Recently an agent in my office thought it would be a great idea to have a Professional Stager come teach agents how to properly stage a home for sale. (Thanks Lana) So she contacted a company called, Staged Homes which was founded by Barb Schwarz . They sent a very lively, enthusiatic, professional instructor to us and for $299.00 and two days of class instruction as well as hands on staging of a property. It was phenominal! I learned so much and now look at a home in a totally different way. I use to go on a listing appointment and perhaps suggest that the owner pack up their bazillion collections of Hummels and Snowbabies, but just merely a suggestion. This degree and knowledge has given me the confidence to truly tell sellers what they need to do to sell their home. They aren't selling all their pretty things, they are selling space! It brings values to my owners in presenting their property in the best possible way. It also allows me to market their properties on yet another internet site, Staged Homes.com. The class had 30 students, some agents were from my office, but many were from other Real Estate companies. This was a great bonding experience as well. It was just one more reason for me to feel good about being in business with such high minded, out of the box thinkers, who are constantly looking at opportunities to grow and make us just one step ahead! In this challenging market......every little bit helps!!