Staging And Redesign - My View of the Industry

IRIS Members - Give Us Your Best Shot Photo Challenge!!

2008-07-20T22:01:08Z

IRIS Members are you ready to give us your best shot? Adding to the excitement of the 2008 Riding the Wave Conference in San Diego this October is the photo challenge. I remember last years and how exciting it was to see & vote on all of the entries. I can't wait to see what you've got up your sleeve this year!

Why?

The distinction of becoming an award winning redesigner/stager will 1)enhance your reputation, 2)generate media attention, 3) set you apart from your competition AND 4)heighten your visibility when you add the title to your marketing materials, web site and email signature line!

What?

Category 1: Redesigned Living/Family Room

•· Before and After

Category 2: Staged Living/Family Room

•· Before and After

•· No vacant entries allowed in this category.

Category 3: Bedroom

•· Before and After

•· Staged or Redesigned

Category 4: Staged Vacant Room

•· Before and After

Category 5: Accessorizing

•· After photo only

•· Accessorized Bookcase, Mantel or Coffee Table

Category 6: Dining Room Table Setting

•· After photo only

•· Entire table setting, not one place setting

How?

Photo Challenge Guidelines:

•· Only IRIS members attending conference may submit photos.

•· Members may submit one entry for each category.

•· Only submit 5 x 7, color copies, on glossy photo paper.

•· "Before" and "After" pictures should be from the same view/location.

•· The back of each photo should be clearly labeled with the following printed information:

•1) First and Last Name

•2) Business Name

•3) Phone Number

•4) Email Address

•5) Submission Category / Before & Submission Category /After

•6) Description (25 words or less) of what was accomplished in the photo.

•· Mail to: Interior Arrangements, Inc.

Attn: Denver/Mtn. IRIS Chapter

PO Box 2347

Evergreen, CO 80437

•· Note: Receipt of photos will be confirmed via email.

•· No email submissions accepted.

•· Submissions must be received by September 8, 2008.

•· Photos will not be returned.

•· Voting will take place on October 8 & 9 and awards presented October 10.

Designers' Summer Showdown on HGTV!

2008-07-20T20:22:31Z

How cool is this? Watching tonight's episode of Design Star I saw a preview of this new show & I am excited!!!

HGTV Designers will challenge other HGTV Designers and go head to head....

Meet the Teams and Create Your Dream Team

Team 1	Vern Yip & James Lunday
Team 2	Cynthia Rowley & Steve Hanneman
Team 3	Angelo Surmelis & Carter Oosterhouse
Team 4	Lisa LaPorta & Carmen De La Paz
Team 5	David Bromstad & Jared Walker Dostie
Team 6	Constance Ramos & Anthony Gilardi
Team 7	Steve Watson & Sabrina Soto
Team 8	Eric Stromer & Lauren Lake

For more information visit HGTV's Summer Showdown webpage .... If you are like me you'll really enjoy the mini commercial done wrestling style.

Sorry but without a dining room I don't want to buy your house...

2008-07-18T21:15:53Z

You've got a great listing, fully renovated. The home is clean. It is in a great neighborhood. It's not overpriced. There is a good sized breakfast room. Still you keep hearing the same thing.... Sorry, I really wanted a home with a dining room. What do you do?

We provided a living room in a space that actually made sense in this home. Emptying the bookcases helped to lessen the feelings of a library. Removing the heavy books also makes the room feel brighter, lighter and bigger.

Now in this particular case, because of the whimisical and colorful tones of the home, we decided not to go with a formal look though the space is clearly defined for potential buyers now.

No one really puts their home on the market looking like that!

2008-07-18T20:59:31Z

No, really..... they do!! I was teaching my IRIS 5-day Staging Certification class this week and my students learned a valuable lesson. People don't always have the 'common sense' we think they do. When we discussed the homes that we may walk into the students were certain that sellers know better. On Thursday when we worked our final project, they realized they were wrong.

This home we were working on had been on the market for several months. The agents didn't want to add any interior photos & were excited that we were working on this as a class project (which means I do it at no charge). The homeowner was a single guy with a young boy and simply was overwhelmed with the process.

The owner did have the carpets cleaned just a couple of days before we came. We recommended and the agent made it happen. We didn't close these curtains, this is how the home was shown every day. There was clutter, dust and dirt everywhere.... When we were done the home showed light, bright and large!

Not every staging job is huge or requires a lot of time, energy or even amazing skills. Sometimes taking the basic approach makes the biggest change.... In this case, we just put things away, made the bed and hung some photos! What a difference it makes though. What would potential buyers think about the before photo?

In addition to having the carpets cleaned, they had the room painted for us. Don't think for a moment that we staged the room this way. All they did was move the furniture to the center of the room - they didn't make a mess out of it. This was actually an improvement to when I first saw the home!

When we were done, it felt like a master suite. The room was large, light, fresh and airy. We also reversed the tall dresser (not seen in photos) with the dressing table so that when you came in you didn't feel like you were walking into a furniture wall. This had a double effect of opening up the room & hiding the unattractive TV in the corner (again, not shown).

There were less than $150 in props used in this home. They consisted of a king bed-in-a-bag, 2 throw pillows for the living room and a clearanced off white throw. Staging doesn't have to be expensive to really showcase the home & bring buyers in.

Do you think the agents will be showing photos of the interior now? You bet! Will this increase the likelihood of selling the home? You bet!!

A big stager is in town.... so what if I'm just a tiny one...

2008-07-17T23:10:58Z

So, I've told you before, I'm short... it still surpises everyone! Did you know that Juliet Johnson is practically a giant in comparison? Still when she came to town it just didn't matter.... big packages, small packages - who cares?

This is us (Sue, Juliet, Bevin & Me) standing out by the pool on the rooftop of a local Charleston hotel...

So does it matter which of us is really the bigger stager? Nah.... we are just out having fun!!!

Ok, now you didn't really I was THAT short, did you? - Darn that Bevin for being so cute though... ugh... lol!!

