"I'm Mayhem, and I'm Your Worst Nightmare!"

I like small children.

I surf the internet looking for them.

I don't have to bother with social networking sites.

I can use the MLS.

I know if it's a boy or a girl.

I know approximately how old they are.

I know their address.

 

I KNOW THEIR NAME!!!

 

I know they might respond to me if I call them by their name.

 

I'm Mayhem, and I'm your worst nightmare!

 

 

 

 

Parents, if your house is for sale, PLEASE remove any and all references to specific information regarding your children.  This may include name banners, awards, certificates, report cards, signs, etc.  Don't give Mayhem a chance with with your children!

Real Estate Agents:  Please encourage your listing clients to remove name signs such as the one above.  While charming, they could put a child at risk.  If the client won't comply, refrain from posting such photos.

This is one important piece of advice I give all my Connecticut Home Staging clients, and one that I would think all agents would too.  However, every day I see new listings posted on the MLS with this kind of blatant "invitation".  Let's keep the children's safety in mind!

 

Julia Vigneron Maher, Nestings Home Staging & Model Home Design:  Award-Winning Staging for Model, Vacant and Occupied Homes in Fairfield County, CT (including Fairfield, Southport, Westport, Trumbull, Monroe, Newtown, Stratford, Easton, Weston, Wilton, Norwalk, Darien, Stamford, Greenwich) and Connecticut.

203.257.7395

nestings@snet.net

Nestings Portfolio

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New Hampshire Home Staging Advice - You Don't Have To Go Down With The Ship

For most sellers, selling a house is a new experience.  Selling your most valuable asset is not something you should attempt on your own.

When approaching unchartered waters... sellers, like sailors, should have at least one experienced deckhand on board.  

 

It may appear initially to be smooth sailing, but you could find yourself in way over your head quite fast.  

Instead of "For Sale By Owner"

fsbo could, in many cases, stand for 

"Fast Sinking - Best Offer"

There are pirates out in those waters!

Without pricing and marketing knowledge or understanding of real estate law you could find yourself at their mercy.

Three words:  Davy Jones Locker!

 

Warning:  "over priced & under marketed"  means crying S.O.S  instead of S.O.L.D

HomeGain Survey Finds Home Sellers Fare 50% Better in Getting Their Homes Sold Using a REALTOR® Than Selling On Their Own 

Best case scenerio:  Have some experienced sea legs,  a Realtor and a Home Stager, on your crew.  

If you insist your ship is unsinkable (one word..."Titanic"), and you don't want an agent as your first mate, at the very least:

• have a home inspection prior to listing
• consult with a home stager prior to listing
• have a real estate office prepare a comparative market analysis to determine realistic price
• consult with an attorney
• keep your mouth shut during showings and don't stalk buyers around the house
• prepare yourself for less showings and more time commitment than you expect

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For More Information Visit My Website

Professional Home Staging services for the New Hampshire Seacoast

Portsmouth   Rye   Greenland   Hampton   North Hampton   Exeter   Dover   Stratham  

603.661.8524

                                   

 

Micro Staging = Micro Results

Wikipedia describes Micro as "a prefix of Greek origin that refers to an object as being smaller than scale of focus" (as in microchip, microphone, microscopic).

Recently, our Portland home staging company was selected to stage a charming 1904 bungalow that had been on the market for several months.  Since it was a vacant house, the seller realized that staging it would make it much more appealing to potential buyers. 

When I viewed the house the first time, the seller told me that they'd done some "micro staging" which you can see in the "before" photo below .... although it was a noble attempt, it lacked the "punch" that professional staging can bring to a property.

We staged this living room to highlight this room's best features for buyers:

• The fireplace is a wonderful focal point that instantly welcomes you when you enter
• The deep mantle and built-in shelves provide an accessible place for your family's treasures
• The hardwood floors are beautiful
• The original stained glass picture window is spectacular
• Using a wide-angle lens shows more of the home's stunning woodwork & architecture
• This room is much larger than the previous online listing photo indicated, with plenty of room for a seating arrangement, tables, etc.

Here is the "after" photo of this living room ...

The kitchen had a few items in the "before" online MLS photo, but didn't look very inviting ...

By adding some colorful items on the counter and taking a wide angle shot, there's new energy in the kitchen that says "this is a great place to entertain your family and friends" 

The master bedroom was vacant, making it hard for buyers to see what furniture might fit there ...

