If you own a vacation rental property (or are looking to invest in one), you know that designing a short-term rental cottage that stands out from the competition is key to attracting renters and earning repeat business. With the growing popularity of short-term rentals and Airbnb properties, it's important to create a space that not only looks beautiful but is also functional and comfortable for guests.
In this article, we'll provide you with expert tips and insights on how to design a short-term rental cottage that will have guests raving and coming back year after year. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to update an existing space, this guide will provide you with the inspiration you need to create a truly exceptional vacation home.
Start with the Basics
Before you start decorating, make sure you have all the basics in place. This includes…
With Labour Day approaching, so too comes the inevitable end of summer. If you are looking to throw an end of summer party, you’re your backyard is lacking a bit, the Canadian Tire CANVAS collection has you covered with affordable, durable, and inviting pieces.
Honoured, shocked, and incredibly humbled – these are the words that best describe Shauna Lynn Simon’s reaction when she learned she was this year’s recipient of the RESA Kathy Nielsen Spirit Award at the 2018 Real Estate Staging Association’s Annual Convention and Awards Gala in Las Vegas. Kathy Nielsen dedicated much of her life to furthering the home staging industry through her work at the Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA). She was not only a leader within RESA; she was a mentor to so many home stagers. She was always willing to take the time to talk with someone, to give sage advice, and to brainstorm the next new idea for our industry. Kathy Nielsen passed away 3 years ago, and the award was created in her honour, as a tribute to her unwavering spirit, and as a way to recognize those that embody her true spirit and the values she upheld.
Canadians love to entertain all year round, and nothing can keep Canadian’s inside during the summer months! With summer weather now in full swing, we are not only enjoying the gorgeous weather but are entertaining our friends and family in our outdoor living spaces. We continue to see the trend of bringing the indoors outside, but outdoor entertainers also crave convenience. This means that they want to have everything that they need at their fingertips – for serving food, storing drinks, and whatever else they need. This means that portability, durability, and weather resistance are a must. Not only that, we want these items to be attractive, and really make a statement.
The key to top sales is a solid marketing plan – this means identifying your target market, understanding their needs, creating an impactful marketing message, and presenting a quality product. You need to make the sale all about the person that you are trying to sell to.
So, what does this mean for selling your home?
Everything…
Home staging is an effective marketing technique that integrates decorating with marketing and creates an experience for home buyers. It’s about more than just furnishing a home – it’s about selling a lifestyle! In order to present a “product” that your potential buyers will want, invest in a home staging consultation, and if needed, hire a home stager for additional services, including furniture, artwork, and accessory rental, to complete the look. By working with a home stager, you can identify and address all buyer perceptions, positive or negative, and ensure the most positive experience possible.
If you have ever lived in a home for sale, you can appreciate how challenging it can be to maintain a show-ready home for the duration of the listing. Of course, this is made especially difficult if you happen to have pets, kids, or any other type of life. While it is much less stressful for you as a homeowner to sell a home that you are not living in, an empty home puts a great deal of additional stress onto your buyer.
The number rule of selling (anything) is that it’s not about you. In order to set yourself up for sales success, you will need to understand your buyer‘s needs, put those needs before your own, and clearly outline how you can help to deliver on those needs. What problem do you solve? Your buyer will have a list of wants and needs when looking at a home, but ultimately they will want and need something that fits their daily lifestyle.
With the holidays just around the corner now, there are parties that need a-hosting, and tables that need a-setting. I love to host gatherings with my friends, from simple cocktail parties to extravagant bashes, and of course, dinner parties with my closest friends are always a holiday favourite.
The Cocktail Party
When hosting a cocktail party, since the objective is to have your guests mixing and mingling, it’s easiest to simply set out your food and drinks buffet style. First, re-arrange your furniture to accommodate your guests and allow them the room to move easily throughout the room (setting a table against a large wall in the room, rather than the middle of the room, will allow for a better flow and access). Ensure that you have a pitcher or punch bowl of a non-alcoholic beverage available, and set out with some highball glasses, a bucket of ice, and some lemons and limes for garnishes. Set out wine glasses, as well as an uncorked bottle of red and white (don’t open too many right away, as your guests may bring you a bottle as well). Serve finger foods that are easy to eat and don’t require utensils, and be sure to provide lots of side dishes and napkins. Allow for some rest areas around the room that provide some seating and if possible, some tables for setting down a glass or a plate.
