Gina McNew Host of Diva in the House-'s Blog

Take Time Out From Celebrating Our Nations Independence to Celebrate RESA'S Stager Idol Winner Kathleen Garvey

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:52:34 -0500

This 4th of July while you are enjoying some down time and before the fireworks take to the sky, join me on Diva in the House~The Voice of Real Estate Staging while I congratulate RESA'S Stager Idol Winner Kathleen Garvey. Kathleen, owner of Enhanced Interiors in Fort Meyers Florida, will be joining me on air at 1 p.m. eastern time to tell me what has happened to her since hearing she won the contest and share her thoughts and passions about the Staging Industry.

Tune in at www.radiosandysprings.com and hear us live on the home page. If you are unable to get away from the picnic table at that time, come back 2 to 3 business days later and listen at your leisure by visiting the archived page at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php Kathleen is a very talented stager ( as witnessed by her Idol entry) and a very sweet and friendly person to speak with. I recently found out that we share another love besides our professions and that's a total passion for SEC football! Sorry Kathleen...had to throw that in there! It's not often I get to chat with another Gator! Go Gators...and Go Kathleen....continued success to you always!

Cheers!

I'm Ready to Get My Frockz On! Are you???

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:27:31 -0500

I know...you tuned in just to find out what the " frockz" I was blogging about. Living in Atlanta and being an America's Mart Regular, I love when Market time is approaching as my mail box spills over with invites and product updates of new things appearing at the Mart. Here is one company that really got my attention. They are called Frockz and their website is simply www.frockz.com They are like " slip covers " for lamp shades. They are removable, washable and versatile. What a great way to update a lamp or keep your lighting inventory on trend without having to purchase a whole new lamp or search for just the right shade to compliment a decor.

I am looking forward to seeing the items up close and personally during the Home Furnishings Market July 11-15th. Check out their web site...I think you will agree that these are very cool!

Happy Browsing!

Cheers!

Be Prepared Is Not Just a Motto for the Boy Scouts! Establishing A Relationship With A Furniture Rental Company

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:49:15 -0500

I was very fortunate in my Staging Training years ago that my instructor Christine Rae made visiting with a furniture rental company a part of our time together. This added benefit provided me with the necessary tools for when that first call from an Agent came requesting a staging of a vacant property. I didn't have to go in to a panic or suffer on the job training as I knew exactly who to call and how to go about setting up that transaction. My ability to answer the Realtor's questions with confidence helped to secure a long term relationship.

I strongly suggest that every Home Stager have an established relationship with a local furniture rental company so that like any good Boy Scout~They are prepared! Whether you own your inventory or not, some times needs come along that you may not be able to handle and business can be lost by not having a plan B. I find that many Stagers do not have a Rental Company Representative in their arsenal. Fortunately there are women like Candice Love-Lightfoot ready, willing and able to provide solutions with rental furnishings. Candice works with Aaron Rents in my area of Atlanta and knows how valuable a relationship with the Staging Industry is. She has personally seen the needs of the Staging Industry increase in the market and has not only worked to be prepared for them, but has made it a point to make contact with many local Stagers to say hello and establish a business relationship.

Candice will be sharing her wealth of information on how to work with a furniture rental company this Friday at 1p.m. Eastern time on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging Radio. Tune in to learn how to establish a relationship with a furniture rental company, know how to use this relationship to build a more successful business and be able to provide your clients with all their furniture and accessory needs. To learn more about Aaron Furniture Rental you can visit their national website at www.aaronscf.com Even if you do not have the benefit of having a local Aaron's in your area, Candice's insight will be beneficial regardless of who you end up doing business with in the furniture rental industry.

Tune in at www.radiosandysprings.com If you are unable to hear the live broadcast, visit our show page at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php 2 to 3 business days later to hear the archived show and any of our other numerous shows.

VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR~WHATS IT DOING FOR REAL ESTATE?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:28:14 -0500

Does anyone remember the song Video Killed the Radio Star? Back when MTV first started ( yes, I do remember that event ), some artists actually saw a decline in their album ( yes they had those then) sales due to the fact that once they could be seen and not just heard, they were no longer as popular.

Look at what the power of photos and video has done to the Real Estate Market. The way Real Estate is being sold and bought has changed dramatically and nothing that I know of has had more of an impact then the internet. A photo tour can literally make or break the possibility of a sale. A prospective Buyer will decide simply by the images presented on the MLS page whether or not a home is even worth visiting. If we can't get a Buyer to a property, we can't get the property sold.

Besides just the standard still photographs, there are 360 degree tours available of the property. I particularly love the tours that also offer a voice over to capture the " emotional feel " of actually walking through the home. People viewing a property from many miles away literally get the benefit of knowing what it would " feel " like to live in that particular home. This is a valuable tool being used to physically bring Buyers to visit a home. One such company that offers this exceptional service is Knightymestudios.com. Owner Tom Knight will be sharing his expertise on home tours this Friday, June 20th at 1 p.m. eastern time on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging. You can find Tom's profile right here on Active Rain and if you are a reader of Karen Dembsky's blogs you will be able to see some of his work which is absolutely fabulous!

Hope you will join us at www.radiosandysprings.com or listen to the archived show at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php

Cheers!

Publicity...You Want It, You Need It, But How Do You Get It???

