Confessions of a stage-a-holic on the move.

Best BBQ Tip

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:39:33 -0500

OK, I know this has nothing to do with Real Estate or Staging but it was such a good tip that I picked up that I had to share it. I have always found it a challenge to prevent food from sticking to the BBQ grill. I have tried commercial sprays but found that I would still get "stuck" if I ran out.

Somewhere I picked up the tip to dip half an onion in your choice of oil and then rub it on the BBQ grill. It does a great job of evenly greasing the grill with excess oil that can cause flair ups. As a double bonus it also flavours your grill.

I hope this helps you the next time you BBQ...happy grilling!

East Coast Girl

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 07:32:55 -0500

After making the decision back in April to relocate to the Halifax region...we are finally here! I have been an "east coast girl" for only a couple of weeks but I have to admit that I have completely fallen in love with this area.

We are located in a sub-division that over looks St. Margaret's Bay, the view is absolutely gorgeous!

It's going to take me a little while to get my barrings but so far we have taken a trip up to Peggy's Cove and spent an afternoon at Queensland Beach. This weekend we are off on a Pirate Adventure at Oak Island.

Handing over the keys...

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:59:13 -0500

Our moving day is set for July 18th although our actual closing day isn't until August 3rd (a Friday of a long weekend). The other day I came home to find a message from the people that have purchased our home. They were asking if we could make arrangements for them to get the keys on the Thursday evening as they are having movers (they are coming from Manitoba) and would like to start unloading first thing Friday morning.

"Huh...was I hearing this right? They actually wanted the keys to the house before it closed?" They even went as far as to say that they didn't want to go to the hassle of getting the lawyers involve to change to change the closing date.

Don't worry, about a million alarm bells went off. There was no way that I would hand over the keys to the house before the lawyers and done their thing and the money was in my account. I am no real estate guru but I know enough that to do such a thing could potentially cause some huge liability issues if anything was to go wrong.

Got me thinking, how many people HAVE handed over the keys before the lawyer's OK? What nightmares have been created when someone harmlessly thought they were helping the new owners out?

If you have a story I would love to hear it.

Driving Tunes

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:39:54 -0500

Well, with the final countdown to our big moving date and a 17 hour drive looming in-front of me, I have to start thinking of putting together my official "Driving Tunes CD". Trouble is, I am the type of person that when I hear a song I love it, know all the words and sing along but 10 seconds later I have no idea what the name of the song was.

There are just some songs that are perfect for those long summer drives, you know the ones that you have to turn up, ditch the A/C to have the wind whip through your hair and cruise with the open road ahead of you. Help me build my list and create the perfect CD for my really long drive.

This is my list so far (keep in mind it might not be the actual song name, just some of the lyrics):

Sweet Home Alabama, Copperhead Road, Big league, I Drove all Night, Where the Streets have No Name, Signs, Pour Some Sugar on Me, Sweet Child O'Mine.

What is your favourite driving tune?

What are they thinking?

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:53:31 -0500

Last night Toronto city council voted in a 1.5% land transfer tax on the sale of residential and commercial property. So what does this mean to home buyers? Starting in January the purchaser of an average Toronto home, priced at a little more than $380,000, would pay $8,488 in total land transfer fees, up from $4,244.

I am not a Realtor nor am I a tax guru but come on! How can this NOT have a negative effect on the Toronto real estate market?

Your thoughts...

Is Sandy Depressed??

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 13:10:38 -0500

My little digging wonder has lost the sparkle in her eye and the wag in her tail, and the poor look on her face is so sad.

It started a couple of days ago, when I first noticed that she wasn't keeping up with me on our walk. She just moped about most of the day and her normally empty dish remained full. The next day she was no better.

I think she might be stressed with the sight of all the moving boxes piling up in th house (as we are going to moe in one month). I spoke to the vet and since she has no other real symptoms there is no urgency to her situation.

Any suggestions?

UPDATED: I found a new walking route for Sandy where she has lots of new smells to explore and bribed her to eat by mixing in can dog food with her kibble. I also invested in a new "baby", a fake lamb fur stuffed lobster...she's back to her old self again!

