Abby's Blog

Start Spreading the News....

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:13:20 -0700

"...Start spreading the news, Im leaving today I want to be a part of it - new york, new york These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray Right through the very heart of it - new york, new york..."

New York New York, FrankSinatra

(thanks to LyricFreak for providing me with the correct song lyrics)

OK, I'm not a singer, but Frank Sinatra sure new how to knock out a tune, especially the quintessential 'New York New York'. It's a fitting tune for me these days, in many ways, primarily since I've said good bye to Atlanta and hello to New York. As of July this year, I'm officially a New York City resident again and am looking to get my home staging business back up and running sometime in the near future, along with some other new adventures. I'm hopeful that my existing connections and my experience over the last few years will provide me with a sturdy platform from which to launch from...again.

As I begin the process of getting reacquainted with my old stomping grounds of Staten Island, and the surrounding areas of New York City and New Jersey, I'm hopeful that it will be an seamless transition. I know nothing is ever that easy, but one can hope, right? The difference in lifestyle and real estate market between Atlanta and New York are enough to make it a challenge, but luckily for me, I've returned to where I left 3 years ago and not much has changed in that time...other than some extra potholes and traffic signals. <<smiling...sort of>>

Again, special thanks to all my Atlanta friends and associates. I miss you all and look forward to seeing you again. Please keep in touch!

Another Home Staging tool worth checking out

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:22:41 -0700

It's funny how things cross paths. It's been said before that there are no coincidents. HHHMMMM.... My husband, Tim, does home improvement and handy-man services around northern Atlanta, which has been great because he is my 'handy-man' referral on my written consultations for home staging clients. He is also a recommended vendor for our Metro-Atlanta ASHSR chapter. We've created that opportunity for things to cross paths for us, but this situation was really cool.

Recently he was hired, by referral from one of his other clients, to replace doors for a man in Roswell. Through conversation, and mentioning my home staging business, my husband found out that this man was an inventor and had, in fact, created a tool he'd tried to market to home stagers! Actually, he claims to have sold some to a group of Canadian home stagers although I never found out what group.

Pretty ironic, right?

He gave my husband a sample of the tool to bring home to me to try out. It's called the Picture Placer. It is a tool to be used when hanging art work that uses wires. You simply hang the print on the Picture Placer, then decide where you want the print to hang on the wall and then gently push the art against the wall to create a small mark to indicate where to hang the picture-hanging hook. Voila, hang your art on the hook and you have the print where you want it. No need to rehang because it was up too high or too low, or too far to the left or right.

Check out their website for more information, including a video tutorial, and to order yours today.

And no, I don't get a commision for any sales. Just sharing a cool tool that might be of interest and worth an investment to your home staging tool kit.

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ALR Home Staging and Showcasing LLC serves the Metro Atlanta area: primarily, but not limited to, Woodstock, Acworth, Roswell, Kennesaw, and Marietta. We believe in working with both homeowners AND the real estate professionals to get your property in great shape prior to listing. We specialize in occupied homes and consultations prior to listing are our specialty. Visit our website for our portfolio. Abby Reilly is an active member of the Metro Atlanta ASHSR chapter, and former founding chapter president, as well as current National VP of Membership for RESA, the Real Estate Staging Association.

Tim Reilly is owner of ATR Home Improvement, providing home improvement and handy-man services throughout northern Atlanta, primarily, but not limited to, Woodstock, Acworth, Marietta, Roswell, Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. Visit the website for porfolio and examples of completed work. Tim has done extensive work for Precision Painting and Home Improvements, as well.

New ASHSR Chapter President for a New Year

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:26:10 -0800

In December, we announced the change in leadership for our Metro Atlanta ASHSR chapter from myself to Annette Burnett of Sellers Advantage Home Staging from Johns Creek. Our first meeting of the new year was also Annette's first official meeting as our new leader---and she rocks! Special thanks to Brook Furniture Rental for hosting our meeting, AGAIN. =) They've been very supportive of our chapter from the beginning.

Our agenda for the meeting included ideas for projects for the chapter to do together, in an effort to EDUCATE the consumer about what we do as home stagers but to also market our businesses and our chapter. We are working on two projects for the Spring: one is a community-service project for our 'friends' at the Georgia Cancer Foundation and the other is Before and After event to physically show the difference between a plain old vacant home and a staged home.

The Georgia Cancer Foundation holds an annual Fashion Show event. The models for the show are friends of GCF and are Breast cancer patients and/or survivors. The clothing, the hair, the makeup...it's all donated. We're donating our time and talent to help create the centerpieces for the show on March 28 at the Intercontintental in Buckhead. Tickets are still available!

The 'Big Reveal': our Before and After event, is a two day event. We are scheduling the walk through of the Vacant home in St Ives Country Club and an introduction to what we going to do on March 3 as the 'Before' event. Then we're inviting our guests to come back, and hopefully bring a friend, or two, for the Staged walk through on March 10 as the 'After' event and join us for lunch, staging education and networking opportunities at the site. All Atlanta-area real estate professionals are invited to join us...contact us if you want more information about the event.

All in all, Spring 2009 is going to be a busy season for our ASHSR chapter. We expect it to be a sign of more to come for the balance of the year for all of our businesses.

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UPDATE!!!!!

Due to certain circumstances, the Big Reveal event has been put on hold indefinitely. It was decided at the last minute (and unfortunately about 3 hours after I posted this) that things are not 100% aligned as needed to make this a successful event for all involved. So, at this point the executive decision was made and we're going to continue planning and announce the new location and date sometime in the near future.

Calling all Professional Home Stagers!

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:37:59 -0800

Part of being a professional anything is staying active within your industry. Not only do you get to meet new people that do what you do, but you get to learn and share. You also get opportunities to network that you otherwise would not get if you didn't get your butt out and get involved.

Get involved!

The Real Estate Staging Association is a great place to begin 'getting involved'.

