Yesterday morning, I was scheduled to perform consulting duties for one of my favorite RE agents. The particular client I was scheduled to meet with is notably motivated to sell their home as their new custom home is near completion (it will be move in ready in approximately 2 weeks). Because of these circumstances, the agent went against the usual stage-list-show schedule by placing the listing on the MLS without photos before I had been there to steer the seller in the right direction as to how to prepare their house for the market.
Generally, I try to arrive 5-10 minutes after our scheduled consulting time(she is always in attendance and is a tremendous support for my suggestions) so that she can be the first to arrive and run through the procedure of stage-list-show with the client. By the time I get there, they are prepped for my speeches and fully aware of how the race will be run. It works out great that way. But, yesterday was different, because she got stuck in some sand at another listing (a whole other story) and was sidelined in the pits.
Undaunted by her absence, I started prepping the client on how I would conduct the consultation and what they should expect to gain from our time together. I had completed that task and was well into the initial walk through with the client when the agent arrived. I had expected that she would just join us on the tour and things would continue as usual, but that was not the case. The first thing she did when joining us was inform us that she had just scheduled the first showing....in 24 hours.
Now, let me tell you that even though the seller had been well aware of the pending sale of her home, she works full time and has two (beautiful and polite, btw) children to care for. Her husband is also employed full time and though they had started packing and ridding themselves of excess furniture, they were far behind the rest of the pack when it came to race readiness. It became quite clear that the race was on and they were not in need of a consultation, but needed an experienced pit crew to get them ready to run.
We immediately shifted gears, rolled up our sleeves and got to work. Thankfully, many of the rooms just needed a bit of tweaking and as we went through each room making our changes, we also made a mental list of minor repairs and organizational suggestions for them to tackle on their own. In less than three hours time, we had prepped and reviewed 6,000 square feet of space and jotted down a 2 page checklist for the sellers. As we finished each room, it was photographed so that the photos could go online ASAP.
Our work time went very quickly as myself, the agent, the seller, and her two children worked together to get everything done. Many of the things left undone were things only the seller could do and we prioritized them to relieve some of her stress. Though she may not have been 100% prepared that first showing, we left her infinitely closer than when I had arrived and well prepared to complete the race.
I know without a doubt, that we did the absolute best job we could for our sellers and I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish given the circumstances. Unfortunately, it meant not wasting time on before pictures, just producing some quality 'afters'. But, in the end, they are definitely contenders to finish first!
No matter what hot topics may temporarily sidetrack us, a continuing theme in the SIF community is moving our industry forward. This past week, there were quite a few posts designed to do just that.
In an effort to continue what Craig and Yvonne started, SIF has joined forces with RESA to put on another set of Round Table discussions designed to help us work together by communicating with one another to work out the bugs within our industry. (I stole Karen's graphic, isn't it nice?)
But, moving forward is not all about roundtables and staging expos. It is really about the information we post regularly that educate the general public and specifically potential newbie stagers about the reality of professional staging.
Abby Reilly did an excellent job on explaining why a potential stager should talk to a seasoned pro before jumping on the staging wagon. Cindy Lin, in her infinite wisdom, reminded us that just because you can, doesn't mean you should (a good reminder for even the most seasoned of us) and Kathy Nielson pointed out that your staging reputationis within your control, so you need to decide what kind of stager you want to be.
The way I see it, individual growth is really much more important than our growth as an industry, because the former has an definite benefit toward the latter. If we as individuals are willing to expand our horizons, it only works to expand the horizons of the industry as a whole. Janice Sutton learned a valuable lessonin that regard this week and I am personally glad she shared it with all of us. I also hope she survives her week of latrine duty. In addition to that, Carole Provenzale shared how her wide range of blog content opened a door for someone else to share their services with her. How cool is that? Finally, the lovely Joelle Green shared the benefits of opening yourself up to the possibilities of working with another stager. Together, they achieved stunning results. On that same note, I'd like to congratulate Karen Reynolds on her new business venture. Welcome back, Karen!
Kudos all of you for moving forward and moving the industry with you!
It has been the topic of discussion many times - why did my blog get deleted? Why do we have to be monitored? Isn't this censorship? I don't think it's fair...and so on and so forth.
To set the record straight once and for all, I thought I would write and post a 'guide' of sorts to help everyone understand why we do the things we do and to avoid the inevitable backlash of blog deletion. Because I will delete a post if I have to, no matter how much people throw a fit about it.
So, here it is in black and white.
Why would your post be deleted?
