Home Staging Blog by Jennie Norris

Two of our four children are involved in swim team this season and I am off to a swim meet today . . . but I was thinking about parallels between swimming and our Staging businesses. . . .

I know many Stagers are struggling to get business and many have closed their doors recently due to the economy and the demise of the real estate market.  I think a lot of these people did not have a long term business plan because anyone that has been in business knows that a market for any product or service is not going to remain "hot" indefinitely.  There will be ups and downs.  And what we are experiencing is just part of the normal business cycle even though most out there as Stagers are experiencing it for the first time.

But with so many avenues of income for us as Stagers I really have to believe that when the going got tough, these people (some of them) forgot the basic life preserver for us in business: Marketing. 

We can never escape the importance of staying out in the hunt, of networking for business, and using what we have done to help us get more.  There are many creative ways to market from the internet to materials, etc. - but NOTHING is as effective as the hole in the front of your face - your MOUTH.  Whether it's on the phone or in person YOU talking about YOU is the best form of marketing.  Relationship building comes from one-on-one conversations.

On a swim team (our business) a swimmer on a team has to learn many different types of strokes - breast, back, butterfly, and freestyle in order to compete.  Even if they are not as good at one over the other, they are put in during the season to compete - and this helps them improve. 

• Just like a swimmer, a good Stager has more than just one type of service to offer a potential client.

Before they ever swim in a meet, the swimmers have to first demonstrate their abilities by trying out and being judged.

• This is like our proposals.  We have to prove our ability to serve the client and we may even be compared to others in our field.

Then they have to practice, practice, practice - every day for an hour just swimming laps and practicing their turns.  Practice makes perfect.

• This is like our jobs we do - that may be the same sort of jobs but each time we go out we gain more skills, we get faster, we get more ideas, we get better at what we do in Staging.

Then the Swim Meet comes - and the swimmer is assigned to a group and told what they will be competing in that day.  They do their best and hope to get a ribbon for placing in the top 5.

• This is like our Staging work - we hope that we do a good job and when recognition comes, it's like the icing on the cake.

But what would happen if the swimmer got a cramp or just gave up mid-swim and just treaded water in the lane?  They would eventually tire to the point where they may not be able to swim anymore.  They might even sink out of exhaustion from expending all that energy going nowhere.  Now, imagine this swimmer in a large ocean.  Now what would happen?  Not a pretty thought and yet that is what is happening to many Stagers.

• If we stop moving forward and just stop our progress then we are in essence moving backward, or just "treading water."  If we are just hoping to "get by" until the market turns good again, we are essentially expending energy and using up our resources and not doing anything.  We are not moving ahead.  That means we are being left behind as our business sinks and our morale is lost.

When we expect a life preserver to be thrown to us - what do you want yours to say?  Get a "real" job?  Give up? or Get out and MARKET!  I hope you will do what it takes now to preserve your business so that you can be in this for the long term.

With the markets still struggling in most areas across the country finding new ways to respond and stay viable as a Stager is important.  We are blessed with creativity but I think a lot of Stagers forget to use it when the traditional way of earning income dissipates.

When the going gets tough do you pack up and leave?  I hope not.  One of the great things about what we do is that we can Stage anything.  It does not have to be a house for sale.  Think about it.

Staging for Remodeling can happen two ways.  When the foreclosure market turns to an investor market - and it is happening in many areas - they need our help to facilitate many of the changes that need to be made in the house prior to re-marketing the house and flipping it.  Many investors do not live in the areas where they are buying up properties and have not ever seen some of them in person.  Now we are not licensed contractors (most of us) and would not do the actual work, but we can act as a sort of "forman" on the job - help select materials, colors, and make sure the work gets done on schedule.  We make sure the materials they put in are right for the marke and for selling the house - as many of these "flippers" have no imagination or they put in blobs of vanilla everywhere.  And we get paid for our time and expertise. Then when the house is complete, hopefully they will also Stage it for sale using our time, talent and inventory!

How do you find these investors?  Network with your lenders and keep your ears open.

The second way Staging for Remodeling can work is because the market is such that many would be Sellers are staying put to wait it out - they are now more interested in making changes to their houses rather than move.  These changes can be as easy as painting to as involved as major remodeling.  Again, we can act as the visionary that helps see the project through to completion.  How do you find these homeowners - your personal referral network.  People don't know what we don't tell them.

