Nairn Friemann's Blog

Home Staging in New York City Spells Success

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:13:10 -0800

After a challenging year in New York, buyers are returning to the marketplace in search of the best values. Price, location and terms are still key factors in any sale, but never before have condition and presentation been so important.

Savvy real estate agents are collaborating with professional stagers to ensure their marketing efforts reap top financial rewards for their clients, their real estate companies and themselves. It is a fact that professionally staged properties sell faster and for more money than comps that are not staged. So the big question is, why aren’t all properties being professionally staged?
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Too many agents and sellers are unwisely stuck in the mindset of staging as a cost or an expense, instead of truly understanding the amazing short-term investment opportunities of professional staging. For most sellers, their home is their most valuable asset and they should be determined to maximize the financial return on the sale of their property. As staging experts, we can help sellers and agents achieve their goals of selling for top dollar as quickly as possible.

Here are a few testimonials from some of my recent success stories:

“The Upper Westside property went on the market Sunday, January 10th for $1,595,000. On Tuesday January 19th an offer of $1,575,000 was accepted. Without your staging, we would probably have received closer to $1,400,000.”

D. Anderson, BHS

Thanks to Nairn Friemann we received a higher than expected offer for an estate-condition apartment at Imperial House. I recommend her for three reasons: a) she gave my customers very viable staging
options at several different price points; b) she delivered a terrific finished product in quick time; and c) her prices were as reasonable as she was flexible and cooperative.

J. Charnas, Fox Residential

Staging works for rentals too!

” Thanks so much Nairn. You are the best! The apartment rented in two weeks with a lot of interest.”

D. Dickinison, Fox Residential

For more information about my company Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. and my services, please visit www.ingenuitypizzazz.com or contact me at nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com

If you are interested in a career in home staging, I have also have upcoming Certified Staging Professionals training classes scheduled as follows:

April 10–12 New York

April 26-28 Ottawa

May 19 -21 Montreal

For more information about the training, visit www.csptraining.com or contact me at nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com.

Nairn Friemann, MBA
Certified Staging Professional and Trainer

Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.
www.ingenuitypizzazz.com
nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com

Home Staging Is Key to Marketing Success for Award-Winning NYC Broker, Carol Halt

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:58:08 -0800

Congratulations to Carol Halt, Senior Vice President & Associate Broker at Barak Realty in New York, who was recently honored with top awards at her firm:

WINNER BARAK 2009 BEST IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

WINNER BARAK 2009 DEAL OF THE YEAR

WINNER BARAK 2009 #2 TOP PRODUCER

Carol has built her reputation for client trust and satisfaction through proven results, integrity, loyalty, market knowledge and unparalleled personalized service. She utilizes great communication and follow-up skills, sharp negotiating know-how, analytical ability and strict attention to detail to achieve the client’s wishes. Because of her desire to satisfy, Carol eases the process without sacrificing toughness or determination.

Carol truly understands the importance of professional home staging in the marketing of real estate in today’s competitive marketplace and has integrated home staging in her comprehensive marketing plan for each seller. She says,

“You only get one chance to make a first impression” and “a picture speaks a thousand words”, both seem like just corny phrases but are critical to selling property in this type of market. The property needs to be prepared by a PROFESSIONAL STAGER to optimize and enhance the property’s appearance, making it appeal to the widest audience of buyers. Since most buyers begin their search on the web, the photographs need to show the property at its very best. I always include professional staging as part of my marketing plan when pitching for a listing; it’s critical and gives the property an edge over the competition. It results in a quicker sale at the very best price.”

It is always such a pleasure to collaborate with savvy agents like Carol. At Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc., we always share the seller’s and agent’s goals of selling quickly for top dollar. Certified Staging Professionals are experts at handling staging challenges, always working with tight deadlines and limited budgets. Once we are on the team, the agent can focus their full attention on their areas of expertise – marketing and selling. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

We transformed an Upper Westside property for Carol last year. As Carol says, “the examples shown are of before and after staging by Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. . It would have been virtually impossible to sell this property in the original state. Buyers would focus on the all the clutter and personal items, a total distraction plus the space appears very small. After staging, it showed how large the space really is and the staged furnishings were neutral and not distracting.”

