home staging: Craig Schiller Opening Doors ... Guest Blogger for Homescape - 04/28/08 06:39 AM
 
While reading through my Google alerts earlier today,  I came across this announcement that our own, Craig Schiller, owner of Real Estaging in Chicago, IL, has been tapped to be a guest blogger on Homescape's consumer  focused blog - Opening Doors.   Craig is known to be
"one of the most widely read staging bloggers on the Internet"
WOW - now that's a title for a business card!   In case you've missed out, you can read some of Craig's posts here and here and here.  Craig has also received nationwide recognition on  television (NBC, ABC, USA TODAY, CBS, FOX) just to … (19 comments)

home staging: To Wick or Not To Wick? That is Today's Staging Question - 11/25/07 10:25 AM
As the holidays begin, I find myself enjoying the crisp air and the scents of the season. I have recently discovered a wonderful new scent from Partylite called "Iced Snowberries". LOVE IT! Right this minute, I probably have at least a dozen of these candles burning. I can do this while my children are not home :) I find myself staring into the flame wondering about the damage that these little beauties can cause. Obviously, for me, the beauty and serenity of these candles far out weighs the liability of lighting them.




Which brought me to this post. … (33 comments)

home staging: For The Love Of ... Michelle Minch of Moving Mountains Designs & Staging - 11/20/07 10:18 AM
Don’t you just love talking to people, in any industry, who absolutely L O V E what they do? Everything they seem to say just exudes their excitement about their talents, skills, passion.
 
You know the old saying “Enthusiasm is Contagious” – well that’s what I’m talking about. I’m talking about that moment of time when someone says something and you just get it. Ah! Ha!
 
That’s the way I felt when I was talking to another stager-friend about the unique qualities of our industry and the exciting things that are on the brink of happening.
(21 comments)

home staging: I Missed My Anniversary?! How did that happen? - 10/25/07 03:47 PM
October 14, 2006 was my one year anniversary. I guess we're still newlyweds, because we're still spending a lot of time together.  I wake up early to spend extra time.  I check-in periodically.  We even spend our evenings together.  How could this have happened? Our anniversary - and I missed it!
Here's a picture of my significant other:
                                                  
 
Oh come on - you've got to know by now that I've been married to the same wonderful guy for almost two decades and would (hopefully) NEVER forget my own anniversary - which by the way, is also this month!
 
38 people joined A/R the … (31 comments)

home staging: AZ Blog Party With Craig Schiller - Thanks & Some Pictures - 10/24/07 07:16 AM
Everyone who took time out of their busy schedule and/or drove hundreds of miles to join fellow Active Rain members last night at Garduno's in Scottsdale was rewarded with warm welcome, great conversation, quality drinks & appetizers and a great opportunity to put a face with a blog :) 
                                            
 
Of course, the guest of honor was our very own Craig Schiller from Chicago. 
 
 
 
                                                                    Penny Schoenbeck & Mike Jones
   
 Craig & Dru Bloomfield                                     Jill, Penny & Dale                       Dale & Janice Sutton
 
Craig & … (19 comments)

home staging: AZ Home Staging Roundtable: Walking Away With A Plan - 10/23/07 04:27 AM
I'm so excited to write this post that I can't wait for Craig to return from the pool... So, I'm going to go ahead and recap what happened at today's AZ Home Staging Round Table.
First off, let me just say - WOW! It's always so amazing to see what happens when a group of talented and intelligent business people get together. I like to use the word "synergy". Ideas just seems to build and grow into something great.
Who was there? Craig Schiller, Yvonne Root, Janice Sutton, Nancy Cummings, Debbie Wheeler, Tracie Martin, Stephanie Heron-Weeber and myself.


We … (16 comments)

home staging: AZ A/R Cocktail Party On Tuesday 10/23 with Craig Schiller - 10/18/07 07:23 AM

Greetings Fellow Arizonans -
You are invited to an Active Rain Cocktail Party with our very own Craig Schiller!!
Craig is visiting the valley for a few days and would like to meet up with AZ Active Rain members.