Any professional home stager can become a member of RESA, regardless of training/certification. Consider becoming a member today! Don't let it stop there! Local chapters are forming everyday with the goal of educating the public about the benefits of what we do as well as educating it's members. {It is NOT about sharing business/trade secrets.} No local chapters in your area? Consider starting one up!

Why RESA?

RESA is a member governed, non-profit, trade organization. It is broken up regionally to provide leadership from the regional level to the state level to the chapter level to the member. This is beneficial to members because business in one market may not be the same in another market...it gives the benefit of a network on a more localized level but still being part of the larger trade organization.

RESA is looking ahead. It is looking to what professional home stagers need to be established as a trade, as an industry. Be apart of what is to come!

What next?

Visit the RESA website to join and learn more about RESA. Want to know more about your local network? Contact the local chapter in your area. No chapters in your area? Contact your state president and/or the Regional Vice President for your state via the RESA website.

Leadership positions are available across North America for:

Regional Vice Presidents

State Presidents

Local Chapter Presidents

Consider stepping up and being a leader in your local area.

RESA is not only looking for members, but for ACTIVE members and ACTIVE leaders, who are going to help define the direction where our industry goes.

Spring will be here before you know it! Are you ready?

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:54:45 -0800

It's hard to think that far ahead, while at the end of January and after an arctic blast that covered most of our nation. But yes, Spring will be here before you know it and this is the perfect time for a proactive seller to start preparing their house for sale, especially if they are going to take advantage of the Spring market. The buds are already forming on the trees around Atlanta while some of the early spring blooms are beginning to peak out of the ground! Don't wait until the last minute.

An agent friend of mine recently shared with me that existing homes for sale are in fact moving and predominantly in the lower price points. A lower priced home will benefit from home staging services as much as, if not more than, homes in higher price points. How?

By strategically placing furniture, smaller rooms may appear more roomy.
By defining focal points and traffic flow within rooms, which is especially important in smaller spaces.
By obtaining guidance to update according to the most current ROI.
By neutralizing the interior and decor to make the living space more appealing.

Staging an occupied home can be done for as little as the cost of a professional home staging consultation and then the cost of any additional items that are suggested to be done, if needed. Looking for someone to come and take care of it for you? Hire a home stager! Some home stagers charge hourly and others charge daily, while others may provide a flat rate for service. How ever they charge, it's still a minimal investment in comparison to allowing the home sit on the market longer.

To find a home stager in your area, visit the list of home stagers here on Active Rain, or visit RESA's directory of home stagers. A professional home stager awaits your call to do business with you!

Home Stager Learns a Lesson From the Girl Scouts

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:29:06 -0800

My daughter had been bugging me for months about joining Brownies and finally when we inquired it was only to find that there wasn't an available troop. Actually, they had a waiting list of girls and needed parents to volunteer as leaders.

Yep...I must have had SUCKER written all over my forehead!

I tried to weasle my way out of it, hoping that some other "Sucker-Mom" would step forward...but no, I've earned that title along with another Sucker-Mom...my new friend Mary. The two of us felt bad for our girls and figured if we didn't do it, our girls would never get the experience.

So, here we are...Brownie Leaders.

Sooo, we're a little over a month now into our meetings and we finally got our new Brownie Troop number, just in time to sell those Girl Scout Cookies! OK, I admit I knew almost nothing about this. I sold them way back when as a Brownie, myself, but it was mostly to family. After attending Cookie Training, I felt like I'd just attended a corporate board meeting or something! jeez! This is serious stuff!

Now try translating product information, goals, rewards, procedures, dates, etc to a bunch of 8 and 9 years olds who only want to giggle, laugh and be silly! Not an easy task! {Thank goodness for email...}

Being the good Brownie Leaders we are striving to be, we decided to hook up with our girls and take them around our neighborhood to sell cookies door to door.

Now, at our previous meeting, I tried to do some cookie sale role playing with them...we accomplished pretty much nothing other than a whole lotta giggling and laughter, but I guess that was OK too. I knew whole heartedly that in the actual situation they wouldn't be doing or saying what they were so I let them have their silly fun. (truth be told, I hate role playing anyway...it is effective when done correctly, but who really likes doing that stuff?)

Well, my daughter, Kate, and Mary's daughter, Allison, were all equipped with their Girl Scout cookie order forms and were sporting their new Brownie sashes! With Mary and I following them, they went from one house to another knocking on doors, ringing doorbells and assessing homes for whether people were really home or not. Some people were really good and bought one box from each of them and others apologized stating they'd already purchased their cookies from someone else. BTW, we were out on Day 9 of cookie sales as they began on Jan 1, so it's easy to see that we're late meanwhile the sale practically just began!

Each and everytime, the girls introduced themselves, stating what troop they were from and what their purpose was. They both often mentioned their sales goal!

Each and everytime, no matter what the outcome, they both said 'Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts!'. They both walked away with smile and carried on to the next prospect.

At one house, the lady said 'We're on a diet!' and then Allison came back with 'But we have sugar-free chocolate chip cookies!'...don't you know it, the lady went for it and bought a box of the sugar-free cookies from each of them! She wasn't taking NO for an answer that easily.

So, what I learned from these two little girls was:

No matter the outcome, keep your head up and keep pressing on for the next opportunity!
Persistance pays off...my daughter bugged my neighbor so many times that she bought 18 boxes from her! =)
Always thank your customers and prospective customers!
Know your product!
Know your goal!
Smile and have fun!

We were very proud of the girls...they only sold 14 boxes collectively but that's OK as it was an additional 7 boxes each that they wouldn't have sold had they just stayed home. It was a good experience and they both want to go out and do it again!

Metro Atlanta ASHSR Chapter Changes Hands

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 11:26:27 -0800

In December of 2007, after joining the newly established American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners, I volunteered to start up the first ASHSR chapter in Georgia: The Metro Atlanta Chapter.