Staging the bedroom showed that space was no problem!  There's plenty of room for whatever you need.

Once this house was professionally staged & the new photos were put on the MLS, it sold in just 3 weeks!

Sellers ~ in today's challenging market, make sure that your property is staged to show buyers the very best your home has to offer.  In a vacant home without furnishings, all that a buyer can see are 4 empty walls with no emotional impact.  Flaws that are as small as paint smudges or dusty windowsills make a home much less attractive -- because there's nothing else to look at.  Contact your local professional home stager and see how easy and cost-effective home staging can be!

***                    ***                    ***

~ Staging and Photos by Room Solutions Staging LLC ~

Room Solutions Staging in Portland Oregon helps homeowners, Realtors, investors, banks and builders stage properties for maximum impact and faster market time.  YTD through July of 2011, we've staged over $12 Million worth of Portland-area homes; the average Days on Market for our staged homes is just 24 days, compared to the Portland average of 150 days this year!  Our home staging clients love our customer service and our competitive pricing!  Our home staging services in the Portland OR metro area include consultations, staging for both vacant and lived-in homes, and interior redesign  projects.  For a free home staging proposal, contact us @ 503-246-1800.

Staging That Sells Portland Homes!

Portland home stager Maureen Bray of Room Solutions Staging was
a Featured Designer for HGTV's show "My First Place"

~ Licensed ~ Insured ~ Accredited ~ Certified ~

Copyright © Room Solutions Staging LLC

~ content may not be reproduced without permission ~

I've been getting a lot of calls since the first of the year from Realtors who are looking to partner with a home stager to have on their team.  I'm totally encouraged and excited that many Realtors are seeing the definite benefit of having a home stager on call just like any other service provider.

However, having a home stager is like having multiple service providers on call and a home selling "concierge" service at your disposal.  Not only do we come to your team with our own list of service providers (or provide those services ourselves) for you and your clients but we are advocates for you and your clients in the home selling process.  Your successful sale is our success!  

It matters to a home stager that the house sells fast and for the best price!

Does the quick sale of the home matter to your painter, plumber or carpet installer?

Home staging professionals are all about building and keeping equity in the home, not taking it away. 

From this Home Gain 2011 Study below you can see the ROI for many of the services home stagers recommend and provide more than pay for themselves.

What really surprises me with this chart though is that although Home Staging is listed in the Top 3 of the ROI on the investment (299% ROI!), it's in the bottom 2 of the % Recommended by Realtors section!

What gives?

If you're a Realtor wondering how to incorporate a home stager into your listing presentation or introduce the concept to a client do you have some questions you'd like to ask?

What objections might you have to considering a home stager as part of your team?

Here are 5 thoughts that you may have if you're a Realtor considering a Home Stager for your team with some answers.  (I'll also be happy to help answer other questions that you have and I'm sure my fellow stagers will too.)

1. I've never utilized staging services before & don't know where to start. 
   1. This is easy! Start by doing an online search for home stagers in your market and checking out some websites and information they provide. Check their portfolios.
   2. RESA Members are great home stagers to call. RESA home stagers are committed to building not only their businesses but professional standards, education and adhering to ethical business practices. 
   3. Make sure you ask if they are licensed and insured and get some referrals from them to follow up with. Not all home stagers are created equally.
2. I have already dismissed staging based on price.
   1. Home Staging services do not necessarily mean expensive! Many home stagers provide very cost effective and extensive home staging consultations.
   2. Every home at any price point can benefit from a home staging consultation.  A home staging consultation is at the beginning of a sales transaction like a home inspection is at the end of a transaction - a necessary part of every residential real estate transaction!  We help bring the offers to the table!
3. I have no idea how it works.
   1. When speaking to a home stager they should be able to clearly tell you how each of their services works. I encourage my Realtors to come along for at least the very first consultation so they can actually see how it works.
4. Am I expected to pay for it?
   1. No. Unless you want to provide a home staging consultation or other staging service as part of your listing package (which many agents do successfully & can actually secure more listings by doing so) a Realtor is never automatically expected to pay for the services a home stager provides. It is all in how you introduce it to your clientele and how you choose to work with your home stager.
5. How can I trust you with my clients?
   1. Building rapport, trust and confidence in your home stager will take at least one try! Making the phone call or email introduction is your first step.  Not all home stagers can be everything to every client just as not all Realtors can be everything to every buyer or seller.  Just like any other business relationship, trust takes time.

