Home Staging for Highest Profits

New Products in Home Staging and Interior Redesign

2008-04-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted to this blog, but I've recommitted to doing so.

But to bring you up to date, let me first say there are a lot of new training materials, courses, books, promotional products - you name it - now available to help you grow your home staging and redesign business.

As the real estate market has undergone some serious trials lately, it opens up new horizons and opportunities for home stagers across the country. So in my view, there is no time as good as the present to kick off a home staging career or to revitalize one you've already begun.

We've got all the tools you'll need to get you where you want to go too.

So pop on over to Decorate-Redecorate.Com and get all the details.

What is So Important About Staging a Home?

2007-11-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

If you are one of the thousands of people trying to sell your home, you may already know the answer to that question. Staging can mean the difference between waiting months or even years before your home sells and selling it right away. It can also make the difference on how much money you will have in your pocket after you sell your home.

Possibly, when someone mentions staging a home to you, you cannot help but think of the theater, and in a way you are entirely correct. When you work in theater, you not only have to rehearse the play, but you need to plan the backgrounds and every little detail of the scenes that are necessary to move the play forward and show the audience where each act of the play is supposed to be taking place.

Essentially, it puts them in the picture. The effectiveness of the stage can make a big difference in the play. Well, the same is true for a home that is about to go up for sale. When you correctly interpret the staging for a home, you convince the prospective buyer that the home is the beautiful place they simply cannot afford to pass up.

If someone is looking at homes built in the 1950’s because that is the era they love, you need the appropriate décor and setup to make them believe they really are in a home built in the 1950’s. That beautiful claw-footed tub in the bathroom with the new white handled faucets on both it and the sink say exactly what you want it to say without anything having to look old and decrepit.

When you have a home worth five hundred thousand dollars and the client wants it to look like a million, staging it correctly with deep, plush carpeting, beautiful woodwork, high end wallpaper, and all of the trimmings is going to convince the buyer that this indeed is a home that looks like a million bucks.

An improperly staged home is not only going to turn people off, but make a lot of other people pick another home with the exact number and size of rooms over it that they find more appealing. Walking through a beautifully appointed home that a buyer can fall in love with is going to practically guarantee a sale, oftentimes over another house they might have been considering making an offer on.

However, if someone searching for a new home sees a place that has ugly striped wallpaper, dark, ugly colors, and worn-out carpeting, the first thing they will think about is how much time and money it will cost them to tear it all out and fix it up.

Whether you are considering doing it yourself or hiring a professional to turn your home into a perfectly staged setup, take a moment or two to check out Decorate-Redecorate.Com. If you decide to do it yourself, you will find a great eighty page guide that will walk you through the process from start to finish so that you know the finished product will be a good one.

Do the Right Thing for Your Client

2006-09-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today I received an email from a young man who had done some research on the internet, exploring which training program would be right for him. He had narrowed it down to mine and one other person's.

He told me he had been bedridden for 2 years, is just now learning to walk again, suffers from MS and needs medicine each month at a very high price. He wanted to resurrect his former design business and was selling off possessions to raise the money to take my Diamond Course and wondered if I'd extend him a payment plan.

I didn't agree to a payment plan for him, in part because I don't offer one and I don't like the idea of giving one person something I don't give to everyone, but the main reason was because I sincerely believe it was not in his best interest at this time in his life to start at the Diamond level.

Assuming that what he told me is all true (and I have no way of verifying anything), here's my assessment:

1) He's obviously not in good physical health
2) He's obviously not in good financial health
3) He's trying to start at the top when he is better off taking smaller, less stressful steps (since he can purchase any component in Diamond on an "a la carte" basis and probably won't need the design training as he already has had a decorating business)

I'm a mentor as well as a trainer. I see my role as that of a "protector", not just a business person seeking to make profit.

I feel it would have been irresponsible of me, assuming he presented me with truth, to allow him to go forward at the Diamond level.

I vowed many years ago to try my best to always do what I believed was the "best" thing for my clients, even if it meant no profit or less profit to me. It's just how I operate. Many other people might have just locked in the sale of a much higher course.

Regardless of your own circumstances, whether you're living in abundance or just scraping by, I believe God will honor you if you always try to do what you know in your heart is best for the other person.

So again I encourage you:

1) Give more than you promise
2) Do what's best for them, irregardless of whether it's the most profitable route for you

You can never go wrong with that philosophy and standard of excellence. Be someone your client's can thoroughly trust to advise them in a direction best for them.

I guarantee you, you will not be sorry.

Letterhead and Envelopes

2006-09-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
Who is the best source for business cards, letterhead, etc.? I prefer desktop paper sets which look professional, and can easily be made to fit my business.

ANSWER
Depends on your quantiity. If you're just doing up a few, or on demand, just stop by a Staples or Office Depot or Office Max and pick out some nice quality paper with matching envelopes. Using Word, you can create easy letterhead and envelopes. They usually come packaged in sets of 25 or 50. Don't go to a printer unless you doing 500+ of the same thing - too expensive for small quantities.

You can also purchase business cards from them too in quantities of 1000 cards or more for best pricing.

Bouncing Back from Financial Disaster

2006-09-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received a call from a delightful gal going through a hard time because of a huge financial setback caused by her husband, A State beauty queen, she had enjoyed a beautiful home, acclaim, fame and fortune. Now it was virtually all gone.

She took a high priced staging seminar and was very disappointed. Then she found my course and was upset that she didn't know about it before.

But what she needed more than anything was encouragement. And that's what I could provide her. You see, I've been there; done that.

Years ago I made some foolish decisions about starting a wicker store, right in the early eighties when there was a huge recession. Furniture stores were going out of business right and left. I ignored all the business warnings and plunged ahead.

I not only lost my store, I found myself in huge debt, pregnant with no health insurance. I went into total depression, fearful that I would also lose my home.

But you know, when you go through times like this, if you try to see it as an opportunity, you can use the experience positively. Let it propel you to move forward, because forward is the only direction open to you.

Many people start things and quit right away. They can't conquer their fears and don't want to work hard to achieve their goals. But when your back is against the wall, you have no other options. So you just go and do it!!!

If you find yourself in a difficult time financially, count your blessings. If you have your health, you have everything you need to turn the situation around.

I came out of my depression, regained new goals, learned from my mistakes and have gone on to become wildly successful. You can too.

Testing Your Marketing Strategies

2006-09-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

No matter what procedures and pricing you have in place now, you should always strive to test what you're doing.

What you're now doing is your "control" method, your "control" pricing, and so forth.

So let's call your "control" method/price, Presentation A. Use Presentation A for 2 weeks or for however long you want to be sure you've given it a fair chance to succeed.

Then alter something. Change the price. Change the offer. Change the headline. But only change one thing at a time.

Call this new method/price Presentation B. Now switch to Presentation B for the same length of time as you gave Presentation A.

Consider beefing up your offer by adding an additional product or service at the end. An add-on can literally generate 3-5 percent more profit. It need to be a companion product or service - something that makes sense for the client. People love bargains and special offers, no matter what income bracket they are in.

When Is One Successful?

2006-09-03T23:24:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to lose some weight and bring down my chloresterol, but when shopping yesterday I couldn't help it. I had to have some Panda Express orange glaze chicken and fried rice.

But I was a good girl and didn't eat all of it at one sitting. I brought half of it home, along with the two fortune cookies. I know, I know. But I paid for them and wasn't going to leave them behind.

Tonight I ate them both so I could read my little fortunes.

One of them said, "You have a strong potential for success." The other one read, "Success will be yours."

I thought to myself, "You're too late. I'm already successful."

So why is it that we want someone else to validate us or tell us we're going to have a great future? Do you possibly think there is a fortune cookie out there that tells people they are going to "fail" or that their future holds nothing but failure?

Of course not.

If you feel good about who you are and what you have accomplished, you are successful, even if no one else thinks so.

Don't let anyone rob you of your own feelings of self worth. When you feel good about who you are, and you have a plan of action, no one can stop you.

Doing a Staging Radio Show

2006-09-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

One way to build your clientele is to host your own radio show. Many small broadcasting companies have air time to sell and might welcome a 15-30 minute show.

The important thing to remember is not to make your show one long commercial. That is a fast track to failure.

Instead, use the show to give away helpful information, not only about staging, but about selling homes in general, some decorating tips, features about related products and services that you would recommend and so forth.

You want to come across as a "friend", a trusted advisor - not a salesperson just out to promote your services.

Forget about making money. Give the kind of information on your show that you would want to receive if you were a listener. It will come back to you in multiple ways. At the very end of the show, give a low-key tag line about how listeners can get more information.

Give them a phone number to call or a website to visit.

Action Steps for Home Stagers

2006-08-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Make a list of all of the major elements in your staging business that are geared to produce a measurable result. Include in this list all of the regular situations where you would use the art of persuasion or influence to achieve results.

As examples, your sales presentation, presentations to groups, your phone agreements, any and all advertising you do, your sales letters, brochures, business card, emails you send out, faxed messages, your client services and support systems.

Next you should study the key parts of each (headlines, offers, opening paragraphs, closes, benefits listed, etc.)

Now that you've studied them, come up with 2 different alternatives for each one. Come up with at least 2 different ways to communicate the same message. Try different pricing, different presentations, different way to position yourself in the marketplace.