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:08:29 -0500

Hi All;

I am very excited to welcome to the Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging show Joan Stewart, a.k.a. The Publicity Hound. For those of you not familiar with Joan, are you in for a treat! Joan knows all the tips and tricks to getting Publicity for you and your business without spending a fortune!

Here are some of the things we hope to cover in our hour together:

"How to Promote Your Expertise Online and Offline and Generate Thousands of Dollars in Free Publicity."

The media love experts. They quote them. They write articles about them. They invite them onto programs like "Nightline" and "20/20." They come back to them again and again. Consumers love experts, too, and call on them to help solve a variety of problems. Consumers also buy products and services offered by experts. Publicity expert Joan Stewart, also known as The Publicity Hound, is a former newspaper editor who will share the secrets of how to promote your expertise online and offline. She'll show you how to determine whether you're an expert and, if you aren't, what you need to do to become one. Joan will also tell us how to form strong relations with media people and get thousands of dollars in free publicity.

You will learn:

--Where to start your publicity campaign and shortcuts that will save time

--The Number One thing journalists expect you to do when you contact them

--When you want the journalist to write the story, and when you can write yourself

--How to determine if you're an expert and what to do if you aren't

--How to jump to the next level of expertise

--Joan's all-time favorite fun ways for experts to generate publicity

--The scoop on press releases-why you must write them and the big benefit, even though journalists delete 99 out of 100 press releases

--The one thing you MUST have if you want to get onto TV

--The easiest way to get into big national magazines...this is so simple you'll wonder why you haven't been doing it for years

--The one group of people online that are in the position to create the biggest buzz for your story

--The one thing you can do that afternoon (it will take you less than 10 minutes) that will start pulling to your website immediately.

As you can see...we have lots of territory to cover during our interview. We'll cover all we can and then you can check out Joan's web site at www.thepublicityhound.com Be sure to sign up for Joan's free newsletter. I am serious when I say that I look forward to them, print them and use her tips regularly with amazing results!

Hope you'll join us this Friday, June 13th at 1 p.m. eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com

Also...for all of you who enjoy the shows about running a successful business...check out my brand new show, The Diva Success Network, airing June 12th at 1 p.m. eastern time. The first mastermind group on the airwaves for fempreneurs by fempreneurs. Weekly we will bring forth some of the most inspriring, successful women ( and men ) in the business world today! I won't be able to blog about the show here...but if you are interested in learning more, or subscribing to our ezine, you can send an email to designbydivas@aol.com and request our newsletter. This Thursday tune in to Merci Miglino the Author of From Doormat to Diva...you will be wowed for sure!

Cheers!

DATE MY HOUSE...IT'S SINGLE AND AVAILABLE

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:28:44 -0500

Are you all familiar with the fairly new television show running on the Discovery Channel's TLC Network called Date My House? The premise of the show as stated on the TLC home page is,

"In today's increasingly difficult real estate market, eager sellers need to get creative to sell their property. As a result, they are turning to new and unexpected ways to interest - and capture - potential buyers. These buyers are also approaching the possible purchase as seriously as they would finding the right spouse - seeing as many prospects as possible and doing whatever it takes to determine if the pairing is indeed a perfect match. To move the courtship along, TLC plays matchmaker in the series Date My House, hosted by Bob Guiney and co hosted by Designer Nadia Geller."

What was so funny is when word of this show first circulated, I was getting emails left and right with people asking, "Is this You?" I have been doing a presentation for the past couple of years called Date My House~Your Home on the Real Estate Market. I wished it was me...but no, I had nothing to do with the format of the show or the production company...DARN IT! I do find it interesting however that someone else saw the correlation between buying a home and dating someone...or better yet...putting yourself on the dating market after having been off of it for years.

Join me this Friday June 6th at 1 p.m. Eastern time as I welcome to Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging the Date My House Show's Designer, Nadia Geller. Nadia and I will discuss the premise of the new show, the trials and tribulations, and out of the box marketing ideas that any one can be applying to get their Home Sold in today's market place. Remember the old commercial line..." It's not your Dad's oldsmobile"...I like to say " It's not your Dad's Real Estate Market ". How we get homes sold is changing...and this show brings to light just how far some people are willing to go to get it done!

Tune in to Date My House Saturday evenings on TLC at 8:30 p.m. Tune in to Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging every Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com Come back any time to listen to the archived shows at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php

Do You Really Know How to Determine Your Niche Market??? Stop Wasting Your Advertising Dollars!

Wed, 28 May 2008 19:35:22 -0500

For many of you who are fans of the weekly radio show, you have heard me say over and over again Niche Marketing is one of the major tools for business success. Especially in today's economy...you need to know your market clearly so that every dollar you invest in your marketing gives you a clear and concise ROI. It's imperative! I am so delighted to be welcoming on to the show Wendy Gray Maynard otherwise known as the Marketing Maven. I found Wendy some time ago and took a program that she offered on Remarkable Marketing. I am a huge fan of niche marketing ( actually any marketing...it's an absolute passion of mine). I was so completely blown away by Wendy's 22 page report on identifying and working with your niche market that I felt compelled to personally write her to tell her so. That conversation led to the invitation for her to join me on the radio show. I feel very honored to have her as a guest and I am so excited to share her with all of you. Wendy has said that she will make that report available to all of you who tune in. I can not stress enough how thorough her program is. You will be amazed at what you can learn and how you can then apply those principles to your business to see immediate results.

