Montreal Casting Call for New Home Reno Show

 

Hey!  Wanna be on TV?  A new program called Room Reno will be coming to W Network in May.  The production company has put out a casting call and will be filming the series in Montreal. 

If you’ve got a room you want to renovate, that can be done in about 2 days, you or your partner is handy, and you wouldn’t mind being filmed while you agonize over details, argue over paint colours, smash your finger with the hammer, sweat like a pig, and pull your pants up constantly (no flashing!  this is TV after all), then read on.

By the way, if you’re accepted, the cost of all materials is covered (the show is partnered with RONA).

Good luck!!  Show airs in May.

Here’s what they’re looking for:

- English-speaking handy men or women (DIY types or pros) in Montreal who have a room in their own home they need to renovate.

- The handyman and his/her spouse would both be featured in the show, so they should both be outgoing. Only one of them needs to be handy.

- The show is about renovation; not home staging or interior decorating.

- The couple should have a specific renovation project in mind but have possibly been putting it off due to lack of time or money. The reno project should be room-specific and should be something which is do-able in a few days.

The show will supply the materials for the reno, and the handyman or woman would be doing the actual work on the room.

Anybody who thinks they might be right for the series should contact Stacey Tenenbaum ASAP at roomreno@gmail.com  (Stacey is with Zone 3 Productions  www.zone3.ca )

They should send info about themselves, their home, and the reno they have in mind.  They should also include pictures of themselves and their room. 

My best advice to you, if you want a good shot at this, is to think of your e-mail to Stacey as an audition.  You want to stand out, and you want your personality to shine through.  Oh, and when they say ASAP, they mean ASAP!

Good luck!  And please keep me posted!

2 Comments

Tanya Nouwens, February 4th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Renovation

According to Warren Beatty, I’m Successful in My Field

 

Yes, that’s what I said: According to Warren Beatty, I’m successful in my field.

Did he tell me that over drinks?  No.

While discussing my business plan?  Um, no.

While lounging with me in a bubble bath, overlooking the Pacific ocean? Yes! Okay, maybe not.

Did he ever tell me that?  Well, no.

His exact words were: “You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play.”

Those are the first words in Chapter Four of Jennifer Allan’s “If You’re Not Having Fun Selling Real Estate, You’re Not Doing It Right.”  Great book.  Great philosophy.  A common-sensical approach to doing anything (not just real estate): Be yourself, be very good at what you do, and have fun. I’m loving the book. But this post isn’t about that.

Back to Warren Beatty…and his quote…

Is this Really Work? 'Cause It Sure Feels Like Play

I could spend hours on Matrix, the Quebec real estate agents’ version of MLS, analyzing comparables this way, that way and upside down.  Looking at average sell times for Beaconsfield real estate and Kirkland real estate - my markets. Seeing what’s moving and what’s not, and trying to figure out why.

I could spend hours home staging Montreal clients’ homes.  Hell, staging friends’ homes!  I love, love, love staging.  I love taking something and making something fabulous out of it.  I love finding the diamond in the rough, or helping something’s true potential shine (or someone’s true potential shine, hence my previous career in criminology).

Sourcing new lighting, art, bedding and kitchen cabinet knobs for my home sellers? Is that really work? ‘Cause it sure feels like play to me.

Speaking to my buyers over and over again about how I don’t want them to compromise on location, or on that wood-burning fireplace that is such a big part of their evening chill-session.  Is that really work?  Really?  ‘Cause it sure doesn’t feel like it.

And let’s not even talk about how much time I spend on ActiveRain (an on-line real estate network of 171,000+ real estate professionals), acting like a living sponge for all the wisdom, experience and sheer knowledge that’s being shared there. Are you SURE this is work?  Can’t be…

I am doing what I was meant to do.  And I’m having so much fun. 

You’re a wise (and sexy) man, Warren Beatty.

2 Comments

Tanya Nouwens, January 19th 2010 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Real Estate, Staging

Speechless Sunday: He’s a Lover, Not a Fighter

He's a Lover, Not a Fighter

What the dillio? Who IS this man? Is he a “player”? A pimp? A regular joe with questionable fashion sense?

Well, actually, he’s more the latter than any of the others. He’s also got a great sense of humour, which is why I married him.

This shot was taken during our cruise last year during a stopover in Cozumel….the first vacation we had taken without the munchkins in 10 years. (I know, I know. That’s just crazy.)

I can’t look at this picture without busting a gut. He thinks it’s not that funny unless you know him.

What do you think? Did this shot make you laugh? Or did you instead frown and say, “What the dillio?”

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Tanya Nouwens, January 10th 2010 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Humour

“Frankly, my dear lender, we didn’t care about that piddly little $17 payment.”

A colleague of mine south of the border does a great job of illustrating with a real-life example the things we need to keep in mind when applying for credit. If you’re new to the process of buying a home, this is some great — and succinct — advice.