Carol Halt is an outstanding broker who always focuses on what is best for her clients. To learn more about Carol and her services, visit her website or contact her at carol@barakny.com

To learn more about Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. and my services, please visit www.ingenuitypizzazz.com.. I am also very proud to a trainer for Certified Staging Professionals, the leading staging training company in North America. If you are interested in a career in professional home staging, we have CSP training classes scheduled across North America.

If you are a real estate agent who is interested in increasing your sales and commissions by incorporating home staging in your marketing plan, Certified Staging Professionals offers the one day CSP Elite Program for agents.

My upcoming 3-day, hands-on, Certified Staging Professionals classes are:

Ottawa – February 15-17
Philadelphia – March 8 – 10
New York – April 10 -12
Teaneck – May 3-5

Nairn Friemann, MBA
Certified Staging Professional & Trainer
Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.
www.ingenuitypizzazz.com
nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com

I'm Honored to Be a Nominee for RESA's 2010 Award for Stager Pro

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:32:20 -0800

It is such an honor to have been nominated for RESA’s 2010 Industry Award for Stager Pro. As president of Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. I have been a home stager for over six years, and it has been quite a journey for all of us who got started in “the beginning.” It has been exciting to witness the growth of the home staging industry and the continuing elevation of professional standards.

Christine Rae, president of Certified Staging Professionals, deserves much of the credit for continually raising the bar in the training of new stagers and in establishing a Code of Conduct for all CSPs – the gold standard of the highest professional ethics. The leading staging training company in North America, Certified Staging Professionals offers the best value hands-on training experience and incomparable curriculum, resources and after-training support. Our CSPs are truly staging professionals.

As a trainer for Certified Staging Professionals, I am able to share my diverse experience and expertise with all my trainees. I’m looking forward to my upcoming 2010 classes:

January 9 -11 : New York, NY
January 18-20 : Montreal, QC
February 1-3 : Hawthorne, NJ
February 6-8 : Pittsburgh, PA
February 15-17 : Ottawa, ON

For more information, please visit: www.ingenuitypizzazz.com, and www.csptraining.com

Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. is a full service staging company, specializing in staging to sell, staging to live and staging training. We have collaborated with agents and sellers on the staging and marketing of over $500 million in real estate and pride ourselves on the high quality of our showcasing expertise and our incomparable customer service. Our clients call us magicians and miracle workers. The magic and miracles happen because of our talent, professional training, extensive experience and high standards.

Contact:

Nairn Friemann, MBA
Certified Staging Professional & Trainer
www.ingenuitypizzazz.com
nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com
917-952-4669

Home Stagers Master the Art of Difficult Conversations with Sellers

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:15:44 -0800

As president of Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. I have met hundreds of real estate agents and collaborate with some of New York City’s top brokers. With all the media attention home staging has captured over the past few years, I would think that all real estate agents would be advocates for home staging. But in fact, many of them don’t discuss home staging recommendations at all with their clients because of a very basic communication problem.

Ann Mehl, is a certified coach through the Life Purpose Institute and Martha Beck’s NorthStar program. Her recent blog, Mastering the Art of Fierce Conversations, and interview with author, Susan Scott, provides timely and valuable information for home sellers, real estate agents and home stagers. It describes how people generally avoid uncomfortable conversations, even when the cost of not having them is high.

This is especially true of some real estate agents, who are fearful of upsetting home sellers and perhaps even losing a listing, if they tell them honestly what needs to be done to prepare their homes for sale. As a consequence, many properties are listed without adequate staging and end up lingering on the market, leading to significant price reductions and increased carrying charges.

Economic Theory 101
If a new product is launched into a highly competitive market place in unattractive packaging and/or damaged condition, the only way it will sell is at a DISCOUNT! In real estate, the discount represents significant financial loss for the sellers.

Fear of having a difficult or awkward conversation with a home seller, is not a good excuse for reduced selling prices and extended time on the market. The solution is very simple. A real estate agent needs to have a Certified Staging Professional on their marketing team! CSPs are experts at handling the tough issues. They are trained in the art of comprehensive staging consultations, where all issues – good and bad – are addressed in a professional and tactful manner. They not only know what needs to be said, they know how to say it.