There are already Stagers that specialize in this exact process - and make a very good living doing it.  It is not "new" to them - but to some of us it may be a new way of thinking about how to apply our skills to the changing tide.

So put on your hard hat and get away from the hard luck story that is being told out there!  We can continue to earn income when we choose to develop other lines of business to sustain us.

Pick up the latest copy of Entrepreneur Magazine to read the article on "Silver Lining" which addresses ways to succeed in a market that is changing.  The author reviews the Top 10 businesses/careers that are tied to the Real Estate Industry and Home Staging is on the list as well as REO related businesses and services for Realtors and affiliates.

Kudos to Barb Schwarz, President & CEO of Stagedhomes.com, who is featured in the article, and (humbly) We Stage Sacramento- who provided some content on home staging as a business.  You can read the article here and also find it on the www.Stagedhomes.com site under the Media link.

Title:  "Silver Lining:  Every bust creates a boom, and the real estate market is no different. Here are 10 real estate businesses that are primed to take off" -  by Carol Tice.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2008/july/194442.html

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If you work or live in the Greater Sacramento area - please allow the experts at We Stage Sacramento to assist you with Staging to Sell or Staging to Live.  We have the most experience of any regional company and value our relationships with clients.  We are ready to serve you - so please call us.  888-WE-STAGE to set up your in home Staging preview or to schedule your Staging work.

I got home from a week of teaching in Connecticut - beautiful state for those of you that live there!  I loved how green it was and that as I drove on the freeway, all I saw were trees and green grass, not houses, shops, stores, sound walls and that like that we see here in California. And I drove around the Yale University campus which was fabulous - But I digress . . .

When I got home late last night, there was a box waiting for me.  I love surprises - and so I wondered what was inside. 

Imagine my pleasure when I opened it and found a note from a fellow ASP Stager that I had taken the time to advise and guide when she was first getting started.  She sent me some wonderful household and pampering items - that I will enjoy using and will think of her every time I do.  THey were packaged nicely and branded beautifully with her company logo and name.  Great job.

I am no longer acting as an "official" business coach, but do still take the time to share with many Stagers out there - some I have been contacted by from our classes, some through this site and some through word of mouth - and some because they know me by reputation.  Not all ASPs either - just in case you were wondering - I DO share with those that contact me for help - no matter where they are from.  In any case, this Stager, Ellen from NY, sent me the nicest gift - and it was not necessarily what she sent - it was her words.

They made my night! It was a simple but heartfelt thank you for the time I invested with her some time ago - and clearly she is on track and having fun with her business, and she thanked me for taking the time to share with her.

Sometimes the greatest reward for what we do is the unexpected "Thanks" - from a fellow colleague that we help along their journey, or perhaps from a client that is blown away by our work. 

The value of appreciating others is something that is never lost on the recipient.  And although I know most of us do not "give to receive" - it is nice to be acknowledged in a special way, and it reminds me to continue to appreciate and thank those that are important to me in my life -  for my success, for my joy, and for friendship.  It's often the smallest gesture that can mean the most to another person.

- Jennie

I can't help sharing the graduation of our daughter, Lauren, from 8th grade.  She received the President's Academic Award of Excellence (based on GPA and SAT Scores) and also received a plaque for being on the honor roll all 4 quarters.  There was a Jr. High banquet - and I helped "Stage" the centerpieces - and the kids were all dressed up, and then the following evening was the actual ceremony with their graduation gowns.  This was the highlight of my week last week - my husband and I are so proud! 

I recall my own 8th grade graduation - I do remember wearing a long sundress and had my hair up in a braided side-do for our outdoor ceremony, but we did not have a big banquet or awards, and did not wear a gown - not until high school. Seems that the formal process for high school and college graduations has trickled down to 8th graders now.

Next year - we'll have a 9th grader, 7th grader, 5th and 4th graders and for now are just enjoying the summer!

- Jennie

MORE good press for us as Home Stagers!  Woman's World is hot off the press and features Home Staging in this month's issue!  I could not find the magazine online so go to your nearest store and find it there!  The article features The Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz and ASPs, and of course represents our industry well - as always. 

