Home Staging Blog by Jennie Norris

As the Summer wanes and days grow shorter and kids are back in school, we are noticing a definite increase in our Staging business!  This is good.

I received a call from a large production builder that I have not worked with in almost a year - and they have 4 projects for us.  This is good.

We have Staged more houses this month than in the prior months this year.  This is good.

We are getting calls from both Sellers and Realtors to Stage houses for sale.  This is good.

Our projects are both vacant and occupied houses.  This is good.

I received a lead from Active Rain - this is good!  I also received a lead from my profile on Stagedhomes.com - that is good too!  Internet marketing is working. . .

Our business never totally died off like some Stagers - because we have a solid client base - which is good.

But we were definitely impacted by our market where over 60,000 houses sit in the foreclosure category right now.  That is not good.

There are Stagers that have closed their doors because they could not sustain income and viability with no business coming in - and decided to go off in a different direction.  I made a decision to continue to move forward and continue to let the Realtors I know that are sticking with the business in this market - that we are here for the long term too.

There are those that were not prepared for a downturn in our market - where I live and in many other markets.  The key is to realize that we are in a downturn that is always followed by an upswing.  This is good.

We have projects lined up and anticipate a good fall Staging business - and will definitely work towards the winter months as well - as we don't want business to come to a halt just because of the season.

Waxing Business - this is good.  We are excited about revenue coming in and inventory going out - and our goal to empty our storage units and send all the key pieces "to the show" is being realized!

 

- Jenniie

 

Presentation of a house for sale seems like a no-brainer to many that are involved in the industry. Yet there are still houses out there on the market that have not had one whit of attention paid to cleanliness and clutter. Here piggy piggy!

This begs the question: Are the Sellers Ignorant or just Plain Arrogant?

Do they REALLY not know all about how to present their house for sale?
Ignorance - which in this case is not bliss. It's "blah! - or Blechh"

And does the listing agent really not know what to tell them about keeping their house picked up and make it presentable to buyers?

Or are they just thumbing their nose at the process of attracting a buyer? Arrogance - an attitude that few can afford to have in a market where the competition is stiff, and prices are decreasing.

I had this question posed to me yesterday - by someone that has their house on the market. This seller toured other listings to check out the competition and was shocked at what they saw in a house - same price range, smaller square footage.

They shared there was a half-eaten granola bar left on the kitchen floor. The bathroom shower was so disgusting they said she would not want to shower in there - ever! Every room was dirty - the grout, the window tracks, the counters, the flooring. You get the picture.

They toured it at an Open House - with the listing agent touring the buyers through the pig sty.
Their house, meanwhile, is neat and tidy, it is ready for any buyer to walk into and picture themselves living there. It has been depersonalized and prepared for sale.

In this day and age of media exposure, articles, television shows, professional home stagers in EVERY market in the US . . . HOW is it possible that these people still don't have a clue?

And it is not just about the Sellers - the REALTOR needs to wise up and get tough on the client. Letting them leave their house a mess, is a mistake. If the REALTOR truly wants to SELL the house - and not just show a pig-sty to the public, then there needs to be a truthful conversation with the sellers.

If the Sellers don't care about keeping up appearances - that means they are not motivated to sell - and that Realtor is just wasting time and dollars marketing a property that is a turn-off to anyone that walks through the door.

And the public that is out there shopping - trust me, they would rather buy a house that has been well maintained and cared for than one that looks like it has been neglected. The only ones that want a house like that - they will low-ball the price and hope that the sellers that don't care about presenting a nice product to the market won't care about their equity and price either.

Arrogance - a costly mistake. Ignorance - let's educate the sellers and get them to clean up their act!

Look for the article on Home Staging in Consumer Reports!  Here is an excerpt from one of their internal boxes:  reprinted from Consumer Reports September 2008 issue:

 

Here is the link to the article featuring Barb Schwarz - as the expert in the Home Staging industry that shares the important reasons why consumers need to Stage first before they sell! 

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/real-estate/real-estate/show-your-home-like-a-pro/real-estate-show-your-home-like-a-pro.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=home%20staging

The more positive press coverage we have that reaches the mass public - the better it will be for all of us - Stagers and Realtors combined!

- Jennie

We just Staged 2 vacant houses, and De-staged 1 house all in ONE AFTERNOON!  We started at 11 AM and were done and back home by 8:15 - including an hour dinner break and about 2 hours of drive time.