My goal was to bring together as many home stagers in the Atlanta area as I could for the purpose of networking, support and education. Our members stretched as far north as John's Creek, as far east as Lake Oconee, as far south as Newnan and as far west as Smyrna. Our chapter membership more than doubled over the year with some thanks to the increase in new HSR members as well as some much appreciated networking done by our dear friend Carolyn Higgins at Brook Furniture Rental.

Over the past year, we had meetings via teleconference as well as informal coffee chats to vendor-sponsored lunches. Our chapter gave back to our community by donating redesign services as well as obtaining donations of furnishings and accessories to the new Sandy Springs office for the Georgia Cancer Foundationand their new Angel Boutique. We spent time discussing business strategies, ways to market our businesses, ways to educate about home staging as well as mentoring new stagers. All in all, it was a very productive year and I'm so grateful to have been able to be a part of it and to those that contributed to it.

This past December, I was offered an opportunity to work with RESA as the National VP of Membership. After the awesome SIF RT held here in Atlanta in November, thanks to Kathy Nielsen of Georgia Interior Solutions and Southeast RVP for RESA and Karen Dembsky of Peachtree Home Stagingand GA state president for RESA, I knew that it was important that I not just become a RESA member but be a part of the organization. I truly believe that you get more out of something when you participate and contribute and I look forward to spending time this year working under this fabulous organization which is making daily strides to the growth, development and integrity of the home staging industry.

I have chosen to step down as Chapter President for ASHSR for 2009, to give the opportunity for another stager to take over the reigns of the group and to bring some new direction and vision for the new year! I'm so happy to announce that Annette Burnett of Sellers Advantage Home Staging stepped forward to take over the position.

Annette is a fabulously talented home stager with many creative, out of the box ideas for marketing and networking home staging/redesign businesses. She trained under IRIS for redesign and as well as trained under HSRas a home stager. Annette was also a consistently active ASHSR chapter member this past year as well as current RESA member. She is a big believer in education: not only educating the public about what we do but for stagers to continue to be educated!

I'm looking forward to the things she's got lined up for the Metro Atlanta ASHSR chapter this year. BTW, this chapter remains the only active ASHSR chapter in the Atlanta area...all professional home stagers in the Atlanta area are welcomed to join! Check out the Metro Atlanta chapter page for updates on dates, times and locations.

December 2008 Holiday chapter luncheon; Cheesecake Factory in Buckhead.

Member Attendees:

Left: Dana Nelson, Abby Reilly, Annette Lomenick, Larisa Hutton, and Joanna Lindsey.

Right: Melanie McGann, Nadine Viruet, Annette Burnett, Nan Johnston and Kathy Lockwood.

(Thanks to Larisa for sharing her picture and for giving me permission to post it! She was the only one that remembered to bring a camera!)

My New Year's Resolution

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:11:01 -0800

The start of the new year always makes us feel that it is a time to start something over. The reality that Jan 1 is just another day however the fact that it starts a new year is very significant and motivating to many many people. Hey, whatever it takes, right?

OK, so I'm about a week late with this but better late than never. Happy New Year, by the way! With our economy being in the position it's in and with things being so unstable everywhere, I know I'm not alone when I say things are scarey on our homefront. I wish I could boast about starting the new year with abundance but I can't. So, my new year's resolution is learn how to manage my household differently than I ever have before. You know the old idiom about if you want something to change you have to do differently, right? Well, I've made the decision that maybe what I've been doing hasn't been all wrong but since I want things to change, I need to learn to do differently.

I'm so excited to share about the new program I'm starting:

The Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University.

I know someone who started the program about 9 months ago and already has a significant savings established, cars paid off and some credit cards paid off. She said it did take some getting used to but she sleeps well now knowing they are on track to living in PEACE. The most important thing she got from the program was that the accountability aspect of the program. You learn to be accountable for what you spend! And, with things being the way they are right now, with so many people out there without jobs or with jobs on the cutting block, this program can help everyone, especially those comfortably employed and just looking to reduce their debt.

What the program does, from what I've gathered:

Helps establish budgets
Teaches how to live within means without credit
Shows how to disperse income accordingly and prioritize spending
Shows how to spend, save and give, even on limited income

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, prosperous and blessed 2009.

And, if you have a new years resolution you'd like to share, feel free to do so!

Finally hit 50K on Active Rain

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:27:37 -0800

I finally did it! 50,000 Active Rain points!

OK, it took me awhile to achieve this...a year and 9 months to be exact. But, I am a 'slow and steady wins the race' kind of girl, so it's OK.

I like to do things right...stop and double check what works and what doesn't and then reevaluate my strategies/goals/etc. I do that not only with blogging but with everything I do in my life.
I like to learn from what others have to share and that takes time. I'll admit that I no longer spend hours and hours like I used to because it became all too consuming of my time.
I like to share things of value to others, both within the industry and to prospective clients, so I try to be selective about my content and posts.
I do take time to balance my life out and quickly got over the AR addiction that is common to many newbies.

So to all you Active Rain newbie-bloggers, keep on posting and commenting because you'll get the hang of it.

To all of you super successful Active Rain bloggers, thanks for being so inspirational!

Thanks, Active Rain, for being such a powerful platform for all of us within the real estate industry.

A few loose tiles turned to this...

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:08:05 -0800

My husband, Tim, currently does home improvement/handyman work around Atlanta. He's done various jobs for some of my home staging clients. He also been referred by a real estate agent friend of ours who has given his name out to her clients who need quick repairs done from inspection reports. He's also done quite a bit of work for our friend who is a contractor.

One day, while working at one house, he was called upon to stop by a neighbor's house on that same cul-de-sac to see if he could fix a few loose tiles in the shower of the master bathroom. He said "no problem" and ran over later in the day to check it out.

Well, there was a reason those tiles were loose.