Meet & Greet with Craig SchillerTuesday, 10/23 at 5pmGarduño's RestaurantLocated at the Shops at Gainey Village (at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Doubletree Ranch Road, 3 blocks south of Shea) 8787 N. Scottsdale Rd, Ste. A-102Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

Interested in attending? Just RSVP below in a comment.
(36 comments)

home staging: How do you Stage a Haunted House or Would you Even want to? - 10/07/07 12:54 PM
 

 
I've been reading a lot lately about home buyers who intentionally seek out haunted homes to purchase.  Oddly, there are apparently quite a few of them out there.  Don't believe me?  Check out Real Haunted House Listings
I'm not going to debate the validity of these homes - real, unreal or surreal, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to stage a home that is considered haunted.  Would it take me less time than a "normal" house or would it take me twice as long?  Would I need more breaks or fewer because of the company?  
Joel … (28 comments)

home staging: James Frazier School of Magical Home Staging Now Enrolling - 08/20/07 03:36 PM
                       Illustration provided by Jim Frazier 
The James Frazier School of Magical Home Staging is now open to qualified individuals who are desirous of improving their communication skills and becoming the gurus of home staging (as if there were such a thing!).... 
First year students will receive classroom materials via correspondence.  Per the Head Master, himself, a questionnaire of 20 questions will be delivered to your door weekly.  Each week a messenger will retrieve your answers and grade them accordingly.
Your instructors include the Head Master himself and your existing clients.  Potential clients will also have the opportunity to ask you questions about … (14 comments)

home staging: Realty Times Defends Stagers and Staging to The Spoilsport NAEBA - 08/20/07 01:11 AM
Scottsdale REALTOR and Fellow Active Rainer, Dru Bloomfield, emailed me this a.m. to share this article published by Realty Times in response to the NAEBA's blast of home stagers and home staging.  (If you missed it - read about it from Cindy Lin or Sheron Cardin)
Who's Getting In Your Pocket, Now: Spoilsport Buyer's Agent Group Comes Out Against Home Stagingby Blanche Evans of Realty Times
Just to give you glimpse of what the article says - it begins with "That's as silly a complaint as I've ever heard. Worse, it can do some serious damage. Staging doesn't "make" people buy homes any more … (33 comments)

home staging: It's Time To TOOT - A Little Bit Louder Now! - 08/06/07 08:25 AM
                  Why? Why? Why?  I just have to ask, "Why?" 
WHY is it so hard for home stagers to stand up and be heard?  Why are we so quiet about the service we provide?  What's the big secret? 
With first hand knowledge and personal experience behind you, think about it this way - A vacant home is empty, uninviting - sitting there waiting for someone (anyone) to pour some attention on it. 
                                
But a staged home offers possibilities, potential and promise.  
                     
What picture is coming to your mind?  Do you really want to be thought of as a home where "no … (22 comments)

home staging: Take 2 Aspirin & Call A Home Stager in The Morning - 08/03/07 02:27 PM
This week, I've been working with a wonderful home seller who has done so much in preparing their family home for sale - I might even go so far to say, it's been too much.
When I became a home stager, my heart felt mission was to help home sellers prepare their property to sell in the least amount of time with the least amount of stress. 
This week, I came to realize that selling your family home is indeed very stressful  Without going into extensive detail, I'll share with you that this lovely woman has a full time working husband.  A wonderful man - but … (15 comments)

home staging: What is agent boycott? - 07/27/07 02:46 PM
Today, I  received an email from one of our areas top agents and one of my best clients.  She's hard working, ethical and just an overall great person.  I would say, her clients are lucky to have her on their side.  I'll call her "Yvonne". 
"Yvonne" needs me to destage one of her listings.  Of course, I have to ask if the home sold? No, not sold and the home seller is planning on either listing with another agent or renting.
Listing with another agent?  Why would he do that?  Doesn't he realize that he's already listed with one of the best and that it's not … (16 comments)

home staging: The First House I Ever Staged ... A Walk Down Memory Lane - 06/26/07 03:19 PM
My phone rang.  It was a REALTOR calling.  A long time client of mine who actually understands and "gets" the whole stage your property before it's listed thing.  But, this conversation was a bit, shall I say, out-of-the-ordinary.  No, she wasn't calling to schedule a consultation .... but - well, here I'll paraphrase it for you.
REALTOR:  Hi Calie, this is Kim from XYZ Realty.  While sitting at a house today waiting for the home inspector, it dawned on me that I think this is a house you staged.
ME:  Really?  How can you tell?
REALTOR: Well, it just "looks" like you.  Did you stage a house in this community?
ME:  … (22 comments)

home staging: The Worst Day of Home Staging Is Still Better Than ....Anything Else? - 06/19/07 02:26 PM
Home Staging, Property Merchandising, Redesign, Redecorating, Fluffing, Property Staging, Neutralizing .... 
    