Feel free to post more questions and comments here.

I'm always happy to learn more about how I can assist YOU!

*****************************************************

Home Star Staging is a licensed, insured home staging company and we are always here for you North Texas!

• Affordable pre-list home staging property consultations
• Affordable post list "trouble shooting"  property consultations - no matter how long a home has been on the market there are always ways to improve the chance of sale
• Owner occupied property staging (utilizing owner supplied furniture & accessories or including some of our own inventory)
• Vacant & investment property staging (Full and partial rental furniture packages, accessories and staging services)
• Is your office interested in hosting a home staging class or presentation? Just ask!
• Directly speak to Karen at  496-964-0516 or email: Karen@homestarstaging.com

 

Interested in starting your own Home Staging Business in Texas, OK or North West LA? I can help! North Texas SAR Home Staging Training Classes coming in 2011 

 

There are many reasons why a house might be vacant when being sold – various reasons include:

• new construction
• relocation property
• seller has already moved into their new home
• it was a rental property that is now for sale

In all these cases the bottom line is that SELLING the property FAST is CRITICAL. There is a lot of money on the table because of ongoing mortgage costs, maintenance cost, insurance cost, and other carrying costs that need to be paid for all these months that the property is sitting on the market without any income stream.

Selling fast in a buyers market and a down market is a challenge, but especially it is difficult for vacant homes. Vacant homes sell typically slower than occupied homes. What are the 5 biggest mistakes when selling a vacant property?

Mistake #1:Selling the house as a VACANT property

We just said that vacant homes sell slower than houses that are occupied. Why is that?

a. People don’t buy houses, they by homes, they buy a lifestyle! Without furniture, wall art, rugs, lighting, décor,… there are no emotional connection points in the house – the house does not show its soul and any lifestyle buyers can aspire to.

b. Buyers do not have a point of reference

• empty rooms look smaller
• buyers cannot see how much furniture they will be able to fit in the room
• they cannot envision how to set up the room functionally – how should I face the sofa, where does my TV go, can I fit…..

Adding the right furniture, rugs, lighting, wall art and other décor that reflect the target buyers’ lifestyle will make them feel drawn to and helps them envision themselves living in that home.

c. When a room is empty, buyers focus on the negative details
It is so much easier to notice cracks in the walls, paint chips, missed repairs,… if buyers have nothing else to look at. Providing them with a welcoming home they will focus more on how they can live in that house rather than what they don’t like about it. With staging we emphasize the positive features of the property while downplaying the negative features.

d. Only 10% of home buyers can actually visualize the potential of a home

Nine out of every ten people walking in your home have no imagination of the wonderful possibilities your house has to offer.

Mistake #2: Wait to see if it sells vacant

As a home stager in Connecticut, I often receive the response from clients “I want to see first if it sells vacant before I consider staging”. This can be a very costly mistake.

Selling a house is all about FIRST IMPRESSIONS. On a new listing most of the traffic is generated within the first 2-4 weeks.

The Real Estate Brokers open house will get the buyers’ Realtors into the property. They are your “sales staff”. If these brokers do not get excited about what they see, they are less likely to bring their buyers to your property instead of your neighbor’s house on the market.

Let’s say you change your mind down the road and have the property staged and then have another Realtors open house. It will be hard to get Brokers to come back to the property as they have already seen it and do not want to waist their time, nor will their buyers come back for a second time.

So, now you have wasted all that traffic and time on the market without showing the house at its’ best potential. If you had it staged upfront you may have it already sold by now.

Mistake #3: Not make it stand out from the competition

Put yourself into the shoes of a home buyer - 94% of home buyers start their search online first looking at all the photos of houses within their qualifying criteria. This is what they might see:

House #1:

House #2:

What makes your house different from these other vacant houses? Why should they visit your house? There is nothing that would draw a buyer into these houses.

Remember – A SALE CAN BE LOST BY ONE MOUSE CLICK - if your house does not stand out and attract these buyers for a visit, you have lost a potential sale.

