Judy Kincaid's Tampa Home Staging Blog

Do You Want to Know How Much Home Staging Costs...But Don't Want to Ask?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:17:41 -0500

Many home stagers were taught, in their training programs, not to post staging fees on their websites. The intended purpose was to encourage people to call for pricing and give us a chance to explain how staging would benefit them. However, I have come to realize that many people are automatically assuming that home staging is too expensive and never making that call.

Since many people still adhere to the old adage, "If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it anyway," I am in the process of designing a new website that will have my staging fees and services clearly explained and prominently displayed.

I have seen quite a few blog comments from Real Estate Agents asking, "How much does home staging cost?" If the question is answered at all, it is usually the standard, "Staging costs less than your first price reduction." True as that might be, I know you want an answer with $$$.

These are the average (or most widely used) price ranges. Some stagers' fees are lower; some are higher.

OCCUPIED HOME STAGING

VERBAL HOME STAGING CONSULTATION -- $100 - $300

HOME STAGING CONSULTATION WITH WRITTEN REPORT -- $200 - $475

HANDS-ON STAGING -- $75 - $125 hr. (many stagers have a 2-3 hour minimum)

Rather than an hourly fee, some home stagers charge a flat rate for either half or full day staging:

$300 - $400 for half day (4 - 5 hours)
$500 - $800 for a full day (6 - 8 hours)

VACANT HOME STAGING

The average cost for vacant home staging in the majority of markets ranges from $1,500 to $5000.

Fees may be even lower for vignette or light staging but they could be considerably higher for homes that have excessive square footage or require high-end furnishings and accessories.

Now that you have a better idea of the cost of home staging, don't hesitate to contact some local home stagers and inquire about their fees for staging an occupied home. Ask if they can give you a ballpark figure for staging a vacant home. They will be happy you called.

My Staging Assistant Works for Catnip

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:17:02 -0500

I am so fortunate to have such a lovely and versatile staging assistant. Chloe works behind the scenes making my job easier. She is a self-starter....when she sees a task that needs attending to, she jumps right in and does it.

I would like to share some photos of her on the job:

Inspecting newly acquired inventory

Selecting artwork

Choosing the right accessories

Arranging flowers -- her favorite task!

Making sure all the proper tools are in the staging bag!

Helping to locate my purse and keys!

Helping prepare for a staging workshop!

Proofreading -- No need for spell check when she is on duty!

Sticking her toes in the marketing arena!

50,000 points milestone...Celebrating with a glorious sunset!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:50:24 -0500

With this post, I will reach 50,000 points.....finally!!! And....it ONLY took 3 years. Having 50,000 points is fabulous but it was getting to know AR members from around the country and learning things formerly unimaginable that makes this journey so remarkable. Who would have thought that I could intellectually converse about SEO, widgets, longtails, short sales, etc.? My friends and family are so impressed!

It would take me forever to list ALL of the things on Active Rain that have impacted my life but one, in particular, stands out....my new love for photographing nature. Thanks to everyone who freely shared about the best cameras, the best free photo enhancing sites, and the importance of always having your camera nearby, I am able to share these photos of the glorious sunset I witnessed a few nights ago.

Here's hoping it only takes me 3 months instead of 3 years to make the 100,000 point milestone.

Thank you, Active Rain!

Memories at ActiveRain -- The Day I Stopped Feeling Inferior in the Rain

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:03:19 -0500

I have fond memories of the day I felt that I was truly a part of the AR community. My A-Ha moment occured when I read Craig Schiller's blog, "Joy to the Rain", and saw this wonderful graphic.

I found Active Rain in August of 2006 by doing a Google search for Home Staging and was directed to Craig Schiller's blog. I think there were only about 50 home stagers in AR at the time yet only a handful of them were actively blogging.

Since AR predominantly consisted of Real Estate Agents, I always felt like a guest whenever I logged in. I was not sure I would ever really belong. But that didn't keep me from faithfully stopping by...love that Google juice....I just made sure that I minded my manners and never "rocked the boat".

When the "groups" feature was added to AR, Stage It Forward became my hangout of choice. It was fun getting to know stagers from around the country. I enjoyed receiving and sharing staging tips and advice and encouraging my fellow stagers. However, I always had a self-imposed feeling of needing to stay with my "own kind" so I was reluctant to join any other groups that would allow me to mingle with Real Estate Agents and other Industry-Related Professionals.

But that all changed when I gazed upon Craig's masterpiece. When I saw my face intertwined with the faces of AR Staff, Real Estate Agents, Home Stagers, Mortgage Professionals, Home Inspectors, Loan Officers, Photographers, etc., something clicked....I finally got it.....This is a Community!!! A community of individuals who are passionate about various branches of the Real Estate Industry who have banded together to glean information, share information, encourage, comfort, uplift, challenge, praise each other and become friends and colleagues.

My search for more info on Home Staging led me to Active Rain, but the sense of Community has kept me here.

The origins of my love for Home Staging.....Buying my first house -- Part 3

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:25:58 -0500

About a week after we had returned from our house hunting trip to CA, my husband came home from work and said, "I have Good News and Bad News:"

The Good News is.......We are home owners!

The Bad News is ......... It is Old Stinky!

My husband thought I had gone beserk when I jumped up and down shouting, "Yes, Yes", Yes! Thank you, Lord! He said, "Are you crazy? You're happy we got Old Stinky"?

Happy???....I was ecstatic. I was finally able to reveal a secret I had been carrying since our second visit to Old Stinky......Old Stinky was a diamond in the rough!

