There’s a little bit of everything in this week’s edition of “Photos of the Week.”

However, this version provides you with the first half-naked photo in the history of the blog…

So you’re the perfect buyer, are you?

Not easily influenced, unemotional, and always on point.

Well, let me tell you a story…

I was showing a house a few weeks back to a young lady that wanted a “nice neighbourhood” with “good neighbours,” among other things.

Now I’m going to show you the following photo, which was about as PG-13 as things got, this day.  My client called this “The Welcome Wagon,” and suggested that the view from the front porch was rather nice, and that she could see herself living in the property.

Just take my word for it – this is the only photo I could show:

Yeah, and this photo was taken after he put on his shorts…

Moving on…

But along the same lines – “being influenced,” leads to a conversation about staging, and the impact it has had in the past few years on real estate.

Every house or condo needs some staging, although not every seller takes this idea to heart.

Then there are the sellers that decide to get a bid edgey, or make their properties somewhat memorable.

I’m down for a cool, funky, blase style, but maybe this could rub some buyers the wrong way:

Then again, there are some things you just can’t change, no matter if you stage or not.

Take this photo for example, that shows a new washer dryer in a modestly-priced house:

What’s wrong with the washer/dryer?

I mean, what am I suggesting the seller should do, staging-wise?

Well, I’m not a certified, professional stager, but I think that either:

1) The washer/dryer shouldn’t be in the bedroom
2) There shouldn’t be a bed in that giant laundry room

Okay, get in your time machine…

Were you a child of the 1980’s?

Did you have a older sister?

Was your older sister utterly and hopelessly obsessed with “Sweet Valley Twins,” and then years later, “Sweet Valley High?”

Did your sister force you to call Coles Bookstore every day and ask, “Hello, do you have Francine Pascal’s ‘Sweet Valley High’ edition #81” every single week?

I was in a house last week where the seller had the ENTIRE COLLECTION of SVH, and lucky for me, my client was also a child of the 1980’s, and she didn’t find it weird when I pulled these books off the shelf, covered my entire body with them, and started to gently weep…

I dunno, folks, but I’d say that the site of “Stage East” isn’t bringing in any buyers from Main Street…

So…..is this the sales centre?  Er…….ummm…

How indecisive can the board of directors and/or property manager at 38 The Esplanade possibly be?

Don’t get me wrong – it’s a fantastic building, and probably one of my favorite in the downtown core.

Their amenities are top-notch, and their wood-panelled library is like something out of Clue.

But what’s with the barbecues?

Left to right, that’s a Weber, then a Broil Mate, and finally a Napoleon.

I guess there was no discount on three of the same model?  Or maybe these beauties came from Craigslist?

And finally, if you’ve been to enough houses listed for sale, you’re accustomed to seeing helpful little signs and post-it notes throughout the house.

“Heated Floors” says the note in the master bathroom.

“Natural Gas Line” says a note on the outdoor terrace.

“Roughed-In Plumbing For Kitchen” specifies another note in the corner of the semi-finished basement.

But I’m not sure why the following note is necessary, or exactly what the sellers are trying to say:

Hey, if you got it – flaunt it…

Happy Monday, folks!