Mistake #4: Price has now become your only marketing strategy

Selling a house, typically the home owner’s most valuable asset, is not any different than marketing a commercial product. Location, Condition & Showcasing, Price and Promotion need to be considered together. There is nothing that you can do about the location of the property, but you can influence the other marketing factors. The price is being influenced by the Location and the Condition & Showcasing (the packaging) of the house. The Promotion to bring the traffic into your house will be most effective if the Showcasing and Photographs are professionally done.

So, if there is no showcasing, the promotional pictures will not stand out, so price is now your only marketing strategy.

Buyers are willing to pay more if they feel emotionally connected to a house – on average staged homes sell for a 5-10% higher price tag.

Mistake #5: Seeing home staging as a COST instead of an INVESTMENT

Staging a house for sale can help you MAKE money. It is an INVESTMENT into your home selling process – most investments into home staging range between 1 and 3 percent of the listing price, which yield in a 5 to 10 higher sales price –how nice is this, but this is not all. If selling your house faster you will SAVE ongoing mortgage payments and carrying costs. See more details and examples on how Birgit Anich Staging and Interiors helped their clients MAKING a PROFIT by staging.

Barbara Corcoran, one of the biggest real estate experts in the US, says: “Never sell a home without furniture!” “Once the staging is complete you might even find that you can raise the price”

– see Barbara’s 2 mintues segment on The TODAY SHOW

 

About the Author: Birgit Anich is the President and Creative Director of Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors one of the most innovative real estate staging and design firms in Fairfield County, CT. Our distinctive approach is creating a lifestyle experience that sells homes fast and at the maximum price. Birgit’s focus is working with home sellers and their real estate agents to prepare their property to appeal to the most likely buyers. As Certified Advanced Stagers, trained by HGTV star Matthew Finlason, Birgit Anich Staging and Interiors transforms a property into a buyer’s dream using Targeted Lifestyle Marketing Techniques.

Birgit also won the most prestegious awards in the Staging Industry - Regional and National Awards of Rookie Stager of the Year by RESA.

Copyright © 2011 Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors, LLC – All Rights Reserved

 

Fairfield County, Connecticut   I    www.BirgitAnich.com   

 

The Top 4 Questions Every Seller Needs to Answer

Let's get straight to the questions:                                                          

1. Is my home priced correctly? 
2. Does my home stand out on the Internet?
3. How does my home look compared to others on the market?
4. Am I showing off the "real estate" my home has to offer?

How to get to the answers are equally as important as the questions. The following are some tips:

Is my home priced correctly?

Price is a critical component in selling - If you're a "motivated seller" then pricing it correctly becomes even more important. Your best tool in helping determine if you've priced it correctly is the use of a real estate agent. Why? They have access to the tools, etc... that can help you understand if it's priced correctly or not. Another option is to pull up "like" homes in your area. For example, if your home has 3 bedrooms, search for homes that have the same quantity. Carefully review what those homes have to offer versus your home. For example, your home may have upgrades, which could justify a higher price.  

Does my home stand out on the Internet?

With 90% of the buyers using the Internet to search for their next home - you want to ensure your home stands out. The easiest way to find out is to try searching for homes in your area. Visually compare how your home appears to the others listed. Like what you see? The Internet is the same tool used by potential buyers. If you're not impressed, neither will the buyer.

How does my home look compared to others on the market?

One of the agents I work with, and have been for the past three years, makes a point of seeing, first-hand, every home listed within a 2-mile radius and then reports that back to the homeowner. She pays particular attention to a) how visually appealing it looks b) any and all upgrades the home has gone through and c) looks for comparison (i.e., finished basement, etc). One of the options you have available is to take a drive around your neighborhood and jot down the addresses of all the homes currently on the market. When you return home, type in the address in the search field. You'll then have visual insight into how those appears appear on the Internet.

Am I showing off the "real estate" my home has to offer?

By "real estate", I'm specifically talking about the amount of space within the home. While you can certainly add square footage through a massive renovation, which could/would be costly, there are other solutions within your reach. Stand in the doorway of each room. Next - determine what items, whether it's a piece of furniture, or a pile of magazines, that serve no function. You're going to be amazed at the amount of "visual" space you create when taking these steps.

Stay tuned for my next blog titled: Following the path of a buyer.

Home Staging Atlanta - Kathy Nielsen - 678 522 8392

RESA Professional Stager of the Year - Southern Region 2011

Whether your home is vacant or occupied, this Atlanta Georgia Home Stager, Kathy Nielsen, understands what it takes to sell a home quickly. Her homes have graced the pages of several publications, appeared in TV commercials as well as on HGTV's hit program Sleep On it.