Then test these approaches against your current one, which we'll call your "control" approach.

If a new approach out-tests your control approach, replace the control approach for the new one.

You'll find that if you consistently look for ways to improve your business, even if it is in small increments, over time you can make a dramatic improvement on your profits.

Destructive Beliefs of Home Stagers

2006-08-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

How many times have you been wrong about something?

Maybe you were unduly afraid of something.
Maybe your were flat out wrong about something.
Maybe you made a mistake about something.

Then you began to dwell on it. You felt an obligation to worry about it, go over it again in your mind.

I have to admit I'm guilty of that. If I have goofed up or been criticized of something I'm innocent of or guilty of, I tend to dwell on it, going over it in my mind. It can even disrupt my ability to sleep.

Worry is destructive. There is no good that can come from it.

We are often so accustomed to worrying about things, that we don't give it a second thought.

But have you ever stopped to consider that most of the things we worry about are false assumptions we have accepted as truths or fear that never, ever come to pass?

While we can't do anything about some things that happen in life, we can control our reactions. So put worrying about things to a stop. Tuck those fears and insecurities into your pocket and zip up the pocket.

What have you got to lose? Nothing.
What have you got to gain? Everything.

When a Realtor Wants a Flyer

2006-08-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
Hi Barbara- I got an email response today from an agent interested in my staging business. She asked for a personal flyer. I haven't done my first job yet. What should a flyer consist of? Thank you.- Kim"

ANSWER
Flyer should have the following at a minimum:

Benefits to Realtor or to Home Seller (this part is mandatory!)
Basic stats on how staging helps everyone
Services you provide
NO PRICING
A before and after picture, together with a success story, if you have one
Name of your company, contact information
A Call to Action (call you, make an appointment, send you their email address, etc.)

When Should a Stager Get Paid?

2006-08-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
On pricing my services, please tell me if I am on the wrong track. $1000 up-front and 30 days to pay off the balance. Or even at escrow. Given the area that I currently reside, most of the homes are pretty pricey (as I am sure they are in your area as well... only in California!), so I can command a higher fee than in Pittsburgh, PA. But you never know. Thanks again for all your input and help. It is graciously accepted.

ANSWER
50% up front, balance when the work is done - not 30 days later. This is no different than getting new windows. You give a deposit and when the windows are installed, you pay the balance. The more time that goes by between when you do the work and when payment is due, the less likely you'll get paid. People start to forget what you did to earn the money and they stop being grateful, then they don't want to pay. You have a right to be paid in full as soon as the work is completed.

Analyzing Yourself as a Home Stager

2006-08-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Before you make any decision regarding your business, ask yourself these questions:

1)Do I believe in what I'm doing?
2)Am I being honest?
3)Is my message true?
4)If I do this, how will it affect others?

Just because someone else conducts their business in a certain manner, and with a certain code of ethics, that doesn't mean they have the answers, nor does it mean that what they are claiming and saying is true. Nor does it mean that what they are offering is good for the consumer.

You don't have to look very far on the internet to find a wide assortment of products and services, all claiming to be the best, the most affordable, yada yada yada.

You have to dig deeper to get at the truth.

Case in point: I recently entered discussions with a company claiming to have tens of thousands of daily visitors to their website. But I could easily see by my own applications, that their daily traffic was far less than my own.

There's so much hype and overcharging, even on the Net, not to mention the companies that are just totally unethical from the get-go.

So dig deeper and really study what you're reading before buying into anyone's message. If you take the time to do a little research, you'll be able to weed out the truth from the hype and get at the real value of something.

And so it should go without saying, that when you put your own messages out there on your products and services, that you tell the truth and provide real value. Otherwise it will come back to bite you "you-know-where".

Marketing Your Home Staging Business

2006-08-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

"Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead." - Gene Fowler (1890-1960)

Don't you kind of feel the same way about marketing?

The two questions I am most often asked are, "How do I price my services?" and "How to I market my services?" If there were an easy answer to both questions I could retire with massive amounts of wealth.

Naturally you have to get the word out there. You've got to let people know you exist, that you have a business and that you're ready, willing and able to serve them. You have to stress the benefits of hiring you and you have to differentiate your business from your competitors.

At any given time, a competitor might rise up to take business from you. What does that matter if you weren't aggressively promoting your business in the first place.

I've often found that people are willing to learn the craft, but fear crafting the message and getting it out there. And all too often they quit before they have given themselves a chance to succeed.

How many people have you talked to today so far about your business?
How many people know you're in business?
How many people have heard from you this week? This month? In the last 3 months?
Do you have a list of people to contact daily? Why not?
What types of people are on you list? How many centers of influence do you have on the list?
Have you written down your goals in specific language?
Have you placed a deadline for achieving short term goals?

Don't freeze up.

The best way to build a home staging business (or any business) is "one day at a time". Build it step by step. Stay focused. Be determined. Learn your craft. Get the word out.

Buyer's Eyes

2006-07-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

You have only one chance to make a good first impression--beginning the moment potential buyers drive up.

You can help create that good first impression by presenting potential buyers with a well-cared-for yard including mowed lawn. Your front door and porch should be clean and neat, preferably freshly painted.

These first important encounters create a positive impression that carries through to the rest of the home. An inviting atmosphere implies that the house has been well maintained. Homes that convey pride of ownership, especially those that have been staged by a professional, generally receive the best offers.

If the home appears disheveled or uncared for, prospective buyers may quickly conclude it's been neglected and is in need of repairs. Such a negative impression can result in a less-than-generous offer--or possibly no offer at all.

Always pretend you are a potential buyer. Would YOU buy the home?

International Staging Directory

2006-07-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

Announcing!

The International Home Staging and Interior Redesign Directory

Get your business listed in the fastest growing, most prestigious international directory for home stagers and interior redesigners and designers.

If you aren't being found, you're losing business.

Advertising and promoting your business are key elements to building and sustaining a business. The International Staging and Redesign Directory is set up to send you highly targeted inquiries. If you have a website, you can list it in the directory. The listing will help your own website rankings, as well as prove to the world that you are a legitimate staging or design professional.

To visit the directory, go to:
The International Staging and Redesign Directory

To join the directory, visit:
Join Directory

Tell them I sent you.

Cheers!

Five Affirming Beliefs for Home Stagers

2006-07-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

1) Regardless of what life brings to me, I will be happy.
2) I seek to improve every day in these areas: knowledge, awareness, curiosity, caring, adaptability, success, control of my life.
3) Since I am my own best friend, I continuously encourage myself, support myself and respect myself.
4) Working together, my mind, body and spirit are united in the goal to allow me to excel in my home staging activities.
5) Problems and setbacks are only opportunities to improve myself, my work, my goals and dreams. I am always seeking ways to improve and grow - and I'm always on the look out for ways to help my clients too.

When was the last time you gave yourself a good compliment?

When was the last time you treated yourself for a job well done?

Today in the mail I received a check for $200 from my daughter's dentist. It seems I had overpaid my bill. How nice they were honest enough to return the money to me.

Since my computer crashed last Friday, and my external hard drive got blown out on Saturday from a power outage, and my printer up and died today, I'm in need of treating myself.

While it was a lot of extra work to restore my systems, I took the opportunity to improve my business at the same time. Even though tempted to get frantic and frustrated (and I admit I did a little of that - I'm only human), I chose to look overall on this series of problems as an opportunity to excel and grow and make my home staging and redesign business better than ever.

And now I'm going to go spend that $200 on myself!

Home Staging for the Chinese

2006-07-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
I really appreciate your books (Silver Combo Training), which are what I have been looking for! And you are the best of all! And I read most of Rich Dad books, but I still learned a lot from your book about business.

I live in Toronto and have a B.A degree of Visual Arts from Canada, and I am the first and only HomeStager in the Chinese community right now, and Toronto has almost 5,000,000 Chinese.

I see I am standing in certain advantage in terms of starting early, but the challenge is: although their houses are in big need of being staged, this homestaging idea still not be accepted or recognized yet, and most people don't want to pay any for that, even though my service charging is really low compare to the local market. I have to do a lot of education by writing articles in community newspapers and giving seminars.

I have another choice, is to move to Chicago, and there are not much Chinese as in Toronto. But I think I can try to do for other communities. (My boyfriend is there)What would you suggest in this situation? Does it worth me to try in Toronto? Or you think Chicago has better business potential?

ANSWER
Whoa, I'm totally afraid I can't advise anyone on where to live and work. I can say this, however.

I grew up in Japan and visit there every year because I have a mother and brother living there still. While I don't know much about Chinese people, they are still Asian in their thought and practice. They will probably always have much different thinking on homes than Caucasians. It would be a tough sell to the Japanese culture, though I have done one home for a Japanese lady in Japan.

They may also have religious reasons, perhaps borne out of Feng Shui or Buddhism that contradict American interior design concepts. There could be resistance there for that reason too.

And as you say, they are probably strong savers and guarded about spending money. They are also typically pretty traditional in their thinking. If you had any chance at all, I would venture to say it would be with younger generations rather than older and whether their homes were Canadianized or Americanized rather than Asian styling.

Your best bet is the press release and seminar route, whether you stay where you are or move, no matter what culture you're speaking to. Try to get into some Chinese organizations and make friends first without any thought to what you might gain. Get to know the most influential people there. Offer to do a home free in exchange for referrals. Offer to do a home free for a real estate agent working heavily in the community. Many times all it takes is for one agent to believe in you, then others find out and suddenly you're hard at work. You have to break down that natural resistance first, however. It will take time.