Sandy the Digging Wonder!

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:41:29 -0500

This is Sandy...she likes to dig.

Sandy likes to dig, in fact she dug up this flower bed over 6 times!

Bad Sandy!

Although with a face like that who can get mad. What took me hours to create, a beautiful lawn and lush flower beds, Sandy destroyed in no time at all. Needless to say that while the house was for sale (and ever since then) Sandy is not allow in the yard without being on her leash.

“You’re the agent…so sell my House!”

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:45:17 -0500

...said Mimi to the camera while sitting in her cluttered, shocking green living room. I nearly fell off my chair. "You've got to be kidding me, right?" was all I could think of.

No, this wasn't a client of mine but rather an episode of "Buy Me" on HGTV. The tag line for the show is "If these walls could talk" (I think I heard Mimi's walls crying from neglect, but anyway!) The show chronicles the history of a home from the perspective of each the owner, real estate agent, including recommendations, home staging and all the stress that goes along with selling a home.

This episode tackled a common problem, selling a home while going through a messy divorce. Mimi stayed in her home while her soon-to-be-ex-husband moved to an apartment.

When the episode begins the home had been on the market with an experienced Realtor, they'd had 4 Open Houses and no offers. Despite their Realtors recommendations, the 20 year old home was still severely cluttered, painted in shocking colours, dated and in need of repair. They had already reduced the price twice.

The homeowners blamed the Realtor, indicating that he simply was not doing his job. They felt that they had hired a reputable Realtor and it was his responsibility to fulfill his contract by selling their home.

This is when I caught myself yelling at the TV "But it is your job to make sure the house is worth selling!"

Their realtor tried desperately to get the homeowners to remove the clutter, clear the garbage from the carport and address basic repairs. Needless to say they felt their home was just right the way it was and anyone moving in would have very little to do.

The story goes from bad to worse with a low-ball offer that was refused, the homeowners threatening to fire the Realtor and an out and out stand-off. In the end, the Realtor releases them from the contract and feels that he had a lucky escape (although he is out-of-pocket for the advertising costs and his time).

So many homeowners feel that the responsibility of selling their home lies solely in the hands of their Realtors with little to no regard as to the overall condition of their home. If your home is your largest investment then why not do whatever is necessary to protect that investment?

The homeowners could have had a much more positive result if they had taken time to de-clutter, dispose of the garbage and spend a few dollars on a fresh coat of paint. How much time, stress and energy would they have saved?

Selling a home takes a team. The agent job is to attract the potential buyers (amongst many other things) and it is the homeowner's job to make sure that the home is top notch.

For more infomration on Buy Me! please visit:

http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/episodearchive.aspx?titleid=75701

Adventures in Real Estate – Part II

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:42:02 -0500

Buying a home in another city isn't as hard as you think, with MLS you can view properties, find an agent and create a shortlist. Come on how hard can it be?

Trouble began four days before we were due in Halifax; most of the homes we had short listed had been conditionally sold virtually overnight. Nuts!

Our journey began with dropping the kids off at my parent's home in Ottawa; we hadn't been away together in nearly 2 years so even though we were house hunting it was still a "mini-vacation".

Boy did we think we lucked in when our flight from Ottawa was actually the VIP Air Canada plane that had just recently brought the Ottawa Sens home but our luck was short lived. We arrived in Halifax 3 hours later but mysteriously our luggage did not! We finally received it about 12 hours later.

House hunting was slow and gruelling as most of what was left on the market was left for a reason. Most homes needed some serious home staging CPR. That is when the panic set in. Where were we going to live?

On the plan "B", look into renting a home. Talk about going from bad to worse! We looked at 3 properties and not one of them would I ever imagine living in. So back to plan "A" and we lined up more properties with our agent to view to next day.

The homes the next day were no better. Homes that looked so good on the MLS just didn't live up to our expectations. This is when we really started to panic. At the 11^th hour we got a couple of really good leads on homes to rent, giving us the time to familiarize ourselves with the area and allowing the market to re-coup.

Now all we have to do is move...rent a truck, load it, drive across three different provinces with 2 kids, a dog and a cat, and unpack...all in four days. Piece of cake, right?

Home Staging on 20/20

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:02:36 -0500

After reading Karen Reynolds blog posting about ABC'c 20/20 re-broadcasting their segment on home staging I decided to do a little poking around on the Internet.

To my surprise I managed to find the clip on-line on the stagedhomes.com. Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/092705_2020.php

Now, I don't want to step on any toes, if someone has already provided this link but I came across it and wanted to share it with everyone.

I does give a more realistic view on home staging (Oprah's got a little bashing with high price tag of her home staging segment) however they did have an army of ASP professionals to work on the home. They did point out that typically no more than size people work on the average home. The fees quoted around $1500 was also helpful information to the viewer.

The cheering, singing and dancing came across as somewhat unprofessional (just my opinion folks!) but aside from that the segment did provide a decent overview of home staging.

And as any good story should have, it does have a happy ending!

FSBO and Realtor Commission Rates

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:56:51 -0500

Many consumers today are baffled with the commission rates associated with selling their homes. Lets face it 5% of the average home can amount to a sizable fee and often the homeowner wonders what exactly they are paying for. Add to that a "hot" market where the DOM is just a few days and homeowners can really start to get frustrated.

I'll be the first to admit that when it came to selling our home, this was our initial reaction. We knew our house was "top notch" and would sell quickly but could we harness enough exposure to get it sold? Only one way to find out, list FSBO.

As previously mentioned in my blog, Adventures in Real Estate - Part I, we got a mix reaction from agents. All this information we were gathering because our plan "B" was to list with an agent and "which" agent depended on how we were treated as FSBO. The list was quickly narrowed down.

When we did come to listing our property with an agent, the commission rate was still a sore point for us. We knew that our house would sell within one week if it had the exposure from the MLS. Should I have to pay the same commission as someone who has their home on the market 30, 45 or 60 days and where the agent had to work 3X as hard?

What struck me was that before the Internet (and housing costs were more reasonable!) both the buying and selling agent had to invest a considerable amount of time researching and reviewing documents. With technology advancing and the introduction of the MLS a lot of the leg work has been cut out. I could be way off base on this one but I am probably not the only one that has this understating of real estate commissions which would account for the growing FSBO market.

So this got me to thinking...is there a way to level the playing field while remaining fair to both the agent and the homeowner?

As an agent, could you possibly offer a lower commission rate to homeowners that are truly motivated to sell, where their home shows well, all repairs are up to date and the house is always sparkling clean. For homes that don't meet certain criteria a higher commission rate is applied.

Wouldn't everyone win in this situation? If a homeowner knew they would pay fewer fees if they properly prepared home, enlist a home staging professional and follow their advice, how would that motivate them? Agents, how much quicker would a property sell if is showed right the first time? How much time do you invest on properties that are only mediocre versus properties that are top notch?

Adventures in Real Estate – Part I

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:28:16 -0500

Nobody ever said that selling and buying a home was easy. Our home was fully loaded and showed really well. As a result, we decided to list our home FSBO. After all, with my husband in the advertising industry and me in home staging - who needed a real estate agent, right?

With our first open house scheduled, my husband built a great website, we had a lawn sign made, two signs on the main road and several "Open House" signs, all sporting the website address. We placed ads in the local paper and I emailed over 200 agents inviting them to our Open House and letting them know that we were paying a Buying Agent Commission.

The emails brought curious results, some agents felt compelled to email me back slamming us for listing privately, some agents were out-and-out rude while other agents let us know that if we needed any help to feel free and contact them (guess they missed the point about bringing buying clients to our home!).

Our reasons for contacting agents were 2 fold. The first being to help find a buyer and the second was an indirect way to "interview" agents. Although we were FSBO we were also realistic and had a "Sell by Date", that perhaps could only be met with the help of an agent.

The newspaper ads initiated a flurry of calls from agents wanting to list our property. We asked these agents to drop by an Open House to view the property first hand and to give us a chance to meet them, and again a chance to "interview" them. No agents showed up.

