Allison James

One of my favourite neighbourhoods in the Inner City section of Calgary is Parkdale. Located in the City’s northwest quadrant, Parkdale offers coveted proximity for biking to work plus all the amenities typically found in a downtown area. In addition to providing easy access to Downtown Calgary, shopping, restaurants and major roads, Parkdale is adjacent to the Bow River Pathway System and the Shaganappi and Crowchild Trails. As a bonus, Parkdale did not flood during the June, 2013 floods.

Even though it is an Inner City neighbourhood, Parkdale is primarily residential. Calgary’s 2012 Civic Census figures reflect a population in Parkdale of 2,296 people in 1,020 dwellings. Single family homes and condos here are in high demand and come with healthy price tags. I find these properties to be excellent investments that tend to hold their value even during downturns in the market.

Today, construction in the area is in high gear as Parkdale undergoes a renaissance. Many older single family homes are being renovated or torn down and replaced with newly-constructed attached homes. A Heritage Committee works to preserve older homes with historical significance.

For more than 60 years, the Parkdale Community Association has functioned as a community hub and sponsored social events, sports teams and services for the residents, including a very popular Wednesday afternoon farmers’ market and community gardening activities. The farmers’ market is a year-round enterprise and hosts vendors such as Brenda’s Meat Pies and the Apple Lady.

In 2013, based, in part, on input gathered at a number of public workshops, the City of Calgary approved the Parkdale Village Centre Area Redevelopment Plan. The Plan envisions an enhanced public gathering space with wider sidewalks, improved parking, rain gardens, trees and outdoor seating areas. These improvements are sure to further enhance property values in this popular neighbourhood.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Everybody knows what not to do when selling your home. It’s common sense – right?  Well, not always. Here are a few of my tips to sellers whose home is being shown. Some of my tips are just general rules for showing homes and others are pulled from my own amusing and very real experiences.

Forget to Take Out the Garbage

Garbage is unsightly and offensive odors leave a strong and lasting impression. Overflowing cans, even in the backyard or garage, are a turn-off.

Go on a Cooking Spree the Morning of an Open House

Limit heavy kitchen use and the accompanying mess and odors while your home is being shown. Stacks of dirty dishes will only serve to hide your beautiful countertop. While you may adore the smell of garlic and onions, not everyone does. Pungent cooking odors should be avoided whenever possible except for boiling cinnamon or homemade bread or cookies which seem to have a universal appeal.

Leave Out All Your Family Photos

Remember that the goal is to depersonalize the space to better enable a buyer to picture themselves living there. You may be justly proud of your kids’ report cards but put them away in a safe place together with the photo albums, diplomas and awards.

Leave Your Pet Home Alone

No matter how well-behaved your beloved little dog is, it’s best to arrange for doggie day care during showings. Many people are allergic, are afraid of animals or simply don’t like them. There are liability issues to consider as pets don’t always welcome strangers invading their turf and can turn nasty. Finally, accidents do happen. Just remember that piles of dog excrement or smelly litter boxes are not likely to ignite a bidding war.

Fail to Cover Your Aquarium Full of Snakes

Believe it or not, some people get jittery when it comes to large snakes. In fact, most people will, so do yourself a favor and send the snakes to a friend’s house. Your potential buyers and your realtor will all appreciate the effort.

Leave Your Sex Toys Out in Full View

I know. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and everyone does it, but please do us all a favor and put your personal pleasure items away. It’s much better to allow the buyers to conjure their own fantasy of living in your home – without the aid of your assistive devices.

Selling a home can be stressful. Remember that you hired an expert for a reason and my goal as a realtor is to sell your home as quickly as possible at the highest price. Pay attention to my tips and before your know it, you’ll be comfortably situated in a new space. Then you can cook any time of day or night, hang every piece of artwork your child ever brought home and even leave your “toys” out if you don’t feel like putting them away.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.

Home staging can and does make all the difference. The simple truth is that many home buyers lack the imagination necessary to picture themselves happily ensconced in a new home without a little help. That’s where the staging comes in. I always advise my clients to decorate to their own taste while living in the home. Once they decide to sell, it’s time to decorate to the public taste and make changes that will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.

As part of my listing contract, I offer basic home staging services to my clients. Depending on the circumstances, I may call in a staging expert or opt to just do it own my own. Either way, my client’s budget considerations are always kept in mind.

Often, we start by re-arranging existing furniture, re-hanging pictures and clearing clutter in the house and basement. The objective is to de-clutter and de-personalize the space so that buyers can envision their dream home upon a blank slate.

The next thing I do is to take a look at paint and wall coverings. While my client may adore her orange bedroom, that’s not a color that will appeal to the largest number of buyers. I once visited a home that was painted throughout in shades of red and green – a Christmas house! A freshly-painted room in neutral tones presents a clean palate and virtually beckons to buyers to come decorate. If painting is needed, that cost falls to the seller, but painting is a relatively inexpensive solution to a problem and one that almost always pays for itself at closing.

In instances such as the Christmas house, I sometimes bring in a professional home stager to deliver the tough love advice to the homeowner. It’s much easier to accept criticism from a professional decorator and I avoid being the bad guy. For some homes, I’ve assisted my client in procuring an entire home staging package, including rented furniture. Even in those cases, we were able to keep the budget at a reasonable number.

The best thing about home staging is that it works – both in promoting speedy sales and earning sellers top dollar. It is worth the investment of time and money because it makes a difference.

Do you need to move to celebrate the changes that are happening in your life? Let me serve you in helping you make the move to the place or home that reflects where you are in life’s journey! I will listen to your needs and use my knowledge and expertise to make this a smooth transition to the right place for you to call home in Calgary. Contact me at 403-708-5873, ajames16@gmail.com, or www.allisonjames.com and let’s get on with your journey!

About Allison James

Allison James has been a realtor® since 1999 with Century 21 Bamber Realty Ltd. in the changing Calgary real estate market. A Century 21 Centurion Award 2007 recipient and a member of CREA and AREA, she specializes in residential real estate and has her designations as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist and a Certified Condominium Specialist. These designations testify that she has the expertise and resources to help her clients make a smooth transition to the next step in their life journey. She enjoys helping her clients as they move through many of the same stages of life that she, too, has experienced. The fact that the majority of her business comes from past clients and/or referrals from satisfied clients speaks volumes about her dedication to the high quality of service that she offers her clients to meet their Calgary and surrounding area real estate needs. She is a mother of four who are all on their own now, and a grandmother of eight. Besides helping people buy or sell real estate, she loves spending time with her family, being active outdoors, traveling and meeting new people, photography, playing the drums, reading, scuba diving, listening to music, learning new things, and nurturing her spiritual growth.