We loaded up our truck starting at 11 AM - and after one pit-stop to get water, gas and bathroom - were off by 12:20 PM to Stage the first project.  Driving 40 minutes to get there we parked and unloaded.  We Staged the house and were back in the truck and ready to go to the next project by 2:00 PM.

We arrived at the second house at 2:30 - and unloaded the rest of the truck.  We cut the movers loose at 3:30 PM (they returned our truck and gassed it up for us) and kept Staging.  At 5 PM we went to get a bite to eat (hadn't had lunch or breakfast) . . . and took an hour to do that, as well as swung by our unit to grab a few extra accent pillows and minor decor.  We got back to the house at 6:15 and were done with our Staging and driving away just before 7 PM.  Went back to the unit and unloaded the extras.  For this house, we had to remove many window treatments and hang others - so took longer than normal for us in the house, and yet, we still were in and out in our goal time.

We then went to our third project for the day - a De-Stage - loaded it up (artwork, trees, rug, decor, etc.) and drove off - back at home by 8:15PM.  The great thing about these projects is that they were both small to modest size houses, all the inventory is our own so we keep all the money, and you CAN crank out more than just one project per day - or one project per 2 days. 

As the last post related to this shares (2 Projects - 2 Stagers, 2 Movers, 5.5 Hours - HOW is this possible?), it's all about Planning - the LIST, and focused time management.

The productive time on this day (with deleting time for dinner and driving) - was ABOUT SIX (6) HOURS! 

Profit on the projects: All inventory is ours, had to pay for movers and the truck.  After the dust settled - we netted about $150/hour each.  Take THAT to the bank!

Here is the breakdown:

Loading time:  1.5 hours (11-12:15)

Drive time: 40 minutes (12:15-1PM)

PROJECT 1: Unloading and Staging:  1 hour (1-2 PM)

Staged 4 rooms in the house (including bathroom)

Drive time to House #2:  40 minutes (2-2:40 PM)

PROJECT 2: Unload: 1 hour (2:40-3:40)

Staged 9 rooms in the house (including bathrooms)

Staging: 1.5 hours more (3:40-5PM)

Dinner: 1 hour (5-6-PM)

Finish Project: 30 minutes (6:15-6:45 PM)

PROJECT 3: De-staging: 30 minutes (7-7:30 PM)

Drive time: 30 minutes (15 min each way) (7:30-8PM)

Again - there are Stagers that are meeting this type of timeframe for Staging - we are not the only ones - and yet I post these types of examples to prove that it CAN be done!  All it takes is PLANNING and having a vision ahead of time.  If I were to take closeups of our Staging - you would see the special touches - the little fruit in the bowls or glasses, the fun way we tie towels, the window treatments, etc.  It is not about being a Staging robot, but it about what I call "COMMANDO STAGING" (and I don't mean Commando as in no underwear!)  GET IN - get the PROJECT DONE - and Move out!

Here are the photos of the after results of the projects.

PROJECT 1:  CONDO/TOWNHOUSE - 1,000 SQUARE FEET - 4 ROOMS STAGED

PROJECT 2: SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE - 2,200 SQUARE FEET - 9 ROOMS STAGED

"Outstaging the Stager" - The Games Sellers Play

I posted the first blog post about clients we worked with that said "We are Stagers" - and when working with us - we clearly were from two different worlds - they are in re-design, and we are in Staging.

I thought you'd like to see the Before & After photos from this Staging project.  Because we learned in our initial training how to handle a client - and how to honor them and their things - our suggestions were not taken as criticisms and the sellers ended up doing ALL we recommended.

Enjoy! - Jennie

 

 

Pool table in the LR - the first room buyers walked into - we recommended the removal of the pool table - even though the sellers said, "We've always lived this way," - and it had not occurred to them to remove this large item.  Their house had been on the market for a year with another Realtor.  The one that brought us in understands the benefit and need for Staging.

Items used in the LR were found in other rooms of the house.  Nothing had to be rented.

Formal Dining room being used as a Bar.  Piano was moved to the LR below, and the bar was removed.  The table in the after photo came from the Kitchen Nook that was dwarfed by the oversize table that the seller said, "Looks like a landing strip" when she saw it in the photo on my camera.

Table from Nook - fits much better in the formal dining room. The seller put a smaller bistro size pub table in the nook that looked great.