Let me be the first to admit it - I love staging and it's been very rewarding journey. But ...  it's not all fun and games, is it?   We have nannies and before/after school care.  We drive mobile restaurants and have DVD players in our cars.  We carry "inventory" with us every day and lug heavy boxes in/out of moving vans.  We even spend countless hours searching for just the right accessory.  The business of staging is hard work.  The physical act of staging is back breaking hard work.  When it's 110degrees outside or there's snow on … (14 comments)

home staging: Your MARKETING efforts is what sells your listings ... Even Tony Marriott agrees! - 06/14/07 03:45 AM
  While surfing around A/R this morning, I came across one of the pillars of A/R - Tony Marriott's blog entitled "Getting Ready For Showtime"
Tony's Blog includes a Top 10 Checklist of things to do prior to "showtime"- that is before putting your house or listing on the market or MLS.  As a self-proclaimed marketing junkie, I find it absolutely, positively reaffirming that 8 out of 10 of the things to do are MARKETING. 
Title Inspection & Home Warranty Home Inspection Home Staging Measurements and Description, Features to highlight  Digital Photos and Virtual Tour MLS Data Entry  Internet Marketing Toll Free Audio Tour … (12 comments)

home staging: Want more business? Take Note - 06/11/07 02:09 PM
 
Want more business?
How about more referrals?
Then consider the power of a hand written note.
I am almost fanatical about writing notes. Right after an appointment with a perspective client, I send them a note expressing my appreciation for their time.  When someone says something complimentary about me or my business, I'll send a note with a token gift card.  Send me a referral?  Yep - you're going to get a hand written Thank You card and a gift card.  Any other reason I can think of - I send a note.
Haven't heard from a Realtor in a while? Send a hand written note.
Just finished a job? Send a hand written … (32 comments)

home staging: Home Magazine's article on Home Stagers ... Staging IS Beneficial - 06/06/07 11:55 AM
Is hiring a stager right for you?  If you have question about the benefits of hiring a home stager or what a professional stagers services are  worth - I would like to strongly encourage you to call upon a local stager and ask them and then pick up a copy of this month's Home Magazine.
On page 78 there is a great article entitled "Home Stager" that is well written and informative.  
Siting statistics, the article states "Staged homes typically fetch 7 percent more than comparable unstaged properties."  In today's market, this seems like a valuable reason to hire a professional.
Want another reason?  The article goes … (9 comments)

home staging: Wanted - Your Opinion - Does Staging Make A Difference? - 11/27/06 11:42 AM
   Does staging truly make a difference in selling homes? Can home stagers really justify their pricing to home owners whose homes have not sold in the last 5, 7, 9+ months?  How do you explain to home owners that staging is merely a marketing tool - not miracle work?  And what about the sudden influx of those who call themselves stagers not knowing how to operate the business side of it all?  Isn't their more to this than just merely "talent"? 
Last year when our real estate market was at an all time high, Phoenix experienced a record high in real estate agents.  But I wonder … (8 comments)

home staging: Proactive Sellers in Today's Market - 10/14/06 10:51 AM
In today's softening real estate market, we are working with proactive sellers - Sellers who are doing everything they know how to - to properly prepare their homes for sale.  Working with a home stager gives home sellers the peace of mind that they're looking for  - Reassurance that their home will compete with the neighboring competition and reassurance in knowing that their top dollar sales price is justified. 
As a real estate professional, it is up to you to make sure that your client can justify their listing price.  Do you recommend the services of a home stager?  If Yes, "Way … (6 comments)

 
Calie Waterhouse, Community Builder

Calie Waterhouse

Community Builder

Chandler, AZ

More about me…

Address: Chandler, AZ

Mobile: (480) 559-8812



Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog