A good story doesn't cost a thing...so what's your story?

Lets face it just about everyone enjoys a good story, even the potential buyers looking at your property for sale. In Hawaii we call it Talking Story which colloquially means both story telling and social conversation. When it comes to Real Estate Merchandising and Marketing, storytelling or in this case Story-SELLING is more than just anecdotal ice breakers or idle gossip but a highly evolved art of association that casts the potential buyer as the protagonist in the drama that is your property for sale. 

In the antiques and diamond selling business it's called provenance. Similar to a chain of title in Real Estate terms the provenance of a unique and valuable asset is the history of it's ownership from it's creation to it's current owner. Sometimes it is the very history of the object that closes the deal for the purchaser and not so surprisingly it is the emotional connection to the narrative that often motivates the purchase. Case in point the infamous Hope Diamond has an astonishing and storied provenance and a purportedly notorious curse. The large blue diamond was first introduced to Evelyn McClean, Washington socialite and owner of the Washington Post, by renowned French jeweler Pierre Cartier. Knowing the power of storytelling, Monsieur Cartier cleverly presented the diamond wrapped in paper and did not reveal the stone until he told it's storied and colorful past, at which point Mrs. McClean demanded to see it. Although, Cartier did not make the sale that day, Mrs. McClean did purchase the legendary gem shortly there after and it is said she did so largely because of it's story and curse.

Talking story to potential buyers can instantly push the purchase potential from luke warm to hot to trot and the reasoning behind this is: consumers like to feel emotionally connected to their environments. If you have ever walked into a home that is several hundred years or older there is often a revelation of the humanity associated with the space and the many generations that have lived there. It is here that the story teller turns wear and tear into nostalgia; an empty room into the birth place of a dynasty; a dank basement into a former speakeasy; and a cool consumer into a burning buyer. The narrative should of course be truthful but it doesn't have to include famous people, major events, or end happily for that matter. It just has to convey emotion in a way that is relatable to the buyer. Granted you will probably want to leave certain information as a discreet disclosure as necessary. It doesn't take a Stephen King to know that horror as a genre may sell movies and books but not necessarily homes, obviously discretion should be used.

Season's Greetings

- Happy Holidays -

Mele Kalikimaka!

Tip for the HOLIDAYS:

Remember to inspect your chimney, gutters and downspouts!

It's all about getting noticed

in a sea of for sale signs. . .

Recently after discussing Home Staging and merchandising techniques with a fellow AR Home Stager. I made a comment that the property we were discussing was actually merchandised and NOT staged which solicited the comment,

Isn't Home Staging and Real Estate Merchandising essentially the same thing?

My reply was an emphatic, NO it's not! 

But isn't the purpose of merchandising to make a property for sale as appealing as possible to buyers which is what Home Staging is doing?

Yes, but there are major differences that place Staging and Merchandising in opposing trajectories when it comes to the ethos behind the design". At that moment it struck me, why not compile my previous Real Estate Merchandising posts into one Go-To post describing what Real Estate Merchandising is and is not. In celebration of hitting the 100,000 points milestone I though what better way to celebrate than a compilation of my posts describing what I do as a Merchandiser. Cheers!

Getting noticed... What Real Estate Merchandising is and what it isn't:

The TOP TEN Differences Between Real Estate Merchandising and Home Staging:Comparing Golden Delicious to Granny Smith. 

The Devil wears Prada and makes one hell of a Real Estate Merchandiser.

One Little Red Wagon Thats NOT Tied to Other Sinking Ships in the Industry!

Under Contract in Four Days: Why Real Estate Merchandising Gets Buyers Attention!

Is going turn key with a rental unit a good idea?

The Reality, not everyone wants what you got; the benefits of targeting your buyers... Philosophy of a Merchandiser:

Virtually Staged: The Kitchen at 909 Kapiolani, Honolulu HI 96813

Staging a Bedroom, Virtually Speaking: a Design and Merchandising Perspective.

The Master Bedroom: Virtually Redesigning the Boudoir (a la Nipponaise)!