It took me two visits to see its true potential. The first time we visited, I didn't even try....too many other homes yet to see. But, on the second visit, with our choices dwindled down to next-to-none, I was able to look at the house more objectively and was surprised at the things that I discovered:

While my husband had been inspecting the shower, my curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what was behind the interior doors that were leaning up against the wall. I peeked behind them gingerly and was shocked to find a gorgeous stone fireplace with a beautiful mantel. My husband didn't believe me when I told him that Old Stinky had a fireplace because he had never seen it.
I took a Kleenex out of my purse, wet it and wiped away some of the dirt and grime off the floor in the guest bathroom and discovered beautiful Italian tiles.
I realized that the doors leaning over the fireplace belonged to the pantry in the kitchen which was large enough to accommodate a washer and dryer.....how convenient that would be for the Queen of multitasking!
I remembered that the realtor said that the homeowner was offering a $2000 carpet allowance so I stood back and envisioned what the home would look like with brand new neutral carpet instead of the red floral, urine soaked indoor/outdoor carpet that blanketed the family room, dining room AND kitchen.

Yep, it was love at second sight! I secretly wished and hoped that Old Stinky would be my first home but I didn't want to tell my husband for fear of jinxing it!

Dreams do come true!

Stay tuned for Part 4.

The origins of my love for Home Staging -- Buying my first house!

The origins of my love for Home Staging.....Buying my first house -- Part 2

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:10:33 -0500

When we first embarked upon our house hunting trip to the San Francisco Bay area, we knew it wouldn't be easy, but we really thought that we would be able to find an acceptable house and still have time to do some sightseeing. As it turned out, we house hunted every single day of the 10 days we were there with a little sightseeing thrown in.

As each day passed, we were more and more frustrated. It was a seller's market and, while we were able to find homes that we liked in our price range, they were selling fast...too fast! At least 3 times, we toured a home we liked and then rushed over to our Realtor's office so he could contact the listing agent (this was pre-cell phone days), only to find out the house had just gone under contract.

As our list of suitable homes dwindled, our REA really had to dig deep to help us find the right house for us. He took us to see a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home that was in a counteroffer situation. It was move-in ready...having recently been updated with fresh paint and new carpet. Our REA advised us to make a good offer in hopes that the counteroffer currently on the table would not be accepted. So we did.

Because there was a very good likelihood that the counteroffer would be accepted, our REA suggested we reconsider a home that we had previously viewed and deemed unacceptable. The first time we viewed it was at the beginning of our trip and we couldn't get out of there fast enough because it reeked of dogs and urine thus earning it the nickname Old Stinky! There was a water problem in the shower resulting in rotten floor boards and mold. There was no way we could imagine ourselves living in that hell hole.

Because time was running out, our very patient REA suggested that we at least take another look at Old Stinky before ruling it out for good. My husband said, "No Way!!!" I, on the other hand, was willing to give it a second chance because the REA reminded us that it had 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a family room which was unheard of in our price range. We took another look.....it was filthy with junk scattered everywhere and it still stunk! Plus there was more mold! But it was 4 bedrooms and 2 baths with a family room...in our price range. So we told our Realtor to submit an offer on Old Stinky IF and only IF the other offer didn't go through!

We flew out over San Francisco Bay enroute back to Phoenix feeling fairly confident that we would be returning to the San Francisco Bay area as homeowners. But....we had no idea which home we would own!

Stay tuned for Part 3.

The origins of my love for Home Staging -- Buying my first house!

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:56:51 -0500

In trying to tell the story about how buying my first house in 1984 was the benchmark for my staging career, Perfection is trying its best to smother Passion with the overwhelming need to include every little detail. I have spent too much time on trying to get it just right....and there is only 10 minutes left of today. So Passion has taken the realm and told Perfection that we are going to "Just Do It"! We can always "tweak" it later.

As first time home buyers, my husband and I were about to embark on a journey that would have a long-lasting and profound effect on me. The lessons I learned would be the cornerstones of my home staging career. The year was 1984 and we were being transferred from Phoenix to San Francisco and decided to go for it and buy our first house.

We were approved for a loan up to $68,000. We knew prices in the San Francisco area were astronomical so we didn't set our expectations very high. We we searching for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home...obviously it wouldn't be brand new. A roof, windows, walls, and a toilet were must haves....everything else would be gravy!

We also knew that our budget precluded us buying in an area with a considerable commute into the city. We were searching for our first home in "the Armpit of the Bay Area" with an hour to hour and a half commute both ways...on a good day. We looked at many, many different homes during our 10 day househunting trip. We found that as the days passed, we were becoming less critical and willing to overlook obvious flaws because we really wanted a house.

I thought house hunting was going to be fun. For years, my favorite past time was visiting model homes to get decorating ideas and just to gawk at the creativity and innovation. I truly expected to enjoy this house hunting experience. It wasn't fun.....it was exhausting and mind numbing. Seeing house after house and, at the end of the day, trying to remember which ones stood out from the crowd and earned a repeat visit and wondering if we were going to find a house before we had to fly back to Phoenix when our 10 days were up. It was as much fun as alligator wrestling!

It was a seller's market which added to our frustrations: we must have put in full-priced offers on atleast 6 homes only to be told that they had recently gone under contract; one of which was a home that we tried to view but couldn't because a tenant lived there and wouldn't agree to have the home shown. Our realtor suggested we put in an offer contingent on being able to view it first with the right to back out if we so chose. We were running out of both time and houses to see....there just weren't that many in our price range. And we wanted to buy something, anything on this house hunting trip.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of this life-altering event!

Perfection has taken the lead but Passion is still in the race

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:18:32 -0500

What have I gotten myself into? Yesterday, I announced that I was so inspired by the movie "Julie & Julia" that I made a commitment to blog every day. Today is Day 2 and it is 10:57 PM and both perfection and procrastination are alive and well because I am not going to be able to produce the blog that I had hoped.