The Point of Stage it Forward is posted at the side of the page for all of to read and understand the purpose of this group. It states:
HOME STAGERS, this is an informational and networking community that believes the Home Staging Industry will grow and mature by reaching out to and sharing with other Stagers. This one FREE site allows Home Stagers to connect and share with their colleagues and clients. Our diverse background is our strength. By respectfully sharing and helping each other, we can all grow and develop so that ultimately the consumer is educated on the benefits of Home Staging and enjoy the benefits of quality service.
So, if it is not clear enough, let me explain. The purpose of this group is to move the industry forward through communication with each other, the RE industry and the general public about the concept and benefits of STAGING. It is also our purpose to elevate the professional image of our industry by working together to that end and doing so RESPECTFULLY. Therefore, posts should be limited to the subject matter of staging and concepts we can all apply to our staging businesses for healthy growth.
So, if your post does not fall into that category by any stretch of the imagination, it will be deleted. Period.
Why do we have to be monitored?
Last time I checked, SIF had in excess of 2400 members. Not all are active members as many have joined so that they can use our group as a resource to learn more about what we do. That is the point of the group, so that is why they click over to read what we have written about staging. They do not come to read about family events, dance lessons or general pointlessness. There are other groups for that and that is why they join those groups as well. AR has set up the group features to seperate posts into categories, like online file folders. Would you look in the photography group for a post about home inspections? No. Unrelated posts clutter up the group and make it hard for outside readers to wade through the junk to get to the gems underneath. Isn't that the heart of what staging is all about? Our group should be staged for effect, no?
Is it Censorship?
No. If it were, we would rewrite your posts to make them completely acceptable to everyone and that is not the case. There are many posts that I personally have found offensive that have been left up because they do apply to the staging industry, no matter how insensitively the writer crafted their thoughts. WE do not have the capability of picking and choosing what parts of your blog will stay in the group, just whether the whole thing will and there is only on criteria for that - Does it apply to the staging industry or our individual staging businesses or blogs?
I don't think it's fair.
Simply put, that's too bad. We are all adults who are capable of following a few simple rules and if you do not agree with the rules as they are written or enforced, well, I can't do anything about that. There are so many groups where your unrelated - to- staging post would apply that you really are missing out by not seeking those groups out. I have found some excellent recipes in the recipes group and have learned loads of personal things about other stagers in the Stagers Coffee Clutch that makes me feel close to them, even if we have never met. I would never have done those things if I had not ventured away from SIF. Broaden you horizons.
There are a few other reasons to be deleted that you should be aware of:
1. Multiple posts. Sometimes you may accidentally post a blog multiple times. We will delete the excess, if you don't do it yourself. 2. Clear violation of AR Community guidelines. 3. Inappropriate photos within the post. We are about professionalism, people, semi naked people don't really project that image. (It has happened) 4. Inappropriate content, even if it is somehow made to look staging related. Again, professionalism.
Now, on to the last item relating to deletion:
The moderators are human. Sometimes we miss things. When the AR guys feature a post on the main page, it changes its position within the group listing and can sometimes lead to our having missed a post or two. If you point out that one post was deleted while others weren't, it may just lead to the deletion of all of the other posts you have mentioned. Or, maybe the other posts could have some small nugget within the content that can be applied to the criteria mentioned above while the deleted post didn't. It's a judgment call. Please trust our judgment.
So, if you want to continue to post whatever you like with total disregard to the focus of the group, we can't stop you. But, we can delete you. The good news is that we cannot delete it from your personal blog or any other group you may have posted it in. That is up to the moderators of that group, so you may want to check their guidelines as well.
In case you missed it, and the date on this post is confusing you, this is a 2 week review. A lot of things have happened here at SIF in the last two weeks.
We had a Big Debate. Some called it heated, and it may have been, but I don't read comments much with so many blogs to read. It seemed a valid discussion and one we all be having in earnest sooner or later if we are to advance our industry. Anyway, to the best of my ability, this is the thread:
Much more happened, but in case you missed it, these are some of the things that stuck in my mind over the past 2 weeks. And that is a pretty good testimony to the posts featured here as there were over 5 PAGES of blogs to review for this installation.
So, if you are curious what did not make the review, hit the post date command right under the featured posts, scroll back 5 pages and get comfortable!
My apologies again for not having the week in review up. If you have been on AR today, you know there are many glitches with the new features they have added.
I am crossing both fingers that you see this post, because I have not been able save a draft in any of the 5 times I have attempted to do so. All of my attempts to start a post have been lost the minute I hit the post button. I was trying to periodically save a draft as every two or three clicks through AR to link to other posts gets me logged out.
I know the AR guys are on it, becase Jon Washburn assures me they are. Kind of...
Anyway, I will restart the process in a word file and try to get it posted before you all decide to fire me...
