Cindy Sezlik in the April/May edition of Ottawa Magazine's Annual Real Estate Guide:

"When the going gets tough, agents get creative" by Antonia Morton.

The local real estate market may have escaped the catastrophic dips seen in some other cities. Still that doesn't mean agents don't have to be quick-witted and creative when it comes to brokering a house sale.  If a buyer is wavering, sometimes the quirkiest things can tip the scales.  Six Ottawa agents share their skills in thinking outside the box and show that when it comes to home negotiations, small things can have a disproportionate effect.

Cindy Sezlik: One incentive I offer buyers is a free two-hour session with a professional closet designer.  A lot of people -- like me -- have no patience for organizing.  But a pro can go in and tidy up even the messiest bedroom closet or kitchen cupboards and drawers in just two hours.  When I suggest it, buyers usually say: "Oh, my God, that's brilliant!  How soon can she come in?" It's a dynamic closing tool, and people really appreciate the fact that it helps them live titdily.  I tell them my philosophy: "Live in your home as though you're going to sell it tomorrow -- make it your palace!"