For my first official post in this challenge, I intended to detail the events that led up to my passion for home staging. But I didn't know where to start. There are so many defining moments that contributed. Too many in fact to put into just one blog so I am going to put them in a series starting tomorrow.

Can you believe I almost gave up and threw in the towel? But I am not a quitter...I made a commitment....I have passion...and I am determined to see this through to the end. Oh, what a bumpy ride this is going to be.

Can Passion Triumph Over Perfection?

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:57:11 -0500

I certainly hope so because after seeing the movie, "Julie and Julia", I made a commitment to myself to blog every day for a year...starting today. Uhhhh-ohhhh!  Going public with that announcement makes it official....there is no turning back.

I joined Active Rain three years ago and this is my 35th blog.  Yep, it's sad. I am my own worse critic. I felt that my blogs weren't good enough because I wanted everything to be perfect. Better add a large dose of procrastination to the mix as well. I kept waiting for just the right time, the right photos, the right words....it had to be brilliant, witty, intriguing, soul stirring....perfect!

No more perfection for me.....just passion!!! As I learned from the movie....passion is the driving force that keeps you going when you are unable to persevere or unsure as to whether you even want to.  Sheer determination, advanced planning and commitment are also key players.

Funny thing about passion.....it gives you the courage and confidence to do something that otherwise would seem unfathomable. I went over a year without blogging anything....zip, zilch, nada. Now I am going to commit to writing 365 daily blogs about:

Home staging
Helping people
Pros and cons of being curious
Pros and cons of having a creative mind
The need for adventure
My love of nature
All the joys, hurdles, and blessings I encounter along the way.

Passion, you are going to have to kick Perfection's butt, because there is a lot riding on you!

Nature and Marketing Contest

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:59:25 -0500

Vacant homes = Belles of the Staging Ball. Occupied Homes = Cinderella BEFORE the Fairy Godmother showed up.

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:04:47 -0500

HGTV has revolutionized the staging industry with their numerous programs showing how they can transform an unappealing occupied home into the most desirable one in that price range thus increasing the marketability of the home. Even though the occupied home is the star on HGTV, in the real staging world, it appears that the vacant home is the one that garners all the attention. The inquiries I get about staging a vacant home far outnumber the ones for occupied homes.

Just a few minutes perusing Realtor.com confirms that there are many "wallflower" occupied homes that could be transformed into Belles of the Ball after a visit from a Staging Fairy Godmother.

Also, I am seeing more and more comments on staging blogs here in the Rain from Realtors that say...."Next time I have a vacant home, I will have it staged." Or, "I have all my vacant homes staged."

I have taxed my brain trying to think of reasons why some Realtors would only hire stagers for their vacant listings and not their occupied ones.

This is what I have come up with:

1. They only take listings that look like model homes.

2. Buyers in their area are not able to visualize what their furnishings would look like in a vacant home but are extremely adept at visualizing themselves in cluttered, outdated, highly personalized, and overcrowded homes.

3. They stage all their occupied listings themselves and only contact a stager when furniture needs to be brought in.

4. They are afraid the stager will poke fun of the homeowner's furnishings and decorating styles like they do on HGTV.

5. They are not aware that a skilled stager will patiently, tactfully, and empathetically explain the reasons behind the suggested changes that need to be made in such a way as to not offend the homeowners.

6. They do not realize that a talented stager can make an occupied home show its best for as little as $150 - $350 for a consultation (for motivated DIY sellers) or from $300 - $600 for a few hours of hands-on staging using only the owner's existing furnishings.

What are your reasons for not hiring a stager for your Cinderella listings?

How could this be? The room looked beautiful; yet was the victim of "Bad Staging"

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:17:10 -0500

I recently saw a staging show on HGTV in which the staged living room was beautifully arranged but, at the same time, was an example of poor staging. Poor Staging??? In a beautiful room on HGTV? How can that be?

Misuse of focal points!

Rather than put the emphasis on the room's focal point, a large picture window, the stager opted to put the sofa in front of the window thus preventing potential buyers from being able to walk over and see the view. But that was not her worst offense! You are NOT going to believe this!!! She brought in a RENTED fireplace to serve as the focal point. Not only did she neglect to play up the room's one and only architectural feature, she taunted potential buyers by focusing on a fireplace that would not be staying with the house.

Sometimes in our zealousness to make the rooms look inviting and functional, we neglect to highlight the home's best features....the one's that stay with the home after the furniture has been moved out. They are the home's real stars!

Buyers want to walk over to the window in the living room and be able to see the neighborhood without having to lean over a sofa to do it.
Buyers want to appreciate the uniquely arched windows without trying to imagine how they would look without the inexpensive topper cutting them in half.
Buyers shouldn't have to stand up on a bed, that is using the window as a headboard, in order to see what the backyard looks like.
Buyers love bay windows! They want to see them in all their glory; not have them half-hidden by a sofa.
Buyers want to see the lovely hardwood floors without having to lift up decorative rugs that cover ¾ of the space.

There have been some discussions here on AR about the differences between interior decorating and staging. To me it comes down to the focal points. In staging, the focal point always, always, always stays with the house!

Does your neighborhood know that a Home Stager lives there? Let the Trick or Treaters spread the word!

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:20:44 -0500

I have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of Halloween ever since I read Jim Lee's delightful blog in which he shared how he turns the time-honored tradition of trick or treating into a marketing opportunity.