The shower was built out of sheetrock not concrete board---bad move. The leak must have existed for sometime because the sheetrock was saturated and crumbled when touched and the tiles fell off like dominoes...the woodframe started to mold and there was a colony of teeny-tiny ants, as well. {eww, I don't do bugs!}

So, the homeowner asked him to give him an estimate to fix it all and thankfully he was hired for the job! Having assisted on this job, from the tile design, to demolition, to cutting, laying and grouting the tiles, I had the pleasure of meeting the homeowner and she said she was confident that he'd do it right! The job took a few days longer than projected but he fixed all the unexpecteds so the job was done right. =)

Ain't no lipstick on this pig!

The homeowner selected stone-looking porcelain tiles along with a few decorative, accent tiles. She opted for a darker 1"x1" mosaic tile for the floor and to be used as an additional accent. Part of her updating included replacing the old brass shower head with an affordable bronze fixture.

He custom built the shelves and the bench in the shower. The rest of the shower will be enclosed with a frameless glass enclosure, with installation scheduled for later this week, by another vendor.

The problem?

It was going to cost over $600 to purchase bronze Jacuzzi brand fixtures for their Jacuzzi tub! The existing fixtures were brass and in rough shape.

The Solution?

He told her he'd paint them and for less than $10.00, so she was able to get updated fixtures for her tub for a deal! She was thrilled with the end result!

What he did: after sanding them down (the waterfall and the faucets), he used Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint on them and finished it with 3 clear top coats.

He also taped off the trim on the bottom of the mirror and painted that the same color because it was previously brass as well.

If you caught my other blog post, Take 90's Brass into the New Millenium, we used this technique on a brass dining room light fixture and it came out great! If you have a homeowner that can't afford, or isn't willing to spend, the money on new fixtures, spray paint can be your friend.

Please also note that we have had trouble finding the Rust Oleum brand Oil Rubbed Bronze color but used the Krylon brand in that color this time around and it looked just as good.

*****I don't have any Before pictures of this project. But, it was all plain white builder-grade tiles with brass fixtures.

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ALR Home Staging and Showcasing provides interior Re-design consultations for Atlanta area homeowners looking to make a few changes without breaking the bank.

Affordable home improvement and handy man services available by Tim Reilly of ATR Home Improvement.

Special discounts are available for home improvement/handy man services by ATR Home Improvement for clients of ALR Home Staging and Showcasing. Contact us for more information.

Deciding to Wait it Out?

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:15:49 -0700

It's something I've heard many times over the last 6 months or so from prospective home staging clients from around the Atlanta area:

"We've decided to just to wait it out to see if the market gets any better."

I suppose if you aren't in a dire need to sell your home then this would make sense...the market has to recover to some degree and at some point, right?

I remember reading an Active Rain post months ago by someone who referred to people using their equity as an ATM machine. It was a brilliant analogy. If you know who wrote it, let me know so I can link it...it's worth a read by everyone.

As a home stager, when I conduct consultations for occupied homes, I always make suggestions to improve or update certain aspects of the house that will make it more desirable to prospective buyers. While most clients are willing to make the changes/updates there are always some that will be resistant to wanting to put any money into the house because they are selling it. The common response is often why should they be spending money to upgrade when they are not doing it for themselves or they are not going to enjoy it. And, they are not wrong...I totally sympathize.

Why are people still waiting to make these changes? They wait until they list the house to find out that the average buyer doesn't like the countertops or the flooring or the paint selections, etc. Time=money, so money was just wasted learning what a home stager could have prevented, or tried to prevent. Why not be proactive about it, especially if they are going to hunker down and ride out this market for awhile?

A proactive seller will take the time NOW to work on making those upgrades and changes before they are ready to list the house. It'll be easier on the pocketbook because they can spread the projects out over time rather than getting them all done ASAP. It'll also give the homeowner time to actually ENJOY those upgrades and changes before they move out and not feel like they are doing all that work for someone else.

So, while waiting it out, consult with a professional home stager and invest in a home staging consultation. Take time to get those upgrades and changes done so when the market finally bounces back, the house will be prepared to pop that For Sale sign in the front yard.

Creating a One-Stop-Shop Solution for Homesellers

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:24:30 -0700

Networking is a key factor to owning a successful home staging business. While there are many opportunities to have repeat business, in a market like we have today, there's no guarantee that previous clients can be relied upon for subsequential business. That's where networking becomes invaluable because, like every other service business, it's those referrals that will get the business before the random company from the yellow pages.

It's been said before that the real estate professional and the home stager make a great team to successfully prepare and market a home for sale. The addition of a great home inspector and a great mortgage broker further secure a solid team. There are other service providers that can be added to that network to create a fabulous one-stop-shop for homeselling clients but also build the network for referral opportunities. These include home repair/improvement companies, painters, landscapers, etc.

The Metro Atlanta Chapter meeting for ASHSR home stagers was held today at Brook Furniture Rental showroom in Atlanta. Brook has been an instrumental partner in the home staging industry for many many years. Carolyn Higgins, Account Sales representative hosted our meeting and was joined by Ed Baird, the interim GM for the Atlanta showroom and a long standing manager from Brook. Our guest speakers were Lance Grooms and Mark Kligerman from Bekins Moving Company. They introduced their Clear the Clutter (tm) program in an effort to help home sellers prepare their homes for sale. They saw a need for people to get organized and declutter homes prior to selling and asked to meet with home stagers as a way to partner with their service.

Lance manages 19 locations across the nation:

Houston, TX
Atlanta, GA
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Carlisle (Harrisburg), PA
Washington DC (Woodbridge, VA)
Los Angeles, CA (various locations)
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas, CA
San Francisco, CA
Venice (Sarasota), FL
Chicago, IL
Palm Springs, CA
Dallas, TX

Lance is the sales and marketing manager for all of the above locations. He's looking to partner with home stagers in his areas to market the Clear the Clutter program. The program is a minimal fee to professionally pack, remove and store the content of one room for up to 90 days (up to 10 boxes, 1 vault for storage). It's a great suggestion for occupied homes that need to be decluttered in order to stage properly and to have the items removed and stored off site.