Join Wendy and I this Friday, May 30th at 1 p.m. eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com If you can't make the live show...look for the archived version 2 to 3 business days later at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php. You can visit Wendy's site at www.gomarketingmaven.com and sign up for her free e-zine.

I am excited to welcome Wendy and also to celebrate my 50th show!!! Thank you to Certified Staging Professionals for the most amazing opportunity. What a ride it has been and continues to be!

Cheers!

If You Have to Ask What A Web Site Coach Does~ You May Need Their Services

Wed, 21 May 2008 18:03:30 -0500

Recently I was in a conversation with a man who I was hoping to hire to do some web site work for me. During our time together, I mentioned that I was going to be interviewing someone on the radio show who is a Web Site Coach. He looked at me and asked, " Why Would Anyone Need A Website Coach"? That is when it occurred to me...if you need to ask that question, chances are you need to hire one. ( and chances are I may need to put the help wanted sign back up).

When I mentioned this conversation to Christine Chubenko...well, did she have lots to say! Christine Chubenko is in fact a Website Coach. Let's face it, how many of us really know what we should know when it comes to designing a web site? Websites are imperative to a business owner in today's high tech world. What however should we know before we invest money in to developing these sites? It's not all about the pretty...are we driving visitor's to our web sites and better yet, are we causing those visitors to become our clients? Are we getting as good a return on investment as we can? What are the do's and don'ts of owning a successful web site?

Tune in Friday, May 23 at 1 p.m. eastern time to Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging at www.radiosandysprings.com My guest is Christine Chubenko from www.yourwebsitecoach.net You can read some wonderful articles written by Christine at http://www.yourwebsitecoach.net/articles.htm This is an hour of information you won't want to miss. This show, as well as all of our shows will be archived in 2 to 3 business days after the live show at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php

Cheers!

Branding for the 21st Century~What Every Business Owner Must Know to Profit from their Passion. Join the Radio Interview!

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:05:03 -0500

Hi All;

Just a quick reminder of tomorrow's radio show guest and topic. Liz Pabon, other wise known as The Branding Maven (http://www.thebrandingmaven.com/) will be my guest tomorrow, Friday, May 9th at 1 p.m. eastern time at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/ Unable to join the live broadcast? Visit the show page at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php 2 to 3 business days later to find the archived version for download or visit I-Tunes and look for the downloads from Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging sponsored by Certified Staging Professionals.

Liz Pabon has worked with countless business owners including Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, Decorators etc. to teach them the secrets of success through personal branding. Many small business owners ignore the value of designing their brand. Here are some words taken directly from Liz's site, "You see, many small business entrepreneurs launch their marketing campaigns without considering what it is they are truly marketing. The only way to succeed in the 21st century, achieve your professional goals and take command of your market is to differentiate yourself and communicate your unique and distinct brand - the ‘why you' question must be answered loud and clear. Yes, you can differentiate your product or service, and you should, but guess what? If people aren't FIRST sold on you, your products will collect dust on the shelf and your services will never be experienced".

Tune in tomorrow to hear Liz speak on the topic Branding for the 21st Century: What Every Business Owner Must Know to Profit from their Passion. If you can't wait until then to find out more about Liz, visit her web site and sign up for her very valuable and insightful newsletters. This will be one informative hour anyone looking to increase their share in the market place won't want to miss.

Cheers!

The Open House Shuffle Duffle~A Gift For Home Sellers

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:53:54 -0500

Hi Everyone;

I wanted to share one of my favorite marketing tools. I give all my home sellers what I affectionately call " The Shuffle Duffle". I take one of those fold down laundry baskets, ( you know the kind you give to your college dorm dwellers ) and stuff it full of necessary items for a quick tidy up. I put in a pack of window cleaning wipes, furniture wipes, a lint roller and whistle. The window and furniture wipes are for a quick wipe up of any messes and or finger prints...the lint roller is for pet hair when running the vacuum isn't an option and the whistle...well that's the call to arms for those sellers who have children. I tell my sellers how to use the shuffle duffle and they absolutely love it. When a Realtor calls to say they are on their way...the seller retrieves their laundry bag filled with all the above items from the closet. The whistle is blown to alert the other home occupants to go grab their laundry bags and get to work. All items that are out of place such as shoes, children's games, magazines etc are tossed in to the laundry bag. The bags are then brought out to the car with the home sellers as they leave the house ( because it is strongly recommended that they not be home during showings ). On their return to the house, they simply empty out their bags, putting the items back where they belong and putting their shuffle duffle back in the closet with all of the necessary last minute clean up tools until the next Realtor's call. To make it even more of a marketing tool...you can get inexpensive luggage tags and place your business card in them and hang that on the laundry bag. I use these at all of my seller's seminars showing a home seller how to put together their own emergency pack and then raffle off the one that I have brought for demonstration purposes. The Realtors and sellers in attendance always laugh over them while loving the value of them. You can put this whole thing together for little money. I buy the foldable laundry bags at Walgreens where they are priced 2 for $5.00. You can buy the furniture and glass wipes along with great little lint rollers at the dollar store for a buck a piece. I have also found the whistles there as well. So you are talking about $6 to $7.00 total investment. The writers of the Home Staging for Dummies book thought it was such a fun concept that it is being featured in the new book. Another item I some times include is small playing games...again, easily found at the dollar store. I tell my home sellers to leave the little games in the bag so when they leave their house with their children, they can just drive to a park or playground and the little ones will have something to entertain themselves with while they are staying away from the house during the showing. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy and Cheers!