Family room - too many large pieces and too dark.  The loveseat in the foreground was used in the formal living room.  The paint color was great for living, not for selling.  It made the room feel dark, and it was too custom.  The sellers agreed to paint and rearrange according to our plan.

WOW! What a difference!

The master bedroom had too many large pieces and too dark of wall color (terra cotta).  The seller used our plan for rearranging and removing things, the white chairs in the living room (after) came from this room.  Swapping the bedding and painting the walls made a huge difference.

NOW - bright and easy to move around. Job well done!!

 

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When you need to Sell your house or listing, you need to Stage it first!  Work with the experts at We Stage Sacramento - for all areas of the greater Sacramento region!  We have helped over 2,500 clients Stage their houses so they look their best prior to coming on the market.  Let us help you too!  Occupied and Vacant houses - we specialize in all sizes and styles.  With our large inventory of stylish and tasteful furnishings, We Stage Sacramento remains as the Premier resource for Staging in Sacramento! 888-WE-STAGE

 

 

 

I wanted to share some of the wonderful photos from our 2008 IAHSP Convention - we had such a great time, and those of you that were unable to be there - well you missed a fabulous event!  It was full of great learning and education - and fun too!  We had key vendors and businesses that want to partner with Stagers promote their services to us - and they are very excited about what we will be able to do for them and with them in the coming weeks and months ahead.  We had high-level learning, and we created memories that will last a lifetime!

Thank you to all that came - and made this year an extra special Convention as we headed back to the roots of Staging where it all began - Bellevue, WA.  Next year - get ready for another wonderful Convention - as we continue to lead the way for the Staging industry with our education and partnerships!

- Jennie

 

The First session began with a tribute to "The Wizard of Oz" where Dorothy and her companions had to conquer the Evil Witch Clutter, and follow the ASP Road to find the Wizard who would help them get home.  Dorothy found there is no place like Stagedhomes.com - and there is no place like a Staged Home.

 

Some of the best ladies in my life - having fun before the offiical kick off of the Convention.

 

Barb and me - on Day 1 of our Fabulous Convention.

Having fun at our honorary luncheon for those in leadership with IAHSP and those that helped make our Convention a HUGE success!  We honored nearly 70 people at this year's luncheon!

Featured Speakers at our 2008 IAHSP Convention - Dan Skoglund, Jennie Norris, ASPM, Barb (of course!), Jason Maxwell, ASP, and Cindy Lin, ASPM. Thank you for your contribution to helping inspire and educate our attendees!  These speakers were also part of the Meet the Pros session along with 20 other speakers. 

The RISING STAR AWARD recipient - Michelle Morris, ASPM from the Washington DC area!  Congrats!

The IAHSP SPIRIT AWARD Winner- Melanie Warren - ASPM from the Seattle area. Congrats!

The BARB SCHWARZ STAGING EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER - Trish Kim, ASPM, from the Washington DC area! Congrats!

Winners of the IAHSP CHAPTER EXCELLENCE AWARD - received by 7 of our over 100 Chapters nationwide! Congratulations!

Our last night together - at the Masquerade Ball - loved all the masks and costumes everyone wore!

Barb & Kirk - looking great - and ready to celebrate their 25th anniversary!!

Thank you - Barb - for continuing to lead the way for so many!  Thank you for being willing to put on an event of this caliber - that really helps to inspire, motivate and encourage those that are out there working as professional home stagers and Realtors - working to make a difference with their clients. 

Unless you experience something like this Convention in person - there are just not enough words to write or share that would capture the entire experience of 5 days of sharing, inspiration, friendships, learning, fun and more!  You just HAVE to be there to truly understand!!!

I hope to see many of you next year!!!  - Jennie

 

Stagedhomes.com is proud to announce that the Accredited Staging Professional® (ASP®) Course is coming to Concord, CA: 

Concord, CA

August 12^th & 13^th

at

Holiday Inn Concord

1050 Burnett Avenue, Concord, CA 94520

 

**This course is approved for 14 hours of Continuing Education for California licensed agents!!**

  

CCAR® members receive a $25 discount with the

Promo Code ‘CCAR'.

   

 

Why Become an Accredited Staging Professional?

