first impressions: First Impression-ist Masterpieces Now Hang in the Active Rain Gallery - 04/14/08 11:05 AM
Last week something new began to be seen in the great hallowed halls of Active Rain. Beautiful blog masterpieces started to appear. Active Rain gave to us all another great new improvement to help us all better differentiate and further brand ourselves through our blogs. We now all have the access to a FREE tool, the ActiveRain Customizer, that allows us to easily create a visual masterpiece of our own blogs. I have scoured Active Rain's walls to find 15 fine examples of blogs that have a new and improved branded" look. I encourage you to click and open the examples below, to see in detail what others have already done. You … (58 comments)
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first impressions: I FINALLY Gots Me a Purdy Puddle... in the Rain - 04/11/08 03:09 PM
The ONLY problem I have EVER had about Active Rain was it is UGLY. YUP UGLY and I have not been afraid to let the Rain Gods (Matt Heaton and Johnathon Washburn) know how I felt.
But there is a saying, "you only get to complain if you are willing to provide a solution." So not only did I register a complaint, I also tried my best to get them over to the "pretty side". I sent them mock-up ideas JUST to get this site LOOKING better.
But the AR guys could only move so fast on all the improvements they were providing us. I could no … (32 comments)
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first impressions: 100,000 DING DONG's, Stage It Forward Calling... with a Member Button for YOU! - 06/04/07 02:35 PM
With this post I have gone over the 100k Point. How befitting to reach this milestone with this post. While I did not time it as such, (I actually thought it would be this Friday with a Good Word Series post.) this post really does make this special for me ... because this post is about the Stage It Forward group created just last November here on Active Rain. This group, because of its many wonderful members, really has become a mini-Active Rain for the Home Staging Industry.
I LOVE the fact that being a member to both Active Rain and Stage It Forward is … (56 comments)
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first impressions: ENTER THE RAIN... from a New, Beautiful & Different Perspective - 04/05/07 09:37 PM
Every Realtor knows that first impressions matter. So can I be honest here? (And this has bugged me about Active Rain from the start.) Active Rain's front door is UGLY.
Yup UGLY! Yes, Yes I know it is fully "functional" door... but let's face it... its ugly. It has NO SNAP, NO WOW! NO... DANG I gotta go in and take a TOUR of this site.
And as all my staging colleagues (and Realtors too) know... first impressions matter... so it better be good!
Sooooo... I did a little cyber Staging, and made a new fully functional doorway into Active Rain for my … (65 comments)
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first impressions: First Appearing on "STAGE" 3 years Ago... TODAY! - 03/19/07 07:09 AM
Today, on the 3rd anniversary of my first home staging... I thought I would share the backstory behind my first staging experience and how it convinced ME that home staging works.
In March of 2004, a little after I had completed my studies in Interior Design, I was asked to stage a condo (that had a lot going against it) in Chicago.
I can remember thinking... "Staging? What's that?" You see, I really knew NOTHING about staging. So I went about researching what I could on the web. But unfortunately, at that time, there was not much information to be found, as there is today, but there was enough information that I got the … (27 comments)
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first impressions: I Confess... I've used the UGLY "R" WORD on the streets of metro Chicago - 03/16/07 07:07 AM
I happen to know among clients, home selling professionals, developers and stagers that there is controversy swirling around this very hot topic. It seems like everyone is chiming in on one side or the other, having a very strong and opinion on the subject. However, some of these negative opinions I feel are quite prejudiced. I feel all these people are misinformed and it is their ignorance that propels the myth and controversy that surrounds the "R" word.
Quite recently, we lost a client because we decided to start using the ugly "R" word. THIS got my blood boiling. NOW I am on a crusade to... Stamp out the … (33 comments)
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first impressions: Town-home sits UNSOLD for 7 months... THEN SELLS JUST 2 DAYS AFTER STAGING - 03/09/07 09:22 AM
Here in Chicago, the Bucktown area has risen up to be a beautiful renaissance neighborhood. Just about 10 years ago it wasn't much to look at. However due to its close proximity to to downtown, builders came in tore out or rehabbed much of the old and built new. NOW Bucktown is one of Chicago's trendiest and vibrant neighborhoods.