Thanks Juliet for taking the time to meet & socialize on your vacation!! We had a GREAT time!!!

Do you stage with your style, the opposite or somewhere in between?

2008-07-15T21:27:19Z

Ok, I know each house is different and you have to work with the home itself, demographics, etc but I've noticed something interesting when looking at my vacant staged homes and Bevin's vacant staged homes... We both tend to stage opposite of our actual personal tastes! I'm wondering if this is just co-incidence or do many of you find this to be true? Let me give you examples....

My personal home is very colorful. My dining room is painted a color called "Peacock Plume" and has gold swirls that I painstakingly hand stenciled. My entry way is painted a deep plum/eggplant color.

(These are both from my son's graduation day)

Now as you can tell, I love color! I personally chose Charleston Historic colors because I want my new construction home to have some old fashioned value, but in new and updated ways....

The thing is that you've all seen my rooms. I tend to work primarily in neutrals. Not neutrals with pops of color, but true neutrals....

See what I mean? Sure, I know that if I were selling my home that I would tell me to paint those colors and create more neutrality. The funny thing is that Bevin does just the opposite & it works! Her personal home is very neutral... taupes and warm rich browns. Then when she stages, she loves to add pops of colors!

So now I wonder.... is it just us? Do you find yourself staging the opposite of what you really personally enjoy in your own home?

Myths - busted. What happens when you meet another AR member...

2008-07-13T22:53:04Z

Today I had the good fortune to spend the day with Juliet Johnson and her wonderful husband Nick. We spent most of the day touring some of the homes I've staged and discussing technique, etc, touring our warehouse and training facility and then going out to a quite nice dinner. We've got some really great and exciting business building ideas that I'm sure we'll be sharing in a few months when we've got it all worked out. There are some less business oriented things were learned in our visit though.

AR can lead to some misconceptions (myths) about other AR members!

I blog about this because I bet we all have things that we think about each other that just aren't true. Maybe it's a bit like internet dating! Here are some misconceptions that may be out there about me (based on comments I've received after people meet me for the first time)....

------- I'm short! I've said this before, but I don't think it's quite sunk in. I'm only 5ft tall. I only wear heels when I'm dressed up. Normally you'll find me in flip flops or sandals.

------- My hair may not be the way my photo shows! I change my hair (style, length &/or color) about every 8 weeks. I would not be able to keep up with the photo changes so I keep this one. Sometimes it is crayon red, sometimes it is brown with blonde highlights and sometimes it is actually my real hair color! (ok this is the first time since I was 17) It may also be very long or very short depending on my current mood. (For the record the middle one is the most current)

(Ok, looking at all these photos, I look better with longer hair - guess I'll be growing it out again!)

------- I'm really very serious! I've been told that I seem quite humorous online. The truth is that I'm a very serious person, particularly when it comes to business. My humor is most often called 'dry'.

------- I'm not wild & crazy like Cyndi Lauper! (see the one above) Even though I have a pierced nose and may occassionally have purple hair with blonde highlights (ok it's been a while for that one) I'm actually fairly conservative. I'm an old fashioned southern girl. I put my family first & love being a mom. I've been married to the same man for 20 years and let him think he takes care of me... wink!

So now, with all that said, what are some misconceptions other AR members might have about you? Do any of my comments surprise any of you?

Can your staged homes sell TOO FAST?

2008-07-12T20:59:59Z

Ok, we have been having a sort of strange problem lately... Our staged homes have been selling faster than we can keep up with! We've had a great system going for about 6 months and then over the last 45 days everything went haywire. On Friday we unstaged our 8th property in the past 10 days - all of them were unstaging because they had gone under contract (6 of them in less than 30 days). The majority of them also needed to be unstaged about 2 weeks after receiving a contract - about 2 weeks less than usual.

So what's the problem you ask? We are BURSTING AT THE SEAMS with inventory now. 45 days ago Bevin staged a home (the same home that just came in on Friday - which as I recall made 43 vacant homes staged all at once) and we actually had to buy many of the large pieces of inventory for this home because we were EMPTY! Our warehouse was so bare that I joked that it looked like we had been robbed. Today here's what it looks like:

I can't even show you the sofas and dining tables.... I couldn't get a decent photo of them. I would need an arial shot to really show the magnitude of this problem.

We did try to get somewhat creative. I am teaching an IRIS 5-day staging class on Monday & Juliet Johnson is coming by for a visit tomorrow. We needed to do something with the excess furniture to make it all fit....

We decided to create vignettes, like furniture stores do in order to make the rooms not feel too unorganized and visually pleasing.

Now I'm not complaining, but having just moved into our 2700 sqft warehouse last November I am thinking that we may need to a larger space before too long....

Non-Members now to attend 2008 IRIS Conference in San Diego!!

2008-07-07T23:04:22Z

Returning from vacation in Florida I got the exciting news that non-members are now authorized to attend the IRIS Ride the Wave Conference in San Diego this October!! I'm so excited to hear this news. This means that EVERYONE can gain the industry knowledge and join other stagers & redesigners for a fabulous information driven (and social) week!

Check out some of the exciting speakers & workshops planned! (visit www.weredesign.com for more info ,to become a member or to register!)

How to Attract Clients, Build a Business and Get a Life!
Barbara Sanfilippo, CSP, CPAE
Author, Dream Big! What's the Best That Can Happen?

In these chaotic and challenging times you must outsell, outserve and outsmart the competition! In this idea-packed, interactive and energizing session, you'll receive specific strategies you can apply immediately to: attract quality clients more easily, differentiate yourself, position yourself as an expert, close more sales, work more efficiently and make time for more Cappuccino Moments^TM You'll leave inspired and armed with best practices and tools you can use to improve your business and ride the wave to success! Don't miss this opportunity to hear this award-winning speaker, consultant and coach!

Hear what others have to say about her programs:

"Wow! What an inspiration. She, by herself, made the entire conference worthwhile."

"In her ninety minute keynote I learned more about how to improve my business, make consultative sales calls and enjoy my life than in the three-day seminar I took last month.
Her enthusiasm is contagious.