Thank you for the kind remarks about the training. Much appreciated.

Home Staging and Franchises

2006-07-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

If you're thinking about investing in an expensive franchise, do your research. While there are many advantages, there are many disadvantages. So watch for Clues to know when you should move on.

Clue #1
Franchise sellers must disclose any lawsuits that have been brought against the company. You'll want to investigate both the quality of the suits as well as the quantity. 1-2 cases per 100 is considered a lot. Look at who began the suit, whether the franchisor or one of the franchisees. Check to see what the outcomes were.

Clue #2
The franchiser must also disclose the failures of their franchise's. A high turnover rate is not good. A high turn over rate of terminated franchises is not good.

Clue #3
Viable franchisors will be able to provide detailed numbers of how the business works on the individual level and how much money you can reasonably expect to make.
If this information isn't readily available, this is not good.

Clue #4
Unhappy franchise owners are another clue. If there is a consensus of unhappy owners, you'll probably wind up feeling just like they do. This is not good.

Clue #5
The franchisor and employees don't share similar values to yours. You want to associate yourself with people you feel comfortable with, who you believe you can trust and who you believe will support you every step of the way. Not every culture or person has similar values. If you cannot feel totally at ease, this is not good.

Fortunately the home staging business doesn't require anyone to own a franchise. You can learn the business quite affordably. I offer a basic tutorial, a gold course and a diamond combination course (staging and redesign). For details on all of these options, visit: Home Staging Courses.

Impact of Your Self Image

2006-07-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

You're staging homes for a living. You're excited about what you do. But things aren't going so well. You don't know why.

I was standing this morning looking out my kitchen window. In the distance are 3 large palm trees swaying in the wind. The sky is a brilliant blue with large white bellowy clouds passing overhead.

The temperature is already warm and I know it's going to be a hot day. But I stand there enjoying the cool breeze coming through my window, caressing my skin and I thank God for giving me such a beautiful day.

The wind blowing the trees in the distance can't be seen. The breeze filtering through my hair can't be seen. While I can't see the wind, I know it exists because I see the effects with my eyes and feel the effects on my skin.

The same is true for your self image. How you feel about yourself can not be seen with eyes nor felt by other people in and by itself.

It can only be witnessed and it can only be felt by the effects our self esteem causes. In other words, how you feel about yourself, how you talk about yourself in your mind, will cause something to happen - either good or bad.

Your self esteem is unseen - but the effects of it can be seen everywhere you go. So be kind to yourself. Lighten up. Be good to yourself and you're bound to see good things come into your home staging business as well as your personal life.

Managing Critics in Your Home Staging Business

2006-07-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

I believe that the best way to develop someone I'm training is by giving out plenty of appreciation and encouragement. That's why you'll find many postings on my blogs of an encouragement nature.

There is very little that will kill ambition quite a thoroughly as criticism - especially from one's superiors. I try not to criticize anyone. But I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who jump to criticizing others, for no apparent reason.

We would all do better to follow the concept: Be anxious to praise but slow to find fault.

Be specific in your praise. Talking in generalities is nice, but it isn't remembered by the recipient because it doesn't reach their emotions. So when you praise, be very specific. The person receiving your admiration will really respond when you are very specific about why you are giving the heartfelt compliment.

When you enter a client's home, look for something to compliment the home owner about. You may have to really look deeply, but no matter what the condition of the home, you should be able to find something to be genuinely complimentary about.

It will thoroughly please the home owner and gain you significant good rapport immediately. You'd be amazed at how many of your competitors will fail to give any compliments at all.

A Home Stager's Rationalizations

2006-07-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

Do you have a number of reasons as to why you haven't started your home staging business yet? Do you find yourself saying, "I'm too tired" or "I'm too unsure of myself" or "I don't know what to charge" or "I'm not sure what to say"?

This type of excuse making masks something else going on inside - something you might not realize about yourself.

That something is "rationalization".

When fear gets hold of us, we can come up with all kinds of excuses as to why we aren't functioning yet. And the reasons we give all "appear" to be valid reasons as to why we can't move forward. But in reality they are excuses to justify our fears.

Did you know that most fears we have never are realized in actuality? Well, except if you venture on a car lot to buy a new or used car.

I've had to live the last several nights with my garage door propped open because of some repairs being done. My husband was out of town. While I took every precaution to secure the home, I was none-the-less apprehensive that I had not done enough.

Even though I reminded myself that my concerns were exaggerated, I felt nervous and anxious until I fell asleep.

Most times, what we fear is of our own making and never becomes a reality in our lives.

But in order to stop feeling fearful, we have to take a first step. Even if it's a little step. Take the first step, then another, then another, then another. You'll quickly discover that your fears were totally unfounded and rather silly.

Destructive Beliefs for Home Stagers

2006-07-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

1) You must perform as perfectly as humanly possible in all circumstances. There is no room for error of any kind, because you must prove to everyone that you are perfect.

2) You can't do anything without the total love and acceptance and support of the significant people in your life. You must always be successful and right and a high achiever in their eyes or you can't function at all.

3) You must worry everyday about your reputation and do everything at all cost to protect yourself from criticism or failure. If something feels risky, then it must be risky, too risky for you to attempt.

You don't need everyone's approval. Yes, it's nice if you get it, but sometimes you just have to strike out on your own and not be so overly concerned with what other people think. Fear of failure and incurring the disapproval of those around us can paralize us. Without action, nothing is achieved.

You can have all the dreams in the world, but if you don't push past your fears, especially those fears of what other people might think of you, then you haven't got a prayer of success.

If you fail, you pick yourself up and go right on. Learn from the mistakes you make, but don't assume you are the only person in this business to make a mistake. We have all made them. The key is to keep on growing and learning and taking action.

Dealing with Difficult Realtors

2006-07-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
There is a condo next to my parents up for sale for $899,900. No furniture, no up-dates. It really needs my touch. Mom says the realtor is a real, well I'll be direct, bitch. Any comments?

ANSWER
If you know going into something where the realtor is reported to be a "bitch", I don't advise cutting your teeth of this type of person. It could wreck your reputation among other realtors in your area if you have problems, and it certainly won't be any fun for you. Just a thought to ponder. You might want to start with a more simple approach of consultation only, then go for the whole works if you get along. Better yet, wait until you have a good deal of experience under your belt, then approach that realtor.

Fairness vs. Reputation

2006-07-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

Some people are more concerned about reputation and what others think of them than other people. Some people are consumed by worry. Others don't care at all.

I will admit that when I was younger, I was more concerned about what someone thought of me than I am now.

I've been taught many times that when in business, the "customer is always right". By that I always took it to mean that no matter what, I was to treat the customer as if they were completely in the right, whether they were or they were not.

But I've had clients and trainees who were clearly in the wrong.

I've toyed with the idea of just giving them what they want regardless, and sometimes I do that. But on the other hand, I many times don't give in to that kind of pressure.

Sometimes it's out of fairness to everyone.
Sometimes, however, it's because I want to teach that person something more valuable: like respect, honor, truth, fairness, rightness, responsibility.

My policies are not to do something for one client that I am not willing to do for all. Where would I be if I gave something to one person and refused it to another and the word got out that I was "playing favourites".

So, at the risk of many a trainee unhappy over an issue that is unfair to others, I rule in favour of others. That's just the way it is. Case in point: if you purchase a training product or package and a few days later it goes on sale, I don't make retroactive refunds. It defeats the purpose of the sale in the first place, and it would not be fair to issue a refund to one person and not to everyone.

Is my reputation at stake? Will there be negative feedback passed around about me? Maybe. But I would rather be known for treating everyone the same and being fair to everyone. I don't give in to pressure. I don't give in to being compared with other businesses. I set my policies and then adhere to them in a manner that is fair to everyone, and fair to us at the same time.

Control Your Tongue and Behaviour

2006-07-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

A house guest arrived to spend a few days with a family. She was the adult daughter (40 years/single) of one of the parent's in the family. She had never met the other members of the family before.

Within 5 minutes of arrival, she had proceeded to tell everyone that she was a very outspoken person, has gotten into trouble for doing so in the past and how she goes about engaging people she meets in conversations, by asking questions.

Nothing novel about that.

Within the next few minutes, she proceeds to insult the 24 years old daughter in front of her parents and other friends. An hour later, when the parents are not in the room, she chastises the 24 year old daughter regarding the daughter's chosen profession and the daughter's choice of boyfriend.

Before and after the meals, she let's everyone else help with meal preparation and clean up, expecting to be waited on by her new "servants". While she had been very talkative before the meal, to the point of sermonizing to everyone, when she sits down to eat, she spends 97% of the time looking down at her plate, eating quietly, sometimes playing with her food, not joining in the conversation at all, and not even looking at other members of the family when they are speaking.

It is not known whether she has ever received etiquette training or not, but my opinion is that there are many things in life one should just inherently KNOW and not have to be taught.

Unless you are in someone's home as a trusted adviser, consultant, stager, redesigner or what have you, keep your opinions to yourself. Offer to help whenever tasks need to be done. Even if your help is not accepted, you must at least offer to help.