Unknown to us, one agent that I had emailed was quietly watching the progress of our sale. One day during the week he had dropped by (unfortunately we were not home) leaving a quick note and a business card. We decided to give the agent, Terry Annis, a buzz and made an appointment for him to come out a couple of days later.

During our meeting the agent did a lot of listening but he also asked the right questions. These questions made us really evaluate what our selling goals were. We made a second appointment for him to come back to discuss his marketing plan with us.

There was another potential agent that had also come by, however we were already fairly certain that we were going to list with Terry. The final decision would be based on marketing plans.

Needless to say Terry's presentation was excellent and the decision to list with him was easy. We signed the papers on a Thursday morning and by lunch time we were already getting calls to book viewings. Luckily we planned to be out of town for the weekend because it was over whelming the calls we were getting. You just can't beat the exposure that MLS can bring!

After seven days and two offers, the house was sold for 97% of the asking price. Terry did an excellent job handling the offers and getting us the price and closing date that we wanted.

Although we had sold our home, we had yet to buy a new one. Again, thanks to MLS we found an agent in Halifax and short listed over 20 properties. Buying the next house should be a cinch, right?

Marketing and Business Resource for Home Stagers

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Mon, 14 May 2007 17:27:02 -0500

Let me introduce a new member of Active Rain and a fantastic resource for home stagers. Judy May of Show House Marketing is the #1 Business Development & Marketing Resource for Design Professionals. Judy provides Effective Strategies, Innovative Tools, Sound Advice. I have participated in her programs and they have helped me tremendously.

Take a moment to check out Judy's profile - you business will definitely profit from her knowledge!

House for Sale...Whitby Ontario

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:39:22 -0500

We've been hard at work and we are having an Open House check out the website for more details www.59brownridge.com

Beautifully finished open-concept home on a quiet street!. Walk to Whitby’s finest schools! Upgrades Galore. Hardwood throughout main level, stairs, and upper landing. Internet/CAT5 in every room. Main level laundry. Finished basement with 4th bath rough-in. Pot lights on main and basement, 12X20 Deck, C/Air and beautiful Stainless Steel Appliance included. Just move in!

Good Enough to Eat!

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:26:23 -0500

I had someone asking me about sources for fake foods to use in staging. I haven't used any to date but these items might be useful for staging a vacant home or a model home.

Here are a few links that I found:

http://www.incredibleinedibles.shoppingcartsplus.com/page/page/1252403.htm

http://www.leeleescreations.shoppingcartsplus.com/page/page/440720.htm

http://www.themedecor.com/

http://www.donnamariesfakefood.builderspot.com/page/page/1303569.htm

http://www.displayit-info.com/food/food.html

http://www.justdoughit.com/menu.htm

Using props may not be for everyone but they can be a great way to add a little life to a room. Although fake food is initially more expensive than its real counterparts, if properly cared for it can be used time and time again.

I would also caution against using too much fake stuff, a little can compliment a room where a lot might just seem tacky.

Trust me; I am a home stager after all!

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:59:02 -0500

Every now and then life leads us to a fork in the road. Down one side is more of a continuation of what you have done, probably what would be considered the "safe" route. The other side is a little scarier, perhaps tempting you to be more adventurous.

I recently reached that fork in the road...needless to say, being the type of person that is always up for a new adventure, has chosen the road least travelled.

So what does this all mean? We are moving but not just down the road or across town, we are moving far. Although, it doesn't really matter the "where" because the "how" is still the same.

After we made this huge decision, I quickly set to work making lists and creating plans to get our home ready to sell.

Despite many people's impression, I do not live in a home that is "picture perfect". I have a husband, two boys and a dog. The house is often in varying states of chaos and I, just like anyone else, must stage my home.

One of the first items on my list was to finally (a chore I have been putting off for some time!) paint all of the baseboards and trim in the house. The first thing out of my husband's mouth was "Why the heck do you want to do that?"

You would think that after all this time and all the projects that he'd seen me work on, he would simply just get it. Guess not. I gave him that look...you know that one that us wives secretly practice in the mirror to accurately convey a point without even having to say a word....and simply said "Trust me; I am a home stager after all!".