"Great energy for an opening speaker! I liked the way she blended personal well being and happiness along with proven business tactics. I can't wait to try her ideas!

Based in San Diego, CA, Barbara Sanfilippo, CSP, CPAE, is an enthusiastic and popular national and international speaker, consultant and coach specializing in high performance selling and business and life strategies for success. She is the author of, Dream Big! What's the Best That Can Happen? and contributing author in, The Service Path: Your Roadmap to Build Strong Customer Loyalty. She is one of 83 speakers worldwide to have received both the Certified Speaking Professional designation and the Speaker Hall of Fame award by the National Speakers Association.

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The Fine Art of Small Talk with Debra Fine
Professional Speaker, Best Selling Author, Conversation Expert, Communication Guru, Nationally Recognized Spokesperson Conversation Skills * Small Talk Tips * Mingling Skills * Business Networking Skills and Networking Tips

Join Debra Fine, nationally recognized speaker and author for her fast paced, informative and entertaining
presentation The Fine Art of Small Talk. You'll laugh, learn and leave with insightful and informative
conversation tips and networking techniques on how to strike up conversations and keep them going, avoid conversation "killers", develop business relationships and referral sources and come across as composed and self-assured when working with clients and interacting with people at networking functions, meetings and other business-related gatherings. Learn how to turn every conversation, into an opportunity for success.

Debra's programs are held regularly for Fortune 500 firms as well as financial, legal, health care, real estate, government, engineering and entrepreneurial organizations. Her bestselling book The Fine Art of Small Talk How to Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills - and Leave a Positive Impression (Hyperion) was published to excellent reviews in the Library Journal and USA Today and feature stories in Entrepreneur Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. Her recent media appearances include the Today Show, the Early Show, NPR and CNN. More information about Debra and her presentations can be viewed at www.DebraFine.com.

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A wealth of business-building ideas, techniques and tools that you can immediately put to use and that will help you build a better, more productive AND profitable business!

1. Dynamic Decorating Consultations that Can Grow Your Business and Your Bottom-Line
Gail Mayhugh: GMJ Interiors & Virtual Tile Designer/Las Vegas, NV

Learn how to confidently conduct a decorating consultation; create a story & color board; offer simple window treatment suggestions; budget decorating ideas; selecting colors. You will receive an indispensible step-by-step decorating consultation workbook to use at each appointment that will WOW your clients.

2. Discover the World of Model Homes
Julea Joseph: Reinventing Space/Chicago, IL

Adding Model Home decorating to your menu of services can be a rewarding source of income and creative expression AND create additional opportunities for marketing, publicity, new clients and business partnerships. Model homes are a 'real time' portfolio of your work and source of potential new clients who experience your work 'on display.' Julea will share an example of her unique 'Blueprint to Tassels' Model Home project summary and discuss experience and skill set required for this work.

3. The Incredible Information Super Highway
Karel Rogers: Real Estate Staging Unlimited/Reno, NV

How easy is your business to find? A thriving business must successfully market by creatively utilizing websites, e-newsletters, blogs, database programs and systems to create efficiency. You will discover free websites to advertise your business, learn the benefits of and how to blog, free website links and how to create a simple database to develop future business.

4. Mighty Marketing Strategies that will Skyrocket Your Staging Business
Melissa Marro: First Impressions Home Staging & Interior Redesign/Summerville, SC

Discover no-nonsense, cost effective marketing techniques and tools that will help establish you as THE expert in your field. Learn key ways to showcase your services to your primary target audience---real estate agents and seller--- with minimal expense and in a short period of time. Tried and true marketing techniques will be discussed relating to the e-marketing arena: newsletters, just staged-just sold email blasts and a wealth of relationship building strategies.

5. From Niches to Riches: Target Marketing that Will Make Your Business Soar
Val Sharp: Sharp Redesigns/Victoria, BC

What is a niche? Why do I need one? And how do I choose the right one for me? This interactive workshop will help you find the most appropriate niche for you to target and help you discover some key marketing activities that specifically relate to you and your niche. .Niches are a powerful way to streamline your marketing efforts, increase your credibility with clients and establish yourself as the 'go to' person. Identify key ways to find the best market(s) to target and to discover innovative and fun ways to build strong ties to them through creative marketing efforts.
6. How to Become a Media Magnate
Monica Revelle: One Day Re-Design/Laurel, MD

Monica, a PR and media training expert, will teach her proven three-step media strategy for interviews; easy ways to survive on-camera interviews; how to respond to surprise or difficult questions; and what NOT to wear on camera. She will also share her secrets for delivering messages effectively and providing tips, advice and how to's.

7. Consultation Finesse
Kris Moore & Donna Reynolds: Home Rearrangements/Redwood City, CA

Confused about how to facilitate a redesign or staging consultation and most importantly, how to turn it into revenue-generating business? Learn from these two professionals who will walk you through the process---from building rapport with the clients to dealing with sensitive and difficult situations---including personality issues. How to prepare clients for the consultation, what to take with you, how long to schedule the appointment and whether or not to charge for the consult will all be discussed.
Plus! You will receive a sample consultation form and list of questions to ask during a consultation.

8. Low Cost-High Impact Visual Effects for Your Business
Irene Woodworth: One Day Redesigns/Boise, ID. Part 1: Using Fabulous Fabrics and Finishes
Jennifer Duchene: Lift Your Spirits Home Transformations/Homes Redefined/Palo Alto, CA.
Part 2: Creating Dazzling Vignettes
Renee Pratta: Renewed Rooms/Myrtle Beach, SC. Part 3: Memorable Settings and Themes

Live, action-packed demonstrations that will teach you fast, fun and fresh ways to dazzle your clients, increase your visibility and make you stand out from your competition! This trio of experts will share their secrets for no-sew window treatments, creative artwork arrangements, transforming thrift store finds with paint and special finishes, create eye-catching vignettes and formulating amazing special effects using themes and props.