I plan on sharing this latest article with everyone - giving us some additional credibiltiy and the ability to reach a mass audience.  Way to go! - Jennie

More prime time press and exposure for Home Staging as a key part of selling houses.  the CBS Early Show did a feature on "Selling a House in a Buyer's Market" and one the tips the author of the article discusses is making sure the house is Staged.

I was even more excited when I read the endorsement for the ASP Designation in this article - that was, I might add, unsolicited.  CBS did their homework and recognized that having a house Staged is a key part of getting it sold, especially in today's market, and using the expertise of an accredited Stager is important.  They also point out that using a Realtor that has training in this service and a professional designation (they point out the ASP Real Estate Agent Designation) is important.

Better yet - they pointed the public reading the article to where they could find qualified Stagers and Realtors to work with - the online directory found at www.Stagedhomes.com.  I have included a link to a page where this article is found for you to download and use in your marketing or share with your clients.  The overall article is very useful when working with Sellers in today's market.

- Jennie

It struck me today as I was writing an article that there seems to be an evolution of sorts in the Home Staging realm.  Unfortunately, the evolution is not one of progress, but one of conformity - conformity to a standard that is the antithesis of the true essence of Home Staging.  We need to be aware of this and remember what Staging is really about.

By one definition Staging is the process of preparing a house for sale so that it sells in the fastest time and at the best price.  Staging is the opposite of decorating - which is all about personalizing a space. When was the last time you picked up a decorating magazine and found it full of ways to clear out the space and make it universally appealing to everyone?  I don't see articles like that in decorating or home interior magazines.  What I see are ideas on personalizing colors, fabric choices, and furniture styles - all with the intent of making a space personal to the owner and pitching the latest trends in the decorating industry.

Let's face it - there are a lot of Stagers in business, and I do believe we do the industry proud as a group.  But, I am concerned about what I see as a push towards elements of decorating that really have no place in Staging.  This is not a criticism of decorators or designers, and yet many from those fields promote themselves as Stagers, and have blended the lines, so to speak, between what Staging is and what it is not.  And we are letting it happen.

As an example, when the windows of a house have a hard line at the top, Home Stagers often swag a simple drape of fabric over the top to soften the lines, and possibly to frame the window.  It is cleverly done, a quick step in the Staging process and it works.  Stagers that are focused on the decorating or design side of things would say "Tsk, Tsk!  The fabric is not at the right length or no hardware was used."  I say, "Who cares if the fabric does not go all the way to the floor? Do you really think a buyer is going to notice much less care?"  To me, the fact that the window is framed is enough - and it is just for an effect, it is not for "living" and certainly is not there to win a style award. And yet it IS tasteful and does the trick. 

And how about mixing woods?  I can hear the collective groan from decorators and designers all over America dismayed by the use of more than one wood color or grain in a house - and yet is the buyer purchasing the furniture? No - they are purchasing the HOUSE!  So - mix away, Stagers.  By the way, the eclectic look is IN so free yourselves from the "matchy-matchy" mental attitude.

I know there are cross over elements in Staging that are common with Decorating and Design, but what I see more and more are "Stagers" that are putting these "D" hats - trying to compete with that "look," which in true form misses the boat of Staging completely.  Yes we have to follow current color trends and styles with Staging, but not to the point where we over-do a Staging job, or get so wrapped up into the need for a particular style or look for our Staging, that we blow a budget, take too much time on a job, or forget that the average buyer is going to be in the house for a short period of time.  Our job is to highlight the best features of the house, minimize the distractions, and give a buyer a reason to purchase the house, not our stuff.

Now I can already hear some of you shaking your heads at my commentary - but take a look at some of the Staging that is out there and you tell me you don't think it has crossed into decorating.  It might look very nice - I am not saying it doesn't - but is it overdone?  And ask yourselves, "Is this what we want?"  Do we want the public thinking Staging is like decorating - and therefore you need to pour more than is needed into a house for sale or not bother because they feel their stuff does not measure up?