Your Most Valuable Tool is Not In Your Toolbox!

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:47:42 -0500

I can almost guarantee that the most valuable tool anyone of us who owns a small business can posses is not kept in our toolboxes. For a successful business to grow and flourish, we need the best marketing tools available. We can be very talented decorators/stagers and or home sellers, but without successful marketing our businesses may not reach the level of success that we hope for. For some, our business can fail well before we get them off the ground because we are at a loss as to the how's and why's of growing a successful business. The old adage...build it and they will come...is sure to put you in the poor house if you do not have a wise marketing plan in place.

I am passionate about marketing. I am fortunate in that I have met some of the most successful marketers in our industry today. I have invited many of them to join me on the air to discuss how they became the successful entrepreneurs they are. This month I will be welcoming many talented women to share their stories and inspiration on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging. I hope you will tune in to the following line up to find ideas and inspiration that will help take your business to the next level. The three most important marketing tools every successful business must have are a unique and recognizable brand, a web site that not only brings you visitors, but makes them customers and lastly the ability to identify and reach a niche market.

The following guests can help you to reach your goals:

May 9: Liz Pabon, The Branding Maven (http://www.thebrandingmaven.com/) Liz will show you how to establish a brand that will make you stand out amongst your competitors. Visit her website today to get started by receiving her free newsletter and guide.

May 16: TerryLynn Fisher and Kym Hough: Two of the most successful women in the staging industry share their tips on how to grow your staging business and introduce us to their newest project, the Stager's List. (www.stagerslist.com)

May 23: Christine Cherbenko, Your Website Coach ( http://www.yourwebsitecoach.net/) Before you waste a lot of money on a website, find out what works. Christine will coach us on how to have a well developed website where you not only attract visitors, but gain customers.

May 30^th: Wendy Gray Maynard, Marketing Maven (http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/) Wendy has put together a program to help you identify your niche market. I actually participated in this seminar and it was fabulous! She teaches you how identifying and then marketing to a very specific niche market is the recipe for success.

Shows air every Friday at 1 p.m. eastern time on http://www.radiosandysprings.com/ All shows are archived 2 to 3 business days later for your convenience. Archived shows are available at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php You can also find our shows on I-tunes.

If you are serious about taking your business to the next level and need to know how to make that happen...I can guarantee you will get some of the best information out there from the above mentioned guests.

Craig Schiller Live Today at 1 P.M. Eastern Time on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging Radio

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:06:43 -0500

Reminder: Catch Craig Schiller live at 1 p.m. Eastern time, April 25th at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/ Craig will be speaking on the myths and misconceptions of Home Staging. Many of Craig's recent blog articles have found their way to national News Organizations. Craig is very passionate about the Home Staging Industry and so I am very excited to have him as a guest on the show.

Hope you will all be able to tune in today. If you miss the live show, return to the link www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php on Tuesday of next week to download the archived show.

Cheers!

Myths and Misconceptions of Home Staging with Craig Schiller this Friday on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:43:01 -0500

Recently we have noticed a lot of discussion on Active Rain and through numerous other forums about what people think Staging is. From a comment in a newspaper warning that Staging is just a bowl of fruit to the concept that Price really is the deciding factor and no amount of Staging can change that...there are a lot of myths and misconceptions floating around about the successful advantages of working with a Home Stager. Numerous times during these types of discussion, a particular voice stands out with amazing clarity and substantial knowledge. That voice is the voice of Craig Schiller.

I am delighted to be welcoming Craig to discuss these issues this Friday, April 25th at 1 p.m. Eastern time on Radio Sandy Springs. Listen live on the home page at www.radiosandysprings.com If you are unable to join us during the live airing, visit www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php 2 to 3 business days later for the archived podcast.

I invite everyone to join us for a very informative hour.

Cheers!

How to Avoid the Dreaded "Yeabuts" and Increase a Seller's Motivation

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:18:46 -0500

Want to know the secret to avoiding the dreaded " yeabuts"? First I need to explain a " yeabut" to those of you who are not familiar with the term. " Yeabut " is the response you some times get when you are talking to someone about their need to repaint, repair or replace. When meeting one on one with a home owner preparing to put their property on the market you can hear lots of " yeabuts". A "yeabut" is when the seller hears what you are saying and may even agree with it, BUT they have an excuse for not wanting to do it. No amount of persuasive commentary will reach their mindset. Why? When someone is being told they have to do something that they don't want to do, they stop fully listening to you. As you continue to talk, their mind races to work on the rebuttal they are going to give the moment your mouth stops moving. It's simply psychology. When a person feels as though they have to defend their actions ( wallpaper, loud color choices, clutter etc.) they automatically start planning their defensive rebuttal. We all do it on a daily basis in numerous areas of our lives. If you are a parent you are well versed in the theory of " yeabuts". "Didn't I tell you to clean up that room before you played video games?" "Yeah, but",....insert any one of the numerous excuses here.