With years of experience and a massive inventory - Kathy makes the perfect choice.

 

 

 

 

Home Staging Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com  

Blog: Atlanta Home Staging

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Kitchen Transformations
• Short on Space? Keep it Simple
• Tips on Selling Your Home From a Professional Stager
• Curtains. Should they stay or go?
• How to dress up your coffee table and end tables when selling
• Quick tips for table settings
• How will buyers remember your home?
• Atlanta Home Staging Consultations - Check out what the homeowner did
• Atlanta Loft Gets Home Staged
• How to ensure your home appeals to a broad base of prospective buyers

 

 

 

PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...

Home Staging Tips in Palm Beach County-  Sellers... If You Want to Stage Your House.. Do it Before You List It.

 

In the last 2 months I've received calls from both Realtors and Home owners with one common thread... they'd jumped the gun and put the cart before the horse.  Most recently a Realtor called and their client's home needed some staging... badly.

Could I help?  And can you get out there ASAP... The house is already listed but there aren't any usable photos up on the MLS!

No Problem: I'll clear my schedule and can be out tomorrow.

Can you consult with them about the paint... it hasn't been painted in years.. and can you help them decide which furniture they need to store.. they have too much.. and I know there's a dining room there but I don't see it!

No Problem: My consultation points out in detail what needs to be done and if they want I can provide Hands-On Staging!

Good...I really need some good "After" photos.

No Problem:  I scheduled an appointment for a consultation, which was then cancelled.

  The Owner decided to wait on the Staging since the house was already listed.  "Well... since it's already listed..let's wait to see what happens."

OK...Now we have a problem- The Realtor is disappointed (I'm being kind here) because during the presentation, the owners were ready to get the house prepared and to get the home sold.  The List Price suggested was based on improvements that would have been made from staging or getting the house ready to sell.

Problem : The Sellers while waiting to "take our chances and see what happens" will now be either entertaining low-ball offers for a house in poor condition or will be lowering their List Price to reflect the condition of the home.

Sellers... avoid unnecessary Problems...

Prepare Your Home BEFORE You List It!

 

 

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging

561-914-6224   Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
http://www.MrsHomeStaging.com

 

                                           
                                   

 

 

 

Are You Listing Your House To Sell or to Sit?

If you are in the process of preparing your house for sale,  it's important you realize that YOUR actions at this point will determine the outcome.   

You only get one shot at being "just listed" and it's a very short gig.  If you don't grab someone's attention in the first two weeks, your chances of getting your asking price start to diminish.   Once listed, a house on the market ages quickly.

The difference between multiple offers and price reductions can be a direct result of YOUR preparation.

Today's buyers want move-in ready properties.  They scan MLS photos looking for well maintained houses that appeal to them both visually and emotionally.  They're looking for a house that they can visualize as their home. 

Many sellers invest money, time, and energy on the wrong improvements and find their house sitting instead of selling.  A Home Staging Consult will show you how to prepare smart. 

How you present your house, and how it measures up against the competition, is the key to appealing to buyers and the difference between making money and losing money.

 A little effort now, to properly prepare your house, is well worth your time and investment.

 It's YOUR choice...  SELL or SIT? 

 

 

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Professional Home Staging services for the New Hampshire Seacoast

Portsmouth   Rye   Greenland   Hampton   North Hampton   Exeter   Dover   Stratham  

603.661.8524

                                   

She reinforced that a homeowner is not usually able to take themselves out of the equation, and put themselves into the "buyer's shoes." She is a big "believer in hiring a home stager," and thought the costs were quite reasonable for painting, redoing the floor, and buying a few things averaging around $5500 - $7500, which would include the master bedroom, kitchen and living room. Barbara suggested to ask real estate agents who they would recommend, and to look at a stagers portfolios. She also pointed out that having a home staged can make a 1% difference on the sale price, but it's usually around a 5% difference, saying it was "crazy not to consider that as an option."

I think it's great she is a believer of staging your home to sell and that home staging makes a significant difference. However, she is based in NYC, so the costs she associated with staging (in my opinion) are not typical of an average home in other areas. I can't speak for the rest of the country, however, by talking to other stagers around the country home staging does not cost this much in other areas either. If you are using your existing furnishings, updating a bit, buying a piece or two, the investment will not be as much as you think (not $5500-$7500). Typically, any repairs, painting or updates are not part of the stagers cost. The seller would hire the appropriate service person for whatever is needed. Like anything else, it's to what extent you take it.