I live in a deed restricted community with a very strict "No Soliciting" policy. That means no flyers on doors and vehicles that have advertising on them must be parked in the garage at all times. Because of these stringent rules, only my closest neighbors and the ladies in my Bunco club know that I am a Home Stager.

That is all going to change...tonight!!! I may not be able to leave my marketing materials on my neighbors' doorsteps, but I can make arrangements to have my business card personally delivered to many of the homes via a plethora of miniature messengers dressed as ghosts, goblins, witches, princesses and super heroes.

In his blog, Jim explained how he would be putting several pieces of choice candy (the good stuff) in a baggie along with 2 of his business cards. He explains that it gives the parents piece of mind knowing exactly where the candy came from....and it is tax deductible!

If you are giving out good sized candy bars, rather than an assortment of candy, you can just lay the cards on bottom of the candy bar and secure them with either a piece of tape or a rubber band. (Yvonne...be sure to add this one to your list). Be careful that the rubberband is not so tight as to squish the candy bar or so loose that the card will fall off. You want them to know exactly who gave them that huge candy bar.

This is also a good way to use up the last of your stash of raffia. Instead of a baggie, wrap several pieces of candy in plastic wrap and tie a bow at the top with raffia. You can either put your card inside with the candy or, if time permits, punch a hole in it and thread it onto the raffia. Be creative!

For the personal touch, you may want to consider writing "Happy Halloween from your neighborhood Home Stager" on the backs of the cards.

Again, you MUST HAVE great candy....this is not the time to stock up at the dollar store! None of the cheap stuff for this marketing blitz!

Thanks, Jim, for the inspiration!

Happy Halloween!

Passing out business cards with help from Ben Franklin or the State Lottery

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:18:01 -0500

When I was in the planning phase of my Home Staging business, I worked out a deal with a Realtor friend. I staged her house in exchange for the privilege of taking before and after photos for my portfolio. Since she lived two hours away, this involved me staying at her house for a couple of days. It also included a variety of shopping trips in search of the perfect accessories.

I came away from that experience with more than just some great before and after photos. I had the privilege of observing a networking pro in action! My friend took advantage of any and all opportunities to hand out her business card to everyone we met...from the wait staff in restaurants to the people in line at Pier 1 or Marshall's.

Not only did she give out a lot of business cards, she had a clever way of minimizing the likelihood that they would end up in a dumpster. When she handed a business card to someone, she did so with a big dose of WIIFM. (What's in it for me?)

She would smile and say "hello" to everyone she came into contact with. When the timing was right, she would hand them a business card and verbally instruct them to write their name and phone number on the back of the card and then to put it in their wallet for safekeeping. The puzzled looks on their faces quickly turned to smiles when she told them that, should that card ever find it's way back to her, after close of escrow, her friend "Benjamin Franklin" would be on his way to see them. She kept a crisp, new $100 bill in her purse to show to anyone who needed a little extra incentive.

I asked her how many times she had to send "Ben" on a trip and she said, "Ben was a frequent flyer!"

Unfortunately, I never mastered that technique. As a stager who predominantly does consultations and hands-on staging of occupied homes, setting up a travel itinerary for Ben Franklin was too rich for my blood. And sending Alexander Hamilton in his place just didn't have the same allure.

After having this info lie dormant in the recesses of my mind, I recently had an epiphany...in a convenience store. The prospect of being rewarded with $10 is not likely to stir up much interest, but what if the $10 was transformed into 10 chances of winning a lottery?

As I waited my turn at the counter, I envisioned myself passing out business cards and saying, "If this card lands in my hands after payment for a consultation or hands-on staging, $10 worth of lottery tickets will land in yours!!!"

Woo Hoo!!! Visions of huge jackpots and rolling in dough would surely be great motivators for passing along my card.

And I intend to make it crystal clear that this offer only applies to completed transactions...not inquiries or free estimates.

This should make it easier to hand out business cards to everyone I meet. Because, not only would it be beneficial to me, it could possibly benefit them as well....in more ways than one! Who wouldn't want to receive $10 worth of lottery tickets for doing nothing more than giving a business card to a friend or family member? It would also be an incentive to hold onto the card in hopes that they or someone they know would be able to use it in the future.

So what you do think, is it worth a try?

A Simple Solution to Ease the Fear of a Worse Case Scenario

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:13:20 -0500

Horror of Horrors! You just received an e-mail from a fellow Active Rainer telling you they recognized some of your listing or staging photos on someone else's website. Or you were checking the profile and website of a newbie and the photos on his website looked just like yours. Because they ARE yours!

Though you would be outraged and appalled at this discovery....there is something even worse. The only thing worse than seeing photos of your hard work and creativity on someone else's website is finding out that the photos in question had been watermarked and/or copyrighted by the plagiarizer. This now puts you in the unenviable position of having to show proof of ownership of your own photos. Grrrrrr!!!

I propose a simple plan of action to assure that potential conflicts over true ownership of photos are settled in the rightful owner's favor. Just as in "fighting fire with fire," this involves using photos to fight for your photos.

Stagers and Real Estate Agents realize the importance of taking many different shots, from various angles and sections of the room, in order to get the very best photos. So what happens to the photos that don't make the cut and aren't featured on your website? Do they end up deleted or filed in the circular file? Those non-selected photos can be your "insurance".....guaranteeing that you will win should a conflict over photo ownership ensue.

If someone copied and pasted these before and afters and put them on his own website.....

I would present this before photo from my "insurance collection" that shows the front of the kitchen cabinets, the old vinyl floor, dishwasher, and refrigerator....none of which are visible in the other photos.

And this after photo that shows the seats of the barstools, a different window treatment, a desk, and the new vinyl floors....further proof that I am the rightful owner of the photos in question.