Now that you know what a " yeabut" is, here's a great way to avoid them. I hold seller presentations on preparing your house for sale. In a large group setting I can list off all the things that are usual problems in a property not showing to its best. I can talk about the evils of dated wallpaper, crowded and cluttered rooms, landscape issues, dated fixtures etc. Any one of the items I speak on can be found in one of those seller's homes, but I am speaking in general terms and not pointing a finger at that one particular person. They can safely HEAR what I'm saying and focus on LISTENING to the reasons why these items need to be addressed. They are so focused, that they are taking pages and pages of notes. They are fully engrossed in LISTENING and UNDERSTANDING. I even explain the theory of the " yeabuts" and while doing so I can guarantee there is not only a lot of head nods but laughter because we are all human and we all do it.

There's another great benefit to holding these seller seminars and that speaks to the theory of motivation. This theory revolves around group mentality. I make it a priority to mention at the close of the seminar the fact that all those people sitting next to you are also home sellers. Armed with their new knowledge they are going to go home and get to work on all those things we just talked about. Don't you want your property to show as well as the neighbor who also is competing to sell their home? Nothing like a little friendly competition to rally the troops.

Realtors are always grateful for the seminars. It makes their job a lot easier in that they know the seller HEARD the message and can hope that the seller will know better then to use "yeabut" as an excuse. The seller understands the need to be pro-active in the sale of their own home and the Realtor can feel some relief in knowing that the property will show some improvements. I encourage all Realtors to consider using these great seller seminars for all their clients. Call a professional home stager in your area today to discuss how together you can make a difference in the way properties get SOLD. That leads me to another blog on why a Realtor/Stager team is so beneficial, but since I need to get to the radio station, I will leave that for another time.

Cheers!

8 Costly Feng Shui Mistakes

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:30:26 -0500

I would like to share with you an article from my friend Suzee Miller. Suzee is a feng shui master. If you ever thought of learning more about feng shui for your personal living enjoyment or to incorporate it as an added benefit to the services you provide, check out Suzee's site. I have known Suzee for a while. Suzee's remedies are always 100% accurate. Not a conversation ends that I haven't learned something new from Suzee that completely motivates and inspires me. I would like to invite you all to get to know Suzee like I have and sign up for her free newsletter. There are so many great free articles and tools available on the site. http://fengshui4re.com/

Here's Suzee's 8 Costly Feng Shui Mistakes

1. By far the biggest mistake is "not believing" that Feng Shui works in marketing and selling property, FASTER.

Keep in mind, it was "less than" 15 yrs ago that REALTORS® couldn't comprehend a "computer" replacing an MLS book, let alone the Internet taking over the industry! As the adage goes: "Don't knock it until you've tried it."

Inflexibility and/or "not" knowing the "basic" principles of Feng Shui can not only cost you a listing or sale, but eventually cost you your livelihood as well!

2. No specific target - Feng Shui works best when you focus on a specific goal or target area of a property that needs attention, and work it first.

Feng Shui "remedies" are more important than "enhancements" but both are critically important to a sale!

3. Believing that Feng Shui is about the occult, astrology and superstition and that it has nothing to do with real estate, is not only a mistake, but a MYTH too.

Feng Shui is the study of Quantum Physics - ENERGY - how "energy flows" in, through and around land, homes, offices and listings. It has nothing to do with philosophy or religion.

JUMP outside the box of the "mundane" (bad news and press) and learn "proven" sales and marketing techniques that work in any market, economy or country - and start selling property in record time.

You are "only" limited by limited thinking!

4. Feng Shui is not difficult - it's fun, fast and easy to learn. However, one of the biggest mistakes REALTORS® make is "over-doing" remedies and enhancements to property.

There are "only" 3 gua areas in a listing that should be "energized," plus the BONUS one. To do more areas than this can actually hurt the prospects of a sale, instead of help it!

5. Most REALTORS® mistake staging for Feng Shui. These are two "very" different modalities.

It's an art and science that uses the Ba-gua (NINE square grid) , YIN/YANG theory and FIVE elements to bring "land and structures" into harmony and balance. The goal of good Feng Shui is to create "positive life force" ENERGY that takes a buyer's breath away!

6. Skipping to the fun part of Feng Shui by overlooking clutter and debris inside and outside a property is a common mistake REALTORS® make.

Space clearing clutter is one of the most powerful ways of shifting ENERGY. It's an effective agent of POSITIVE change that helps to bring a property into balance. A Balanced property sells 10 times faster than one that is cluttered and/or missing one or more of the FIVE elements!

7. Ignoring "proper" placement, missing corners, poison arrows and other "glaring" Feng Shui problems is a common problem of real estate professionals. Failure to correct and/or remedy such problems is detrimental to the marketability of "any" property.

Proven templates, techniques, enhancements and remedies for Feng Shui WORK, and Work FAST when using those "designed" specifically for Real Estate!

8. Not completing all the Feng Shui remedies and enhancements for a Home, Office or Commercial building, leaves "Your" Listing out of Balance.

A "balanced" property acts like a MAGNET to attract buyer and contract activity. In addition, a BALANCED listing creates friendlier relations (buyers, sellers and agents), easier transactions and smoother closings!

