"I bought my last house for $50,000 under market value because the
vendors put complete trust in a beginner real estate agent
who was their personal friend," says Debra Gould.
Real Estate by Design: Helping you make smarter choices
"I've seen too many people lose tens of thousands of dollars because of misinformation or because they let fear and the other emotions that come up when buying and selling a home cloud their thinking," says Debra Gould.
Having completed 11 real estate transactions of her own (plus all the houses she's bid on and let go, or offers she's refused), Debra has considerable first hand experience as a client working with real estate agents, both good and bad.
She introduced the Real Estate by Design service after finding that so many of her house fluffing / home staging clients needed advice and information beyond the scope of a usual staging consultation.
One client, for example, was worried about spending $500 fixing up an ugly bathroom in their $900,000 home.
"While that was clearly penny wise and pound foolish," Debra says, "I was even more concerned that they were putting their house on the market at the end of the season and listing with a friend who had no experience or contacts in their area!"
Debra has been featured in CNN Money, the National Post, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Money Sense Magazine and the CBC National News speaking about making money in real estate.
"Real Estate by Design is not a referral service or a substitute for legal advice before signing contracts," explains Debra. "My goal is to provide an objective viewpoint and advice to enable you to make more informed decisions, especially at the emotional and stressful times that come with buying and selling a home."
More solo women than men buying homes
In Canada, more women than men are buying homes and the gap is set to widen over the coming years according to a 2004 Royal LePage National poll.
Among female respondents who had never owned a home, including never-married single women, 55% said they're likely to buy their first property in the next three years, compare to only 45% of men. One third of the women said they'd be sole owners.
If you're a woman who has never bought or sold a home and would like advice from another woman's perspective, Debra Gould can help.
"My dream has always been to own a loft, but I nearly gave up after years of searching for the right one.
One day, I was back to looking at houses for sale. Knowing this was clearly not my dream and I was just settling, Debra Gould challenged me. She even refused to tell me the selling price of a particular house!
She inspired me to keep looking for what I really wanted. Debra was right. I found a better loft than I ever imagined. I finally have a space that truly reflects who I am and how I dreamed of living."
Diana Bishop, Former CTV and NBC Television News Correspondent
Debra is not a real estate agent, but she's seen first hand how hundreds of them work. She is not a banker or a mortgage broker, but she's been able to negotiate 6 mortgages for herself at VERY favorable rates— despite being self-employed and without a second income.
Can't my real estate agent tell me
what I need to know?
Debra can help identify the warning signs that your agent might not be working in your best interest, identify the right questions to ask before you list your home or sign a buyers agent agreement, and provide advice on negotiating strategies.
She will walk you through the 15 biggest mistakes homeowners make when listing their homes and how to make sure your next house is not just a home but asound financial investment.
She's seen these mistakes cost people tens of thousands of dollars and months of stress.
If you've never bought a home before, it can be particularly stressful finding the right real estate agent, mortgage, etc.
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Debra will help you with the right questions to ask and advice on pitfalls to avoid.
Your bank and real estate agent may not point all these out. They have a stake in what you decide by virtue of their commission structures, so how can they possibly give you completely objective advice?
How can I use the
Real Estate by Design Service?
Debra Gould offers advice by phone to clients all over North America. You can book coaching sessions in 20 minute increments, allowing you to check in several times during the course of your real estate hunt, purchase, sale or move.
For clients in Toronto, you can receive help by phone, or meet in person. Many clients combine this with a Home Staging By Design consultation in their own homes.
Starting a whole new chapter
of your life in a new city?
Are you contemplating a move to another part of the country, or moving from a big city to a small town or rural community?
Debra's done that too— moving her home and business to three different cities and one remote island— and is happy to share her experiences about the adjustments and considerations these moves require.
If you would like to learn more about how Debra can help you with unbiased advice, call 416-691-6615 or email debra@sixelements.com.
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Six Elements ~ Designing New Possibilities for Your Home and How You Live™
Six Elements Inc. president Debra Gould is an internationally recognized home staging expert who provides tons of free information on the industry as well as offering a home staging directory, training courses, books and more. Six Elements Inc. provides home staging, colour consulting and interior redesign services in Toronto, especially in the Beach, Beaches, Cabbagetown, Leaside, Etobicoke, Bloor West Village and downtown Toronto areas. Virtual home staging services are also provided by Debra Gould who will work from photos to help home sellers stage their own homes following her advice.
®Staging Diva and the Staging Diva Logo are registered trademarks of Six Elements Inc.
™Empowerment by Design, Staging by Design, Color by Design, Rooms by Design, Pattern by Design are trademarks of Six Elements Inc.
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