staged homes: HOME SELLERS... I'm Not Popeye, So Don't You Be Wimpy! - 06/25/07 10:55 AM
When I was a kid I used to watch the Popeye cartoon on TV. (To be honest I don't even know if it is on anymore or if the strip even runs in news papers.)
Anyway, one of the cartoon's secondary characters was named Wimpy. While Wimpy was a sweet harmless loveable oaf, he also had a problem... he had a "jones" for hamburgers.
Hamburgers! Hamburgers! Hamburgers!
Wimpy just could not get enough of them! He craved them and would do ANYTHING for one, even if he didn't have the money to buy one, he would often hit up other characters for … (60 comments)

staged homes: Barb's Schwarz's New Book Reveals Home Staging Business is NOT "Pretty" Hocus Pocus! - 06/02/07 04:50 AM
A few weeks back I posted an announcement of the soon to be released book by Barb Schwarz (grand dame' of home staging) entitled: "Building a Successful Home Staging Business."
So I now have read Barb's new book and here is my promised "Book Review". 
First, while I did not agree with everything she writes of... I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I found this book to be MUCH better than I expected!  
I think Barb masterfully walked the "line" I spoke of in my original post.  Readers of this book will find it well written and NOT a "big ego dump" and "fluffy piece of advertising" for her workshops... which were some … (23 comments)

staged homes: Dear ASP/ASPM's... I do Believe ONENESS is NOT One Sided - 05/15/07 12:11 AM
I have learned that mentioning Barb Schwarz's name in a blog is like taking a match to gasoline.
This is my reply to one of the last comments posted in my last blog post entitled: Will Staging Biz Book Hitting Shelves (this week) Hit the Target? I think my own comment bares repeating here to a bigger audience.
Barb Schwarz IS going to be written about... this is part of her "legacy" which she writes of in her email to you and others that was posted anomalously as a comment in my last blog. Some of the things written about ANY captain of ANY industry will … (14 comments)

staged homes: Will Staging Biz Book Hitting Shelves (this week) Hit the Target? - 05/13/07 12:29 AM

Well, I couldn't have planned it better if I tried. But considering my last post, about the difficulties of owning a home staging business, the fact that Barb Schwarz is releasing a new book this week entitled "Building a Successful Home Staging Business" is timed perfectly.
Just what will this book reveal?  I do not know. But I will SURELY read it and share my thoughts about it in a future book review here.
However, the inside front cover (quote taken from Amazon) says this: "Whether you are thinking about starting a Home Staging business or want to improve upon an existing one, this … (70 comments)

staged homes: Cold Hard Reality: Dying Dreams and Limited Opportunities - 05/10/07 02:30 PM
With each passing week I receive emails with questions from stagers asking me how to approach and solve a myriad of issues and challenges facing them and in their staging business. Some of these are issues QUITE complex and take MORE than just a quick email response. Unfortunately as I work on growing my own business I do not have the time to reply. I would love to help, but I literally could have a career JUST answering the questions and solving the problems that new stagers are asking. But the realty of what has been going on got me to thinking... and … (66 comments)

staged homes: Do Shifty Sellers Stage to Bamboozle Buyers? - 05/02/07 02:56 AM

Realtors, if you use home stagers, here is a point to ponder...
Should an occupied property that HAS been staged be ADVERTISED as such? 
I bring this point up as I feel an educated Realtor is an empowered Realtor.
So, before answering "YES" consider this... I personally think it is the LISTING REALTORS responsibility to decide if, when, where and how to reveal the fact that a home has been staged.
With more and more people understanding what staging is and how it can actually INCREASE the asking price of a home, some buyers, may use that fact AGAINST the seller that has staged their property, and negotiate a price they "feel" is … (49 comments)

staged homes: My Personal COMMENT on a STAGER'S STORM in the Rain - 04/17/07 02:29 AM
While it was NOT the intent of my initial post entitled "Was Barb Schwarz the 'INVENTOR' of Home Staging"... somehow this post did cause issues to swirl to the surface. And in all this there lies a lesson for ANYONE who writes a blog.
So first let's talk about MY PERSONAL PURPOSE for writing that post.
The great thing about Active Rain is it a place for me to write my "first draft" and see what "works" with what I wrote. Comments then give me a clue to how well I communicated my message and if I need to alter/tweak before putting it up on my "Pretty" blog. … (25 comments)