The Diva in the House Radio show is Going Green and We Are Tickled Pink!

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:57:48 -0500

Hi Everyone;

Just wanted to invite you to tune in this Friday at 1 p.m. Eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com for Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging. We are going Green this week! I am excited to be welcoming Frank Fontana of HGTV'S Design on a Dime. Frank is a huge advocate of going green and works diligently in bringing changes through his design work. Frank will share easy to do, environmentally friendly changes anyone can do in their own home.

My second guest is Carson Matthews. Carson is an ECO-Broker here in the Atlanta area. Carson is also passionate about going green and will explain the new ECO-Broker affiliation and what that means to the way houses are being sold and bought. You can read more about Carson at his personal blog page, www.thebuckheadblog.com

I am looking forward to our hour together and hope you will be able to join us. All shows are archived 2 to 3 business days after the live airing. Visit all our archived shows at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php.

Cheers!

A New Inquiring Minds Want to Know...My Interview with TerryLynn Fisher

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:55:35 -0500

I hope that you all had the opportunity to listen in on my interview with TerryLynn Fisher this past Friday. She was an absolutely fabulous guest and I was sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of the knowledge she would be sharing with me. Being in the Real Estate business for over 30 years...and being such a strong advocate for the value and need of property staging, I was excited for the opportunity to get her perspective. I could have listened to her for hours! Unfortunately the hour flew bye and just as we were needing to say our goodbyes she let loose a little secret. WHAT??? You wait until the final moment to allude to what has been billed as, " a meeting of those scary ladies ?" You know the one...it's been blogged about in the past week and it's gotten all of our attention....WHAT COULD THESE THREE BE UP TO???

I looked at the clock on the sound booth wall...NO...STOP TICKING....TerryLynn is about to divulge the " BIG SECRET "...but the next thing I knew the sound girl was giving me the hook...I was so flabbergasted that I even screwed up my weekly sign off.

I blew it...I blew the opportunity to unveil the details. I, like the rest of you, will continue to have to wait for the BIG REVEAL. All I can share with you is that TerryLynn was literally gushing excitement for all of the brainstorming that took place. Can you imagine what amazing thoughts, ideas and creativity would come forth from these AMAZING WOMEN OF STAGING??? Well my fellow curiosity seekers, we will have to be patient and count the days until May 1. TerryLynn alluded that the unveiling of this mighty union will take place then.

OKAY Ladies...Inquiry minds want to know and will be eagerly waiting...I have ~~begged~~ invited TerryLynn to return to the air with me at that time so we can further continue our discussion. YOU WON'T GET AWAY SO EASILY NEXT TIME MS. FISHER!!!

To hear TerryLynn's interview, visit www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.phpany time after Tuesday, April 8th for the archived podcast.

Cheers!

Spring is in the Air and On the Air with Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging Radio

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:26:28 -0500

We are welcoming SPRING all this month on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging. Tune in every Friday at 1 p.m. eastern time at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/.

April 4th: Guest TerryLynn Fisher will help SPRING FORWARD business success. TerryLynn was recently nominated the 2007 RESA Staging Realtor of the Year!

April 11th: Guest Sharon Capehart SPRINGS results with her program " Positively Women "

Sharon educates women on how to be successful in business, and be in control of their personal lives, so that they can aspire to their own dreams and aspirations. Visit www.positivelywomen.com

April 18th: Guests Frank Fontana of HGTV'S Decorating on a Dime and Eco-Broker Carson Mathews SPRING FORTH Eco Friendly Design for Living and Selling.

April 25th: Guest Craig Schiller of Realestaging and creator of Stage It Forward will SPRING IN numerous, valuable tips on all things Staging.

Spring is in the air and on the air every Friday in April. We hope you will join us!!!

All shows are archived 2 to 3 business days after the live air date. Log in to www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php

WHAT'S THE POINT(S)???

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:21:35 -0500

Okay, I have to admit. I had went to bed knowing that I had to post this blog this morning and so I was quite tickled when I read on the dashboard this morning that AR had decided there was no longer any point to the points and the powers that be were going to remove them immediately.

When I first came to AR nearly 5 months ago, I hadn't paid any attention to the point system. I saw I had some, but I didn't know what they were for and honestly didn't care. I had stumbled upon AR strictly by accident and thought it would be a good place for me to spread word about the radio/podcast show devoted to Professional Home Staging. This was the target audience that I was needing to reach.

It wasn't until a conversation that I had with Bob Stewart that I even understood the point system and why it was first established. Again...nice thought and I could see the value, but still, by that point ( pardon the pun) I was already hooked and it didn't matter to me one way or the other. WHY???