He shrugged his shoulders and left me to it. After a couple of hours he came around to "inspect" my handy work. Needless to say he saw the dramatic effect on the room. That's when I gave him my second most practiced look, the "I told you so" look.

I still have miles of trim to paint, rooms to de-clutter and boxes to pack, only two weeks to get it all done, oh and I have 10 family members coming to stay this weekend. Nothing like a little pressure!

Yes, I really do...

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:23:21 -0500

My husband is a senior art director so I have a huge benefit when is comes to web design, advertising, etc. because he does it all for me. I give him creative lead on everything, not that I really have a choice. Luckily I have always been very happy but I would REALLY appreciate any feedback, comments or suggestions.

http://www.holtmodern.com/

Out of the blue...or was it?

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:12:49 -0500

There have been a few blogs posted recently on marketing your business. Two of my favourites include: "Are you working on your business?" by Melissa Marro and "How do you market yourself?" by Alyse Bromberg.

Both deliver the same underlying message, to be successful in these business (or any other) marketing needs to be part of our regular routine.

Our days are busy working in our business, at the end of the day we would sometimes like to kick back and relax. But we need to take time to also work in our business and to do it on a regular basis.

I have a note card pinned beside my desk which reads "What did I do to build my business today?" to remind that marketing is a daily activity. Every day, I make sure that I do something to market my business, whether it's sending an email, contacting an agent or writing on my blog.

And you what...it works and it is paying off!

The other week I received an email from a Realtor who had seen one of my flyers. They needed a home staging within the week - could I meet the challenge? Of course, I always love a challenge!

I was hired to consult on the listing, shop for accessories and stage the home. The Realtor would also like to include staging with all of her listings and wants to further discuss this opportunity with me.

Was this email out of the blue? Of course, but should it really? I invested the time in my business and I am starting to get a return on it.

By participating on Active Rain, my Google ranking has gone way up, I advertise everywhere I go because my van tastefully promotes my business, I hand out business cards every chance I get and I regularly send flyers to Realtors.

So the next time you have a client or Realtor contact you from "out of the blue", ask yourself and them, how they heard about you. Through your hard work, marketing your business on a regular basis, your business will grow.

On the other hand, if your business isn't quite where you want it to be, take some time to review these marketing blogs, get your ideas rolling and commit to daily marketing.

Rewarding Realtors

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 08:29:12 -0500

Many home stagers receive a significant amount of business through partnering with Realtors, leading one to ask "to discount or not to discount". This question was posed by Reece Gutekunst in her blog titled "Realtor Partnership Program - To Discount or Not To Discount?".

I know that Debra Gould of The Staging Diva (the training program that I took), would be the first to say "No, no, no - don't do it!!", and I have to agree.

Once you start giving discount things can get really tricky, what starts off as a goodwill gesture can quickly become a nightmare.

Yes, a business should acknowledge repeat customers but that doesn't mean that you have to discount your price. Let's face it, is the grocery store going to knock $50 off my bill because I shop there every week? No, that's why they are a billion dollar company, and why should it be any different for us.

Your fees are based on what you are worth, your daily operating expenses and your fixed expenses. Those don't change so neither should your fees.

I offer my best possible price to everyone and try to find other ways to reward loyalty. The best compliment you can give a Realtor is by simply referring them, other ideas could include:

offer links from your website
provide tip sheets for their customers
write an article for their newsletter or website

Don't under estimate the value in a handwritten note, just to say thanks. A nice bottle of wine or bunch of flowers at the holidays (or anytime) is also a great way to say thanks.

Reward your customers, create a loyalty program but avoid the pitfalls of discounting your price.

Ready, Set, Show!

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:55:27 -0500

Hiring a home staging professional to make sure that your home is looking its best is a great start to getting your house sold, but you still have to live in your home and when booking an open house or preparing for a viewing keep in mind that you still might have some work to do.

To say "make sure your home is clean" is an understatement and a given for most people. Don't spoil your investment in home staging by not ensuring that your home shines "like the top of the Chrysler building!"

Even if you have been extremely careful about not creating any strong cooking odours, making sure that the dog smelling soapy clean and that kitty's litter is fresh as a daisy, your home may still accumulate some odours. Weather permitting, open up the windows (even if it's just for a few minutes) a little fresh air will go a long way. Strong room sprays , you won't fool anyone!

