.

Home Staging includes the outside of your house.

Lydia Pollard
Owners Pride Home Staging & Design
Serving Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton & Etobicoke
www.ownerspride.ca
lydia@ownerspride.ca