So, home stagers, if you are in one of Lance's areas, contact them for more information. He welcomes the opportunity to work with any, all home, stagers in those markets. It's a great service to offer your next home staging client. Remember, having a one-stop-shop is a great service to have. Your clients will be thrilled to know you can provide them with another valuable service. This will help reduce some of their stress and they will be forever grateful.

An Alternative to Craigs List

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:55:45 -0700

Part of preparing to stage a house begins with decluttering. The homeowner must begin the process of moving, at this point, by packing up unnecessary items or unloading things they no longer need/want. Home stagers can guide homeowners through this process but ultimately it is the homeowner that must make the final decision.

When the process of sorting through your belongings begins, you have to decide what should stay and what should go begins, the decisions need to be made 'what to do' with the things that in the 'Go' pile. As part of my home staging consultation report, I suggest things like Craigs List to sell things and Freecycle to give things away. Of course, donating to places like Goodwill are great to unload a lot at one time and get a receipt for taxes.

I recently stumbled upon Kijiji which also offers Free on-line classified ads. I'm weighing it out against Craigs List still to see which gets better feedback...right now they are neck in neck so I can't make a decision which is better. But, I like that it's another way to list your business online. It's also another way to post things for sale, which is important when you are trying unload.

What I do like, better, is that the ads look better than those generic looking Craigs List ads.

They allow you to adjust your fonts, including font color, type, size.
You can adjust the alignment either left, right or center also.
There's also tabs to indent and list with bullets or numbers.
The best thing is that you can add up to 8 pictures which is double what Craigs List allows.
Best of all, you can track the status of your ad, meaning how many views it got...can't do that on Craigs List!

So, give it a shot and see what kind of feedback you get. If nothing else, it's another place to list your business, and for free.

Any Divas in the House?

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:36:33 -0700

I'm a Diva in some ways. Well, I try to be anyway. A smart diva knows how to save a penny or two here and there so she can spend them in on other things. Even if you're not a diva, but you like to save money when shopping or dining out, you have to check out this site!

Coupon Divas

Our economy is forcing us to pinch our hard earned pennies these days. Eh, there is a lesson to be learned in this if we really pay attention. But in the meantime until things recover, and if you still have money to shop with or take the family out to dinner once and a while, you can still save yourself a few dollars here and there by checking this out. I found things like:

Free Kids' meals
Free entrees
Discounts for clothing
Discounts for many specialty retailers

There's lots of kid oriented things which is great for mom's...but I'd recommend it to any grandma too! I know my grandma loved to take us out for lunch when we were little but always appreciated a coupon or discount whenever they were available. My mom's taking advantage of it...as a matter of fact she's the one who introduced me to it!

Happy Shopping!

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~~~I do not earn any $ from sending anyone to this site...I'm purely sharing it!~~~

It's Never Too Late to Say 'Thank You'

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:06:46 -0700

About a month ago I received the most wonderful voicemail message from a prospective home staging client in Alpharetta, for whom I did a free estimate for about 6 months prior. It was for an occupied home and she was looking to start preparing to list the house this fall.

Let me back up and say that about a month after doing this free estimate for her, and for about 3 other prospects (it was springtime...it was peak season...gotta take advantage of the traffic!), I realized that I could no longer afford to do what I'm doing for free. Free Estimates are a tough thing to perform as a home stager without giving away the farm. I'm a nice person and I want to help my clients but found that I was giving them waaaayyyy too much information; they no longer needed to hire me to come back. Essentially, I was giving them a verbal consultation for FREE. Bad move, I know, so I did decide to reevaluate my home staging service options and provide this service for a reasonable fee. I no longer do FREE estimates unless it's for a vacant property.

Anyway, her message stated that she was very pleased with the outcome of all of my suggestions and felt that she owed me something to compensate for my time and suggestions. This was completely unsolicited but came at a time that I couldn't have been more thankful or appreciative for. Funny how things work like that. God works in mysterious ways...really.

I responded to her that I was grateful for her comments and that the outcome was good. I told her that I was not comfortable charging her however I did mention that what I did for her is essentially what I'm now offering for a fee as a Verbal Consultation. I told her whatever she felt the service was worth to her, would be greatly appreciated.

She responded with "GREAT! I'm glad you are now charging for it because you are worth every penny! The check is in the mail!"

This 'client' baffled me because she did not respond to my initial bid, nor did she respond to my subsequent follow-ups to see how things were going, prior to this. I assumed she was blowing me off and after the third attempt to contact her, I gave up. It was nice to know, almost 6 months later, that things were going well, that she had listened to me and that she was satisfied with the outcome. If nothing else, the expression of gratitude from her was enough to plaster a smile across my face, especially during a time where there are few things to smile about.

Thanks to Connie T, who inspired this post.

It's true...even though it's cloudy there are silver linings.

Don't forget to say 'Thank You' and express your gratitude for someones service. We all could use a lift once and awhile. That lift could be all they need to keep them going!

The Perfect Marriage

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:29:04 -0700

As a home stager, I get the benefit of working with many different people in all different kinds of circumstances.

Sometimes they are the empty nesters looking to downsize or move closer to the family who's spread their wings and left the nest.

Sometimes they are the people that move sideways...just looking for a new house in another neighborhood.

And there are times I've had people in the process of graduating to the bigger home.

The common denominator in all of these scenarios is making sure the house is properly prepared to sell. All of my consulations include the basics:

Clean, clean, clean
make any necessary repairs or updates
declutter and organize
depersonalize
reconfigure the furnishings and accessories

Aside from having a few great real estate agents to refer to all of my clients (if they need one) I also need to have a great referral for things like cleaning, painting, minor repairs, landscaping, etc.