Because builders saw such opportunity and possibility... more and more came and built and built (and are still building actually) so the levels of inventory rose and rose and continues to rise. Unfortunately that creates a challenge. How does a seller, who originally bought new construction a few years back, differentiate their home … (23 comments)
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first impressions: THINK CRUSTY THOUGHTS... When Taking Listing Photos - 03/06/07 09:38 AM
Realtors you'll notice that while I am a home stager, a number of my blog postings have to do with taking better photos of listings. This is because I KNOW that what a home buyers SEES influences their desire to purchase... or NOT. But what a buyer SEES often starts BEFORE they drive up to your listing or walk through its front door.
With each passing day the Internet becomes more and more of a resource for buyers to PRESCREEN your listings by looking at the photos YOU have provided. So with digital photography being so easy and inexpensive... Realtors you have the responsibility to feature PERFECT images … (56 comments)
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first impressions: Home Stagers... Your Website is the Display Window of Your Talent & Skills - 03/03/07 04:35 PM
Knowing that the home staging industry is in the business of creating great first impressions, I often search the Internet looking at the websites of home stagers to see what kind of first impression they are or are NOT creating for the consuming public.
I first started checking out home staging websites 3 1/2 years ago when I was opening my own home staging business and researching our industry. At that time, 2 home staging company's websites caught my eye and left me with an great impression of who they are and what the do. Those 2 staging companies were: Dekora in Vancouver and Nest Home Designin San … (19 comments)
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first impressions: Staged it Wright in Oak Park / River Forest IL - 03/02/07 09:23 AM
When it comes to Architecture, the Oak Park / River Forest area of Illinois is one of the most historically significant areas in the world! For it is here that Frank Lloyd Wright had his first "studio" and created the now famous and easily recognizable form of architecture known as the Prairie Style.
Dotted among the large stately mansions and tree lined streets of this area are Architectural masterpieces, created by Frank Lloyd Wright. And due to this areas close proximity to Chicago, builders have found it profitable to tear down less desirable older homes and replace them with new homes featuring all the … (15 comments)
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first impressions: Classic Georgian beautifully staged in Winnetka Illinois - 02/28/07 07:11 PM
Since the start of Active Rain I know I have been a bit of a yapper. But lately I have been very quiet... but for good reason. WE HAVE BEEN BUSY!
I thought you all might like to see some of what our crew here at Real Estaging has been working on that has kept us ALL so busy.
Below is a FOLLOW UP staging project for a "boutique" builder I first blogged about in my UPSTAGING blog last summer. The first house we staged for the builder had been on the market for nearly 10 months when we staged it. But once … (26 comments)
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first impressions: DO YOUR HOMEWORK... before you sign up for training. - 01/08/07 10:00 AM
Home staging is beginning to blossom as interest and awareness grows and more and more people positively experience the rewards of that home staging brings to both the home seller and realtor.And... with so much positive possibility and "buzz" about what we do... more and more people are trusting in home staging as a career and are researching home staging training resources for professional education. Many are discoveringWith all this swirling around my head... I thought I could take a positive step to help those interested in home staging.
So this weekend I happened to be working on updating my 'pretty … (48 comments)
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first impressions: For Crying Out Loud... it's CHRISTMAS! - 12/22/06 09:32 AM
Well I thought this picture really captured the essence of the last few post I created.
In light of my recent post on Tears, and then all the boo-hooing and belly aching I was doing this past week... this seemed the perfect transition into Christmas.
Oh and NO... they are NOT my children! In case you are wondering! (They actually are the children of one of my associate's friends here at Real Estaging.)
Happy Holidays to all!
Cry it forward...
Me
PS: Check out Santa's expression!
… (34 comments)
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first impressions: Joy to the Rain - 12/17/06 01:35 AM
To all my friends in the rain...
