- Joined
- Sep 13, 2007
- Messages
- 23
Hi all,
First, I want to say how happy I am I found this forum! I hope to be able to be a valuable contributor.
My name is Dane Caldwell. I am an Interior Decorator. I specialize in decorating (aka staging) houses going on the market in the GTA, primarily in downtown Toronto.
The first house my husband and I bought was in the Long Branch area of Toronto (Etobicoke). It was an Estate sale. The house had beautiful bones, but no one could see past the stinky old carpeting (hiding quarter sawn oak hardfloors!), ancient wallpaper, vacant rooms and shabby bathroom. It was a 50`x150` foot, just minutes from Lake Ontario. I used to lay out on the hamock(sp?) and listen to the motor boats and jet skis.
We bought the house for $200,000. It was originally listed at $250,000 which was correct for the neighbourhood. Our first offer was for $200,000 and they wrote back at something like $223,000. We wrote back at $200,000 and they signed.
Turns out we were the first offer they`d gotten in 3 months. Of course, as a Decorator specializing in Staging homes for sale, it`s not surprising.
We made some simple updates to the house and sold it 3 years later (to move to Courtice/Oshawa) where prices are still low compared to the rest of the GTA 401 corridor.
Oh, I forgot to mention...we sold the house for $350,000! Of course it is not as grand a profit as many of you have made, but it was enough to convince us that real estate can be an amazing investment.
Anyway, hello!
First, I want to say how happy I am I found this forum! I hope to be able to be a valuable contributor.
My name is Dane Caldwell. I am an Interior Decorator. I specialize in decorating (aka staging) houses going on the market in the GTA, primarily in downtown Toronto.
The first house my husband and I bought was in the Long Branch area of Toronto (Etobicoke). It was an Estate sale. The house had beautiful bones, but no one could see past the stinky old carpeting (hiding quarter sawn oak hardfloors!), ancient wallpaper, vacant rooms and shabby bathroom. It was a 50`x150` foot, just minutes from Lake Ontario. I used to lay out on the hamock(sp?) and listen to the motor boats and jet skis.
We bought the house for $200,000. It was originally listed at $250,000 which was correct for the neighbourhood. Our first offer was for $200,000 and they wrote back at something like $223,000. We wrote back at $200,000 and they signed.
Turns out we were the first offer they`d gotten in 3 months. Of course, as a Decorator specializing in Staging homes for sale, it`s not surprising.
We made some simple updates to the house and sold it 3 years later (to move to Courtice/Oshawa) where prices are still low compared to the rest of the GTA 401 corridor.
Oh, I forgot to mention...we sold the house for $350,000! Of course it is not as grand a profit as many of you have made, but it was enough to convince us that real estate can be an amazing investment.
Anyway, hello!