I have the added benefit to refer my husband, Tim, to my clients for their home repairs. Being a home stager, it's the perfect marriage for my business. He's been hired by clients to perform the repairs and changes I've suggested. He's also been referred by an agent friend of ours to perform some repairs designated on the inspection report of a house that her client is purchasing. Additionally he's worked alongside our neighbor who owns Precision Home Improvement as well as performing multiple improvements in our home from finishing the basment to closing up a wall, to removing windows and installing doors.

His business, ATR Home Improvement, serves the northern Atlanta area, including Roswell, Sandy Springs, Marietta, Woodstock, Acworth and Kennesaw. His specialty is custom carpentry but will do flooring, painting, and other projects as necessary.

We are currently working on a joint marketing plan for the fall for redesign services. Redesign is an inexpensive alternative to update a room or rooms and a great way to prepare the house for the upcoming holidays...which will be here before you know it!

Atlanta Home Stagers: A Rug Resource For You

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:09:25 -0700

With special thanks to Annette Burnett of Sellers Advantage Home Staging in John's Creek, GA for making the connection, the Metro Atlanta chapter of ASHSR met on September 24 for it's monthly meeting at Liberty Oriental Rugs in Norcross, GA.

{l to r: Kathy Lockwood, Jeanne Nolan, Jennifer Lybeer, Annette Burnett, Abby Reilly, Stacie Stamper; Rowan in front} We look tiny in front of that beautiful 9'x12' rug.

Our host, Stacie Stamper, gave us a guided tour of their warehouse, which is open only to the trade, not to the public. While they sell to retailers, they specialize in assisting designers select the perfect rugs for the rooms being designed. Their rugs can be purchased from many high end retailers around the Atlanta area however working with a professional that is obtaining their one on one guidance will ensure the homeowner is getting the perfect rug. This is great for redesign work.

Liberty Oriental Rugs specializes in handmade rugs from Pakistan. They operate their own manufacturing facility there ensuring high quality product, on trend with color and design, hiring the most talented weavers (with the best of the best coming from Afghanistan) and making sure there isn't any child labor.

As part of our tour we also met Rowan, the warehouse manager, designer, do-it-all man. He gave us the most amazing product knowledge:

from the difference in knots per inch and what it translates to regarding quality, details and price
to the use of wool and/or silk as the yarns for their rugs
the process of dying the yarns
that it can take anywhere from 6-12 months to create one rug
how to properly clean rugs
proper room design begins with a rug, not ends with it
straight down to proper furniture placement on the rugs

The topic of rental options came up because, for home staging, the pricepoints are high, unless someone was staging a luxury home. The owner, Jim, said he'd be interested in pursuing rental options for Atlanta's home stagers! Great news!!!!

So, home stagers in Atlanta, contact Stacie {877.208.4970} to set up your account with Liberty Oriental Rugs. She's also a GREAT resource for vendor referrals.

Taking a Moment to Remember Sept 11, 2001

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:18:30 -0700

September 11, 2001...a day in history, with today being the 7th anniversary, that none of us will ever forget. Nor should we.

It's funny, whenever I meet people for the first time they typically will ask "Where are you from?" within about 5 minutes. I guess my good ole New York accent is hard to hide. Once I say NY, sometimes I'll say specifically Staten Island, most often our conversation will turn to 9.11.01. (And for the record, I do not compare to the show True Life: Staten Island Girl, either. hahaha... They do exist, I'm just not one of them.)

I wasn't one of those people that were in the towers, or even in the adjacent buildings that morning. I wasn't one of those people that were stranded in Manhattan that morning either, although I have friends that were. I wasn't one of those people that were caught in that dust cloud as the towers collapsed.

But, like many of you out there, I was at work preparing for what should have been just another day at work. Just like all those innocent people that were killed that day...it was just another day. It was a beautiful day too. The sky was bright blue and the air had a crispness to it showing signs of early fall but the big bright sun still warmed up the day like it was summer. It was my parents 30th wedding anniversary that day. It was also my 1 one year anniversary working for Guess?. Before I even had a chance to open my store for business that day, that beautiful, 'just another day' was over.

I worked at Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth, NJ, which is located adjacent to the Newark-Liberty International Airport, right off the New Jersey Turnpike, and across the river from Manhattan. An associate at a store across the hall from me called me to keep me posted with what was going on...I had no idea because we didn't have our radio on. I tried calling my mother because she was home watching my daugther but I couldn't a call through. I began to think of all those people because I worked for a short time at 5 World Trade Center and know how busy that area is in the morning. I have friends that work in Manhattan and began to worry about them. Finally I got in touch with my mother who had been outside playing. Her neighbor told her what was going on so she went inside to turn on the news and then called me at work. I began to panic because she said they reported the city was in lock-down...all bridges and tunnels leading into the city were closed. That was a problem because I was in NJ and required a bridge to get home. All of my NJ connections were en-route to Manhattan, in Jersey City, Hoboken and Weehawkin, so I didn't dare try to head that way. My last connection was my uncle who lived about 45 minutes south in NJ but he was out of town. My dad told me to head that way anyway.

When I got the OK from our West Coast office to close up the store and get home safely, I wanted to cry because I couldn't go home. I was stuck. As I left the mall and headed for the turnpike entrance, I peered over toward Manhattan and saw that smoke plume. The traffic was practically stopped. I tuned into Howard Stern and remember his voice...his normal sarcasm and dirty humor was not there...he was serious. It was quiet outside...eerily quiet. I ended up stopping at a service station in Perth Amboy, NJ because if they decided to open the bridges I'd be close and I needed to stop driving. I didn't have a cell phone and I was alone. I remember how insanely quiet it still was. A very nice girl in the convenience store allowed me to call my mother to touchbase...she also allowed me to give her the store's phone number so they could call me back. (See, there are nice people!) After spending the day alone and not really knowing what was going on, other than from the few phone calls I was able to make, I got home thanks to a neighbor who had a boat. He picked me up from the Perth Amboy marina. As I took that boat ride home around Staten Island to the Great Kills marina, the plume of smoke still rose high above the north end of Staten Island.