When you attend parties, remember that you are there as a guest, but you should also be there to serve the hostess/host and their guests. Part of building a successful business is the ability to and desire to help other people. Never lose sight of that.

What Makes Up Self Esteem?

2006-06-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Self esteem, or how one feels about one self, is made up of both our personal feelings of self-worth and our personal self-trust.

Let me explain it this way.

Your self-esteem is derived from the feelings you have about who you are, whether you're happy or unhappy about being you, whether you're happy or unhappy about your body, genes, family, background, education and so forth.

Self-trust, on the other hand, is your personal ability to believe in your abilities in a positive and effective manner, along with your belief in your ability to control (within reason) what happens to you in this uncertain world.

You can like your personality and looks, but if you don't believe in your abilities, your decision-making power and if you're not willing to take responsibility for your choices, then you are suffering from poor self-trust.

You must have healthy self-esteem AND self-trust to be successful in a business venture, whether it is home staging or something else.

Thoughts on a Home Staging Business

2006-06-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

Herbert and Dorothy Vogel began searching out unknown artists and purchasing works of art that they loved or thought were interesting pieces. They didn't do it because they were looking for an investment. They never sold any of the pieces they bought. They did it just for the love of art.

Thirty years later they had collected over 2500 works of art. Eventually they donated most of their collection to the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

If you are one of those people who just loves to decorate, loves to organize, loves to create serene spaces that feel calm, you should absolutely love being in the home staging business. But if you don't like to fix things up, correct problems and be with people, then you're not likely to enjoy home staging as a business.

When you love what you do, you have a much, much better chance of being successful. You'll be happier, you'll work harder, you won't be focused solely on the pay back.

Loving what you do is so important. Life is too short to spend all day doing what you hate.

For a career in home staging, take a look at this tutorial: Home Staging for Profit.

Winning Attitudes for Home Stagers

2006-06-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

We are all born with intrinsic value. Our bodies may be flawed. Our minds might have varying degrees of sharpness. But none of that has anything to do with our value as a member of earth's society.

Unfortunately, growing up can destroy that value in our inner being.

One of the key traits shared by champions and winners in every walk of life is the fundamental belief in their own internal value.

Another way of putting it is that we are all beautiful roses when we are born, even though a petal here and there might have a flaw. But over time outside influences may cause us to lose our petals, and once they are gone, life appears bleak.

We cannot control much of what happens to us and around us. But we can control how we react to it. We can accept the critical comments of those we know as being truth, and let them destroy our sense of value, or we can toss them off into the gutter where they belong.

You can never win if your concept of success depends on the compliments and favour of others. You can only win when you know you are a valueable person with something to contribute.

Controling the Urge to Criticize

2006-06-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

I can't go into anyone's home any more without looking it over and evaluating it for the furniture arrangement, color, flow, accessory choices and all the other elements for which I have an expertise. Try as I may, I can't help myself.

I'm a trained actor, as well. And the mere fact that I have received training in this area sometimes inhibits my ability to enjoy movies or TV, because I can tell when an actor is picking up their lines from cue cards. When I notice it, my attention is drawn away from the character and the story plot. But most of the time I'm able to get past that and go on and enjoy the presentation.

So it's not surprising that other people react the same way in the areas where they feel they have some sort of expertise or special training.

As you build your home staging (or redesign) business, you must watch out for the temptation to be judgmental about the homes you enter and the projects you bid on. There will be times when you will be called upon to mention something to a homeowner that needs improvement. It's part of what you are being paid to do. That's one thing.

But if you're not being paid to critique something, learn to keep your mouth shut.

Too often people blurt out a criticism, based on their perceived expertise, and only cause ill will that was totally unnecessary. In my experience, those people usually wind up embarrassing themselves because, all too often, they don't have the expertise they credit themselves with having.

There's no such thing as "constructive criticism". Criticism is criticism, and unless you're being paid to give it, it's best for you if you remain silent. That way you won't be in danger of disrespecting others and you certainly won't run the risk of embarrassing yourself.

Success in the Home Staging Business

2006-06-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Many people make the mistake of putting all of the responsibility of their success on their trainer. They mistakenly think that the most important aspect of their success is the background and history of the trainer.

While getting a good trainer is important, they completely ignore the fact that the X Factor is them. And it's the X Factor that determines the success or failure of a business.

No individual's experience will be the same as another individual's. We are all different. We learn differently, we absorb differently, we apply differently, we act differently, we speak differently, we have different backgrounds and experiences.

So to measure your success against another person's success is foolhardy. To believe that the secret to success lies in what trainer you select is also foolhardy.

There is only one road to success: hard work.

There is only one attitude for success: positive.

There is only one goal for success: long term.

There is only one expectation for success: confidence.

Add to these: goals, determination, tenacity, trust, talent, time and a host of other ingredients.

Success is up to you.

The Measure of Your Self Worth

2006-06-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Most people believe that success and winning is something that you get by reaching outside yourself and proving to others that you are worthy. Or that success is watching your bank account grow.

They believe that you have to prove, or earn, or win, or perform in some special way to deserve the proverbial "gold ring", or medal, or beautiful home or new car.

It is this false belief that you have to get the approval of others BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Many parents make their children feel that they are only entitled to feel good about themselves AFTER they have performed well.

This is wrong.

You need to believe in yourself first. You need to feel good about yourself first. You need to be your own personal best friend first.

You need to feel love inside yourself before you can offer it to anyone else. And because of this, it will be your own sense of value that determines the quality of your performance, which is what other people see.

Your performance is only a REFLECTION of your internal worth; it is not the measure of it.

Home Staging: Becoming Successful

2006-06-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Delayed gratification is a very difficult achievement, especially in America. We are so accustomed to fast food (getting fed immediately), microwaves (fast food preparation), credit card debt (getting what we want now).

Delayed gratification, that element that separates champions from "also-rans", is a sacrifice.

I've developed a weight problem in my latter years. Since I know weight reduction is best done in small increments to be healthy, the goal of reaching my total weight loss must be a long term goal. I'm not going to see pounds and inches slipping away by leaps and bounds.

This makes weight reduction more difficult.

There is no immediate gratification and that's coupled with anxiety about what to eat, when to eat and if it will do me any good at all in the end.

In business, that delayed gratification for the end result may mean you can't go away on weekends, or go on vacations for a while, or buy that new latest home gadget.

In business, there are many players. But only a few succeed. That's because only the few will be willing to sacrifice what is needed to attain the end goal.

Lee Trevino, one of the greatest golfers of all time, said, "I learned a long time ago that the best psychology in golf is to hit so many balls that your hands get blistered and calloused. If there's sunlight, there are golf balls to be hit!"

In my own career, there have been many, many weeks I worked late hours, and even 7 days or more non-stop. Yes, there needs to be balance, particularly if you have a family, but there is a need for sacrifice as well.

Home Staging: Managing Setbacks

2006-06-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

The world is made up of losers and winners. So what's the difference between the two? Well, there are many reasons, of course, but one that always sticks out has to do with gratification.

Losers like pleasurable activities just for the sake of the "now" pleasure. They are after the "instant gratification".

Winners, on the other hand, choose activities that will give them long-term positive results. That is known as "delayed gratification".

Losers will quit working early so they can go play or socialize.

Winners will keep on working even though everyone around them is playing and even though they would rather be playing. They have the ability to keep their mind focused on the long term goal, not the short term gratification.

And one last thing.

They will work hard without complaining.

Home Staging Business Success

2006-06-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

You've done all the right things.

You took some training, hopefully from me because, if you did, you saved a ton of money. But if not, so be it.

You've chosen a business name. Done all the legal stuff. Got all your materials together. Told some people. Had a few appointments.

Nothing has happened.

Don't give up. You'd be amazed at the number of people who get this far and then decide it's more work than they imagined - and they quit.

Gee, if it just magically fell into your lap, and kept doing that, everyone would be doing it.

Sure, you can get lucky once in a while and something just comes to you, but let's be real. Most of the time you have to work hard for what you get.

But stop for a minute and think about it. If everything was super easy, the success wouldn't mean much to you.

Case in point: a person wins the lottery. They win big. They suddenly have all this money, this gigantic loot, and they didn't do anything to earn it except play a few numbers.

Ever wonder why in no time at all they are flat broke again? Is it because they are stupid? Lazy? Ignorant? Maybe. But I'll tell you for a fact that most of them didn't appreciate their situation and they blew through the money as if it was water, making no plans for the future.

It happens also to kids who inherit an estate they didn't work for from their parents. All too often it is totaly squandered and wasted.

Decades ago my husband and I borrowed on our home to give his brother and wife enough money for a downpayment on a home. They were appreciative and went and bought a home. A few years later, the wife decided she didn't want to work any more. She quit her job and lay around the house reading while the home went into foreclosure.

She didn't care about saving the home because she wasn't the one who slaved to earn the money for the downpayment. She had nothing invested in it. It was many, many years before my husband and I paid off that loan. How sad.

There is a saying: "Nothing ventured; nothing gained."

Success is a choice you make yourself. It may take you some time. You may have to work and work and work. But if you hang in there and do everything you are trained to do, you will eventually become successful. But you have to stay the course with determination.

Home Staging: Set Your Own Standards

2006-06-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

Since I primarily write to women, let me address an issue most of us seem to fall prey to: comparing ourselves to other women.