The person who stole the photos would have nothing with which to back up his claim or prove that he had ever been inside that particular home, let alone staged and photographed it. His only chance of victory would be in trying to intimidate me enough to drop the claim. Not going to happen!!!

You need only display one or two of each room's best photos in your portfolio. But it is imperative that you keep some of the rejects on file as proof of ownership. You never know when those photos with the homeowner watching tv in his recliner, the Dalmation stretched out on the bed, or the one that shows your reflection in a mirror while taking photos of the bathroom, etc. might need to be used as "evidence". If you use a 35 mm camera, the negatives are your proof.

The "insurance photos" can also be used to support your claim of a stock photo-free portfolio. Someone who uses stock photos would usually only have a single set of before and afters of each room.

Having to defend ownership of photos of your own work is definitely a worse case scenario. I don't personally know anyone who has ever been involved in a "my word against your word" situation requiring them to fight for their own photos. However, if someone is morally bankrupt enough to steal photos and pass them off as their own, they may also be brazen enough to challenge you to defend your claim.

I would love to hear other ideas and suggestions for helping to make sure we are prepared to win should we ever be called in to battle to fight for the right to use our own photos!

No more Ms. Nice Gal...the kid gloves are coming off!

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 20:57:46 -0500

You know you didn't stage those rooms. So why are those photos in your portfolio? Whew...there, I said it!!! My grievance is with stagers who pass off someone else's work as their own in their portfolios. My very first blog on AR, almost a year ago, was about this very subject. However, I was a lot nicer in that one and was indeed wearing my kid gloves. Not anymore. Taking them off and flinging them into the ring!

So what's the big deal? Why am I getting myself so worked up? Since joining AR, I have seen many photos on staging websites that I know were not done by that particular stager. Most of the time, I knew they were stock photos provided by their staging training company. However, I cannot recall ever seeing a staging website, in which stock photos were used, that had a disclaimer explaining that the photos were not actually work performed by the stager. But rather stock photos intended to show the benefits of staging. A website with such a disclaimer would not be deceitful but neither would it bring in much business.

As the numbers of stagers on AR increased, I began seeing even more stock photos. I figured no harm done. They are only hurting themselves. I was wrong! Let's say a Realtor or homeowner hires a stager based on the quality of work presented in her portfolio. If the result of that staging project turns out to be far inferior to what was represented in the portfolio, it doesn't bode well for the industry as a whole. They could get the impression that all stagers practice deceptive measures. It is my opinion that some of the "bad stagers", who use tricks to cover up flaws rather than having them repaired, may be some of the same ones who think it is okay to pass off photos of someone else's work as their own.

Even though your training company says it is okay to use stock photos to show what staging can do, your common sense should tell you that it really is NOT okay. Someone interested in hiring you to stage their listing or home doesn't want to see examples of what staging can do...they want to see what YOU can do!

Do you think that no one will notice that you used stock photos? Well, the chances of keeping that little secret decreased sharply when you joined Active Rain. Stagers on here are very savvy. We check out each other's websites. We are familiar with many of the staging training websites and online furniture rental stores. Some of us use Clip Art in our blogs so your chances of getting something by us are quite slim. And we stick together. We want to help each other succeed. However, Active Rain is a community and we are forming relationships with Realtors. We are asking them to trust us with their clients. How can we gain their trust when we stand by and allow them to be deceived?

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed reading a blog from a realtor on AR explaining how he had been searching for a stager and had finally found one that he thought would work well with his team. He praised her professionalism and knowledge of staging. He made her sound so special that I wanted to learn more about her. I clicked on the link to her webpage and immediately went to her portfolio section. What a letdown!!! I was so disappointed!! I had never been to her website before yet I immediately recognized the set of before and after photos on the first page. They were the same ones used on the cover of a staging book written by the owner of one of the larger staging companies. When I clicked on the portfolio....the disappointment deepened. Out of about 6 sets of before and afters, there was only 1 set that I couldn't say absolutely for sure that they were indeed stock photos. The other five...I was 100% sure because I had seen them so many times. She may truly be a very talented stager but, unless she told him the truth about her portfolio, she entered into that business relationship with deceit. My first instinct was to contact the stager and ask her if she told him about the stock photos. For a fleeting moment, I wanted to e-mail the Realtor and ask him if he knew about the stock photos. In the end, I decided it was really none of my business so I opted to do nothing.

What pushed me over the edge and made me mad enough to finally speak out was when I clicked on a blog posted in the Stage It Forward group just a few days ago. I wanted to know more about the poster so I went to her website and clicked on "gallery". I think steam is still coming out of my ears from what I saw there. I recognized each and every one of those sets of before and after photos....but they were not stock photos. They were photos that she cut and pasted from another stager's website...one who is a personal friend of mine. We are talking about plagiarism as well as deception. That is why I am so mad! If that stager thinks nothing of deceiving people on her website, what does she do when she is hired to stage a house?

This has to stop!!! Fellow AR stagers, we can't keep overlooking this issue. We all know it is being done. We keep quiet in allegiance with our fellow stagers. Well, what about the Realtors who are being deceived? They need our support! We can't just keep sweeping this under the rug. We have to take a stand and say, "This is unacceptable and we are not going to look the other way any more." I am not talking about whistle blowing or public humiliation...no need to go to those extremes! A good place to start would be to send a copy of this blog to any stager that you know for sure is using photos of someone else's work. If you do contact someone you know for sure is using stock or shared photos, be sure to do it in the spirit of Stage It Forward. Do not accuse, condemn or chastise. The goal is to make them aware of the disadvantages of using photos of someone else's work since it is possible that they may only be familiar with the advantages.