9. The Power of Presentations
Marcia Smart: Smart Interior Styling/Thousand Oaks, CA
Grace Ann Simoni: Yours Redesigned/Naperville, IL

Learn how to easily and comfortably get 'front and center' with clients---whether a short informational meeting or a two hour seminar. This dynamic duo has a wealth of experience AND ideas to share on how to prepare for and perform a successful presentation. You will receive valuable handouts identifying the essential things needed to set up a presentation, a sample presentation outline, a hand out for your attendees and a presentation timetable.

10. Vacant to Vivacious!
Shelley Brouwer & Tammie O'Brien: Pineapple Interiors/Denver, CO

These two business partners have created a super-successful vacant staging and inventory rental business and have a streamlined method for approaching this sometimes challenging aspect of staging. You'll find out how to:

go about getting that vacant home revenue stream
talk to builders, realtors and homeowners with confidence
qualify your clients so you don't waste your time bidding on jobs where there is no staging budget
preview homes in preparation for the bid
quickly and easily price a project and how to write a bid proposal
make furniture selections using what you have and/or what is available for lease
streamline your staging process
follow up with your client and deal with complaints and quirks

11. SUPER Success Marketing
Elizabeth Hagen: National Speaker, Author and Certified Professional Organizer/Sioux Falls, SD

Walk away with a step-by-step system to:

Build a mailing list, write and consistently publish client-capturing newsletters
Design, prepare, and present an awesome workshop that will get you wonderful clients
Involve the audience, follow-up techniques, and get new clients from your presentations
Implement a step-by-step system to create a movement in your community so that you are known as 'The Expert' to call
Take a presentation and make it into a teleclass and teach to anyone in the world
Sell products at the back of the room to increase your revenue and add value to your presentations
Mind-map your first workshop and put together an action plan so you can start implementing what you've learned immediately

12. Navigating Legalities in Your Redesign and Staging Business
Lisa Montanaro: LM Organizing Solutions/Warwick, NY

Designed to assist redesigners and stagers in identifying legal issues that may arise in their business, this session will cover choosing a business structure that best meets your needs, knowing the difference between various types of insurance, the use of a written agreement and the terms it should contain, understanding the basics of trademark, service mark and copyright, and the prohibition against conspiring to set fees within an industry. Lisa, an attorney-organizer, will unveil the cloak of complexity of the legal world involved in running a redesign/staging business. Armed with basic legal terms and knowledge, participants will be aware of when it may be necessary to seek professional legal advice, what type of attorney to contact, and what issues they may be able to handle on their own.

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Lunch & Learns

Thursday Luncheon Presentation: Color Forecast with Jackie Jordan, Director of Color Marketing, The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Friday Lunch presenter: dreamDraper presents the Total Window Treatment Solutions for interior redesign professionals
---and there's more!

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An exhilarating component of the 2008 Riding the Wave to Success conference in San Diego will be the expert panel presentation hosted by our own amazing IRIS members!

Our 2008 IRIS® Conference panel of experts are leaders in the redesign and staging industry who will deliver fresh perspectives, new ideas and real-world solutions to your most perplexing business issues in this interactive panel discussion. Our panel is comprised of 6 successful business owners whose wealth of experience in redesign and staging gives them a unique perspective on the challenges facing our industry and a redesign and staging business. They will inspire fresh thinking and share cutting-edge strategies and insight -- focusing on the implementation of the most relevant, business strategies.

These subject-matter experts will help conference attendees by delivering their unique and seasoned insight on critical business issues. They will offer breakthrough ideas and profitable tools that you, the business owner can immediately implement in your company.

Our Experts:
1.      Matthew Chapman: Interior Eyes/CA.
2.      Ava Johnson: Redesigns Northwest/OR.
3.      Gail Mayhugh: GMJ Interiors/NV.
4.      Melanie Serra: Interior Revivals/GA.
5.      Kim Smart: Smart Interiors/CA.
6.      Cindy Wood: Accessorize to Revitalize/IL. Panel Moderator: Anna Jacoby/Vice-Director & Co-Conference Chair

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Still looking for more info? visit www.weredesign.com and check out the conference information page (please note that non member rates are $100 more than stated member rates). Click here to register.

Staging a community in Mt. Pleasant, SC .... I'on, a Lowcountry Village

2008-07-02T10:54:36Z

Because we are successful at marketing our services when we stage a home we find ourselves frequently doing multiple homes in a specific community. One of Mt. Pleasant's premier neighborhoods, I'on, has been a great source of business for us (as a company) and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work on such beautiful homes. I thought I would share some of these beautiful homes with you....

(click on the street address to view a real estate show)

183 E. Shipyard, Pam Bishop (pbiship@carolinaone.com), Carolina One Real Estate

UNDER CONTRACT

94 N. Shelmore, Chuck Avera (cavera@KWCharleston.com), Keller Williams Real Estate

142 N. Shelmore, Frazier Neal (frazierneal@aol.com), Keller Williams Realty

28 Sowell, Chuck Avera (cavera@KWCharleston.com), Keller Williams Real Estate

SOLD

The lowcountry style of these homes is stunning, with significant attention to detail through beautiful moldings and hardwood floors. There are lots of parks and shopping is within walking distance. Many of the homeowners drive golf carts through the community because there is simply no need for your gas guzzling vehicle here....

I'on a true lowcountry style village. For more information, visit their website at www.ionvillage.com

Ace of Cakes - a good role model when things go wrong?

2008-07-01T22:23:40Z

I seem to love these creative based 'reality' shows. My son is currently in culinary school thanks in large part to Alton Brown and Chef Duff. (Which in all honesty is still weird to me because since he was about 5 yrs old he told me he wanted to be an engineer at NASA. It all changed mid way through his senior year of high school! I'm digressing here.... )

I've learned some really good things from watching this program though. The biggest thing is that something almost always goes wrong in the real world and you simply need to take it in stride and fix it. This is a really good lesson! I don't know about you but it seems to happen to us all the time.

You think you have beautiful fresh new walls to hang art on only to find out they are really plastered cinderblocks (this actually happened to one of my team members today!) You'll need to find a way to work around this....