This week my daughter auditioned for Beyonce's all-women's band she is purported to be gathering to tour this fall during the release of her new CD.

My daughter plays bass.

Knowing she would be competing with women all over the country who have far more extensive experience than she, it was quite natural that she was apprehensive. She asked me earlier in the day if I thought it was worth her while to go audition, or whether she should forget it.

I told her to just "go have fun, do the best you can and gain the experience of auditioning. No matter what happens, you will benefit from the experience."

Many times throughout the day and while waiting her turn she wanted to run away. She had only had one day to learn the song and pull together a "groove" of her own in the key of E.

She had one choice: run away and let fear conquer or stay and do her best.

I'm happy to report she stayed, went through the whole process, played way better than she thought she would play, experienced a "break through" according to her coach, and received a round of applause from the other musicians in the hall when she left the audition room!

It was a highlight of her life that she will never forget.

Had she succumbed to her fears, she would have missed out on a phenomenal opportunity to experience growth and the unmeasurable pleasure of a job well done. Instead of becoming a quitter, she became a winner, whether she landed the gig or not.

Competition should be viewed as a way to maintain excellence and a way to keep yourself performing up to YOUR own standards - not the standards of others.

Home Staging Commitment

2006-06-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

How committed are you to the success of your business?

"Very committed," you answer.

"Prove it," I respond.

"How?", you quiry.

My answer:

Are you willing to do the things that other people are not willing to do?

Olympic Gold champion, Mary Lou Retton, gave up living at home with her family at the age of 14. She moved to Texas to live with a total stranger: Bela Karolyi, the world famous gymnastics coach, who is extremely hard on his athletes.

Karolyi changed her whole technique, diet, schedule - everything. She practiced 7 days a week while other young girls her age were having fun.

A few weeks before the summer games, Mary Lou's knee locked up. She had torn cartilage fragments wedged in her knee joint. Orthoscopic surgery was needed.

Less than 10 days later, Mary Lou was back practicing.

In her final event, the vault, she needed 9.95 just to tie the Romanian leader.

Giving it everything she had to give, Mary Lou tore down the runway and sprung for her life. A perfect 10.0 score! And even though she didn't need to vault again, she took the optional vault, and again scored 10.0!

Success cannot elude someone this dedicated.

Is that someone you?

Home Staging Mistakes

2006-06-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

Even though mistakes are painful when they happen, over time they become a collection that becomes part of your level of "experience".

Mistakes can also be good things and they inevitably force you to constantly re-evaluate your strategies, tactics and procedures.

Case in point.

I recently placed 3 orders for tutorials: one for Home Staging for Profit, one for Rearrange It and one for Advanced Redesign.

Fearing that I was going to run out of printed versions before the new ones arrived, I requested that two of the books be shipped "2nd day air". Without asking the price difference between 2nd day air and ground shipping, I put the whole order down to come by air.

Big mistake.

Not only could I have just requested 1 box of each be shipped by air, with the balance coming by ground (duh!), I should not have been so panicked.

The difference in shipping cost was more than double and there were alternatives if I had taken the time to think the situation through more carefully.

But this one mistake has forced me to look more closely at our ordering processes and create better records for knowing when we need to reorder.

So look at every mistake as an opportunity to make your business better. For that is exactly what it is.

Difference Between Staging and Redesign

2006-06-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
"What is the difference between the courses of house staging (which I am about to start reading) and redesign. Just need to make sure I will not be going over ground I have already studied or will read in the staging course. Cheers, Jill"

ANSWER
Home staging is the term we use to refer to the work done in a home where the owner wants to sell. It is the process of decluttering the space, depersonalizing the space, and then fixing, cleaning and arranging what is kept to make the home look as spacious as possible, help prospective buyers visualize themselves living in the home, etc.

Redesign, however, is working to make the home beautiful, full of personality and functionality for an owner who wishes to continue living in the home. Contrary to staging, in redesign we are attempting to fill up the space, make it functional and bring out the personality and style of the owner.

Two different goals.

All of the business set up, marketing, promotional, organization etc will be pretty much the same for both businesses, but the how to will differ when it comes to advice and design techniques. Staging is a pared down look, redesign is a full look.

Hiring Subcontractors: Payment Arrangements

2006-06-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
First I want to thank you for replying back so quickly. I am so enjoying your staging book. I get goosebumps reading it and thinking about actually doing it.
I do have another question. You had mentioned a daily fee ie. $500.00 a day for a home needing many projects done. If we are not confident in doing the repairs, cleaning or painting and need to hire it done do we use our daily fee to pay the workers? Still confused. so sorry. I just want to be very consistant about the $ part to be fair.

ANSWER
Holly, well you'd have to balance out the cost of paying someone and compare to what you are getting and see if you're still making enough to "oversee" the project. But my advice is to put your person in touch with the homeowner and let them work their own deal. Have the vendor build in a referral fee for you. That way if the vendor screws up, you're not caught in the middle. If you accept a fee and hire the laborer yourself, you can do that, but then the contract is between you and owner, and if the job is sub-par, you will have tocorrect the problems or issue a refund. So it's kiind of precarious. In most situations, it's best to let other sub contractors strike a deal with the seller on their own, giving you a referral fee. In that case, might be good not to collect a fee from owner, unless they want you on the premises while the work is done. They probably won't as it will cost them for the service.

Home Staging Fears

2006-06-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school, I lived in Japan. Our home was at the base of some beautiful foothills. We had winding small roads that were largely paved, but all uphill. My dad had purchased a 50cc Honda motorcycle as traffic in Japan was really getting bad.

Naturally I wanted to ride the motorcycle. My desire was a combination of excitement, thrill and fear all rolled into one. It didn't take long to learn how to change gears and ride, but I was only allowed to ride the bike on the back roads where there was practically no traffic.

It didn't take long to learn that when negotiating a curve on a motorcycle one had to lean into the curve, getting closer to the ground. To ride erect was an invitation to a fall.

In business, you have to learn to "lean into the curves" as well. When you are a novice, it's understandable to try to avoid situations that scare you or that feel potentially dangerous. But the sooner you figure out that the best way to keep from falling is getting closer to the ground, the easier your business will grow.

And should you get a little too close to the ground and fall, you just pick up your "bike" and get back on and keep riding. Before you know it, you will be maneuvering easily and effectively with all the confidence in the world.

I publish an easy to understand tutorial called Home Staging for Profit which will help you navigate and learn to zip through the curves.

Home Staging Confidence

2006-06-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Working hard isn't enough to succeed. Of course you have to work hard. But in and by itself, it isn't enough.

I received a call this week from a gal who decided she didn't want to spend an extra $50 to switch from my ebook on home staging to a printed version. I couldn't believe that she (or anyone for that matter) would let $50 stop her from moving forward to get the training she wanted.

As I talked to her further, it became quite apparent that she lacked personal confidence. This seemed strange because she was the daughter of a prominent architect/designer and had grown up "in the business", so to speak.

If you don't believe in yourself, people will sense that. People only hire people who are confident - not arrogant - but sure of themselves.

If you don't believe in yourself, can you really expect someone else to believe in you? Only your mother does that.

How do you get confidence?

By doing it.

Winning at Home Staging #3

2006-05-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard the saying, "You get what you pay for?"

Most of the time, when I think of this saying, I'm thinking about buying something or I'm regretting having bought something. Often it is linked to the prospect of purchasing something of quality or something cheap.

Most times in life, you do get what you pay for. So if it's cheap, it probably has low quality.

But the phrase also refers to getting out of life what you're willing to pay for. What do I mean? Well, you've probably also heard the saying, "You've got to pay your dues."

In business, one usually has to invest a good deal of time, energy and money to eventually turn a profit. One has to "pay one's dues". It takes time to learn your craft, gain expertise, become confident and so forth.

What are you willing to "pay" for your success? I've personally worked very hard all of my life to get where I am today. It doesn't happen overnight. All too often people start businesses with unrealistic expectations of what and when they will succeed.

Work diligently. Be patient. You will get "what you pay for" - eventually.

Overcoming Your Staging Fears

2006-05-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

What do you have to change in your life to move forward?

What fears do you need to conquer?

Are you afraid of failure or success?

Are you worried about what people will think?

Years ago I decided I wanted to learn how to play the drums. I love percussion and I thought it would be great to play for a band or at church.

When I mentioned my desire to a group of women my age, one of them laughed at me in a mocking kind of way. And because of that, I decided to buy a full set of drums, get a teacher, learn to play and do it in spite of her.

And that's exactly what I did, even though I was nearly 40 years of age, a white woman with minimal natural rhythm.

I learned to play well enough to accompany a women's trio specializing in gospel music. We played at many venues in the Southern California area and I even played with my choir at church.

So don't let anyone mock you and make you feel that you cannot be what you want to be, do what you want to do, have what you want to have. Do it in spite of them.

Winning at Home Staging #2

2006-05-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Life is a learning experience. Each day brings new lessons - some you will like and some you won't.

When you change your thinking and realize that success is a process that you want to continue, and not a status or the top of a mountain you reach once and for all, you will look at life and business differently.

If you look at success as attaining a particular plateau or comfort zone, you may stop growing and reaching upward.

It's very easy to just "settle in" and maintain that level. If you do that, you'll probably be out of business soon because you have to keep regenerating new business and expanding on old business.