I would just like to take a moment to wish you the very best and hope you have a joyous time with family and friends during the Holiday Season.
It truly has been a gift to meet, learn and share with you here in the rain.
Stage it forward...
Me
PS: This is my cyber gift to my cyber friends. Take it use it, post it, print it. Do what ever you like, where ever you like. And if you want a different format or a less blurry version of this wreath... just let me know.
… (72 comments)
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first impressions: A BUBBLY WAY... to share your thanks & your message - 12/03/06 07:19 PM
I know I talk a lot about staging. But my REAL passion is advertising and marketing. I LOVE to find new ways to break through the typical "advertising noise" and connect with people. (Staging just happens to be an amazing marketing tool that does this too... that is why I am so adamant about it.)
Anyway, a few years back we decide to divert some of our advertising dollars away from print and find a ways to connect to our clients and potential clients in more creative and effectiveways. So what did we do? We throw a party!
Well, actually we always had a personal holiday party... we … (13 comments)
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first impressions: TRIX FIX 12 PIX - 12/01/06 08:22 PM
For both the realtor and a stager... GOOD photography of the property for sale is a necessity. For the realtor, the photos you take of your listing show the product you are trying to sell. For the stager the photos of your work capture and chronicle your staging skills.
Therefore it is to BOTH the realtors and stager's advantages to take and display the ABSOLUTE BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES you can... especially NOW that more and more people use the internet as a means to determine evaluate a home or the abilities of a stager.
With that in mind... last night I went on line and looked at … (38 comments)
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first impressions: HOLIDAY DECORATING: Should home sellers GRINch or BARE it? - 11/29/06 08:45 AM
Back in the fall I blogged on about whether or not it was wise to decorate for Halloween... and while at that time many people gave varied opinions, I stated that I thought it best not to.
SO... what about Christmas? Should a home seller decorate their house during Christmas Season? My answer is a definite and resounding... CONDITIONAL YES.
Decorating a house for sale during the Christmas Season is a little different then decorating for the Halloween Season.
While the Christmas selling market is MUCH slower, and the Holiday decorations are not as "creepy" and offensive looking... Decorations still can be distractions.
So … (20 comments)
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first impressions: WOW does this stager have "IT" or what? - 11/02/06 07:40 AM
With nearly 170 Real Estate Stagers now listed here on Active Rain I tend to only have time to "check out" those who have jumped further in the puddle and participate more fully by blogging and commenting.
Recently I stumbled upon Jessica Hughes of Ambiance Staging. a new stager that I believe has “it”... in every sense of word. I believe she has a GREAT start, a GREAT attitude, GREAT talent, GREAT acumen and most importantly… tenacity.
A little while back I shared a “secret” on how to easily evaluate a stager. In that blog I said… “USE YOUR EYES and see the good AR stagers … (11 comments)
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first impressions: Who has recently touched you professionally? - 10/11/06 07:35 AM
Who have you meet professionally that really impresses you and are glad you met?
Well here is my “touching” story…
For me it is Kim Ashely here in Chicago. I had bumped into Kim a couple times at various real estate luncheons... and I basically steered clear of her. WHY? Well my company, Real Estaging, had a relationship with another furniture rental company that I felt a certain loyalty to, and Kim worked for the competing rental company.
So I was polite to Kim of Brook Furniture Rental, but didn't purse her as a resources. But Kim called me… and set up a meeting. And off … (9 comments)
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first impressions: Someone needs to tell the truth... PHOTOS LIE! - 10/03/06 07:29 PM
In my previous post today I showed Before & After Photos of a property that we just completed staging. What I did NOT show was how I got those After Photos to look so good.
Realtors and stagers need to understand a very important point about digital cameras... THEY DISTORT THE TRUTH.
Below is the raw Before (left) and edited After (right) photo of the Living room we just staged. PhotoShop is the tool I used to make the After look so good.
But what did I do to transform the image? Well, first I applied BASIC principles of photographic perspective.
Let's break it down … (77 comments)
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