staged homes: First Appearing on "STAGE" 3 years Ago... TODAY! - 03/19/07 12:09 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)

staged homes: I Confess... I've used the UGLY "R" WORD on the streets of metro Chicago - 03/16/07 12:07 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)

staged homes: Town-home sits UNSOLD for 7 months... THEN SELLS JUST 2 DAYS AFTER STAGING - 03/09/07 01:22 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)

staged homes: Active Rain created One Stage for an entirely new industry - 03/07/07 04:41 PM
                                                                                                                                                       The guys that created Active Rain might not realize it (and I KNOW they definitely did not intend it) but they have created something wonderful.
They have created a stage so that the voices of an entire industry, only in its infancy and struggling to be heard, could be heard. That industry is the Home Staging Industry. And today is going to be a VERY special day for all home stagers that utilize Active Rain as a resource for fresh and helpful industry information. We stagers here on Active Rain are welcoming our 500th stager... and THAT is a HUGE milestone for home staging! And … (32 comments)

staged homes: REALTORS... Selling a home is as easy as riding a Tricycle - 03/04/07 07:24 AM

When a home seller puts their home up for sale, they are much like kids about to go on a tricycle ride. But for this selling ride there are 4 basic elements impacting how smoothly the ride will go: Market, Location, Condition, and Price.
The Market is the sidewalk that the seller's tricycle maneuvers on. Sometimes the market is bumpy, sometimes smooth. Regardless, what the markets surface conditions are, the seller must just roll along for there is little they can do to impact the market path.
However, to get the tricycle ready for its travels, the seller must consider the 3 wheels … (55 comments)

staged homes: Staged it Wright in Oak Park / River Forest IL - 03/02/07 01:23 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)

staged homes: Classic Georgian beautifully staged in Winnetka Illinois - 02/28/07 11:11 AM
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)

staged homes: DO YOUR HOMEWORK... before you sign up for training. - 01/08/07 02:00 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)

staged homes: Active Rain drops create ripples of opportunity & possibility in 2007 - 12/31/06 03:37 AM
So it is the closing of the inaugural year of Active Rain... and what a year it has been for all who have taken part of this amazing community.
In a year where the real estate industry was swirling with change and challenge and where large companies were jockeying for position on the web... Active Rain appeared as if out of nowhere.  
The creators of Active Rain believing that individuals, not corporations, ARE the heart of the real estate industry, found a way to give dedicated real estate professionals the opportunity to share their own voices. Here voices can educate both colleagues and consumers as to … (32 comments)

staged homes: For Crying Out Loud... it's CHRISTMAS! - 12/22/06 01:32 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)

staged homes: Joy to the Rain - 12/16/06 05:35 PM
  
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.
(68 comments)

staged homes: Welcome Stagers! I have a "pumped up" idea... - 11/28/06 09:21 AM

FIRST!!! WOW....  You gotta love them AR guys. Those "drips" know how to "drop" in nice features.
To prime our new STAGE IT FORWARD GROUP pump... please go back to your blog postings about staging and re-assign its group under the new Stage It Forward catigory.  That way, your best and most informative blogs will appear in here/there in our group.
AND!!! When new stagers join AR... they can see and read all that we have written and discussed... even before this group formally existed.
Finally, that little arrow logo in our group is temporary... until we come up with something MUCH better. ANY IDEAS?
 
RE-GROUPING INSTRUCTIONS: To RE-Group a previsous … (9 comments)

staged homes: Canned Cranberry Sauce… the jiggly symbol of an industry? - 11/20/06 11:17 PM
This Thanksgiving every Realtor and home seller should be thankful and contemplate Canned Cranberry Sauce. As it/they sit/s on your plates, know that it/they symbolize/s what staging has to offer. 
Here is my scholarly list...
7 ways Canned Cranberry Sauce embodies Real Estate Staging!
1. Canned Cranberry Sauce does not cost much, but can have tasty results.
2. Canned Cranberry Sauce visually appeals to almost everyone.
3. Canned Cranberry Sauce takes the right tools and skill to get it out of a can properly.
4. Canned Cranberry Sauce is memorable without overpowering the rest of the food.
5. Canned Cranberry Sauce isn't cluttered with complex flavors.
6. Canned Cranberry Sauce is best served with the entrée, … (26 comments)

 
These are the creative writings of Craig Schiller, a home staging professional, passionate real estate marketing professional and founder of the Real Estaging, one of the nation's leading home staging companies.


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