I'd say I suffered from some kind of post traumatic stress disorder for days and weeks to follow. I couldn't turn off the news. I'd wait for the newspaper to come so I could see if there was anyone else I knew that perished that morning...and I went to school with a quite a few. The days and weeks that followed included one funeral procession after another...the NYPD and FDNY that were lost, the people in the towers...our little part of the South Shore was greatly effected. I remember standing outside many times in reverance as those processions passed the house.

As I drove to work in the days that followed, taking the West Shore Expressway past the Fresh Kills Garbage Dump, which became the place for the sorting of the debris from the towers, I remember seeing the crushed emergency vehicles up on the hill, the refrigerated trucks heading towards it knowing it contained remains, and dump truck after dump truck of metal and concrete.

I also remember going to school, and I was taking an American gov't course at the time, and saying how everyone pulled together and seeing a renewed sense of patriotism among the community. Unfortunately, it takes a disaster for people to pull together and realize how good they have it. I think the lesson was to be grateful no matter what.

I guess I just want everyone to take a minute to remember. Remember all those lives that were lost. They woke up thinking it was just another day too. Whether they were on a plane or sitting at their desk, it was just another day. Their lives were stolen from them. They deserve to never be forgotten...that is the least we can do.

Even if you take a minute to remember where you were, what you were doing when you found out what was going, etc. Just remember. They aren't really dead until they are forgotten and I think we, as Americans, owe it to them to never let them die.

Never Forget.

September 11, 2001

So, you're an expert, huh?

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:44:16 -0700

Yes, you are an expert. What ever field you are in, you are an expert. Well, you have to be an expert at something, right? Think of something that you do really well. There you go...you are an expert!

I'm an expert at a lot of things:

Folding jeans perfectly (hey, I was visual manager for GUESS? for almost 6 years...I can do it my sleep, ok?)
Folding perfect towels.
Making marinara (C'mon, I'm half Italian and grew up on Staten Island. There would be something wrong with me if I couldn't make marinara!)
Organizing closets.

You get the idea....

Now that we've established that, I want you to think about the opportunities you've had to get paid for your expertise, no matter what it is. How many people are willing to pay you to learn what you know?

As a home stager here in Atlanta, the only time I'm able to get paid for my expertise is when I perform a consultation, whether it be verbal or written, or if I get hired to perform a physical staging job. {No, I do not fold jeans or make marinara when I stage.} I love sharing expertise here on ActiveRain but the reality is, I'm not getting paid for it and neither are you. Yes, you are getting the value from the Google juice and organically establishing your business online is an amazing thing to do...that is true. But where's the moola?

But, what if you could get subsidized for writing as an expert and still maintain your online presense? Would you be interested?

If you are, check out EHow. They have a Writers Compensation Program for those experts that share their knowledge of how to do something they know how to do well, with the rest of the world. How cool is that? You simply JOIN, establish a writers account and then create your profile. VOILA...you're ready to start contributing!

Now, for record, I'm not abandoning ActiveRain nor am I encouraging anyone else to. =)

And, I found this quote to be quite amusing: Those who think they know it all have no way of finding out they don't. -Leo Buscaglia

Take 90's Brass into the new millenium...on a budget

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:44:12 -0700

When I'm called upon to conduct a home staging consultation, it's typically for an occupied resale in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. The homeowners often just want professional guidance: to be told where to begin, what to do and what not to do. As I take my notes, I include everything that should be done to update but prioritize according to ROI because realistically not everyone has the budget to do everything. This helps them decide how to best spend their money.

The development of suburban subdivisions in Metro Atlanta over the last 15-20 years, or so, have left today's market with some very 'dated' resale homes in comparison to the amount of vacant new construction available. With foreclosures and short sales on the rise, homeowners are often strapped for cash and cannot always afford to spend much to update anything.

~How do the resales compete with the new construction that has all the bells and whistles people want today and are in the same price category?

~Why would a buyer want to buy a dated resale when they could purchase an updated new home for practically the same price?

Realistically, a resale will not get the large return on investment to do ALL of the upgrades that comparably priced new construction has to offer. What to do? A few cosmetic adjustments will provide the home with the updated aesthetics that buyers are looking for...and here's one small way.

The dreaded brass light fixtures hanging in the kitchens, dining rooms etc. of so many circa 1990 homes immediately date the house, unless it's done totally right and on purpose...which isn't often. =) Solution? Well, yes purchasing another fixture is ideal but if you have a few fixtures to replace, the price will add up quickly. Inexpensive solution? Paint it!

A good choice is Rust Oleum American Accents Metallic Paint. A couple of coats work wonders to update a brass light fixture. A clear coat will help protect the finish. The color used for my project was Oil Rubbed Bronze. We all know how great those bronze fixtures look but that they come with a price tag too.

This Brass light fixture made the dining appear very dated, even after painting the room an updated neutral (used Behr Cappucino).

Now, with it's new paint finish, it side-steps into the new millenium like it's real oil rubbed bronze cousins.

We're probably going to source mini shades for this fixture to coordinate with the buffet lamps being used on the sideboard, to soften the white stems.

Thinking about becoming a Home Stager? Consult with the Pros first.

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:59:05 -0700

If you are deciding whether or not a career as a home stager is right for you, then you have some HW to do. The internet is the perfect place to begin your search. Make sure you have some paper and a pen ready to take notes. A nice cup of coffee would work well, too! Take your time because you are considering starting a business and these things take time.

The first thing that will jump out are the numerous home staging training companies. Research them carefully to find out which one works best for you, your needs and your budget. Please note that professional home stagers do not need to be 'certified' or 'accredited' in any way. It is still an unregulated field. Any certification essentially becomes a big part of your marketing...that's it.

