BMO Happy Homeowners podcast offers advice on home staging and renovation

Thinking of renovating your home to increase its value? Looking for clear advice on how to stage your home before you put it on the market? Canadian homeowners can now get the inside track from two seasoned pros thanks to a new podcast from BMO Bank of Montreal.

Home renovation is big business in Canada. In fact, a recent CMHC Renovation and Home Purchase Report revealed that Canadians spent close to $20 billion on home renovations last year. For the majority of households, the top reasons for renovating were to update, add value or prepare to sell their home. That’s why BMO has teamed up with Toronto real estate expert Nick Thompson of Harvey Kalles Real Estate to launch the Happy Homeowner podcast and provide advice and clarify homeowner questions about renovation and staging.

“Your home is your biggest and most important asset,” said Jane Yuen, Senior Manager, BMO Bank of Montreal. “Even if you’re not thinking of selling, it pays to understand how to make smart decisions when it comes to home renovations. With the Happy Homeowner podcast, we’re giving homeowners professional insight on how to go about planning and budgeting for home renovations.”

The podcast features an engaging, in-depth interview between Thompson and Wynter Rosen, an accomplished Toronto-based interior designer and home stager. They discuss the ins and outs of home renovations and how a home stager’s professional eye can help homeowners make smart renovation decisions, as well as how to manage the project while keeping budget expectations in check.

Throughout the podcast, Rosen and Thompson address a number of topics, including:

* Staging secrets – how to mask an eyesore or highlight an asset
* Renovating on a budget – tips on where to focus your money
* Home staging myths – should you personalize your home? Do home buyers really look inside your closets? Should you focus on de-cluttering?
* Tips and resources – leveraging available resources, such as the BMO Homeowner ReadiLine of credit, in order to accomplish your dream renovation

“As a real estate agent in Toronto, and as a homeowner myself, I’ve had lots of experience with home renovations and staging,” said Thompson. “I’m thrilled to be able to share what I’ve learned through this podcast – it’s a great, interactive medium for engaging homeowners and helping them make the best home renovation decisions for them.”

The Happy Homeowner podcast is an offshoot of the popular First-Time Homebuyer podcast series. It’s available at www.bmo.com and can also be found on iTunes. Listeners are welcome to send comments or questions to feedback@bmo.com. The Podcast will also be accessible through Nick Thompson’s website at www.firstclasshomes.ca. For more information on Wynter Rosen, visit her website at www.homegirlsinteriors.com.