Don't settle for the status quo. Keep growing, reaching, expanding and learning.

Winning at Home Staging #1

2006-05-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

Whether you like your body or not, it is yours for a lifetime. Take responsibility for it. Treat your body as you would if it were a spacecraft, not as if it were a used car.

Your health and body is your most precious asset. Don't abuse it and take it for granted.

Get a physical annually. Note the health history of your relatives.

With a doctor's guidance, make an exercise plan that is sensible for you. Make it fun to do.

Go for a fast-paced walk. Do gardening. Vacuum your whole home. Go up and down your stairs 20 times a day. You can burn calories and get something productive done at the same time.

Home Staging Costs

2006-05-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Determining the right fee to charge for home staging services is difficult and is one of the questions I am most frequently asked.

Some stagers price their services by the square footage of the home. Obviously this is easier to estimate if one is only providing a consultation, letting the home owner do all of the work.

It gets much more involved and cumbersome to come up with a flat fee if you are doing the work for the home owner.

Rather than pricing by the square footage, one might be better off pricing by the day as home staging services can drag on for days, depending on the size and condition of the home.

All of that needs to be balanced, of course, with the price of the home and whether it is empty or not.

Charging for Home Staging Services

2006-05-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
Thank you for all your generous information!!! I ordered "HomeStaging for Profit" and so far I have read about 1/3 of the book.

I have my first potential job referred to me by a friend, and the realtor called me today, she has a vacant 1300 square foot home that she says has been remodeled and needs staging.The realtor wants to know how much I would charge. I am just starting the business, and this will be my first job, so how much should I charge her? Should I look at the home first, and determine style and take measurements of the rooms I'll be staging? I have a moderate amount of accessories, no major pieces of furniture, should I rent what I need? please advise me.

ANSWER
It's pretty tough right out of the gates to get into renting furniture yourself. You can if you want. You'll need to go to the home first, however, and see what you'll need. Then visit rental companies and see what package plans they offer and for how long they last. Find out about delivery and pickup unless you own a truck.

Since you're brand new, I'd try my best were I you to have the homeowner actually rent the furniture and leave you out of the loop. You can help select what should be rented, but try to keep out of the transaction. Less stress for you and puts all liability on owner and rental company, not you.

Price yourself by the day for however long you think you'll be needed. That takes some apprehension away. Don't worry if it takes longer than you anticipate - it probably will. But it's a learning experience, so no matter what you make, it's worth it all of the experience and photos you'll come away with.

So figure out how much per day you need to make to be happy with your compensation. Then assign a number of days needed and you have your estimate. Tell them it will be plus or minus that figure depending on actual timing. Sometimes it's good to give a range: minimum to maximum.

Marketing a Home Staging Business

2006-05-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

Why not develop a 360-degree view of your business.

Amazingly, opportunities are falling all around you silently, probably going totally un-noticed. Whenever you start a business, no matter what it is, you have to acquire marketing antennae.

That means you have to sort of eat, sleep, drink it. It has to be on your mind constantly. If it's not, then for sure you will be missing the opportunities around you because your focus will be elsewhere.

Look squarely at yourself and dig out your hidden assets. Open your eyes to new ideas of generating business. Exploit them. Even tiny improvements can make a big impact.

Marketing Your Staging Business

2006-05-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

If you ask the wrong question, you'll get a wrong answer.

Most people ask themselves, "What do I have to say to get people to buy from me?"

Instead, ask yourself, "What do I have to give?" "What benefit can I offer them?"
"What value do I have to share with them?"

I once went into a car dealership to buy a car. I was very specific about what I wanted when it came to upholstery and color and so forth.

The salesman, who was new, was far more concerned with just making a sale to get his commission than he was in helping me find what I wanted. He was so obnoxious about it that he even suggested I buy a car that had none of the things I wanted on the interior and then take the car somewhere and have the whole interior redone at an additional expense to me because he didn't have a car on the lot at that moment.

Was it any wonder I got up and left never to venture on to that car lot again.

You don't have to say much. Your true intentions will surface and your client will know whether you're thinking of what's best for them or what's best for you.

Focus on the Client

2006-05-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

People always ask me about how to price their services for home staging. It's a difficult question to answer.

So much depends first on what you want out of the deal. That will be different for everyone. Some of you would be satisfied with just making some money. Others will want to be paid more than they presently earn doing other types of work. And still others will want to be paid handsomely for their time, effort and expertise.

No matter what your personal monetary goals might be, if you focus your attention on what's best for your client you'll be far better off.

I just interviewed a salesperson for a granite counter top project. She was nice enough, but her story shifted with everything I said. If I was more interested in a particular color, she would tell me all of the benefits of that color only.

When my attention shifted to a different color, she would tell me all of the benefits of the new color, and only then point out the drawbacks of the previous color she had just praised.

When my attention changed again, she raved about the new color and then told me the downside of the previous color which she had again just praised so highly.

It didn't take me long to figure out that she was going to rave about whatever I focused on and not really be as honest as I wanted her to be. I quickly came to distrust her input and opinions. She was not out to protect me and advise me honestly.

I always tell my clients the whole story without thought to what I might gain or lose in the telling. I'd rather they believe me to have their best interest at heart. It is just one valuable reason why my clients admire and respect me and aren't the least bit hesitant to refer me to their friends and family.

Focus on your client first. The rest will take care of itself.

May You Be Blessed

2006-05-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this short inspirational movie. With Mother's Day on the horizon, I just wanted to share something really meaningful that will lift your spirits and help you grow in your personal life as well as your business life.

-------------------------------------------
May You Be Blessed
-------------------------------------------

Fee for Home Staging Services

2006-05-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

One of the questions I am most often asked is, "How do I price my services?"

I deal with this subject quite extensively in my tutorial, "Home Staging for Profit", so I'm only going to discuss it briefly here.

What it boils down to, like anything else, is the art of pricing your services so they are affordable and competitive for the market and where you live. That will be different for everyone.

What do you feel your time is worth?
Do you have significant competition in your area?
What do they charge?
Will you just being doing consultations or the actual work?
At what point would you begin to regret doing a project?
What is the selling price of the home?

These are all questions you'll have to ask yourself and assign value to. That is the tricky part. You'll have to test your price, knowing you'll not get every project you strive for. Over time you'll sort it all out.

Home Staging Slideshow Presentation

2006-04-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
I have a question, I am considering getting the staging slide-show presentation for r.e. agent meetings. What do I say if asked if its my work?

ANSWER
It probably won't come up, but you can say, "The images are typical of what I do and I was trained by the creator of the presentation, who is one of the top ranked redesign/staging trainers in the country. My work comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can be sure I'll work very hard to please you and your clients."

You have answered the question honestly, but then quickly redirected their attention to you and your commitment to serve them to the highest degree of professionalism. Most people will assume it is your work, especially if they already perceive you as a professional by how you dress and carry yourself.

Your own personal confidence will be the key to whether they hire you or not. Get some experience first before you tackle a group of agents and you'll walk in there with your head held high and be able to easily convince them of your talent and experitise.

Partnerships in Home Staging Business

2006-04-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

QUESTION

Is it a good idea to start a business with a friend to have someone to share ideas with or just do it yourself. Thanks for your help.

ANSWER

It can be a good way to lose a friendship. If one winds up doing most of the work but having to the split the profit, that will get old real fast. It takes a pretty unusual combination to do business together happily long term and most partnerships don't work out too well. So I would caution you there.

On the other hand, when you have two people together it can be easier and more fun, but it really depends on the relationship. I have a partner, but we've been partners for 40 years and he doesn't make as much income as I do because he doesn't work at it as much as I do. So you'd want to cover yourself in that regard if you can.

Home Staging Licensing

2006-04-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

There is no special licenses required to do home staging, other than the following:

You do need a business license.

If you are selling products, you need a resale license.

If you have employees, you need an employer's identification number.

But if you are a sole proprietor and have no employees and you are just doing consultation services, you only need a business license. At least in most states.

It's always good to check with your local city or town for requirements and certainly your county clerk.

All of this is covered thoroughly in my tutorial called "Home Staging for Profit".

Home Staging a Lucrative Business

2006-04-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Making money today is just part of what is necessary to reach career level income. You must plan for tomorrow, for next month, next year and into the future. So your marketing efforts and strategies and tactics should be devised with the future in mind, not just what it might bring you immediately.

Lucrative businesses are not built in a day. Lucrative businesses are built over time and repetition. Most businesses fail in the first 1-5 years due to lack of proper planning and execution.

Do-able goals need to be set. You need short term goals and long term goals. Your tactics will help you achieve the short term goals, but it is your overall planning and strategy that will help you achieve the long term goals.

Perseverance is necessary - in fact, critical. No one is going to do the work for you unless you're wealthy already and can hire someone to do it. You've got to develop a "never say die" attitude.

If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.

Then you have to act on that belief.

Atlanta Home Staging

2006-04-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

Operating a home staging business in Atlanta is the same as any other part of the country. Where there are homes for sale, there are buyers.

Human nature never changes and is the same all over the world.

While pricing may differ from one part of the country to another, based in part on the cost of living in that state or city, and the competition one faces, the tactics for growing your business are pretty much the same all over.

To boil it down to a nutshell, how many people are you talking to on a daily basis? If you're not communicating with people about your services on a daily basis, your business cannot grow. Communication is key to success.