The multimillion dollar home you are staging (historic) has stairways so narrow that you cannot get a queen sized bed up them & the master is on the 3rd floor!

The chairs you have on hold to stage a given home on a given day were sold anyway & you are there to pick them up.... The home is having an open house later that day.

You were told you would have until the end of day Friday to stage a home. The Parade of Homes is on Saturday and Sunday. When you arrive Thursday morning to stage the three homes in this neighborhood by this builder you are told that the 'judges' will arrive at 9am on Friday & you must be done by then!

These are little bumps in the road that we must endure. If we approach them from the standpoint that no matter what we will prevail and all will be well then we are much better off than if we begin to freak and and second guess ourselves or our master plan.

Thanks Chef Duff and your great team for showing us the bumps and not just the pretty cakes you produce!

The Next Design Star - Could it be Mikey V? A fellow home stager....

2008-07-01T21:20:48Z

Do you watch Design Star? I love the show! I had been having a hard time identifying who I wanted to root for in the beginning. Someone (sorry I would love to cite you but can't remember who it was) posted that Mikey V (the cop from FL) is also a professional home stager....

Should the fact that he is a professional home stager sway my personal choice? Maybe, maybe not.... What I've learned from watching the last couple of shows is that not only is he talented, but he is a really nice guy. In the last episode one of his fellow stagers, er Designers needed a sharpie to create a masterpiece (ok, it was a pillow). She didn't have one. He loaned her one & she won. She thanked him and said that was really nice & he didn't have to. He wondered why wouldn't he loan it to her? In the time when so many others try to sabatage their competitors, what a nice guy huh?

This means that he officially has my vote (at least for now).... GO MIKEY V!

Noisette, N. Charleston names Top 10 Cottage Neighborhood by Cottage Living?????

2008-06-30T20:00:43Z

Myself and my assistant received the newest (Aug 2008) edition of Cottage Living over the weekend and are feeling a bit confused! Listed as part of the top 10 cottage neighborhoods around the country was the Noisette neighborhood in North Charleston, SC. This is where I get a bit confused. I remember a hulabaloo about Noisette a few years ago, but haven't heard or seen anything about it in at least 2 years.

I decided to take a look on MLS using "Noisette" as the subdivision and nada... there is not a single home listed in our multiple listing service under the neighborhood of Noisette. Going to the website listed in the article, www.noisettesc.com, it advertises, "The Navy Yard at Noisette". I go back to MLS and nothing.

Oak Terrace Preserve, Mixon Avenue & Horizon Village are all listed on the 'Residential Services' page. Going back to MLS, Oak Terrace is listed as part of Park Circle and neither Mixon Ave or Horizon Village have a single property for sale.

So seriously, what gives? Is there some big news that I have missed lately?

Claiming the space and showing off size & scale... The ART of staging...

2008-06-30T19:09:51Z

Today I was fortunate to stage a stunning 1840s renovated carriage house. One of the big problems in this home was the appearance of lack of size. Buyers felt this simply wasn't a large enough property for full time living.

This room felt a little too small - even for a guest room. Before it seemed as if the bed would be inside the fireplace...

This living room seemed barely large enough for a comfortable living space let along a dining room... hopefully we've squashed that problem...

These spaces were actually able to break down into 3 distinctive living spaces, showing funcationality. Buyers want to know that they can have a party, entertain, etc. Now, they can do just that!

Staging, properly done, is more than just adding furniture & some art to a home. It should help to define a lifestyle and show off the best assets of the home while minimizing the detractions. Keeping buyer's issues to a minimum is why staging helps sell homes faster & for more money!

If you want to see more, click here....

1840s Renovated Ansonborough Carriage House, Charleston SC

2008-06-30T18:52:21Z

What an honor to stage such a beautiful home. The attention to detail is amazing and you can feel the history in the original touches throughout....

Here are some photos if you don't want to watch the RES.....

I'm sure you can see why I enjoyed my workday so much today with such a beautiful subject to work with!! Best of all this home is within walking distance to some of the best restaurants in Charleston and the waterfront!

Constant Contact - Newsletter Tutorial

2008-06-27T22:51:43Z

I get asked a lot of questions about my newsletters.... How I do certain things, etc. I thought I would share some of what I do with you, starting with my last newsletter, which I posted recently.

First, you will need to select the type of wizard that you want to use...

I always choose 'use the new email wizard'

Next you'll need to choose what kind of email you are sending....

Typically I click on newsletters.... my newsletter is done using the format People II. This last newsletter blast was done using 'promotions....

Clearly I changed the photo to a shot of a room of the home that we had staged. The sale price was changed to the MLS number, etc...

now, adding in the links.... This is done much the same way that we add links here in AR. When you are editing the blocks, you will notice on the toolbar to the left a box that says Insert. Underneath are 'image' and 'link'

This gives you the ability to add links and photos anywhere you like!

I hope this answers all your questions! If not, let me know and I'll do my best to help out.....

If you are ready to try constant contact & want a free trial plus $30 credit when you join, email me and I'll send you a referral ....

Having a hard time getting agents to your Broker Open house? Try this!

2008-06-26T20:10:23Z

On Wednesday one of the agents we work with on all of their listings had an agent open house. There were over 50 other agents in attendance. With so many open houses for agents to attend, how did this one manage to get such a great turn out?

1) They teamed up with a stager and advertised it! We already stage nearly all of their listings. The furniture was already in place and the home looked fabulous. For the open house we co-hosted it and both advertised that the stager (our company) would be there... it was a MEET THE STAGER event!

2) They teamed up with other agents with properties to sell. This made the time of the agents in attendance more valuable. There were 5 homes, 5 agents with 5 different listing companies all participating!

3) They created a theme and prize drawing. In this particular case it was a progressive luncheon. Each home had a different food course. The drawing was a $250 gas card. You had to attend all 5 homes in order to be entered into the drawing.

4) They advertised it heavily. All of us advertised our parts as well as all of the other homes. We provided a real estate show to advertise our staging and let everyone know we would be there to meet them. The agents created flyers to blast to all of the agents, also advertising that we would be in attendance.