Well, sorry to say that there isn't one at the moment.
You may have noticed that I have not posted the last two. Thanks to Kathleen Garvey and Karen Dembsky for covering those while I attended the All American Soapbox Derby Championships with my family (my youngest competed in the stock division).
And thanks, also to our phantom moderator who covered that for me while I was away. ;)
Anyway, it has been a crazy week after 8 days in Ohio - the laundry, the cleaning, 2 family birthdays, etc., etc., and furthermore, etc.... Today, I de-staged one property and delivered furniture to another (yes, I remember saying I was not going to do that anymore...I need to pay off some inventory...).
I am tired. It is after 10:00 at night and I have only been home for 20 minutes. I choose to sleep rather than review. I may do a double review next week as there is a THREAD that seems to be carrying on into this week that I find very interesting.
In any case, anyone willing to pitch in to review once in a while? I'd be willing to maintain a schedule so to maintain my sanity.
Sometimes we all feel like in promoting and actually doing our staging work, we are banging our heads against the wall. We ask ourselves why we understand the what and why of staging when so many others take so much longer to get it. Or don't at all.
This was a week where there seemed to be a lot of 'Head-banging' going on. Such As:
But, take heart, stagers! There is proof that people are getting it! They are looking to us for our expertise - or at least admitting we have some! The proof is here in SIF that they are starting to bang their heads right along with us:
My daughter races a soapbox derby car. Recently she won her local event and was awarded the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the All American Soapbox Derby Championship in Akron, Ohio.
Now, I confess that as supportive as I was of this pastime, I am not much involved in it. My husband used to be a race car driver and is very enthusiastic about it, so I let him take care of the whole of it. I like to say 'it is their Daddy/Daughter thing' and let them at it.
However, with her recent accomplishment, my involvement is now called upon as this championship requires a week long stay in Akron by the whole family during which we will attend many planned events. I certainly do not want to attend these events having no knowledge of the sport, so I was prompted to do a little research and find out what it really is all about.
That leads me to the point of this blog:
In doing my research, I stumbled upon some recent newspaper articles on Ohio.com that came as quite a surprise to me.
It seems that this much loved family pastime is struggling to keep its head above water because of lack of corporate sponsorship. In that past, companies such as Levi Strauss, Chevrolet, Home Depot and NASCAR have given what seems like (to me) nominal sponsorship fees considering the size of these corporations but have recently backed out for some reason or another, leaving the AASBD Association high and dry.
Admittedly, some of these sponsorship issues seem to stem from a past leadership problem within the AASBD itself, but new leadership is now in place and looking to rebuild. So how, you may ask, does this apply to Real Estate Companies and Realtors at large?
1. How many times have we heard - especially from national real estate companies - that all real estate is local? So it is with soapbox derby. The championship is a once a year - and as I've stated, often once in a lifetime - event, but the local associations are where the real activity happens, just like your local real estate office. Many local groups not only run their local championships, but what they call rallies as well. These rallies are run for racers to earn points and experience behind the wheel. Plus they have a whole lot of fun.
2. If a national company were to take advantage of the corporate sponsorship level, that would give their local offices the opportunity to market themselves in this venue as well (not that you couldn't do that anyway). Sponsorship at the local level happens in many ways. Some companies offer prizes, other give as little as $200 for a 'corporate' sponsorship for operating costs, others (such as myself) sponsor an individual racer to help them defray necessary racing expenses - just like NASCAR. That sponsorship need is based on the individual racer and can be as much as you are willing to give.
3. Most racers spend a minimum of $500 to build a car and any sponsorship is appreciated - and can get your logo on the side of their car. Believe me, these racers pay attention to who the sponsors are and patronize them out of pure appreciation. They are a die hard crowd and want to see the sport and those who support it thrive.
I'm sure I could come up with 100 more reasons why this is a worthy sport in which to invest your marketing dollars, but what it comes down to - for me - is that this is an organization that encourages family togetherness and community involvement like no other.
To encourage the family dynamic, the rules state that the child driver must be involved in the building of the vehicle, making it a joint effort between parent and child. The rules are designed to give everyone a fair chance at being a winner, but in the end, everyone is treated like one no matter where they placed.
In the realm of community, the individuals involved in this sport are there for the love of their kids, but are also very supportive of their competitors as well, much like we find here in the AR community. I can tell you that at our local association, there are few exceptions to that rule. Of course, there are a few who are there to win at any cost and are always looking to bend the rules to get ahead, but once their intentions are figured out, they are not much welcome among those who are there for the right reasons.