Emptying and cleaning all garbage cans (don't forget the bathrooms) and recycling containers will also help your home smell as fresh as possible.

Quick tidy-ups are the key to preparing for potential buyers, make this task easier by having three or four empty Rubbermaid containers on hand. They are great for stashing away everyday items such as toys, shoes, outwear and schoolbags. Scoop, pack and stash your way to a tidy home in minutes.

After your home stager has worked their magic, make sure that you take the time to take your own photos, being sure to capture exactly how every detail is arranged. This means that if for any reason something has to be moved temporarily or kept only for viewing (this is advisable if you have little ones!) you'll know exactly how to reset everything.

Working with a home stager is the fastest and most cost-effective way to get your home ready for sale, however it doesn't completely void you from any of the preparations. It is your home being sold and probably your largest single investment, be sure to treat is that way and the sold sign will be on your front lawn in no time.

Spring Curb Appeal

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:01:58 -0500

After a long winter of freezing temperatures and mounds of snow, nothing is appreciated more than the spring thaw. Just the thought of being able to shed the layers of coats, hats mitts and boots will bring a smile to anyone's face.

However, the arrival of spring's beautifully warm days, posses a problem to homeowners looking to cash in on the Spring Real Estate Market. As the lovely fresh layer of snow melts into a mucky, salt laden pile crusted with odds bits of trash, a once picture perfect home worthy of being on Wisteria Lane can look more like a set from Nightmare on Elm Street!

Not to worry, with some simple ideas and a little effort you can bring inspiring curb appeal ready to attract your perfect buyer.

Cleaning Checklist:

Pick-up all the trash.
If your Christmas tree is still on your porch or front lawn, well you get the idea.
Sweep and power wash driveway, walkway, porch and stairs.
Clean any dead plants and shrubbery from flower beds.
Ensure that all garbage cans and recycling containers are stored out of sight.
Wash front door, porch door, exterior light fixture (change bulbs if required) and windows.
Replace mailbox and house numbers, if they are looking worn.

Forgot to plant those spring bulbs last fall? Don't fret. Add a little colour to your flower beds and planters by using pre-planted bulbs in plastic containers. If frost still might be an issue, sink empty plastic planters in the ground and slip in planted bulbs when you have a viewing or open house.

The exterior of a home is the first chance you have to make an impression on a buyer. Many prospects will drive by a home and quickly decide if it is worth getting out of the car. Be sure to attract as many buyers as possible by putting these tips to work for you.

Simple Solutions

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:52:33 -0500

Staging a relatively newer home can be trickier than staging a "lived-in" home because they often haven't seen a lick of paint since the builder applied that lovely shade of off-white.

The builder's grade paint is not washable and shows every speck or dirt and hand print. Leaving the walls looking dull and dirty. The problem is amplified by every room looking this way. Try telling the homeowner that they need to paint the house top to bottom and then pull it all together with staging. Most homeowners will become weak in the knees and turn progressive shades of white.

This is where you need to keep it simple. Minimize painting costs by using one main colour to cover the bulk of the home. At a minimum, focus on the master bedroom and dining room, choosing a different colour for each. If you can also include one child's room.

This dining room was painted a neutral colour and a simple table runner and candles added some personality. Cost $40 for paint and $20 for the accessories.

The master bedroom was anything but! The walls were painted a warm coffee colour, side-table accents and fluffy pillows completed the look for $100.

What kids would want to move into this room? A coat of paint cleaned up this room tied in with character bedding and a simple framed poster, revved up this room for $80.

When the entire home needs your home staging attention keep a simple approach with the homeowner. Break the project down into "stages" with fees assigned to each. Give the homeowner the option to just start with the painting and work from there. By giving them the reigns, they be less overwhelmed and more likely to hire you for the whole project!

Selling Parkas in July….

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:59:41 -0600

Have you ever felt that way when marketing your home staging business? I know I have. If you are fortunate to be in an area where home staging is very well known, then your main focus is marketing your business and marketing against the competition.