Next to that, you've got to convey the benefits. Don't talk about features. Talk about benefits. Human nature is the same, remember. People always respond if they believe it will benefit them and if they can afford it.

How to Eliminate Odors at Seller's Home

2006-04-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Tired of walking into a client's home that smells? You know they won't be able to sell the home if there is offensive odors. Odors can come from pet urine or defecation, food, mold, mildew, dust and so forth.

Here's a solution that is light weight, easy to carry. You just plug it in at the home while you're giving a consultation or staging the home. When you leave, you take it with you.

While you are working, the unit is cleaning all of the bad odors out of the room. It doesn't "mask" odors. It actually eliminates them for good.

Sanitizer Details

Presenting a Home Staging Company

2006-04-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

QUESTION

Presently, the way it is established is the Realtor presents the home staging concept and that the homeowner would be paying for the services up front and would be getting 1/2 of the staging costs back at closing. If the homeowner doesn't want the service it is declined and I don't ever get into see them. I know I have lost a couple of homes this way. I realize I might have never gotten the clients but I didn't have the opportunity to share from my perspective which might have given them a new outlook and a willingness to spend the money.

This is the change I want to do. I am going to request that the Realtors make an internal assessment and if they think my services would be useful, they merely inform to homeowners that this service is available, hand them my brochure and
tell them I would be in touch to set up a meeting and discuss their options.

What do you think of this new approach?

The Answer Here

Asset Building Strategies for Home Staging

2006-04-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Sadly many people will offer to teach you how to start a home staging business, but they are not equipped to teach you how to really make it successful and enduring.

Consequently business owners, if they are successful at all, never even think about building a business they can sell for a lot more money than they take in each year.

This is called "asset value".

It should be one of the major wealth creations you achieve from all your efforts.

If you create strategic marketing systems, processes and procedures that work hard for you and continue to work hard for you, people will stand in line for the "privilege" of buying it from you.

But you must have an "asset-building strategy" in place. You never know what the future will hold. So think about the net worth of your business and create strategies that will make it very attractive to other people to purchase.

Home Staging Checklist

2006-04-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

Using a checklist will make the job of staging a client's home very, very easy. You can be sure by following the checklist that you haven't forgotten to manage a task.

Just as important, on the front end, when you are making recommendations in a consultation, or trying to estimate a price that is fair to the agent or to the home seller, a check list will help you estimate the time factor for each task and whether there are any costs associated with the task: like paint, hardware, repairs that require purchases, and so on.

A checklist is also handy to give to a client who is going to do all of the work themselves.

I have a 25-page checklist (8-1/2x11 sheets) - really thorough, if I say so myself - that comes in "Home Staging for Profit". It covers every room in the house plus the front, back and sides of the house.

Read more: Home Staging for Profit.

Make Money in Staging Services

2006-04-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Every great business achiever works smarter than their competitors AND they play harder.

Would it surprise you to know that many of them might work for six months, then take off a month? Or they worked four days and then took off the next three. Or they worked a year and then relaxed for three months.

Why would they do this? Were they lazy? Far from it.

They knew that they needed to reinvigorate their creativity and nourish themselves.

If you want to build a business that drives massive lifetime financial rewards to you, you've got to take time for yourself. By nurturing your own creativity, you just might discover a windfall profit generating system within your business that you are presently unaware of.

Staging Home for Sale

2006-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

You've worked hard to prepare your client's home for sale. You've done all the right things inside the home. Are you done?

No. Unless you worked on the exterior too.

When Staging your client's home (or your own home for that matter), don't forget the impact that first impressions make.

So thoroughly check the view of the home from the curb. You need to make sure you ahve a clear path from the curb to the front door. Is the path clean and free of debris? Do bushes, flower beds and shrubs need to be clipped? Are there any pet droppings? How about hazards?

Is the address plain to see and easily seen?

For a full checklist of tasks for the exterior (as well as the interior of any home), you might want to get a copy of "Home Staging for Profit". Whether you're looking to start a home staging business of your own, or just stage your own home, you'll find the 25-page check list really valuable.

First impressions are everything. Make sure your's are the best they can be.

Building Future Income in Home Staging

2006-04-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

If your business doesn't have highly predictable, strategic and long term revenue-generating procedures in place - procedures that will assure you of continuous flow of sales that will keep flowing to you in the future - then you don't have a business at all.

What you have instead is a "promotion".

There is a big difference.

This is a subject that I address in my book "Advanced Redesign", but it applies to home staging as well. For now, however, you need to think about how you're going to formulate some recurring streams of income, minor or major profit centers that will sustain you long term and expand your cash flow.

This is what will assure your business will have a thriving tomorrow.

When I started my business I had one softcover book and one ebook. Nine books later and a host of tools of the trade later I have a business that will survive in the future and one I can pass on to my children.

Where will your business be in 5 years? 10 years? 25 years?

Plan for the future, not just for tomorrow.

Whether to Remove Wallpaper in a Staged Home

2006-04-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
I will be selling my home in the next month or two. I have wallpaper everywhere. Do you recommend removing the wallpaper?

ANSWER
If the wallpaper is very neutral and in excellent condition, it will probably be ok to leave it.

However, if the wallpaper is busy, highly stylized, colorful or attracts a lot of attention, or is in poor or average condition, it's best to remove it and paint the walls a neutral color.

The easiest way to sell a home is to have the background (walls, ceiling, floors) plain and simple and in a neutral color (white, off white, beige, light tan).

Here’s a link for tips on removing wallpaper:

Removing Wallpaper

Doing Three Businesses at Once

2006-04-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

QUESTION
Help!! I have recently decided to start a home organizing business but I have become increasingly interested in the related areas of home redesign and home staging. . . . I know that offering all three services may be difficult, but
I feel that it might be the best approach at first as there may be a limited market for each. . . . Could you offer some wisdom?? Thanks.

ANSWER
How well any of the businesses does will depend largely on a number of factors, but here are some of the top ones:

1) Are you likable?
2) Do people tend to trust you?
3) Do you have good visuals for them to "see" how the services have helped other people? (we have those for you already)
4) Do you do a good job of stressing "benefits"?
5) Do you enjoy people and want what's best for them over what's best for you?
6) Do you have homes for sale in the area that don't sell quickly?
7) Do you have lots of real estate agents to contact (for staging)?
8) Do you have a good supply of middle income homeowners within reasonable driving distance?

People hire people they like and trust. If you convince them that what you have to offer will really benefit them and it's affordable, you'll get business no matter where you live. Human nature is the same no matter where you live.

Home Staging Word of Caution

2006-04-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

WARNING! WORD OF CAUTION!
Our training is very affordable - don't take those high priced seminars or home study courses that are full of fluff and fillers or that are over the top expensive, where they try to convince you that you can't be successful without them or in a hands-on class environment!

It's totally unnecessary and rather foolish, if you ask me. Don't get fooled into believing you have to belong to their pricey organizations or become licensed by them at the tune of $6500 per year. That's pure nonsense! I've never fallen for that stuff and you shouldn't either.

I just ran across a trainer in the northern hemisphere charging for teleconference fees and licensing her business name for $6500 per year. I am totally shocked. I have never been associated with any organization ever and getting business is not that hard to do.

Be careful. Shop around for your training just like you would when buying a car. Be smart. Don't fall for all the spin going on out there in home staging and redesign.

Three Types of Entrepreneurs

2006-04-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

In the business world, there are 3 types of entrepreneurs.

1) The people that things keep happening to -

2) The people who watch things happen all around them -

3) The people who constantly and continuously make things happen.

But whether you fall into group 1, 2, or 3, we all have this in common: We all want our business to do more, have more, reach farther and achieve more, both financially and emotionally.

The problem is in knowing how to achieve that.

Over the next 5 days, I'm going to give you the five factors of building wealth for your business. Write them down on paper and place them in strategic places where you work as a reminder. They will help you stay focused on what you need to do.

FACTOR 1
Work to constantly increase your current income and profits. Sounds obvious doesn't it? You'd be amazed at how many people don't focus attention on this. If your business isn't multiplying each year (multiplying income, multiplying profit level, multiplying cash flow), then you aren't able to invest internally in ways that will grow your business, nor can you invest externally in more marketing activities. And you certainly won't be able to invest outside your business to develop passive income and build your net worth from other income avenues.

So make sure you are first focused on making sure your business is increasing its income and profits.

Home Staging Planting of Flowers

2006-03-31T13:10:00.000-08:00

QUESTION

I am slowly working my way through your book and enjoying it very much.
I do have a question about one thing that I read. You stated that on one
job the redesigner planted flowers in front of the house and was able to
take them home after the house sold and use them again. Perhaps I
misunderstood but wouldn't flowers planted in the ground be part of the
home that the person was buying? If I bought that house I would
certainly expect the "landscaping" to come with it. I would be a bit
ticked off to find that the flowers that had helped make the house so
appealing were gone when I moved in. I would love to hear from you on
this and how this particular issue worked out. Many thanks.

ANSWER

You would always inform the home owner to specify in the fact sheets provided a buyer which items would not be staying. Then there are no surprises. I personally wouldn't plant them in the ground, but I make use of above the soil pottery so it is obviously an "accessory" belonging to the home owner and not part of the sale.