So.... What does all this mean? For us it meant that we got a ton of great leads for work. We've already gotten several calls from agents in attendance. The agent who held the open house was thrilled & loved the fact that the feedback was incredibly positive from the showings. Many agents told our agent that they came to see what we do. One of the agents who came to see the open house made a showing appointment the next day... do I feel a sale coming on?

When doing an open house, think outside the box.... Why do agents want to come to the home? How do you make your open house stand out? Knowing the answers to these questions is the key!

What I learned from selling Mary Kay - (it was years ago & no I didn't have a pink caddy)

2008-06-25T21:16:43Z

I confess, I'm an ex-Mary Kay sales rep. I still use the products, I still love the company.... sometimes I really miss those crazy meetings. (It's a sickness, I know). Seriously though, I learned A LOT as a MK sales rep. These are some of my favorite lessons....

1) Shoot for the Moon & even if you miss, you'll still land among the stars! - You see, I came from a home where I was taught never to wish for anything. If I did, and didn't get it, then I would be disappointed. If I didn't want anything then I wouldn't be upset that I didn't have it.... um yeah.... like that really works! I loved the MK philosophy and have enjoyed my time in the stars!!!

2) The room is brighter when we light other's candles - Basically speaking this means that we share our info & knowledge. Our candle is not brighter because you blow someone else's candle out. Together we can light the world, but only if we share our light with others!

3) Don't take yourself too seriously! - Have you ever been to a Mary Kay Monday Meeting? OMG they are hysterical. The meeting typically began with us dancing and ended up with someone in big glasses, fluffy boas, a tiara and holding piles of fake cash. If you didn't have fun then you are simply too stiff..... (this coming from me, is really saying something, if you know me, you know I'm a very serious person!)

4) Everyone has skin! - Well, what this really referred to was the fact that we should never rule anyone out because of perceptions we have about them. Everyone has skin, they need to wash it - rich or poor, black or white, pretty or well... not. Don't presume anything about a potential client. We all live somewhere.... this maybe is more appropriate for the real estate industry.

5) I may not know about _______ but I can be taught! - When I started selling MK, I had never worn eye shadow. How on earth was I supposed to be able to sell it. My director simply told me that if I was willing to learn, I could be taught. The same still applies. I may not know everything about my business, but I keep learning... I learn something new every day thanks to wonderful AR members just like YOU!

6) It's all a numbers game - Pass out 5 business cards a day, mail 5 handwritten cards a day, call 5 people every day. Do this without fail and YOU WILL NOT FAIL! When I quit MK, I was in car qualifications. (My husband still is upset about this!) I was done, I had done it & succeeded and was ready to move on...

7) If you don't 100% believe in the product, you cannot sell it - Have you ever seen a Mary Kay salesperson use Clinique makeup? I have - they didn't last long. When I sold Mary Kay (and was successful) I used nearly all of their products. My husband used their men's line & my kids did too. (My girls & I still use it - my son occassionally uses the men's line) I've worked with people in sales who can't seem to close the deal, or lose to a competitor too frequently. When I ask why I've heard things like, "Hey, they've got a better product at a better price" .... it really was that first part as to why they lost the deal.... not that the competitor actually had a better product, but that you agreed with them. If you don't 100% believe in your heart of hearts that you are offering something better than anyone else can then you can't be successful.

8) People will do unbelievable things for gifts they wouldn't spend $1 for. Seriously... I've seen women make 30 phone calls in 10 minutes scheduling appointments for a gaudy jeweltone calculator given to the winner. Sure, they got their datebook full and sold a bunch of stuff in the process (woo hoo!) but they did it for the goal of winning the calculator... If you had just told them to make the calls for the money they would never have picked up the phone.

9) Most people won't work for the money - but they will work for a goal. - See above. Don't decide that you need to work for a given paycheck for some silly reason like paying the bills. Instead set a goal that has some other value. Create a competition for yourself or with someone else. Do it for a new pair of shoes, a new handbag, a new hockey jersey... whatever you won't normally do for yourself.

10) Create goals, view them often and be accountable for them - Create a goal chart and put it where you can see it every day. Almost everyone I know who made it in MK had goal posters everywhere. Everyone they knew, knew what their goals were. (Hey, part of your motivation in #9 may be showing the naysayers they were wrong about you!) If you don't know what your goal is, how can you ever achieve it?

It is kind of funny, but very true.... I am successful in my staging business because of what I learned from Mary Kay, my fellow skin care consultants and my directors (Thank you Caroline & Mitch!)

Does your datebook have 'snow blindness'? Fill it up... here's how!

2008-06-25T20:35:10Z

Snow blindness - the overwhelming glow of white on white. In your datebook this is not a good thing! It means that you aren't making any money. For most of us, that is simply unacceptable. I don't know about you, but I like to eat and frankly that means that I have to work. So, how do you get rid of snow blindness? How do you fill up that datebook? Regardless of whether you are an agent or a stager, the answer is the same... spend the time that you could be on an appointment, getting the appointment set.

1) Create a Sphere of Influence list. This should include pretty much everyone you know & everyone you have ever known. You should know their phone number, address and email address (if possible). You will immediately begin a marketing campaign using these strategic alliances.

2) Write a newsletter. This was the first things (after my influence list) that I did to jump start my business. Within 20 minutes of it going out I had 10 appointments! I've never looked back - they go out every single month without question - no matter what! The important thing about your newsletter MUST be that it is intended to help your client & provide valuable information to them. In other words, it's about THEM, NOT YOU! This might be the biggest mistake most newsletter writers make. For more info on my newsletters, go here

3) Write & mail handwritten notes. Ok, I know, postage is expensive & you have carpel tunnel, right? Do you want a full date book or do you not? I have had many clients tell me that they chose me because of the attention they received when they talked to me... They appreciated my notes thanking them for their time and business. Who do you send them to? EVERYONE! Stagers - if you drive by a RE sign that says, 'Agent of the Month, Sally Mae' then guess what? Sally Mae is getting a card that says, "Congratulations on being agent of the month!" Agents - Did you work with another agent recently? (think referrals) Did you have a great conversation with the lady behind the dry cleaner desk? (she might be getting ready to move, or know someone who is) There are so many choices! Send a minimum of 5 a day! Seriously, it's not that much work!

