Design Tips, Investment Properties
Shauna Lynn Simon
Expert Advice for Your Vacation Rental Property

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…

Expert Advice for Your Vacation Rental Property

home selling tips

Supporting Your Pets Through the Home-Selling Process

Supporting Your Pets Through the Home-Selling Process

When preparing your home for sale, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the home shows at its very best by highlighting the features and eliminating distractions. This allows you to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers possible, strengthening your selling position and encouraging a quick and profitable sale.

While the Beyond The Stage Homes team is comprised of devoted animal lovers, not all home buyers appreciate our furry friends, and in fact, a home with pets can often be a cause of concern for many, especially for those with allergies. Evidence of pets such as toys, food dishes, and pet beds can also put potential buyers on the lookout for damage throughout the house that may have been caused by the animals. Eliminating the presence of pets in the home will allow buyers to focus on the home’s features, instead of scrutinizing and looking for flaws. Even caged animals can turn off or simply distract potential buyers.

7 Ways Your Home is Losing Buyer Interest

7 Ways Your Home is Losing Buyer Interest

It’s no secret that the current real estate market is incredibly hot. Waterloo Region is experiencing what is considered a seller’s market, meaning that there is a limited supply in the number of homes available for sale, with a high number of buyers looking to purchase in the area. This is an appealing selling position for homeowners and there has never been a better time to sell. Taking the time to prepare your home to appeal to today’s buyers will not only result in increased interest, but it can be the difference between receiving several offers and an all-out bidding war.

To maximize the profit on the sale of your property, be sure to avoid these top 7 things that are turning your buyers off (sometimes even before they have ever stepped foot into your home).

The Goldilocks Rule of Home Selling

The Goldilocks Rule of Home Selling

Some things are meant to be indulged in. Think extra saucy wings, sunshine, chocolate cake, and laughter. But, like most things in life, it’s important to ensure that your indulgences are balanced, and in some cases, are enjoyed only in moderation.

We take a similar approach when preparing a home for sale. It’s important to showcase the home’s greatest features, and this often means sprucing things up through updates, repairs, and of course, stylish décor. However, if we over-indulge, we could end up taking the focus away from what we are truly selling, which is the house itself.

The Goldilocks Rule to preparing your home for sale is about finding that delicate balance between too much, and too little, in order to get it just right to engage your homebuyers from the first moment that they view your property.

Maintaining a Show-Ready Home

Maintaining a Show-Ready Home

Preparing a home for sale is a coordinated effort, but now that your house has been cleaned, staged, and photographed, you realize your next task is to maintain it.

If you’re starting to stress about the idea of keeping a show-ready home, don’t worry, we have the tips and tricks to help you show your home to prospective homebuyers at a moment’s notice. From the pile of shoes at the front door to the dining room table covered in your 'at-home office' or your unmade bed - skip the worry and follow these easy tips.

Remember, the better your house shows, the faster it sells, and the faster that it sells, the less time that you will need to maintain your show-ready home!

What to Expect (While your Home is on the Market)

What to Expect (While your Home is on the Market)

COVID has changed much of how we do things today, including selling our homes. Real Estate Agents have numerous protocols in place to ensure that you and your family are protected throughout the home-selling process, but in-person showings are still an important part of the buying process for homebuyers.

Here's what you can expect while your home is listed:

PRE-SHOWING PREP

To help to minimize the amount of pre-showing preparations required, strive to maintain a “show-ready” home by putting items away where they belong immediately after use, and cleaning as you go.

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Window Treatments and Selling Your Home

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Window Treatments and Selling Your Home

“Are window treatments necessary?”

This question is asked frequently by our clients when they are preparing their houses for sale.

Bright spaces and well-lit rooms provide an inviting atmosphere, appealing to potential buyers for your home. Natural light brightens a room, making it look and feel bigger, and bringing positive energy to the space.

For living in a home, we rely on window coverings to help to filter light and provide privacy. When selling your house, however, window coverings are often removed and/or minimized throughout the home to enhance the lighting and draw the buyer’s focus to the view or outdoor space beyond the window outside.