FRIENDSHIP: New friends made and old friends rediscovered.
RESOURCES: From tools I didn't know existed to furniture finds and bargains galore ( Thanks Nora)
MARKETING TIPS: The wealth of information shared is unbelievable!
MEME'S: I now know what a meme is and have truly enjoyed discovering interesting glimpses into the lives of others. ( Thanks Juliana)
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE: I literally feel as though I've learned more techie stuff from this forum then anything I would have learned from a traditional education in a classroom. Until just recently, I thought a blog was a medical condition...now I'm blogging with the best of them and in numerous locations.
SHOW TOPICS AND GUESTS: Much of what I have learned has inspired many of the topics I research for the show and thanks to the RAIN, I have had some wonderful guests...Karen Dembsky, Craig Schiller, Nora Marek, Kathy Neilson, Bob Stewart...and the list grows....
UNEXPECTED SURPRISES: In posting about a product, I actually got the warmest greeting from the product's inventors who had some how been told about my blog and actually got to meet one of the partners for lunch. We have since formed a friendship.
STAGE IT FORWARD ROUND TABLE: The ability to lunch and learn with fellow professional stagers in my area whom I would not have had the pleasure of meeting.
LAUGHTER: On any given day I can turn to the Rain and find myself chuckling over stories of misfortunes, good fortunes, Roosters ( Elaine ), Loo's ( Mary Lou), Staging Antics (Audrey ).etc.
EDUCATION: I truly believe that time spent on active rain is no different then time spent at conferences and seminars ( minus the open bar of course ). This is no different then any other continuing education course out there. I have learned so much from so many that I could spend the rest of the day naming those people who have taught me something new or further increased my knowledge on a subject. From the Real Estate Professionals, to the Marketing Guru's to my fellow Professional Stagers and Designers.
PAY IT FORWARD: I have learned so much and reaped so many rewards, that I in turn have passed along the benefits to others and have witnessed first hand how the Rain has benefited these people as well. I now enjoy seeing their posts and feeling excited for them when I see that they have been so warmly welcomed. I speak so much about the Rain that I must appear to be a paid spokesperson. Which I'm not...but hey...if the job opens...I'm available. ( ;

Months On Active Rain........................5

Numbers of Points Earned....................20,000+

EXPERIENCE......................................PRICELESS!

THANK YOU!

Cheers!

TerryLynn Fisher to be a Guest on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging this Friday, April 4th at 1 p.m. Eastern

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:39:12 -0500

I am very excited for the pleasure to speak with TerryLynn Fisher. In preparation for our show, TerryLynn has shared some of the topics she would like to address during our interview and I can tell it's going to be a great learning experience for us all.

Some of the items we hope to discuss are... the biggest challenges Stagers face, helping a new Realtor client to see the value in working with a professional Stager, speaking to a home seller about staging and curb appeal, what is the difference in curb appeal in a buyer's market versus a seller's market? Plus so much more!

How valuable it will be to get the perspective of someone as successful as TerryLynn in both the Real-estate and Home Staging professions. TerryLynn was recently named the RESA 2007 Staging Realtor of the year. This is an hour of information you don't want to miss. Join us live at 1 p.m. eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com You will find the show on the home page. If you are unable to join us at that time, check back 2 to 3 business days later for the archived show at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php

Have a specific staging question that you would like to get answered? Leave any questions in this blog and we will attempt to get them answered on Friday's show.

Cheers!

"Enquiry Minds Want to Know"-But Trust Me This is a True Story.

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:41:47 -0500

After reading a post by Nicole Hurst I was reminded of one of my own " competitor " stories. Nicole had just received a call from someone disguised as a possible client, but obviously a nosy competitor.

To be perfectly honest...if I had a dollar for all those calls and emails when I first launched my business, I wouldn't have had to stage or design at all. In the beginning I was even helpful to those who called or wrote to inquire about my business and ask my opinion about what type of classes to take. Then it just started to go too far. I had a woman call me far too often. Each and every call was a " fishing expedition". Eventually I just started to politely not answer her questions, but refer her time and time again to this course or that course. She continually responded that she didn't have the money to take a course and that she needed instead to buy a new car. You could have knocked me over with a feather the day I got a call from her telling me that it was official. She had launched her business. I then congratulated her and asked her what training she decided to take. Her response...and I kid you not was ..."Oh...I didn't take any training. I know I have a God given talent. I needed to buy a car so I went ahead and purchased a jaguar. On my very first appointment when I was driving up to the security gates of my client's home, I knew that my car purchase was the right one for me. Can you imagine how impressed my client's are to see me pull up in a jag?" ( I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP )...All I kept visualizing was her home made printed business cards with her name and one of the following sets of initials after it...Ms. Jones J.A.G. or Ms. Jones G.O.D. At the time I was the president of the area chapter Interior Design Society. At one of our monthly meetings I had found that she had phoned numerous chapter members for the same fishing expeditions. I have no idea if she is still in business or if her business is doing well, but I can now tell those people who inquire which training courses are best that there is now a school designation known as JAG.

Some times you just have to laugh....What about you? What is your favorite " fishing story?"

Cheers!

Inexpensive and Versatile Wall Art Perfect for Staging

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:43:41 -0500

I am always on the look out for fantastic, affordable art. I stumbled across this product some time ago and unfortunately it got lost in a " I have to check that out when I have more time " pile. Anyone else have a bunch of those??? Fortunately the spring cleaning bug bit and we were once again reunited. The company name is Textile Arts. You can create instant art in under an hour to make marimekko. With just a staple gun and an iron you can have a framed piece of art for any wall. They offer two kits. The frame kit includes 4 stretchers, picture wire, eyehooks and instructions. You supply whatever type of fabric. They also offer a fabric kit that includes all of the above, plus you can order fabric directly from their site. They also offer a trade only discount if you pre-qualify your business information to them. Frame sizes available are 14" to 60".