4) Prepare a workshop to educate your potential clients on what you can do for them! Notice that last part, 'for them'. Everyone wants to know why they should pick you. Let's face it, there is almost always someone doing what you do - they have a choice to make. Why should they pick you? (You do know the answer to this, right? If not, better make figuring that out #1) Stagers - let agents know how staging can generate more leads, faster sales and bigger paychecks. Agents - do a buyer or seller workshop and show them the ropes. Maybe they've never done it before (new buyers/sellers) or maybe it's been a while. Partner with a stager and double their benefits!

These are just a few options you have to fill up your date book. They really do work. If you've got white pages in your datebook, then you've got time to do one or all of these! None of these should be out of your comfort zone because none of these have involved cold calling or the prospect of rejection. (ok, someone could unsubscribe to your newsletter, but come on you can handle that!)

Now, no more excuses... go fill up that datebook and save the snow for the winter!

STATS? You want stats? What about this.....

2008-06-25T17:50:30Z

June Staging Successes in Charleston!

We've been staging the Charleston market for going on three years now. We continue to grow because of great agents like YOU! Check out some of our successes this month!

(click on the highlighted MLS numbers below to view our real estate show)

3011 Baywood Drive

MLS# 2706960

$1,275,000

Listed 02/20/2007

Staged 05/16/2008

Under Contract 06/09/2008

24 Days later!

This Simonini home was under contract within 24 days with nearly every piece of furniture, art & accessory also purchased by the buyers - solidifying the fact that the staging was an integral part of this sale!

28 Sowell Street

MLS# 2807572

$595,000

Listed 3/05/2008

Staged 4/10/2008

Under Contract 6/02/2008

54 Days later!

Closed 6/16/2008

68 days after staging!

This home was originally listed on 10/16/2006. It was withdrawn on 2/25/2008, then relisted on 3/5/2008. Within 60 days after staging it was under contract and the buyers agent commented that the staging helped sell the home!

3556 Walter Drive

MLS# 1816164

$305,000

Listed 05/12/2008

Staged 05/10/2008

Under Contract 06/12/2008

32 days later!

This home had also been on the market prior to this with another Listing Agent. The original list date was 10/18/2006! (Nearly 2 years of DOM prior to staging!)

324 Pageland Drive

MLS# 2817493

$245,000

Listed 6/04/2008

Staged 5/31/2008

Under Contract 6/23/2008

20 Days Later!

This newly renovated home was staged prior to being listed. Just 20 days after putting the home on MLS, it went under contract and is scheduled to close before July 15th - not even 2 months on the market!

2157 Stonewood Drive

MLS# 2811359

$219,000
Listed 4/07/2008

Staged 5/02/2008

Under Contract 6/25/2008

54 days later!

After several showings and no offers in the first month on the market, the homeowner decided to stage this property. 54 days later, he had a ratified contract!

238 Two Pond Loop

MLS#2723816

$149,900

Listed 06/29/07

Consult 05/05/08

Under Contract 06/05/08

30 days later!

This home just needed some minor changes. Less than 30 days after recommendations were made and implimented, the home was under contract after receiving multiple offers.

Are you sitting with a stagnant listing? Do you want to make more money by selling your listings faster with higher final sales prices & get more referrals in the process? Call or email us today!

We also wanted to say a big THANK YOU to all the agents who joined us at 94 N. Shelmore for the agent open house/progressive luncheon this past Wednesday afternoon! It was a huge success with over 50 agents in attendance. We appreciate your support & enjoyed the opportunity to meet you!

Sincerely,

Melissa Marro, Bevin Harmon Googer & the entire First Impressions Team!
First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign
843.822.2622 & 843.425.0138

Finally!! The only 5-Day Staging IRIS Approved Training Course in the South or East Coast!

2008-06-19T21:30:43Z

After quite the thorough interviewing process and manual review process my training has been approved for the 5-day IRIS Certification course!! As of today I am the only Staging Instructor on the East coast or in the South. As a matter of fact there are only 3 other IRIS staging instructors nationally! (Anna Jacoby - Fremont, CA, Sandy Dixon - Denver, CO and Ruthanne Hatfield - Napa CA)

So, why is this certification so great? Of course I am biased as this was my training & now I am an instructor, BUT with all that said, this certification is great because it is so difficult to acheive. You know when you attend an IRIS staging course that it has been thoroughly reviewed by the education committee (which consists of other stagers and instructors in the industry). The manual was set to a specific outline, but written by the instructor themselves - so they actually have to know their stuff! The instructor had to pass a long list of credentials including a pretty amazing series of 'what do you do when' questionaire. (my interview submission package ended up being about 35 pages I think - this was not including the manual itself which is around 200 pages.) Best of all, with this training you get to become a member of IRIS (Interior Redesign Industry Specialists)!

I know. You are thinking, so what, just another organization to join. Right? WRONG! If you want to be active in the industry, this is a great place to be! Here are some of the great things that IRIS currently provides it's members:

Local Chapters to get to know your fellow stager/redesigner
National annual convention - this provides fellowship, education sessions and of course a fabulous time!
Monthly public newsletter - to keep your clients & potential clients in the know!
Monthly member newsletters - to keep YOU in the know (did I mention that I'm the editor?)
Two Tip Tuesday (written by our very own Sandy Dixon) to keep your business momentum!
Press release templates
Advertise your local events on a national level through the IRIS website (www.weredesign.com)
An opportunity to grow in your business, your resume and the industry through various volunteer positions
Discount options for various trade related businesses (ex: Sherman Williams, Williams Sonoma, Kirklands, Pier 1, Restoration Hardware, etc) -These discounts alone can pay for your annual membership!
Monthly teleconferences that provide you with tips to help grow your business or knowledge. (Also available online if you miss it.)
More, More, More - there are just so many things, I cannot think of it all!