The television shows that are supposedly "about home staging" are really about remodeling, redesigning and decorating a house for sale.  Tell me I am wrong.  I watch them just like you do.  These shows deliver the wrong message to the public and I yearn for a show on Real Staging - where purging, packing, and creativity are the focus.  Not one of these supposed shows on Staging is really about Staging.  That is a tragedy in my book.  When will we wake up and begin to demand that the reflection of what we do is accurate?  We were so happy to have "some" coverage that we never stopped to consider "who is delivering the message?" For me, I don't want the designer on the "Designed to Sell" (you see - even the NAME is wrong!) representing what I do as a Home Stager.  How about you?  Are you proud of how we are represented on these shows as the caustic critics or devoted designers?

What I am concerned about is Stagers forgetting the true roots of Staging - and stepping into Decorating or Design shoes and walking a path away from the true goal of Staging.  Paths that end up making the staging more costly and time consuming than it needs to be.  I also wonder why some Staging classes feel the need to include information on feng shui, color analysis, spatial planning and the like?  Is this because there is the fear that if we don't "know it all" we cannot serve our client or are they too conforming to the misguided perception of what Staging is really about?  If a Stager wants to delve into redesign, that's great, and I think it's wise to carve out multiple niches for business, but if I want information on those things, I can read a book.   When I was trained, it was to learn to be successful as a Stager, I already knew how to decorate.

My advice is to stick to the true roots of Staging and remember what the goal is - get the house sold - not make it look pretty.  In the process of Staging, a house does end up looking wonderful, but the original goal of selling the space and the house cannot be forgotten because of baubles and bling.  Trying to apply the "rules" of decorating and design to Staging is like trying to fit a square block in a round hole.  It doesn't work and the focus becomes on the fit and not the finished product - the house.  Break free from the design or decorating mold, and express yourself freely with "simply Staging."

This is an exciting industry and we are fortunate to have resources at our disposal that help us continue to gain education and insight into what works for us as Stagers!  The 'S' Factor has been released as an E-book (downloadable to your computer) and is FULL of valuable information related to the Staging industry - and the three key people involved in the process:  the Seller, the Realtor and the Stager.

Many books written about our industry overlook the key involvement of the Seller - and don't instruct the us how to dialogue with this most important entity that is critical to the success of the Staging process.  Many books also overlook the process of educating and working with the Realtor - who is also critical in the success of the Staging process.  It is a fact that when one of these parties (Seller, Realtor or Stager) is not on board 100% with the Staging - it does not happen, or does not happen to the best outcome.  That is why "The 'S' Factor"  is quickly becoming a necessary resource for those that want to succeed in this industry.  As a Realtor or as a Home Stager, you will benefit from this E-Book.

Written by Barb Schwarz, Accredited Staging Professional Master (ASPM), IAHSP, Certified Speaking Professional, and the CEO of Stagedhomes.com - the first and largest Home Staging Education Training and Resource, (www.Stagedhomes.com) Barb is the Pioneer for the Home Staging industry, educating over one million Realtors and Home Stagers about the principles and success techniques that are an intergral part of this industry.  For over 30 years, as a real estate professional and home stager, Barb developed and refined her success principles and shares them as part of the Accredited Staging Professional Course.  Barb developed the ASP and ASP Master Course as a way to provide professional education for the home staging industry.  Prior to launching Stagedhomes.com there were no other companies providing the high level of quality education to a mass audience, and today, Stagedhomes.com continues to lead the industry in education and quality Staging training.  Barb has been featured on the only national prime time news shows about Home Staging including ABC's 20/20 and NBC's The Today Show.  She is constantly featured in national and local magazine articles, newspaper articles, and television segments on Staging, and graduates of her ASP course rank among the top Stagers in the country.  She is the author of several best selling books on both real estate success principles and home staging education. 

Barb Schwarz is also the President and Founder of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the first and only international association governing the home staging industry.  Comprised of Accredited Staging Professionals (ASPs), IAHSP includes over 100 regional chapters located in cities all over North America, that serve their communities and members with networking, professional events, annual conventions, and more.

The S Factor can be ordered by going to the www.Stagedhomes.com site and purchasing it through a secure web portal.  When printed out, the book is over an inch thick - and again, full of reminders and key tips for our success.

I am exicted to be able to share this unique resource for our industry and toot the horn of the most influential person in the Staging industry who has devoted more than 30 years to helping educate others about the need for professional Staging when putting a house on the market.  Hope you enjoy it!