Since joining AR, I personally have sent brief e-mail to 2 stagers that I knew were using photos of someone else's work...one was using photos from her training school and the other was a photo directly from the pages of Cort Furniture's online catalog. Both of them thanked me for the information and immediately removed the photos in question.

If you find photos that you know have been taken from another stager's website, it is best to inform the stager and let her decide the best course of action. I have already informed my stager friend about my discovery and she confirmed that those photos were definitely used without her permission.

AR Realtors have been so forthcoming in their willingness to learn more about staging and form relationships with stagers. I feel the least we can do is give them tools to determine whether the stager they are interviewing is qualified to do the job. So I am working on a blog just for Realtors entitled "How to Tell Whether Your Stager Can Do What He/She Says He/She Can Do!" It will include tips to help decipher whether or not the photos are of work done by that particular stager. Also included will be questions to ask when interviewing a stager to further prove that the portfolio contains all original photos. Be looking for it.

I am also working on a "how-to" blog for stagers who really want to use photos of their own work but don't know where to start. It is intended for those who truly didn't realize that using stock photos in their portfolio was a no-no. Be looking for it.

Stagers and Realtors, your comments and thoughts on this issue will be greatly appreciated to reassure me that I didn't go too far out on a limb in tackling this extremely sensitive subject!

If you didn't stage it, don't show it!

Ouch, that stings!....Some HGTV viewers express their opinions on staging

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:49:00 -0500

Being a member of Active Rain has given me a pretty good idea of how the majority of real estate agents regard home staging. Most seem to be for it! For quite some time, I have been searching for a forum that would allow us to see what potential buyers and sellers thought about staging. And finally I found it! Click here: Oh, dear....(staging) - Topic Powered by eve community It is from the HGTV message boards under the category Buying and Selling Homes.

The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind in this circumstance because I wasn't quite prepared for just how candid those responses would be. Even though these opinions were expressed by only a handful of viewers, it still gives valuable insight as to how staging is perceived by both buyers and sellers. Reading these posts was a real eye opener for me. And painful, too! However, just like the homeowners on the staging shows who have to listen to the frank comments of people touring their homes, we do have to take to heart what is being said. We are strong! We can handle it!

I was taken aback by the many things they perceived as being true that we would view as misconceptions; such as:

Staging is a fad.
A house that that has been cleaned, decluttered and recently painted IS staged.
Professional staging gets tacked on to the asking price.
Staging should only be for vacant or model homes.
New furniture must be brought in to properly stage a house.
Staging was invented in order to supersede interior design.
Staging is fake decor.
Suggestions for preparing a house to sell should only come from a realtor as they know the market.

There were a few posts in defense of staging but they were mostly from home stagers or sellers whose homes were staged by their Realtors. Some of the other concerns mentioned were:

Having a sign in the yard stating that the home has been professionally staged. The assumptions were that the house was staged free of charge by a new stager or that the homeowner got a reduced rate by allowing the advertising. They feel that a house should not be advertised as staged by a professional staging company anymore than it should be advertised that it was freshly cleaned by a commercial cleaning company. One mentioned that, while house hunting with her spouse, they purposely never stopped to view homes that had a rider on the sign stating that the home was staged. Their perception was that staging was being touted as a feature of the home rather than a provided service. The consensus was that it is okay to advertise that the house was staged in a vacant home but not so in an occupied one.
Staging should be invisible...not contrived. One person stated that if she was viewing an obviously staged home, she would be more interested in critiquing the stager's abilities than focusing her attention on the house. Another felt that staging was manipulative and somewhat desperate. Potential buyers were turned off by homes that were staged with fake lemonade set ups on the porches, open novels on tables next to reading chairs, and having all the tables in the house, including the patio, set for company--complete with fake food.
Several posters stated that they hated staging. As both a stager and homeowner whose homes sold quickly and profitably as a result of staging, I just can't fathom how anyone could hate staging.

Now that we know what buyers and sellers are thinking, we need to address these concerns and make sure that our marketing materials and blogs clear up the misconceptions. We also need to make sure that our staging efforts are not being perceived as "contrived".

I welcome any thoughts or suggestions on ways to address these issues. Go to Oh, dear....(staging) - Topic Powered by eve community and let me know if I missed any important points.

Do you wait until the home is vacant before calling in a home stager?

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:00:40 -0500

Most of the staging inquiries I get from my website and Active Rain are for vacant homes. Yet, when viewing Realtor.com, I see many, many occupied homes that could benefit from staging. Will these sellers eventually have to move out and into their new homes and then be faced with staging a vacant?

Even though it can be inconvenient to live in a staged home, isn't it the most cost-effective and timely solution since the stager can usually work wonders with the owner's furnishings instead of the sellers having to pay to rent furniture for at least a couple of months?

If you are a Realtor who recommends home staging to their clients, when do you usually do it....while the house is occupied or after the clients have moved out?

Contest Inspired New Names For Stagers

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:16:11 -0500

Next time I need to give my 30 second commercial, I won't know whether to say that I am a "Home Lifesaver" or a "Staging Heroine." I discovered these two creative titles from reading all the fabulous entries in the Carnival of Content contest.

The contest was a wonderful opportunity to sing the praises of staging as well as provide us with new content to use in our marketing plans. One of the things I enjoyed most about the entries in the contest (yes, I read them all) is discovering the clever new names for stagers and innovative ways of describing exactly what we do. We can now call ourselves:

Dream Home Fantasy Fulfillers
Home Lifesavers
The House Whisperers of Real Estate
Property Detailers
Professional Home Shangri-La Activators
Professional Visual Merchandisers
Real Estate Diamond in the Rough Transformers
Real Estate Gem Polishers
Real Estate Packaging Experts
Real Estate Mystery Removers
Staging Heroes/Heroines

If you haven't read all the entries yet, head over to the Carnival of Content Group. Let me know any names that I may have missed.