 

GAIN AN EDGE IN YOUR BUSINESS

• On average, staged homes sell 50% faster and for 6.9% or more than non-staged homes
• Homes that are Staged before being put on the market sell in an average of 9 days
• Learn how to communicate the benefits of Staging with your clients and overcome client objections to Staging
• Enhance your listing presentation by earning the ASP® designation!
• Be listed on the ASP Directory on Staging Industry's #1 web site for consumers with over 10 million page hits per month

 

GET SUPPORTED

• The Accredited Staging Professional® Designation is the ONLY Real Estate designation recommended by the National Association of Realtors® for Real Estate Agents to learn more about Home Staging
• Benefit from the PR that's sweeping the country about Staging
• Get access to special programs for marketing collateral, lead generation, and many more!
• Get access to special discounts with Sherwin Williams, Linens ‘n Things, PODS, Got Junk, Carnival Cruises and many more!

 

HAVE FUN!

• Staging is a HUGE stress reliever for your clients
• Clients sell their home for more MONEY in less TIME and they LOVE you for it

 

Accredited Staging Professional Course for

Real Estate Agents

 

Get the Designation that gives you the marketing edge over your competitors! Earn more listings and sell homes faster by learning Barb Schwarz's proven successful ASP Real Estate Staging Course! This two day training course is specifically designed for licensed Real Estate Agents who want to list and sell more homes by communicating the benefits of Staging as a marketing tool.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

• Effectively communicate the benefits of Staging with your sellers
• Create a more powerful listing presentation
• Learn Barb's key Staging sayings
• Understand the criteria of Home Staging and learn quick Staging ideas and tips
• Better price your Staged listings
• Learn how to work with ASP Stagers
• Create a more value added service and make more money in Real Estate!  

 

Day 1: 9am to 5:30pm

 

In a classroom environment, you will learn a process of successful working practices.  There are many ASP before and after slides showing you what sellers can do to Stage with what they already have in their homes.  You will learn how to set professional policies and how to educate your clients so that they can understand the many benefits of home staging.  Communication is crucial and our Stagedhomes.com approved trainer will teach you how to educate your seller to do whatever is required to Stage their home.  Staging itself is the easy part; convincing the seller can be the hard part. On day one you will learn what to say and how to say it so that your sellers say yes!

 

Day 2: 9am to 5:30pm

 

In the morning of day two you will have more detailed classroom training about the processes involved in Staging a house.  We use many before and after examples and a powerful power point presentation to show additional Staging concepts and creative problem solving of how the seller can make magic out of almost nothing!  We will show you that Staging magic is not just about telling your sellers to buy thing. Instead, we will show you how creativity can be the best solution for your sellers in the best possible way. Then, in the afternoon you and your entire class go to a home that is on the market for sale and you actually help Stage a lived-in home for hands-on Staging experience with professional ASP Stagers. 

 

The investment for the ASP Course for Real Estate Agents is $395 U.S. Upon

graduation you will receive:  

 

•·      The ASP REAL ESTATE AGENT designation

•·      Detailed ASP Course outline

•·      Listing of you on StagedHomes.com to advertise you as an ASP REAL ESTATE AGENT

•·      Access to The Staging University

•·      ASP Course: Includes how to improve your listing presentation, overcoming client objections to Staging, Staging techniques detailed lecture, marketing ideas, slide shows of before and after photos of what can be accomplished in Staging, group discussion, questions, and business planning skills.

•·      The experience of Staging a home on the market with other class participants

•·      Ability to post your staged listings on the StagedHomes.com property search so buyers can view the Staged listings that are for sale

 

 How to Register

To sign up for the course just click on the course location below or call Julie Lyster at 1-800-392-7161 ext. 7731 to enroll over the phone. Remember to use the Promo code 10139225 to receive $25 off your tuition.

  

Concord, CA ~ Aug. 12-13, 2008 

 

Click here for a flyer to share with other agents in your office

For those that would like to Start a Successful Home Staging Business and earn income as a professional ASP Home Stager, please go to www.Stagedhomes.com - and register for the 3-day ASP Stager Course.  This course was the original course on Home Staging - and has the most history and prestige associated with it.  The continuing edcuation resources and partnerships we offer to our ASP Graduates is not found with any other organization or training entity.

If you are interested in charging for your Staging services or building a Home Staging business, you will want to and are required to attend our three day course to become an ASP Stager.  Your investment to become an ASP Stager will bring you a high rate of return, as you attend and graduate from our three day course.

 

Contact Information:

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Lyster at 800-392-7161 ext. 7731, or email at Julie@Stagedhomes.com.

 

We look forward to you becoming an important part of our ASP family and we hope that you will be a member with us for many years to come!