Obviously, vacant home staging is more, because there are alot of factors into furnishing an empty home, so of course, these numbers will be more of an investment, than using what you already have.

Sellers, if you are thinking of selling your home, give your local home stager a call, it's probably not as much as you think. A home staging consultation can be extremely affordable, and possibly the best source of information for selling your home.

Home Staging in New Hampshire - Knowing HOW is What Makes The Difference

Today's sellers are very familiar with the terms declutter and depersonalize.  They know what needs to be done to prepare their house for sale.   What most sellers don't know is HOW to actually do what needs to be done. 

Years of accumulation can seem impossible to manage.

• What is considered "clutter" and what is decorative?
• What exactly is "personal" and should be removed?
• What colors are neutral and what colors are too vanilla?
• What furniture works best to showcase each room?
• What is "dated" and how do you update?

When confronted with the generalized tasks of "decluttering, updating, and cleaning" an entire house, many sellers become overwhelmed. 

 

This is where a Home Staging consult makes all the difference.  A Home Stager doesn't just tell sellers "WHAT" - A home stager tells "HOW" and knowledge is power.

When given an itemized to-do list of improvements, specific tasks to perform, home sellers become inspired, energized, and engaged. They are empowered with a sense of control over their situation. 

A Home Staging consult takes what was once overwhelming and makes it totally manageable, reducing a great part of the stress of selling your house.  

 

Anyone can tell you what needs to be done to prepare a house for sale.   Don't ask just anyone.   Ask a professional Home Stager.

   A professional will tell you HOW and that will save you money, time, and so much frustration.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

    

Professional Home Staging services for the New Hampshire Seacoast

Portsmouth   Rye   Greenland   Hampton   North Hampton   Exeter   Dover   Stratham  

603.661.8524

                                   

I read a featured post today called  'So You Want to Be a Real Estate Agent? Some Unsolicited Advice written by Liz and Bill Spear and it really resonated with me. Reason being is that every week we get anywhere from half a dozen emails or resumes or phone calls from people who want to become a stager and work for our company or they want to start their own staging business and would like to be mentored. I like to help people and appreciate the inquiries but it is a little overwhelming.

Its really easy to become a home stager - easier than wanting to start in real estate - because unlike becoming a realtor, you don't even have to take any courses. You can just wake up one morning and decide "hey, today is the day I start staging houses!" Bam! Now you're a home stager! Do you know what you're signing up for? Many don't; they think its this glam job where TV cameras follow us around all the time and we get to tell people their stuff is ugly and they should throw it out and buy all new. Ummm .. its not quite the same thing and it takes a lot of time, perserverence and talent to make a staging business a success.

So here are the top things to consider if you want to become a home stager:

1) Realtors aren't always your friends and most of them won't want to work with you right away. Often home stagers when they first start out think that if they go to the different real estate offices and introduce themselves, bring some business cards, their portfolio and some treats that the realtors will flock to talk to them. Not so much. Because there are SO many home stagers, especially in larger cities, realtors often feel overwhelmed by all the home stagers who drop by their offices. Many are still figuring home staging out and will say 'no' without even considering what is being offered to them. It takes time, perserverence and creating a good reputation to change that. Even then, rejection is a normal occurrance even for seasoned professionals.

2) It costs money to start a home staging business - sometimes a lot of money especially if a stager is investing in building an inventory right from the start. From business registration, liability insurance, staging training & education, branding, marketing materials, gas, storage fees, website, cellphone, laptop, camera ... and the list goes on. These are all essential business building items however if you didn't budget for them they can have you wondering what you got yourself into.

3) Its hard prospecting for clients and if realtors aren't interested in your services then its even more difficult to get actual staging jobs. If you live in an area where staging just isn't taking off then it can be very hard to make a living staging homes. I know of many stagers who want to work but are frustrated because the people in their area 'just don't get it'. 

4) While training programs have come a long way, its difficult to find one on one training (without paying a lot of $$ for it) so that an aspiring stager can benefit from the mentoring guidance of someone who is more experienced. Many of the stagers who approach us have taken a staging course but want more in depth guidance and they would prefer to be hired and trained by a successful staging company as opposed to starting their own. As there are only a handful of actual staging companies across north america - the majority of stagers work alone or with an assistant or partner - so very few can afford to mentor or hire a stager as staging doesn't really get lucrative until you have established yourself.