About Making Mistakes

2006-03-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

VISITOR QUIRY
I am being extremely cautious this time around and carefully looking into this business and your company. I have made to many mistakes in the past and I want this to be the right decision. I can't afford to jump into something again without really testing the waters first.

BARBARA'S RESPONSE
Been there, done that. Everything in life, however, is a risk. I bring you top quality training and tools. But you are the X factor. Check out the bronze redesign program then, because it allows you to buy what you want when you want it. But do fortify yourself with all of my design training, besides the basic business training, because you want confidence and success. The answers to the certification exam are in the training too, so if you want to eventually be certified you will pass the exam easily if you have fortified yourself with all of the design training.

If you have the passion for design and love for people, success is bound to follow given time. Many people don't have the passion and drive and fail. But the need for the service is dire and the training is exceptional.

New Yahoo Blog Added

2006-03-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

Visit my newest Blog at Yahoo called "RedesignHomeStaging".

Can I Learn Home Staging Quickly?

2006-03-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

QUESTION
"I have no decorating skills but I need to learn fast.
I am a Realtor is your program suitable for me?"

ANSWER
You can learn fastest through our ebook training, but you do need to read the material on your computer.

BASIC HOME STAGING TUTORIAL - BUSINESS SIDE
Home Staging Tutorial (ebook or manual)

DESIGN SIDE
Decor Secrets Revealed (ebook only)
Arrange Your Stuff (manual only)
Where There's a Wall - There's a Way (book only)

Regards,
Barbara Jennings

Things You Should Not Pack for a Seller

2006-03-28T03:46:00.000-08:00

The following items are examples of items that moving companies, by law or internal policy, can not transport so you don't want to be packing any of these items into boxes to be moved from one location to another, whether the home seller is moving it or you are on their behalf:

Hazardous MaterialsItems that are flammable, corrosive or explosive:Aerosols, Ammonia, Ammunition, Car batteries, Charcoal, Charcoal lighter fluid, Chemistry sets, Cleaning solvents, Fertilizer, Fireworks, Gasoline, Kerosene, Lamp oil, Liquid bleach, Loaded guns, Matches, Motor oil, Paint thinner, Nail polish remover, Paints, Pesticides, Poisons, Pool chemicals, Propane tanks, Sterno, Weed killer

PerishablesFood, plants or living things that may die or spoil in transit:Frozen foods, Plants, Produce Refrigerated foods, Open or half used foods

Not recommendedItems of personal importance or sentimental value:Stamp or coin collections, Deeds or wills, Moving documents, Family photographs, Furs, Securities, Cash, Valuable jewelry

I'll be putting more packing tips into future blogs, so check back for more.

The Guy's Rules

2006-03-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

This is just too good not to share, even if it has nothing to do with home staging.

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the guys'side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.)

We always hear"the rules" from the female side. Now here are the rulesfromthe male side.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put itdown. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining aboutyou leaving it down. It takes less effort for you to let it down.

2. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.Let it be.

3. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it thatway.

4. Crying is blackmail.

5. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:Subtle hints do not work!Strong hints do not work!Obvious hints do not work!Just say it!1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

6. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's whatwe do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

7. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact,all comments become null and void after 7 days.

8. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us toact like Chippendale guys.

9. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

10. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the waysmakes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

11. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done.Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

12. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say duringcommercials.

13. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.

14. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, forexample, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no ideawhat mauve is.

15. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing'swrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

16. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer youdon't want to hear.1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.

17. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discusssuch topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, fishing, or monster trucks.

18. You have enough clothes.

19. You have too many shoes.

20. I am in shape. Round is a shape.

21. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Referral Labels and Stickers

2006-03-23T17:20:00.000-08:00

Today I received a nice card from a mortgage broker with a sticker on the envelope flap and again on the inside of the card holding his business card in place.

The sticker merely says, "Oh, by the way, I'm never too busy for your referrals."

A quick search on the web will bring up loads of label/sticker companies that will be happy to make a custom sticker for you to say anything you want.

Public Speaking About Home Staging

2006-03-22T23:28:00.000-08:00

A great way to present yourself as an expert (and pick up new clients) is to speak before groups: groups of agents, groups of women, groups of homeowners.

Anyone who owns a home is a potential client (staging or redesign).

Anyone thinking about buying a home is a potential client (redesign).

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Two killer ways to overcome fear:

1) Know your subject thoroughly. Read my training. Stage your own home for practice. Pretend you're putting your own home on the market. Stage it.

2) Lie in a chair and relax. Close your eyes. Visualize yourself standing in front of a group of realtors or at a women's luncheon. Hear the noise. Smell the scent. Feel your adrenaline building. Imagine every moment vividly. Hear yourself. See yourself.

Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what you vividly imagine and what you actually do. Therefore it "thinks" it has actual experience.

Experience builds confidence.

Home Staging Concerns

2006-03-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

"I am recently divorced and would love to be able to start a business such as staging or restaging. Do you believe it would be possible to earn much money doing this in the St. Louis area? We have a large number of homeowners from all income bracket levels.

Do you discuss adding new furnishings to a home that does not have nice looking furnishings to work with, or, for a home that is vacant?

Do you teach staging along with restaging?"

For answers to these questions, please visit:

Home Staging Concerns

Home Staging vs. Empty Homes

2006-03-20T23:41:00.000-08:00

My sister recently put her house up for sale. When she wrote and told me she planned on moving to a different state to be close to her daughters and leaving her home vacant while it was on the market, I warned her not to go that route.

So she listened.

She packed up most of her belongings, leaving the home looking very spacious (yet pleasant).

Not only did she sell it in record time, it was the first time in her life that she sold it for more than the asking price.

Home staging really does work.

Home Staging Website Design

2006-03-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

QUESTION
I want to get started with a business in the Los Angeles area and I need to put a website together. I have done design work for years (for free) & just retired from an administrative position in marine & commercial refrigeration. I would like to name my business REARRANGE HOME DECORATING. I would aim my business toward homes & real estate sale preparation for homes. I need help putting a wesite together. Can you help or advise?

ANSWER
I could do one for you but I'm very pricey at $2000 and above depending on size.
There are many places where you can purchase a small website and they provide you with a simple template to work in and you can do it yourself. I would refer you to my daughter, who is very good, and not as expensive as me, but she is swamped getting ready to go on tour to Europe in April.
A search on the internet should be advantageous to you.
Good luck,Barbara Jennings

Pricing for Home Staging Services

2006-03-16T09:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Barbara,

I’m just getting started on the home staging end of my services. I have a $125 initial consultation with the checklist from your Rearrange It book and then I’ve priced the staging as $350 depending on the size of the home. I will also provide a list of vendors for services that I don’t do i.e. cleaning, painting, etc. However, as far as my service, I will be de-cluttering, de-personalizing and removing unnecessary furniture and accessories to open up the home. My question is what do I do with the items I remove, should I make sure the client has boxes ready before I arrive? Also, I don’t want to get roped into packing up their whole house and do not want to be responsible for the packing in case something breaks and it would be very time-consuming.

I’ve just ordered your new Home Staging book and I’m sure a lot of my questions will be answered, but I’m talking to realtors this week and they want to know more about my service so I’m mentally going through the process of staging a home. Also, should I put a time limit on the fee such as 4-5 hours? Since I’m not sure yet how long it will take me, I could be there for days. And should I give a written estimate or just tell them during the consultation what I would do?

Thanks so much for your help.

Sharyn

For my answer to this question, please visit:

http://www.decorate-redecorate.com/staged-homes.html

Send Me Your Home Staging Questions

2006-03-14T19:44:00.000-08:00

Want advice on home staging for profit?

Send your questions to:

http://www.decorate-redecorate.com/support.html

Tell others about this blog. I'd like to make it a community of sharing ideas for the home staging industry.

Home Staging for Profit Now Available!

2006-03-14T18:04:00.000-08:00

My newest tutorial, "Home Staging for Profit" is a sure-fire winner. Jam packed into the equivalent of 208 full sized pages, it covers the subject in depth. Don't pay those high priced seminar fees.

208 pages, 8-1/2x11 for print version (comb binding)

Or get our ebook version and save.

http://www.decorate-redecorate.com/home-staging-training.html

Home Staging for Profit

2006-03-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

Start your own home staging business with our brand new, powerful training called "Home Staging for Profit". It's over 200 pages and comes in ebook or hard copy format.
It will be available for purchase by Wednesday, hopefully.

For more details:

http://www.decorate-redecorate.com/home-staging-training.html

New Home Staging Slideshow and Script

2006-01-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

Want to make a professional presentation to a real estate office or a group of real estate agents? Don't want to take the time to create your own visuals?

Well, now you don't have to.

I've put together a very professional and colorful Powerpoint Slideshow for you. It has 50 slides, together with a 29-page script. It's perfect for showing to a real estate agent.

It explains what the home staging concept is (we call it Home Enhancement). It shows before and after pictures, gives them some statistics on the power of staging services, then hits the benefits for the client as well as the agent.

You'll be able to use it on a laptop, pop into the agent's computer (if you don't have a laptop), and even use it in front of a large group of agents. This is hot!

For details, visit: Home Staging Slides and Script

How Do You Get New Clients?

2005-08-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

What is your best method for getting new clients?
Barbara Jenningswww.decorate-redecorate.comAuthor/Consultant/Interior Redesign Trainer