You know I am passionate about the things I am involved in, so of course this is no different. If you are interested in taking my course, please visit my website - below are this years current dates. As of right now there are seats available in each date... but with a class size limited to only 6, space is in fact limited!

Here are the available 2008 class dates (you can register online):

July 14-18
Sept 22-28
Nov 3-7

News Blast from IRIS! Courtesy of Bankrate.com

2008-06-17T22:09:08Z

This article just appeared on Bankrate.com and can be located at http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/pf/20080617_career_swaps_a3.asp. I was asked to post this on AR by the Board...

Home staging and redesign

Creative types, take note: The recent bursting of the housing bubble is fast opening opportunities in an easy-to-launch career known as home staging.

In home staging, professionals revamp properties so they look bigger, brighter and better in hopes they will sell faster and for more money.

"Because of television shows like 'Flip this House' and 'Sell This House,' the concept of home staging has really caught on," says Colorado-based home stager Sandy Dixon. "People understand why it works."

Unlike interior designers -- who work with clients to acquire new furniture and accessories -- home stagers primarily use existing furnishings their clients already own.

Some stagers charge for their time and make anywhere from $75 to $125 per hour. Others are paid per project, with rates ranging from $150 up to $350 to revamp a single room or several rooms.

Dixon, 58, switched to her new career after working 16 years in the mortgage business and as a part-time Realtor.

"The beauty of this job is that it can be done full time, part time or added to an existing career."

"I wanted something new, so I started looking around the Internet when I found out about staging," she says. "I had been setting the scene for potential buyers before, not knowing there was a word for it."

In addition to staging homes, Dixon founded Interior Arrangements, a staging training school that teaches students tricks of the staging trade and ways to grow their businesses. It resembles other programs with intensive workshops that last three to five days and generally cost about $3,000.

Ruthanne Hatfield is a Napa Valley, Calif.-based home stager who has redesigned rooms for HGTV's show "Decorating Cents." Her training program, Art of Interior Placement, attracts individuals who want to take weeklong workshops as well as those interested in her $30 two-hour seminars.

"We get a lot of people from corporate America, banking, nursing -- it runs the gamut," Hatfield says.

Once they finish training, students may qualify for membership to Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, a home-staging association based in Chicago that lists members online and hosts training workshops nationwide.

In addition to training costs, home stagers usually invest a couple thousand dollars in basic household items like lamps, rugs and artwork that are available to lease to clients while their property is being staged.

"There's a system to this and almost anyone can learn," Dixon adds. "And the beauty of this job is that it can be done full time, part time or added to an existing career."

To view additional 'fast, cheap career changes' (their term) please be sure to go here.

Speaking Their Language .... Can you do it?

2008-06-17T19:20:43Z

So often we (myself included) get frustrated with agents who don't understand the value of staging. We try to tell them using our language, but can you speak theirs? I ask this because Tori Lynn Ross just posted the blog E-Key Access For Home Stagers and I commented that I have a sentrilock card (electronic key card) and how useful it is. I then added that I think all stagers could benefit from taking the real estate course associated with getting the license that you need to have in order to get the key card.

Why would you - a professional stager - want to take the real estate licensing course, not to mention the post licensing course (required within one year to get an actual salesman license)? The costs range but probably average to around $1000 for both courses (then about $800/yr to maintain your license). Learning the actual language and processes that realtors learn can immeasurably help you speak their language. I actually think this is a significant part of the success of my company. The most successful stagers on my team all have real estate licenses (that they use exclusively for MLS access and a lockbox key).

We know what agents want and need to know. We know how to communicate in a way that will click in their brain. We know what they will be telling their clients, how listing appointments work, how contracts, contingencies, escrow, etc work. We know the language and the process!

Are you having a hard time closing the deals? Are you having a hard time getting in front of the agents or do they give you kind of blank stares (or too many objections) when you are in front of them? Maybe it's time to learn their language.....

It wasn't the staging, it was the price reduction.... uh.... yeah.... SURE!

2008-06-16T21:34:59Z

This may be one of my most frustrating comments to hear. I was thinking on this because of a home that we recently staged that went under contract. I did an email blast to all of the agents that also have listings in that community. I did this once before a few months ago in the same neighborhod after another successful sale. Some of the feedback that I received was (from the previous listing agent) that it wasn't the staging but rather the lower listing price that the new listing agent endorsed.

This really frustrates me because I can't tell you how many times I see homes take markdowns all the time and they don't sell. They get staged and BOOM, suddenly an offer (frequently more than one)! Personally I feel this is a touch of sour grapes on the previous listing agent's price.

I fully and completely agree that the listing price is fundamental in this strategy, but it is not the only factor! Perhaps the prior agent should have realized & suggested a price reduction - perhaps if that was the selling factor then they would have had the sale! It is clear the seller was open to it - they did relist at that price with another agent.

My point is not to create any negativity toward the previous listing agent, I'm sure they were just doing their job the best way they know how. I am just commenting that when you see the overwhelming stats that good staging can provide, just accept the truth! Was the home ever marked down before? Most of the time the answer is yes. What was the magic bullet? It was a combination of price & condition all working together!

$1,275,000 Luxury Home - 15 mos on the market before staging - 26 days after!

2008-06-16T16:58:34Z

I know I just did a similar blog, but what can I say? STAGING WORKS! We just found out today that one of the homes we staged for Nationally renowned luxury home builder, Simonini Homes, went under contract on June 9th! We staged it on May 15th.... that's a tiny little 26 days, which is particularly in contrast to the fact that it had been listed for 15 months prior to staging!

Here is our original blog when we showed off the photos to you: Breaking 40 Actively Staged Vacant Properties . In case you don't want to go back, here are a few highlights....

(by the way the new owners want to buy most of the furnishings!)

Are you still questioning whether staging works? Sigh..... Doesn't this continue to prove it? Call your local staging professional today!