When necessary, a CSP can even play the “bad cop” while the agent remains the “good cop.” This is especially helpful when sensitive issues, such as odor problems, need to be addressed. The agent need not fear having that difficult conversation with the seller because they are confident that their CSP will handle the entire situation diplomatically and offer solutions that will resolve the problem.

All properties benefit from some degree of home staging in any market. However, when supply exceeds demand, not only is there more competition, there is more “staged” competition. Agents who don’t address the topic of home staging are not serving their clients’ best interests. In fact they are giving the competition the advantage!

Some agents are afraid of suggesting staging because they think it will cost “too much money.” Home staging is an investment, not an expense. In fact, professional home staging is the best short-term investment a home seller can make! Just consider the financial return of a 12-month CD at today’s interest rates. An investment in their most valuable asset is the wiser financial decision for any home seller.

Statistics show that staged properties sell faster and for more money than comps that are not staged. Owners do not save money by not staging. They lose money by not getting the highest price for their asset and by incurring additional carrying costs for the extra time on the market. The investment in staging is always less than the first price reduction – so agents who don’t recommend staging are not saving their clients money – they are costing them significantly.

If the financial aspect of the conversation is intimidating to an agent, again, the solution is simple. A CSP is skilled at communicating the value of staging to sellers and making recommendations that will have the greatest return on equity.

Although it is understandable that many agents are fearful of having these sometimes difficult, but always critical, conversations with clients, not having the conversations is not acceptable. The consequences are much too costly to the home sellers. The best way for agents to handle these conversations is to hire a home staging expert to deal with all the sensitive issues in a thoroughly skilled and professional way. Certified Staging Professionals are trained in mastering the art of difficult conversations.

As a trainer for Certified Staging Professionals, I share my diverse experience with all my trainees. For more information on my upcoming CSP classes in the U.S. and Canada, please visit: www.ingenuitypizzazz.com or www.csptraining.com or contact me at nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com

The following is an excerpt from Ann Mehl’s blog, Mastering the Art of Fierce Conversations. You can read the entire blog on her website, www.annmehl.com.

“There are certain conversations we all dread: the ones in which we have to deliver bad news, discuss a sensitive or “political” subject, or talk about a project that’s gone wrong. Have you ever recognized too late that a client was frustrated because you failed to resolve an issue? Or perhaps spent time cleaning up in the aftermath of a discussion that didn’t go according to plan?

In a polite society, we are generally hardwired to avoid confrontation.Nobody wants to play the bad guy or have a situation blow up in their face. But often the cost of NOT having these conversations can be far costlier than the temporary discomfort you may feel. You want to take charge and talk about it – candidly and effectively. But how??

One of the best business books I’ve read on this subject is Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott (SS). In this book, she provides the tools we all need to master the art of “difficult” conversations.

AM: How do you personally define “fierce conversations”?

SS:The word “fierce” wakes me up. Synonyms include robust, unbridled, uncurbed, untamed. A bit unnerving, and exhilarating. The simplest definition of a fierce conversation is one in which we come out from behind ourselves, into the conversation, and make it real. Such conversations are rare, because most people are deeply uncomfortable with real. Having worked with people all over the world, at all levels within organizations, it seems to me that withholding what we really think and feel is a global pandemic, resulting in costly, painful outcomes for all of us. The economic meltdown occurred gradually then suddenly, one failed, one missing conversation at a time. Based on results, it is the unreal conversations that should concern us. They are incredibly expensive for individuals, couples, teams, organizations, for countries, for our planet"

Nairn Friemann
Certified Staging Professional & Trainer
Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.
www.ingenuitypizzazz.com
nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com

Why Accepting the Lowest Bid for Home Staging Can Prove Extremely Costly for Sellers

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:06:20 -0700

As a very experienced stager and president of Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc., (I have collaborated with home sellers and real estate agents in the staging and marketing of over $500 million in real estate in the Tri-state area), I feel the need to comment on the issue of hiring a home stager, based on the lowest bid. Some home staging companies are now marketing themselves by their willingness to accept sellers’ lowest budgets. It is well known that in any business, you cannot achieve all three of the following at the same time: high quality, low price, and fastest delivery. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for.