Nu'uanu Hawaii, Virtual Master Suite Make Over Part II: The Master Bath

Sensuality is made manifest by the senses...Materials of a Merchandiser:

Finding the Right Fabric to Make it Fabulous! An upholstery and fabric field guide...

Pillow Talk: the artful placement of pillows vol I. beyond the fringe.

Pillow Talk: The artful placement of pillows vol II. piling practicum

Chairs of Character: A pictoral guide to stylish seating vol I. The British Invasion

Chairs of Character: A pictoral guide to stylish seating vol II. And then there's Mod!

Never under-estimate the power of blah to sour the deal... Understanding the use of Color:

Inspired Color, Hawaiian Style: Natures Paint Swatches Vol IV

Questions for Kimo: What color is Celadon?

Questions for Kimo: What is Windsor Black?

Mary Kawena Pukui: (1895-1986)

Hawaiian Linguist and Scholar Mary Kawena Pukui is considered a cultural treasure here in Hawaii and her tireless dedication to preserving, recording, and reviving the Hawaiian language has left an indelible mark on contemporary Hawaiian culture and history. Ms. Pukui is best known for having published the first Native Hawaiian language dictionary as well as the renowned "Olelo No Eau" a collection of ancient Hawaiian proverbs and sayings. It is through her work and dedication, in a time when Hawaiian culture was threatened with extinction, that helped push the native Hawaiians or Kanaka Maoli into a cultural renaissance. Ancient Hawaiians had no written language and depended on oral traditions such as story telling, chant, and dance(hula) to convey information from generation to generation. With the arrival of Calvinist missionaries and culminating with the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy, much of Hawaiian culture was relegated as barbaric, licentious, and superstitious by foreigners eager to spread western ways amoungst the natives, while consolidating political power and establishing an unwelcome hegemony in the islands. With the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii and followed by the Territorial Government, much of traditional Hawaiian culture was banned and made illegal, including the Hawaiian language and Hula. Faced with this dire situation, Ms. Pukui was careful to record and maintain as much of the language and culture as possible, helping to preserve Hawaiian heritage when many Hawaiians had lost their self esteem and struggled to hold on to their traditions.

The eleventh annual Mary Kawena Pukui Arts Festival at Bishop Museum will take place on Sunday, February 13th from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This event is free for Bishop Museum Members. A $5 special rate will apply for kama'aina and military (proper identification required); children three and under are free. Regular admission rates apply for all other visitors.

This year's theme: Celebrate - Song, Dance, and Story of the Heart. The 2011 Mary Kawena Pukui Performing Arts Festival will celebrate love through stories, dances and songs performed by the talented artists assembled for this annual festival at Bishop Museum.The festivities will begin at 10:30 a.m. with opening ceremonies honoring the festival's Mary Kawena Pukui.  

Mary Kawena Pukui: (1895-1986), Ms. Pukui was raised by her maternal grandmother through her formative years and learned the Hawaiian language, chants, hula and legends. Becoming a linguist, she continued to study Hawaiian culture and dedicated her life to it's preservation resulting in her publishing over 50 books, along with hundreds of songs, chant texts, oral histories and other ethnographic data collected in her research. Pukui worked at Bishop Museum for over 50 years before her passing in 1986.  

CELEBRATE! SONG, DANCE, AND STORY

11th Annual Mary Kawena Pukui Performing Arts Festival

February 13, 2011 at the Bishop Museum

10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This event is sponsored by grants from the Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations (ECHO). The purpose of ECHO programming is to amplify educational benefits, foster greater appreciation of local and national history and assist communities in maximizing the social benefits of new technologies.

 Bishop Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday - Monday. It is closed on Tuesdays.For more information, please call (808) 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.

農曆新年 

春節

Please enjoy this brief slide show of some of the New Year excitement. 

There is nothing quite as colorful as a Chinese New Year parade, and Honolulu's Chinatown hosts one of the most vibrant. The Agrarian Calender New Year 農曆新年 also known as the Spring Festival 春節 officially begins on the 2nd of February; culminating with the lively nighttime Lantern Festival. The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated on the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice and ends with the full moon 15 days later. Red symbolizes Happiness and Gold, wealth, may you have plenty of both in the coming year!

