A Special Client
Here’s a story near to my heart. Don was another one of my wonderful senior clients. I helped him sell his condo in Sidney, so that he could enjoy a much newer space that had an elevated feeling of prestige. THE PENTHOUSE was all THAT… nearly 1600 sqft of modern build, and gorgeous views over the Sooke hills that provided amazing sunsets!
The Penthouse Experience
Don moved in and enjoyed two years of life in the fabulous space. However, during that time, a new condo being built on the south side of him continued to rise and obstructed his ocean views. He knew that this would happen when he bought, but he wasn’t worried about it, partly because he had got it for such an excellent price! For Don, nothing would shake his enjoyment of Penthouse prestigious living.
A Sudden Change
But then his health changed, and suddenly, his daughters called me to say that sadly, Don had passed, and could I please sell his property? I was gobsmacked. How could Don, the funny joker, and sweet client who had brought flowers for me to my office in appreciation for his purchase, have left us?
A New Challenge: Transforming the Penthouse
Don’s roommate had also left, but not in the same way. The penthouse was a mess of a hodgepodge of items, and it certainly didn’t say “glorious penthouse” anymore! Oh my, so much to do!! The property felt sad and lonely.
I rolled up my sleeves, and promised his daughters that I would help their overwhelmed family! Immediately, I put out Facebook marketplace ads for free and for sale items and cleared out many unnecessary possessions. That paved the way for a new vision. How best to reimagine the space?
Restoring the Penthouse to Its Glory
It had a great deal of space, but was large and cavernous without the right furniture, and the huge main area needed the proper furnishings to define the living spaces. We switched the area rugs around to better anchor the living and dining area, and brought in a coffee table, bench, and two chairs to create a reading area overlooking the large deck and its sunny vistas, as well as many other quality furniture pieces. The bedrooms needed better furnishings, as well as the hall and office. Bathrooms needed warming up with towels, etcetera… so many touches such as plants, lighting, and mirrors were needed! Large-scale artwork was brought in to give the right sense of scale and elite vibe, and new, welcoming décor was either rented or brought in from my personal staging collection to warm up and elevate the space back to the chic haven that Don had first envisioned!
A Collaborative Effort and a Happy Ending
All of this was going well, partly because I worked with Don’s two daughters as if we were a triad of creative designers, intent on respecting their father’s legacy. They were fabulous, even though they did not live nearby, and had many great ideas on restoring the proper vibe. The other part was my ability to work hard and keep to a stellar vision!
There was just one problem. Did we need curtains to soften the wall on the south side? There were designer blinds, but would a prospective buyer be turned off by the new wall behind them? An Interior Designer friend of mine named Yanna King wisely counseled that no, it wasn’t necessary. The Penthouse was already wooing and distracting with its reimagined beauty, and the right Buyer would fall in love with its many lovely features instead; chief of which was its fabulous Location, and ‘acres’ of Designer space! And this is EXACTLY what happened! A couple of prospective buyers fell in love, but only one lucky couple was chosen to buy the property… A retiring couple from Saskatchewan who had been dreaming for years of being in the dreamy resort town of Sidney! Congratulations to that fortunate Buyer, and thank you, Don, for being able to serve you again, and give your family peace.
Contact marilyn@marilynball.ca or Text 250-818-6489 if you need a fairy godmother of the staging kind to help you with your Sale... the honour will be mine!
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