For most sellers, their home is their number one financial asset. The return on the sale of this asset will be key to their future financial well-being. Statistics prove that professionally staged homes sell faster and for more money than comparables that are not staged. Furthermore, with a surplus of inventory, the competition for any home seller today is greater than it has been in years. With more than 90% of buyers shopping first on the internet, the website marketing is the key to attracting traffic to a listing. Viewing the property, buyers need to fall in love within minutes – the first impression is that powerful to buyer decision making. Professional home staging is not decorating – it is marketing, pure and simple.

Would any business launch a product into a competitive market in an unattractive package or damaged condition? Of course not. Because the only way that type of product will sell is at a significant discount! Staging is not an expense – it is an INVESTMENT- in fact, the best short-term investment a home seller will ever make. Just compare the financial return from a profitable and quicker sale (which also reduces monthly carrying costs), with the interest the banks are offering for 6-month CDs.

The choice of a professional home stager, is a critical decision that should only be made in consideration of many criteria – and certainly not just on price! In many cases, a savvy real estate agent already has a professional stager working on their marketing team. If the agent can’t recommend a stager, then the home seller needs to base their decision on the stager’s expertise, experience, track-record, professionalism and portfolio. Of course everyone has budgets and professional stagers will do their best to get the biggest impact for the client’s investment. However, it is wise to listen to the professional stager’s comprehensive consultation and recommendations before making any final decisions on what should be invested in the staging project. Home sellers today have too much at stake to be “penny wise and pound foolish.”

Certified Staging Professionals understand the importance of explaining to sellers what needs to be done to get their homes market ready. As consultants, we accept that it is our responsibility, not only to showcase the strengths of a property, but also to address the weaknesses – even when some of these issues might be sensitive in nature. The bottom line is that this is a marketing collaboration between the seller, the home stager and the agent to achieve the highest possible return on the sale of the property in the shortest amount of time.

The Certified Staging Professionals training does not only teach staging techniques and tips but also sets the highest standards of ethics and professional responsibility. It is the most comprehensive home staging training program available. Unlike the on-line training companies, CSP provides trainees with hands-on staging experience and incomparable after-training support. I am confident that the CSP home staging training program is the best investment budding home stagers can make in themselves and their businesses. I am extremely proud of being a trainer for this exemplary organization and am pleased to share my diverse experience and expertise with all my trainees.

I am looking forward to my upcoming home staging training classes in New York City (Oct. 17-19) and Ottawa (Nov. 2-4).

For more information, please visit www.csptraining.com and www.ingenuitypizzazz.com or contact Nairn Friemann at nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com.

Nairn Friemann
Certified Staging Professional and Trainer
Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.
www.ingenuitypizzazz.com
nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com
917-952-4669

Train with the Industry Leaders

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:10:38 -0700

Certified Staging Professionals</a> is widely recognized as North America’s leading <a href="http://www.stagingtraining.com">staging training company</a>. The <a href="http://www.stagingtraining.com">three-day intensive training program</a>, including a <a href="http://www.stagingtraining.com">hands-on staging experience</a>, is unmatched in the industry. <a href="http://www.ingenuitypizzazz.com">Nairn Friemann</a>, president of <a href="http://www.ingenuitypizzazz.com">Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.</a>, is one of New York City’s top stagers and has staged over $400 million in sold real estate. Her work has been featured on The CBS Early Show, CNN, Business Week, Dow Jones Market Watch and in numerous publications. As your <a href="http://www.ingenuitypizzazz.com">trainer, </a>she will share her diverse expertise and experience with you.

Nairn is pleased to announce her following upcoming <a href="http://www.stagingtraining.com">training classes</a>:

New York, New York: May 3-5, 2008. Note: Limited class size. Mentoring opportunities available.

Montreal, Quebec: May 13-15, 2008.

Ottawa, Ontario: June 10-12, 2008.