Buyers want to be bedazzled by the sparkle and shine!

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:51:02 -0500

When we fantasize about owning a diamond, we envision it as being spectacular! No matter how little or how much money we are willing to spend to fulfill our fantasy, we still want the very best in that price range. Most of us don't want a diamond in the rough because it is still covered in dirt. We don't want to imagine how fabulous it will look after it has been cleaned, cut, polished and placed in an attractive setting. We want one that we can wear out of the store. We want one that will dazzle all who lay eyes on it because of its sparkle and shine!

Homes for sale need to sparkle and shine, too. Just like polishing adds the wow factor to a diamond, staging adds the wow factor to homes for sale. Wow factor describes the elements that cause buyers to say, "WOW!!! I can see myself living here" as soon as they enter the door or view the photos on the internet. Wow factor is crucial in helping potential buyers appreciate what the home has to offer such as: spaciousness, lots of light coming in through the windows, gorgeous floors, fireplace, beautiful countertops, etc....but especially in being able to envision the lifestyle the home affords. Wow factor is often the missing ingredient in homes that are priced right, neat, clean and tidy but still linger on the market.

Houses today cost a lot of money, therefore buyers want homes that look and feel expensive. It is also about getting our money's worth. If you are asking $2,000,000 for a home, then it should look and feel like a $2 million home. Buyers in every price range usually have a vision of what they expect their dream home to look and feel like -- up-to-date, spacious, stunning, and expensive...as well as warm and inviting. They don't want to have to use their imaginations to picture the home...

Without the bold paint colors
Without the taste-specific wallpaper
Without stained carpets
Without the home office and exercise equipment in the master bedroom
Without a pool table in the dining room

They just want to step through the front door and be blown away with how spectacular it looks.

Staging helps potential buyers fulfill their fantasies. They want homes that are better than the ones they are leaving. A place where they would be proud to entertain friends and family. A place they can envision spending their leisure time. A refuge to come home to at the end of a busy day. These fantasies are more difficult to fulfill when the home is vacant, cluttered, too personalized, or outdated.

For buyers looking for a $350,000 home, this would probably not be the bedroom they have been fantasizing about.

Buyers can now envision themselves relaxing in this room after a long day at work.

This room is nice and tidy but it doesn't make you say WOW!

Staging added the wow factor that will have buyers scurrying to make a viable offer before someone else does.

No matter the price point, this wouldn't be anyone's dream kitchen.

Imagine the pleased looks on the faces of potential buyers upon entering this $45,000 mobile home and seeing this kitchen that was transformed for under $500.

Buyers would have no idea of the true purpose of this space. Is it a storage room, a music room, an art studio?

It's a dining room! One in which buyers can picture themselves enjoying a lovely candlelit dinner.

A home should be staged when there are obstacles that keep buyers from seeing its true beauty and potential. When buyers are looking for their dream homes, the search could be hampered if:

They are distracted by the owner's personal photos and/or collectibles
It is covered in last week's dirty laundry
Too much furniture is distracting them from seeing the home's focal points
Their eyes linger on glaring repairs that should have been made

The very best time to stage a home is BEFORE it goes on the market so you won't risk losing potential buyers. The next best time is as soon as you realize that staging is needed. You may not have realized it before it went on the market but, now that you do, it should be staged immediately. It is never too late to stage a home. Better late than not at all!

Just like a jeweler, a skilled home stager has the ability to transform your home from a diamond-in-the-rough into a sought after, polished gem that sparkles and shines and demonstrates that it is worth the amount of money being asked for. With so many homes to choose from, staging is the key to assure that yours is the one that captures the buyers' eyes and hearts and makes them reach for their checkbooks.

Sellers' lament --- I'm selling my house....not my things!

Sat, 05 May 2007 17:11:22 -0500

One of the mantras I hear most often when doing a home staging consultation is: "I am selling my house...not my stuff.....why can't buyers just look past my things and concentrate on the house?" Easier said than done. Even if they can overlook the deerhead over the urinal, worn out furniture and an extensive doll collection, they can't overlook how they feel when standing in a room that is uninviting or overcrowded. It is all about emotions....how buyers feel when they are in the room.

When buyers walk into a house that is freshly painted in a neutral color, with plenty of light, and just enough decorative touches and furnishings to make the space feel welcoming....they feel good...they feel like they could live there. They may not know why they feel good....only that they do. They are not going to focus on the couch or the bedspreads....their eyes will be directed to the views, arched doorways, fireplaces, granite countertops, hardwood floors, etc....because they are the focal points and the house is staged to make sure they are the stars. When buyers feel good immediately upon entering the house, they focus their attention on things that help continue that feeling.

Buyers do the opposite when in a home that makes them feel uncomfortable such as one that is dark, cluttered, with furniture that is poorly arranged. They may not understand why they don't get good vibes from the room so they begin focusing on the worn out couch or the doilies on the coffee table....even though those are items that won't be staying with the house. Buyers are soon ready to move on to the next home in hopes that it will give them the feelings they are looking for.

My husband DOES understand my passion for staging!

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:27:08 -0500

Yesterday, I was enjoying my eggs benedict while having a lovely brunch with my husband, parents, sister, and brother-in-law at the Don Cesar with a view of the ocean from every window and when my husband leaned over and handed me a file folder with this inside.

He had a friend get this personally autographed photo of Roger Hazard of "Sell this House" and waited until the perfect time to give it to me! That man never ceases to amaze me!