As my daughter climbed into her car for the champion- deciding run, she was cheered on by almost every parent and child she had previously beaten and was heartily congratulated on her win by those who quite reasonably could have been bitter at their own loss, but that is not the soapbox way. And who does not want to be part of that?
So, big real estate, I encourage you to put your national money where your local mouth is and give this sport a chance to make a financial comeback. Your community will love you for it.
Sometimes, you have to chose between your business and your life. I'm not talking about whether you chose to breathe or stage, I'm talking about making a choice to continue your business as is or change to better suit the needs of your personal life.
Over the past few months, I have known this choice was coming. Let me backtrack a little....
When I started my staging business 3 years ago, I had been a focused and dedicated stay at home mom for 10 years. Faced with empty and unfocused days as my youngest was starting full day kindergarten, I decided to follow a new path - start a business doing something I love. It seemed simple enough to work during the day and be home when the kids were home ... and it was, since no one had heard of staging at that point and I was spending the majority of my time teaching people what I do...not actually doing it. :(
As the business grew and I spent less and less time at home, I thought it would be okay, since the girls were getting older and much more independent. I was kidding myself. This past year has been the most difficult for my family, especially my oldest daughter. As we struggled through the last part of the school year, I denied that my job had anything to do with her issues, that it was just a bumpy year. This past week, I had an eye opening conversation with her that revealed just how unavailable I had become to this child who was on the verge of becoming a teenager.
While my business was flourishing, I was failing my child. And I find it completely unacceptable.
So, here are my choices? Keep growing my business, try to right everything in the mean time and hope we look back on this some day as a learning experience..... or make some changes to the business and make myself more available to the people who undoubtedly need me the most?
Well, this may be a hard decision for some people, but it is actually a no-brainer for me. I'm not a big believer in the 'having it all' lifestyle. I've seen too many moms who've kidded themselves for years that they are sacrificing nothing when in reality they are just not seeing what has been lost. So, I am adjusting the business. Drastically.
In reevaluating the past few years, I have determined that the portion of my business that takes me away from home the most and is the biggest drain on our lives is staging vacant homes. Not to mention that the inventory is taking over our house - and putting a huge strain on how we live in it. So, effective immediately, I will be phasing out his service from my business.
I will continue to consult for those I have partner agreements with, but will no longer be marketing myself to new agents or offices. Will my business survive? Well, I don't really know, but that is really not my main concern. My main concern is geting my relationship with my precious girls back on track so that they will have the stability they have been missing and need so badly. For now the business will just have to wait.
So...Your business or your Life? I choose life....
Conveniently located just off of State Road 49 in Chesterton, Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve is both an amazingly peaceful spot for a picnic or a nature walk and a nature photographers paradise.
Carefully planted with native foliage and wildflowers, it is also sprinkled with genius landscaping, rockscaping and engineered structures that include bridges, waterfalls, ponds and walking paths.
The main structural showpiece is an outdoor ampitheater that offers incorporated leveled seating and sits above the largest and most breathtaking waterfall in the preserve.
My girls and I were recently invited to picnic here with my family. At first, I was hesitant to go, as my girls aren't really the picnicing type - especially in such a peaceful spot. To my amazement, the girls embraced to the peacefulness of the spot and enthusiastically took it all in. They were even very patient with me as I indulged my obsession with the macro setting on my camera.
I truly believe that words cannot describe such a beautiful place. I will simply show you in the photos I was able to shoot that day.
As the foliage is destined to change with the season, I'm looking forward to going back and seeing the changes as they take place...and getting more photos.
Kimberly Wester's experiences, views and tutorials on staging in the real estate industry, with a focus on educating the RE industry on the benefits of home staging and bringing the staging community together under a united message.
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
they should expect to gain from our time together. I had completed that task and was well into the initial walk through with the client when the agent arrived. I had expected that she would just join us on the tour and things would continue as usual, but that was not the case. The first thing she did when joining us was inform us that she had just scheduled the first showing....in 24 hours.
another set of Round Table discussions designed to help us work together by communicating with one another to work out the bugs within our industry. (I stole Karen's graphic, isn't it nice?)
The way I see it, individual growth is really much more important than our growth as an industry, because the former has an definite benefit toward the latter. If we as individuals are willing to expand our horizons, it only works to expand the horizons of the industry as a whole. Janice Sutton learned 
First it was Connie Tebyani with ...... 
Posted by 
Home Staged by Non-Professional, yep it was me
chose to breathe or stage, I'm talking about making a choice to continue your business as is or change to better suit the needs of your personal life.
Conveniently located just off of State Road 49 in Chesterton, Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve is both an amazingly peaceful spot for a picnic or a nature walk and a nature photographers paradise.
;)
;)