5) Home owners and realtors will get upset with you; you WILL offend some of them no matter what you do. Staging by its very nature is intrusive for most home owners and you touch on some very sensitive topics so its only natural that at some point you will offend some of them. Additionally because we tend to work on very tight timelines so that homes can get listed for sale, there is a high level of stress that is felt in both the sellers and realtors and can make for some tearful and angry blowups.

6) Other stagers in your area may not be your friends. As much as we want to all get along, the reality is that stagers are fiercely competitive and some may just not play nice at all. My motto is that I treat everyone the way I would like to be treated and even if I hear that someone else has not been as kind, I can't let it affect me. Stagers should find other stagers that they can befriend however - whether its in the same area or here on AR - its important to have others in your profession that you can talk to as well as exchange advice and stories.

7) The road to becoming a successful home stager is time consuming. From consults to staging jobs to social media to presentations ... and more .. its easy for the job to take over your life. This is one of the areas I constantly struggle with which is creating boundaries between work and my family life. Its very easy, especially when we are incredibly busy, to be working 10 - 12 hour days, 7 days a week.

8) Bad things can and will happen on the job. From scratching a seller's brand new cherry floors to dropping their antique birdcage that their husband's mother bought for them for their wedding, these things will happen. Ensuring you are insured, have contracts with your clients to cover you in case of surprises goes a long way in this business. You can't protect against everything however and there will be jobs where because something unexpected happened, you make no money or you lose money. C'est la vie.

9) That you need to have a solid business plan - and stick to it - to make your staging dreams a reality. Some stagers never do this but the really successful stagers that I know of have business plans not only for the short term, but also for over the next 5 - 10 years. They are extremely detail oriented, organized and focused.

10) You'll need to become a social media expert to some degree to ensure that you are hitting all your target markets. From interactive websites to Facebook Fan Pages to Tweeting to Blogging .. all of these play vital roles in creating a viable staging business. Building brand and name recognition happens slowly however if you aren't online then the odds are high your target clients will never find you. 

11) I know, I said top 10, but I had to add one more! PORTFOLIO! Get one. Make it all your own work and even if its your house and your sister's house - make it showcase your talent. You can do all the other things here but if you don't have actual staging talent then nothing else really matters. If you do have talent but don't have a portfolio then no one will know what you can do. So show them. And don't pass off stock photos or other people's work as your own. People find that stuff out and then your credibility is shot so don't do that.

So I'm not advocating that you don't give staging a shot, just understand that its not as easy or glamourous as its made out to be. Its very easy to get into the business but very hard to stay in - for many of the above reasons.

Hopefully this list helps aspiring stagers and if there are more things other stagers want to share about starting up their own staging business I hope you will share!

Heather Cook  is Co-Owner and Principal Staging Designer of Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc. based out of Kitchener-Waterloo, ON.

Winner of RESA's 2011 Canadian Professional Stager of the Year Award and one of the most sought after professional home stagers in Kitchner-Waterloo.  Rooms in Bloom's designs have been featured in local newspapers & magazines; they have the experience and talent to take any property from staged to SOLD!

For more information or to book a consultation visit Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design's website to view their online portfolio.

     

Home Staging Tips in Palm Beach County- Why not stage your office to sell YOU!

We've been told to Stage our homes when we're trying to sell it, so why not Stage your office space to sell YOU... and your business!

Room Service! Home Staging was asked to assist a local Boca Raton business as they prepared for a major presentation .  Their conference area sat empty because they never had clients in; they went out to their clients.  They also plan to move soon so they did not want to invest in something permanent. 

However, a major presentation that could be a turning point for them made them realize that they had one chance to make a good impression.  Sound familiar?  Of course... it's the same thing when trying to sell your home.  They decided to stage the area viewing it as an investment in the business's future.

We had a large space to fill and the client needed adequate seating area for their meeting. 

 

                                            Now the clients will have a place to sit and discuss business!

    

                         Were they satisfied??? Here's their comment: "Why didn't we do this sooner?"

 

 

 

Room Service! Home Staging
561-914-6224Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
http://www.MrsHomeStaging.com