Via Gabrielle (Kamahele) Rhind, Associate Broker (Tierra Antigua Realty, Tucson AZ Real Estate):

With anxious Tucson home buyers yesterday, I saw the lender’s smile turn to a scowl as she reviewed their credit report. Clearly, the buyers “forgot” to mention a few things. When the lender asked them about late payments on two credit cards, the buyers responded:

“We didn’t care to pay it- it’s just a piddly $17.00 a month.” Oh. Okay. Hmmm.

The lender, now looking at her watch, sharply said, “Well if you don’t care to pay $17.00 a month how do you intend to convince me you are going to pay $600.00 a month?”

So yes, if you want to buy a home and get a loan – it’s a good idea to care about that “piddly” monthly payment. Especially if you have a bankruptcy or other issues on your credit report.

If you are unsure about what your credit position is and you want to purchase a home – the first thing you need to do is make sure you know what “good credit” is:

Credit Counts...

Call and meet with a lender. They’ll be honest and tell you point blank if your credit is good and what you need to do to fix issues if it isn’t good.

If you are self-employed, keep in mind, the “income” lenders use is what you report and file on your income tax returns.

Once you’ve made the commitment to buy a home and fix your credit — DO NOT go out and start buying more things. Especially big things likes cars, TVs, etc.

Don’t get frustrated. Your credit didn’t get bad overnight and it’s not going to get fixed overnight. It will take discipline and patience.

Stop searching the Internet for homes until you are ready to buy. This will only disappoint and discourage you from staying focused on what you need to do first. Keep in mind – there will always be a great deal on the perfect home for you!

And – pay all your bills on time and every time!

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Tanya Nouwens, January 8th 2010 | Posted in Finance

Sometimes, decluttering and decorating can change a person’s life.

Sometimes, decluttering and decorating can change a person’s life.  Sounds kitschy, but that’s what they tell us.  And for any of us who have gone through the monumental task of decluttering our own homes and then pulling things together in a way that makes us happy, we know it’s true.

Last spring, we did a Montreal home staging for a Montreal real estate agent and the home sold within days.  That real estate agent then referred us to a friend of hers who wanted some help pulling his Montreal condo together.

It turned out to be more than “pulling things together” actually.  This man had allowed the clutter in his home to accumulate, had never chosen furniture and art that he actually loved, and hadn’t bothered to arrange things in a way that made him want to be at home or have friends over.

And there were many reasons for this, not the least of which was a belief that it was not important.  He had been raised in a modest home where home furnishings and decorating had no real importance.  Art and music were important, but not the feeling you get in your own home.  I think he also had to get his head around the idea that decorating his home because he wanted to was enough of a reason; his reasons needn’t be loftier or more altruistic than that.

He was ready for change, he worked really hard, and we helped him get there.

Here’s a look at some before and after photos of his living room and dining room. I’ll show the bedrooms in my next posts.

Living Room Before Decluttering and Decorating

Come on in, have a seat, relax...

Dining Room Before Decluttering and Decorating

Ready for Entertaining

1 Comment

Tanya Nouwens, January 7th 2010 | Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Interior Decorating

“Hey, you should blog about this.”

A picture is worth a thousand words.

This has nothing to do with Montreal real estate, Montreal home staging, or plans for 2010.

It has everything to do with: 1. Being in Key West last year on vacation with Mr. Man; and 2. Mr. Man finding this picture on the computer the other day and saying, “Hey, you should blog about this.”

Yes, he actually said those words: “You should blog about this.”

What does this mean?

I think it means that he no longer sees my blogging as “the other man” in our relationship! Finally!

Does this mean an end to the glares he sends my way as I type, blog,  comment and laugh out loud while on Active Rain, my fav on-line real estate network, or other parts of cyberspace? One can only hope.

But at least the private detective he hired to tail me should be a thing of the past. I’ll keep you posted…

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Tanya Nouwens, January 7th 2010 | Tags: , ,
Posted in work life balance

My Mantra for 2010

I just read this post from Nancy who is in Utah with her husband, working on setting her goals for 2010. I find it so poignant. I can relate to her being in a place of beauty and of simplicity, with only what she needs, and finding that suddenly her mind opens, the ideas abound and her ability to focus on the true essentials in her life — the things that bring her fulfillment — becomes laser-sharp.

I believe life is all about quality, not quantity…in our homes, our relationships and our business. I am going to work hard on making this the year that I create both professional and personal “environments” that are simple and beautiful.

Thanks, Nancy, for sharing such a moment with us.