Organizations, such as RESA and ASHSR, are great ways for newbie stagers to network with more experienced stagers in their geographical area, regardless of training background. Take advantage of what they have to offer!

An important thing one can do is to research the NEED for a home stager in your targeted market. If you find your market is already flooded with home stagers, you can guarantee that you'll be working your butt off to market your newbie staging business in the shadows of the other established companies. You aren't Starbucks...and even they realized they didn't need to open up shop on every other corner! The area you target should have plenty of room for you. A healthy competition is good for everyone's business.

The second most important thing is to consult with real estate professionals that you know. Do it BEFORE you start up...not AFTER. There's no pressure involved! Limit your time to ones that are good at what they do.

- - Pick their brains...see how they feel about home staging.
  - Do they currently use a home stager?
  - If they do, find out all that you can about their experiences.
  - Ask them how they feel about home staging services for your target market.

The last suggestion is actually one of the first things I did when doing my research prior to starting my home staging company here in Atlanta. My husband and I met with his friend Dave and his wife LuAnn. LuAnn is a well-known agent in Atlanta's luxury-home market and Dave is a corporate consultant. LuAnn was gracious enough to give me honest answers to all of my questions and as a result thoroughly encouraged me to pursue my home staging business.

Ironically, LuAnn is staging realtor (ASP, I think) although she does work closely with a top stager in Atlanta (and, no, it's not me! lol) She truly believes in the power of home staging which I'd guess answers why she's so successful. As a result, she's become the go-to person from her colleagues regarding home stagers. At a recent caravan one agent asked another agent if she knew of a stager who conducted Home Staging Consultations. The agent said no but referred her to LuAnn, stating she'd know of one. Now, that's networking...gotta love it!

And, thanks for that referral, LuAnn. =)

Tips for Preparing to Sell, on the Today Show

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:23:02 -0700

It's not often I get to sit and watch television in the morning. I left NBC on this morning in the living room while catching up on emails. It was just loud enough that I could hear what was going on if I tuned in.

Thankfully, my ears perked up at the perfect time as the clip with Barbara Corcoran on the Today Show came on. I heard something said about 'Curb Appeal' and quickly stopped what I was doing to sit for a minute and watch. If you didn't get to tune in...take a peak.

Home Stager: Take Two, Please...From the Top!

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:57:53 -0700

Let me tell you how much pressure this is. This isn't a homeowner sold on home staging hype or someone else's home staging testimony. This is a homeowner sold on his own personal statistics and testimony. They've been there and done that with the home staging process. Now the question is, can it be replicated? That's a lot of pressure. I was left with some pretty big shoes to fill!

The assumption is, if they staged a house and sold it within a week 3 years ago in Florida why shouldn't they be able to stage a house here in Atlanta today and get the same result? That was never a discussion but in the back of that homeowner's mind I'd be willing to bet that expectation is definitely there. I has to be...that's why they called for a verbal home staging consultation to get started!

What concerns me is comparing the difference in those markets....or lack thereof. That is an important determining factor in this situation. I was slightly relieved when the homeowner said she expected the house to sit at least 6 months. She actually said she wants to weigh out renting versus purchasing because she's expecting to pay for atleast 6 months worth of rental...may be just worth it to purchase.

But, the homeowners analogy at the end of the visit solidified their reasoning for calling in a home stager: "I just don't understand how people can just put there house on the market and NOT do this. It's like going on a first date and not showering first!" Priceless response!!! Gotta love it!!!

A Phisher turned out to be an Interviewer!

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:10:46 -0700

I was picking up my daughter this afternoon when I saw that I had 2 new voicemails. I didn't recall my phone ringing although having my son and my neighbor's daughter in car while they were playing the Sweenie Todd soundtrack might have been the reason I didn't hear it! As I sat and waited for Kate's bus to arrive, I checked my new messages.

First call: My neighbor verifying the address to where I was dropping her daughter off to. OK, great...I was waiting for that information!

Second call: It was 'Bob' looking for some information about Home Staging and could I call him back. Vague...to say the least.

Finally, about 30 minutes later, I was back at my desk so I called 'Bob' back. After I introduced myself and he asked if he could put me on speaker so his wife could participate...I said yes.

Suddenly, they began grilling me!

What made me choose my training provider?
How was my business doing in general?
Who did I market to: agents or homeowners?
How many homes did I stage per week/month?
What is the ASHSR chapter about?
How many members do we have?
What areas of Atlanta do I market my home staging service?

And the list just went on....and on...and on.

Luckily, after all was said and done, 'Bob' told me that he and his wife were agents and were looking to partner with our ASHSR chapter! He said he does not believe ANY house should be listed BEFORE it is professionally staged...especially in this market. As an agent, he said he did not believe that a really good agent could be a really good stager at the same time! He said he prefers to allow each professional do what they are good at!

End result? This potentially could be a great connection for our chapter, as a whole. I'm really looking forward to meeting Bob as he will join us for our July teleconference meeting.

WHEW!!!!! Thank goodness I did a good job with that interview! I just thought he was phishing for information...then I thought he was looking for training information...but I was all wrong!!! I love it when I'm wrong...OK, maybe only sometimes! =)

Hey Ladies! I've got something for you!

Abby Roselli, Staten Island Home Stager (ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:34:27 -0700

We all know how important social networking is. You have to make those connections in order to grow your business. You may learn from one contact and teach another. The give and take process is forever in exchange. And as home stagers, we are continually trying to educate about what it is that we do...here's a new avenue to branch out to.

Well, on top of Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace, among the thousands of others that are out there, I'd love to introduce you to the new social network on Ladies Who Launch. I cannot tell you how inspired I was after attending the LWL Incubator Workshop here in Atlanta and now look forward to connecting with other inspirational women from all fields from all over.

If you are looking to be inspired...Professionally and Personally...then this may be the place for you to try on for size. If nothing else, it's another place to feature your business listing for FREE! =) And, you can't beat any kind of free marketing for yourself!

Happy Launching!