However, if you are in an area where home staging is still considered new, then you have a different task. Not only do you need to focus on marketing your business, you also have to promote what staging is and why people should consider it. We are marketing against the “unknown”.

As home stagers, we all know and understand why people should stage. We know that if you are planning to sell your home, then it is in your best interest to stage. To keep an objective outlook and really show the best your home has to offer, then you should hire a Home Stager.

But just because we know that people should stage before they sell, doesn’t mean that they will consider it, or even hire a home stager.

Living here in the Toronto area in Canada, every July we see the beginning of what is known as “The Winter Coat Season”. Retailers begin to bring out racks of warm parkas. But who wants to think about a parka, it is July after all. We all know we will soon need warmer clothes and we all know that a warm coat can be essential to “surviving” our winters (pardon me if I am a bit dramatic – I am a complete wimp when it comes to the cold).

So what my point? Just because we know we might need it, doesn’t mean that we are ready to buy it.

How do you market against the “unknown”, how do you sell a parka in July?

This is my dance space and that is yours…

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:37:01 -0600

Just wondering on some Blogging etiquette. I have noticed that sometimes people post comments on someone else’s blog that seems to “steal thunder” by re-directing attention to themselves rather than adding to the conversation.

For example, say someone posts a comment on Mary McKnight’s blog that begins by sharing their experiences but then quickly adds in how they can buy a downloadable SEO book from their website.

I have noticed some people (and the same people) doing this on blogs that get high ratings and many “followers”. Is this considered “Bad Blogging” or is it a common and accepted practice in the world of blogging?

If someone wants to promote their own products and services, should they not do it in their own blog?

Plan to Win or Plan to Fail

Lucie Quigley (HOLT modern Home Staging) — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:40:28 -0600

With the New Year upon us, it is a great time to take some time to review what we did with our businesses in 2006 and plan what we want to accomplish in 2007. I’m sure everyone has heard the saying:

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Why not start this year off with a clear understand of where you want to go, what goals you would like to accomplish and how you would like to grow your business.

Step #1
Before you can plan where you’re going you have to take some time to see where you’ve been. Areas that you should focus on include:

What new business relationships did you build?
Did you meet your sales goals?
How much did you spend on advertising and promoting your business? Did it work? Why or why not?
Who is my competition?

Schedule some time to actually dive into this information and really pick things apart. Look hard at your expenses so you know exactly where your money went and if it was spent in the right places. Evaluate the time that you invested in your business against what you earned.

Make sure that you don’t just browse over this information, put it into a simple report, even if it is for your eyes only. By laying it out in black and white you will find that it will be much easier to “see” where you are and where you were.

Step #2
Now take some to really think about what you want to accomplish in 2007. Once you visually understand where you want to go, write it down. Let me say it one more time…

WRITE IT DOWN!

By simply writing your goals down you are much more likely to achieve success, so why not? I like to post my goals where I can see them on a regular basis, to keep then fresh in my mind.

Step #3
Having goals and writing them down is an important part of the planning process but you need to go one step further and plan how you are going to reach those goals.

For example, if you have a goal to build two new business relationships with Realtors then you are going to have to decide how. Your plan might include:

Spend one Saturday each month visiting Open House – goal: get permission to email them something of value (tips sheet, newspaper article, statistics, etc.)
Email each agent with this information within 24 hours.
Maintain contact with each agent monthly.
Schedule a phone call or meeting where you can learn more about their needs and the needs of their clients.
Look for additional opportunities to provide solutions to particular needs.

Step #4
So now you know:

Where you have been
Where you want to go
How you are going to get there

The next step is probably the hardest because now you need to work it and live it. Take time each night to plan what you are going to do the next day to meet your goals. If you only have 10 minutes, you can still send a couple of emails or make a phone call.

Make sure you ask yourself each day:

What you did to advance my business?
What did I do to meet my goals?

Step #5
Celebrate your successes and achievements. Create a simple bar graph or chart listing your goals and track your progress. I can’t tell you how motivating it is to actually see what you have accomplished.

Remember success is not instant; you need to earn it step by step! Each step that you take will bring you closer to your goals.