Halifax, Nova Scotia: July 14-16, 2008.

Please visit <a href="http://www.stagingtraining.com">www.stagingtraining.com</a> and <a href="http://www.ingenuitypizzazz.com">www.ingenuitypizzazz.com</a> for more information

or contact Nairn Friemann at nairn@ingenuitypizzazz.com or 917-952-4669.

Here are just a few testimonials <a href="http://www.ingenuitypizzazz.com">Nairn </a>has received from her CSP™ trainees.

Nairn,

Your CSP course exceeded our expectations! Never did we imagine that we would walk away with the comprehensive business techniques, marketing advice and practical experience to set up a staging business in 3 days. We now have the confidence and savvy to move forward with our business plan.

Thank you for your fast-paced and enjoyable teaching techniques. There was never a dull moment with our great class."

Sincerely,

Carole Ash and Jenna Ash

“After extensive research I made the choice to study Home staging with CSP. It was a big investment but, WOW, the return on this investment is truly awesome! The training was truly second to none, the resources and support are like no other and I am truly left with a confidence that I have this amazing new "Home staging" family that is there for me..... Nairn, I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from you.....your personal staging stories, your support and encouragement were so appreciated. I am SO proud that I followed through on this decision and SO proud of my CSP designation.”

Brenda Jarvis

“I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you personally. I found that your generosity with your knowledge and training was enormous. You are truly a great teacher. There are a lot of people out there with knowledge, but not all can teach. We were very fortunate to have you as our trainer."

Wendy Trautwein, Studio Collage

"You were (are) a true inspiration and an enormous asset to the industry.”

Stacey Boyd

“I too loved the practical nature of the course and would recommend it to anyone. Thank you Nairn for a super experience and I look forward to seeing you again sometime in June."

Louise Meunier

“I felt there was great energy and passion in our room. A great big thank you to Nairn and Liz. I came away with so much knowledge, encouragement and excitement."

Donna Cooper

“Just a quick note to say a big THANK YOU! I really learned a lot this week and enjoyed the course. It was so much more than I had expected!

I got back yesterday around one and met with a realtor that I had done a bit of work with in the past...she is sending out flyers next week offering a $1000 towards Staging on all new listings until June 20th. I have a presentation today and two presentations set up for next week. Things seem to be on a role, and I now have more confidence after taking the course to make this a successful business!”

Duncan Scott

New Year's Staging Resolutions

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:44:34 -0800

Today we all begin a new year, full of hope and resolutions. This year, 2008, is a universal #1 year in numerology (2 + 8 = 10 = 1) and signifies not only a new year but the beginning of a new nine year cycle. Wow, I know I want to get it started with positive energy! I’ve just re-read a book on creating prosperity in our lives and it recommends making three lists: 1) what we want to eliminate; 2) what we want to bring in to our lives; and 3) what we are grateful for. This has been a truly meaningful exercise for me because I realize that I only have a couple of things I want to eliminate while having pages of things that I am grateful for.

Now focusing on my business plan for the new year, I have reviewed the highs and lows of last year and again feel so fortunate. As Certified Professional Stagers we have the opportunity to do work we truly love and at the same time achieve significant benefits for our clients and real estate colleagues. Last year I had the additional pleasure of getting to train new CSPs. I have been so impressed with the dynamic and talented stagers I have met in my classes and at the amazing Climb Every Mountain Convention last September.

Of course we are all striving to build our staging businesses and make this year a great one. Christine Rae is one of the most inspirational (and hardest working!) women I have ever met and I am really thankful that I am a part of the CSP organization. Christine has set the bar higher than any other staging training organization in terms of delivering the most comprehensive staging training program; testing and certification of new CSPs; establishing a code of ethics; and providing incomparable training and professional support resources. Furthermore she is the pioneer of eco-staging and through the choice of Habitat for Humanity as CSP’s designated charity, has taken a leadership role in the industry’s social responsibility. Certified Staging Professionals has the highest standards for staging expertise, professionalism and social responsibility and as CSPs, we should all feel proud to be a part of this exemplary organization.