There website is http://store.txtlart.com/fabric.html

Enjoy and Cheers!

Karen Dembsky Come On Down...You are the Next Interview on The Diva in the House Radio Show!

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:48:24 -0500

If you are an Active Rain " oldbie"...You are probably familiar with Karen Dembsky and her group Real World Home Staging for Newbies. Karen is a true pay it forward professional who willingly shares her knowledge of the staging industry. Numerous times I have been inspired by Karen's marketing abilities and more so her generosity in sharing this information with others in the industry. It's no wonder that when the Stage It Forward round-tables were being formed, Craig Schiller asked Karen to participate in leading the Atlanta meeting. Karen had an equally wonderful and talented co conspirator in Kathy Nielson. It was a pleasure to have them as guest after the round table event and I am thrilled to be welcoming Karen back to the studio this Friday, March 28th.

Karen's numerous posts on Active Rain encouraged me to invite her back to share with my listener's Karen's out of the box marketing techniques. I hope that "oldbies " and " newbies " alike will join us this Friday for the live broadcast at 1 p.m. eastern time at www.radiosandysprings.com If you are unable to join us at that time, look for Karen's archived interview 2 to 3 business days later at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php.

Hey...we may have a Diva in the House first...we've never opened up the phone lines for questions before, but that might be fun. Tune in to see if we can field questions from listeners...It might also be nice if any of you have ever been encouraged by something Karen has shared to phone in and let her know.

On a personal note...Karen risked life, limb and a trail of garbage on the interstate to join me last time. I am sending positive thoughts to Karen that she will have a smoother, enjoyable treck to the station this Friday.

Cheers!

Virtual Staging...Now Why Didn't I Think of It?

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:24:32 -0500

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Moran the owner of Virtual Staging. Virtual staging is not what many of us in the staging industry would think it is. Barbara does not " stage " listings via the internet, what she does " stage " is the way Realtors use their websites and the content of their MLS photos. Barbara discovered the need for this service while watching a friend view houses on the Internet. One bad photo would cause her friend to completely disregard an entire home as one she would be interested in viewing in person. This scenario caused Barbara to wonder just how many other virtual buyers behaved the same way? This led to Barbara doing a lot of research and what she found was a huge need for her services. Barbara uses her wealth of knowledge to provide valuable information and tips to Realtors to maximize their exposure and gain increased business.

What is one of the biggest mistakes Barbara sees on the majority of web sites? Many Realtors use the world wide web no differently then old fashioned print media. This is a huge mistake according to Barbara. You must think globally as someone from across the country can be viewing your website and listings and so you need to make certain the information provided is as resourceful to them as it is to your local market. Another pet peeve...asking someone to sign in inorder to view listings. Very few people will give out their personal information inorder to " window shop". Provide them the materials they are looking for and they will gladly provide that information to you before leaving your site.

Barbara uses her expertise to show Realtors how to get the biggest bang for their buck in the use of their websites. She knows the high investment made and realizes how much money is wasted on unnecessary bells and whistles. She knows the key ingredients that will draw a consumer to linger and look and those that will send them to the list of competitors provided to them with their google search. You only have 10 seconds to make a good first impression and Barbara will provide you the information necessary to create the positive impression you are looking to achieve. Barbara has an arsenal of do's and don'ts from bad verbiage to MLS photos. She provides 5 free consultations to Realtors on their listings to maximize their exposure. You have nothing to lose by giving Barbara's services a try.

I was so inspired by what Barbara shared that I too am re-evaluating the look and feel of my own personal website. Although Barbara's business is geared to the Professional Realtor, her advice is valuable to anyone who uses their web presence to gain consumers. You can listen to Barbara's interview from March 21 through the archived show which will be available March 25th at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php. You can also learn more about Barbara and her business at her websites. http://www.virtual_staging.com/ or http://www.msbmoran.com/

Cheers!

MLS Photos Are Worth Their Weight In Gold`And Sold!

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:08:08 -0500

Hi Everyone;

Very excited to tell you all about this week's guest on Diva in the House-The Voice of Real Estate Staging. Barbara Moran has a business called Virtual Staging. She uses all her years of expertise in the field of writing, editing, teaching and consulting to help Realtors with their web presence and most importantly the quality and content of their MLS photos. She came upon her business while watching a friend who was house hunting on the Internet completely disregard a home based on one bad photo. Barbara understands how important good MLS photos and descriptions are to getting a potential buyer to physically view a property.

As quoted in Realty Times Barbara says,"

Virtual Staging was born to teach real estate agents what she and good Web designers already know: content -- good, eye-catching and revealing content -- remains king." She will discuss all the issues involved in taking good, quality photos and applying the proper descriptions. She will also address the issues of security. Another topic she will speak on is web content. Too many times we get carried away with our web content. Just like a properly staged home, your opening web page has just 10 seconds to make a good first impression. Will the consumer take time to get to know more about you, or click off because they were turned off?

Join us this Friday, March 21 at 1 p.m. eastern time to hear the live interview at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/ The archived version will post 2 to 3 business days later and you can find it along with our other archived shows at www.radiosandysprings.com/diva.php. Check out Barbara's web site at http ://msbmoran.com/Virtual/Virtual_Staging.html

Cheers!