Happy Year 4709 

A Colorful Journey - Kung Hee Fat Choi - Year 4709 - Happy Chinese New Year - February 2011

JDS Consulting- Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design. Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting.

Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2011

There are dangers lurking beneath the curb:

Ficus microcarpa, also known as Chinese Banyan, Malayan Banyan, Curtain figor Indian Laurel:  

Hawaii, Southern California and many other tropical climes around the world have just the right humidity levels to produce some of natures largest tree varieties of which The Chinese Banyan is excellent example. These gentle giants, with their sprawling canopies that soar as high as 60 feet in the air with a diameter that can reach hundreds of feet, are beautiful to behold and truly awe inspiring. These amazing trees produce aerial roots that over time will reach the earth and start another trunk, eventually expanding the size of the tree exponentially. Often called the "Tree of Life" these massive trees characterized by the tangle of exposed roots and dangling aerials provide safe habitats and sustenance to a multitude of birds, insects and small animals; so much so that they can create an Eco system all their own.  

Unfortunately for sellers and buyers, the Banyan can be the Bane of your home if you do not take precautionary steps to protect your investment from it's unmitigated growth. Paying attention to where a Banyan tree sits on a property is very important as both the canopy and root system can produce some annoying problems that can eventually lead to costly disasters unless nipped at the bud. It is important to remember that the root system and canopy expanse in most trees are roughly the same size. So what you see above your head you can safely bet expands in the same dimension beneath your feet. Banyans have an aggressive root system that quickly expands into porous material in it's never ending search for water. That means materials like concrete septic systems and sewer conduits are very vulnerable to roots that poke into the porous surface of concrete while searching for water. Once a root gets a foot hold in a crack or fissure it expands; cracking and eventually destroying the concrete allowing for more roots to move quickly into pipes and septic systems clogging them up with a jumbled mess of twisted roots. Roots that grow along the surface of the ground can tear up lanais, driveways, and foundations so it's best to keep a healthy distance between your home and any Banyans making sure to cut arieals, pull up seedlings and cut back the canopy if it begins to expand over the roof of the home. 

Banyans that grow too close to the home can cause other annoyances as well. Banyans produce a round berry fruit the size of a large marble that when ripe will drop to the ground or roof. Aside from the constant thud of the berries the seeds can stick in roofing and siding materials and begin to grow; destroying sections of roofing or siding if left unattended over time. In addition Birds who make their home in the canopy love to eat the berries and consequently "poop" at their convenience which means cars, yard items and outdoor furniture can get covered in you know what.

The Banyan Tree is a beautiful and amazing addition to any yard that is large enough to allow it to grow without it over taking the structures on it or beneath it. If you treat the Banyan as a member of the family; grooming it regularly, plucking and pruning and watching where it wanders. The bane can become a blessing; adding spectacular Curb Appeal to your yard.

Don't' Let the Mighty Banyan Be the Bane of Your Home! Curb Appeal Advice

Finding modern design trends in the past...ok, before recorded history...

Hawaii is arguably one of the best places to live in the world largely do to it's incredible scenic landscape and climate. Those of us who call Hawaii home spend much of our leisure time enjoying the great outdoors.  Creating comfortable living environments that transition from indoor to outdoor living is a popular design aesthetic here in the islands and as a designer I am often looking for products that help blur the line between indoor and outdoor living areas.  

I often look for organic shapes in furniture designs that echo the landscape, softening the transition from living room to lanai. Natural materials such as stone and wood are great design features but can be extremely heavy and cumbersome to move about. Recently I stumbled across this product that is as durable and organic in shape as stone but is light enough to move around and large enough to accommodate occasional seating in doors or out.  

The Pebble, designed by EIS Studio of Venice CA, is at once super modern and ultra Neanderthal at the same time, which lends itself to the notion that anyone could be an interior designer with these things and the outcome would look super chic. Each pebble can come in a variety of different colors and materials including cast stone, wood, resin, and fabric. You can pile them in a corner or line them up, arrange them around a table or set them by the koi pond. It's so easy a caveman could do it.

Who Did Your Home Interior? - A Caveman!

The Pebble can add a measure of modernity to your modern style staging project...