Home Staging Should Be a Preventative Measure as well as a Cure for Vacant Houses!

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:31:59 -0500

Just after Thanksgiving, I got an e-mail from an out of state friend telling me she and her husband bought a new home and were in the process of putting their existing home on the market. I was so excited for her because she was finally moving back to her hometown after being away for 25 years.

After viewing the photos she e-mailed me of the home she was trying to sell, I took off my "friend" hat and put on my "stager" hat and below are portions of conversations that ensued.

December
Stager Judy: Have you considered staging the home? The money you invest in a staging consultation or for a few hours of hands on staging will give you a big return in the long run.

Seller Suzy: It doesn't need staging. We put in brand new granite countertops. I set the dining room table with my best tablecloth, china, crystal and silverware.

Stager Judy: In looking at the pictures, I barely noticed the countertops because my eye kept drifting to your extensive collection of cookie jars and bright red toaster, mixer, and blender. I suggest you pack up all but one cookie jar so buyers can fully appreciate the countertops and the spaciousness of the kitchen. I also suggest that you take down your displays of collectible spoons, thimbles, and antique pocket watches from the dining room so buyers can focus their attention on the hardwood floors and the gorgeous view of the lake from the windows. Because they are a beautiful distraction and to keep children from playing with them, you should pre-pack all the lovely dolls you have displayed throughout the house.

January
Stager Judy: Looks for and finds listing on Realtor.com. Pleased to see that it seems to be appropriately priced. Dismayed to see, from the photos, that they did not heed my suggestions. My eye went straight to the dolls neatly arranged on the bed and shelves in the master bedroom. And, of course, the thimbles, spoons, and cookie jars were still prominently displayed!

February
Stager Judy: How's the sale of the house going?

Seller Suzy: We have had plenty of lookers but no offers. We will be moving out next week and taking everything with us so that will help.

Stager Judy: A house shows much better when it is furnished. Since you have enough furnishings for two houses, you should consider getting a staging consultation to help you decide what to keep in the house and what to take with you.

Seller Suzy: Oh no, I prefer looking at empty homes and I think most people do, too.

March
Stager Judy: How's it going with your other house?

Seller Suzy: We just reduced the price $5000 so it will probably sell any day now.

April
Stager Judy: Any news on the house?

Seller Suzy: Our new Realtor thinks the house will sell better furnished. She has referred us to a Home Stager!!!

Vacant staging will cost them approximately $2000 to $5000. If they had chosen staging as a preventative measure rather than a cure, staging the home with their existing furnishings would have cost about $200-300 for a consultation, if they wanted to make the changes themselves, and approximately $500-$600 for hands-on staging. Staging the home before the house went on the market may have prevented the price reduction and months of paying an extra mortgage.

More and more realtors, builders, investors and homeowners are realizing the importance of staging vacant homes to keep them from lingering on the market but it is also important to remember that staging an occupied home is a less costly alternative to vacant home staging.

It just doesn't feel right!

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:01:15 -0500

A realtor called and asked me if I could do a hands on staging for one of his listings. I asked him to tell me about the house...what he thought it needed.

He said "It just doesn't feel right".

I asked...what do you mean..."it doesn't feel right"?

He said..."I can't explain it....they have nice furniture, it is not cluttered, and the house is only 3 years old but it just doesn't "feel right."

He knew that if it didn't "feel right" to him, it wouldn't "feel right" to potential buyers.

I was really curious now....couldn't wait to see this home. I walked in and panicked...thinking....oh no, this house is perfect just the way it is....what am I going to tell the realtor? And then a funny thing happened as I stood there in the doorway taking in all the rooms from that viewpoint.....suddenly....it didn't "feel right!!!"

Two hours of tweaking, rearranging furniture and accessories to show off the home's best features and the home finally "felt right". The owners must have felt it too because they thanked me with a big hug. The staging also made it "feel right" to buyers because they were under contract in less than three weeks.

Realtors -- What do you do about your listings that "don't feel right"?

Stagers -- How many times have you been called in to work your magic on a house that "didn't feel right"?

Mission Impossible...Sleeping on a "staged" bed!

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 14:00:17 -0500

One of my favorite parts of staging is making the beds in each bedroom I stage look the very best I can without the homeowner having to spend money on new bedding. Not wanting to add to their expenses, I prefer to search their closets and cabinets for something that I can use to make their beds look spectacular.

More often than not, I am able to achieve that goal. Such was the case recently when I went on a scavenger hunt for sheets, blankets, comforters....etc. to help tone down the overpowering floral theme in both the master and the guest bedrooms. Armed with everything I needed, I changed sheets, flipped satin bedspreads over to show their less shiny undersides and then tucked their excesses way up under the oversized and heavy pillow top mattress. I found pillow shams with stripes that further offset the floral print and carefully arranged them so just the scalloped edges peaked out over the top of the pillow in front. Everything was calculated precisely to make sure the bed looked fabulous!

After a considerable amount of primping, plumping, and poking, I was finished. With sweat on my brow, I stood back to survey my master bed masterpiece and to reveal it to the owner. She smiled widely; obviously pleased then said....."But how am I going to sleep on it? I will never get the bed looking like this again."

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks. In my quest to save the homeowner money and stress by not having to go out and buy something appropriate, I added a different type of stress by having her worry about how she was going to recreate my handi-work every morning.

I think I just discovered a new use for the blow-up-bed-in a bag! I may need to provide these to homeowners so they will have something to sleep on until they get a contract. Ok....maybe that is a bit drastic....but I do make sure to take several close-up photos of the bed from different angles to e-mail to the client to make it easier to replicate my work!