Via Nancy Tallman (Keller Williams ):

Every year my husband, Larry, and I travel to a quiet place and write our goals for the coming year. About a month prior to this “meeting” I start thinking about what I want to focus on for the coming year. This year, 2010, is going to be all about simplifying. We are in Sundance, Utah today. This resort is the manifestation of Robert Redford’s dream and vision about a sustainable resort that promotes the arts, nature and incredible dining. The resort IS simplicity and an example of what happens when the focus is on just a couple of things done extremely well. It is always inspiring to be here and the perfect place for reflection. We checked in last night and there are always in room magizines focusing on organic and natural living. It was KISMET! The magazine “Natural Home” (a magazine I would normally never pick up) was called “The Simplicity Issue” and was dedicated to “paring down and living more”. I loved the article about the guy in Iowa who built a 140 sq foot house and how it changed his life for the better. He lost weight, improved his career and met the woman of his dreams. It reminded me of when I lived on a sailboat for a few years in the early 1990’s. Those were some of the best times in my life–even though my corporate management position forced me to wear a business suit on most days. Here is the quote from “Natural Home’s” editor that I am going to use as my inspiration for 2010 “When we clear away the physical and mental clutter that gums up our lives, we can focus our energy and resources on what really matters: friends, family, activities we are passionate about. Letting go of commitments and stuff we don’t really care about is a gift greater than gold–and an ability worth cultivating.” There you have it. When Larry and I sit down this morning to pen this year’s goals, I am going to look at that quote and adjust my goals accordingly.

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Tanya Nouwens, January 5th 2010 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Musings

I got nothing done over the holidays.

Despite the best of intentions, I really got nothing done over the holidays. As a certain someone was thinking of the time he would have off during Christmas and New Year’s as an opportunity to perfect his Guitar Hero performance of all things Van Halen, I was relishing the opportunity to get my Montreal home staging and Montreal real estate business in gear for 2010: to assess how 2009 had played out, input all my expenses, make sure my invoices were all aligned with accounts receivable, lay out my plans for 2010 and the steps involved to get there, etc. You know, all the stuff we business owners really should be doing to prepare for the year ahead.

I got none of that done.

Here’s what I did get done:

Skating with my family and friends on the outdoor rink in the Old Port of Montreal on Christmas day. It was magical.

Laughing with my dear, sweet in-laws, who are going through some terrible health issues and yet have managed to retain their sense of humour.

First Nations Carving in the Great Hall of the Museum of Civilization

Escaping to Ottawa with my husband and two boys for a few days. This involved touring the Museum of Civilization, seeing the IMAX movie Wild Safari (AWESOME!), and driving to the Prime Minister of Canada’s house — we didn’t get invited in : (  Here’s a shot of one of the First Nations’ carvings in the Great Hall of the Museum. It is huge and awe-inspiring.

Seeing old friends in Ottawa, visiting with their kids who are growing up way too fast, and enjoying the company of people who have known us for so long, none of our conversations with them need an update on context. Know what I mean? We can talk about anything, and they know where we’re coming from and why.

Looking through the great pictures we’ve taken over the last year and reminiscing about where we were when we took what shot.

Celebrating New Year’s with our great friends and letting the boys stay up to toast the New Year with us.

Is This Grandpa?

Speaking on the phone with family who live too far away for my liking.

Reading a great book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

Talking about my business plan for 2010 with my husband, the best business and time management coach anyone could ask for. Here he is with our sons, pointing to a 1970s picture of a crab fisherman at the Museum in Ottawa and asking, based on the hair, “Is that you, Grandpa?”

Snuggling for hours with my boys (all three : ), covering them with kisses, and looking into their eyes and really LISTENING to them.

Yup, I got nothing done over the holidays. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do…

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Tanya Nouwens, January 1st 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in work life balance

No, Please, Not Another Melamine and Oak Strip Kitchen!

I once had this kitchen. You’ve seen it before, haven’t you? Or was it just a Montreal home-builder’s brainchild? You know, that beautiful (?) almond-coloured melamine cabinetry and then, for a pinch of the organic, a strip of oak at the bottom of each upper cabinet door and at the top of each lower door and drawer. Beautiful? Ummmm, how can I say this … NO. Dated? Just by about two decades. I don’t think anything screams ‘late 1980s’ more to a home buyer than this kitchen. What to do, what to do, what to do?

Here’s an idea that worked well for me: paint out all of the oak strips in the same colour as the cabinetry and then install beautiful hardware on the doors and drawers. Et voilà ! You’ve just been teleported out of the late ’80s and into the new millenium – not quite 2008 but close enough.

Now, what to do with those blasted grey melamine and black tiled bathrooms that had their day back when we all had big hair and kept a bottle of Final Net (a.k.a. Final Helmet) in our purses to cement the effects of all of that hair teasing. Ahhhhh, the good ol’ days…

2 Comments

Tanya Nouwens, December 23rd 2009 | Tags:
Posted in Staging

Have Fruit, Will Travel

On a recent staging job here in Montreal, Canada, an ordinary dining table went from good to great with the injection of a bowl of real, live fruit. Unfortunately, the cat found the new all-you-can-eat buffet atop the table simply irresistible. And somehow, while strawberries with little chunks taken out of them might qualify as “art nouveau” to some, it’s just plain creepy to most.

On my next shopping trip, I went to Pier I and found really great fake fruit: green apples, red apples, red and green apples, amber pears, green pears and lemons. They were quite pricey ($4 each) but apparently each piece is hand-painted so that they don’t all look the same. And they are beautiful – not at all cheesy. Now the cat’s not quite as happy, but I am and so is the homeowner.

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Tanya Nouwens, December 22nd 2009 | Tags:
Posted in Staging
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