My business, Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc., grew significantly last year and for that I am truly grateful. I am proud to be able to say that I have collaborated with brokers and homeowners on the staging and marketing of over $350 million in sold real estate. My diverse experience now ranges from funky Greenwich Village walk-ups to Greenwich, Connecticut mansions; from vacant new development to cluttered estate-sale condition; from studio apartments to SOHO lofts; and from contemporary suburban family homes to Park Ave. Pre-War classics. This business is never boring and I learn something new on each job. I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise with many new CSPs in 2008 - a year of new beginnings.

The Importance of Floral Design to Real Estate Staging

Nairn Friemann (Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc.) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:54:35 -0800

What is the one common feature in rooms showcased in decorating magazines, regardless of design style? Floral Accents!

Everyone would agree that flowers and plants are beautiful decorative accents to these stylish rooms. But please consider that flowers are so much more than decorative room jewelry. With more than 80% of home buyers shopping on the internet, shouldn't we all be paying attention to what the decorating magazines already know?

In the same way that I say that, "staging isn't decorating, staging is marketing,"

Attractive floral design isn't optional – it should be a key component of staging. I believe flowers and plants help sell real estate!

Recent Research:

Did you know?

Scientific research conducted by Rutgers University, The Emotional Impact of Flowers Study, has proven that flowers improve emotional health, having a profound effect on mood and well-being.
At Texas A & M, research showed that a change as simple as adding flowers and plants can be important in the most meaningful way to businesses. Workers' idea generation, creative performance and problem solving skill improve in workplace environments that include flowers and plants.
Research by The Color Institute showed that people start forming impressions in the first 90 seconds and that up to 60% of that impression can be based on color alone.

Given the powerful impact of color and emotion, flowers in different color combinations can enhance or adjust feelings. When we stage a house to sell, our goal is to transform the home to a living space that will appeal to a broad base of potential buyers. As we set the stage in various rooms, we aim to create positive emotional responses from potential buyers. Flowers can help us accomplish our goals in a subtle yet highly effective way.

From the first, all-important, impact of curb appeal, a beautiful garden will tell buyers that this is a well-maintained, well-loved home. And when the front door is opened, flowers will instantly welcome visitors. Think of the grand hotels. What do they all have in their lobbies? Fabulous floral arrangements! Think of fine restaurants and special events – flower arrangements! These businesses invest in floral design as a key component of their marketing budget, because of the positive response from their clients. If they weren't achieving a significant return, they wouldn't waste their money.

Given that up to 60% of the first impression is based on color alone, pleasing color palettes are key in the first 90 seconds. A pretty flower arrangement on a foyer table will become an attractive focal point and have enormous impact on the potential buyer's emotional response.

Throughout the rest of the rooms of a home, floral accents, plants and trees should be integrated to draw the buyer's eye to key strengths and away from weaknesses. They also add instant vitality and color to any space. Color theory teaches us about the impact of color on emotions. Floral accents can enhance the desired color palette of any room and help evoke the desired emotional response from potential buyers. While white orchids can add a sense of calm and a spa-like feel to a bathroom, vibrant tropical flowers will instantly energize a loft space.

However, poor floral design can have a hugely negative impact on potential buyers, Dusty dried flower arrangements and wreaths should be removed. High quality silk floral accents look remarkably authentic and photograph extremely well, but cheap "fake" flowers will draw the buyer's attention like a magnet. Also critical is attention to style, scale and mechanics.

I believe professional floral design should be a key component of real estate staging. Before becoming a real estate stager, I achieved my certification in floral design from the prestigious New York Botanical Garden. I interned and then freelanced with a top New York floral designer and gained invaluable experience in event staging. I bring this specialty and experience to all my staging projects and to my staging training classes for Certified Staging Professionals. I truly believe that my floral design and event staging experience has greatly contributed to the rapid success of my staging business, Ingenuity & Pizzazz, Inc. As I train new stagers for Certified Staging Professionals, I am able to pass on my specialized experience. I am currently working on a floral design workshop for additional credits in the Certified Staging Professionals continuing education and advanced staging designations program. And I am very excited to announce that this training will be available early in 2008.