I just read this post by Realtor Michael Perry that should make stagers sit up and take notice.  If you stage unoccupied rentals, this could possibly happen to you.  It's something to discuss with your attorney and determine how you can protect yourself if you supply furnishings as part of your staging services.

I'm re-blogging this post because it is an issue for all of us who may work alone.  The points made here are excellent and the suggestions can be adapted to fit your work situation.  Please pass this information along to others and BE SAFE!

Home sellers tend to overlook the fact that their outdoor spaces can be prime real estate for showcasing.  It doesn't need to be difficult or expensive to enhance your "outdoor room", as the following example shows.

Whether you have a small balcony or patio, or a deck the size of a small airport landing strip, you can take advantage of the space you have and turn it into a private escape with an outdoor room makeover.

This is the first of a series of outdoor room redesigns and stagings meant to illustrate common situations and how they may be transformed.  It's a true redesign-the makeover was accomplished using only what existed in the home. Obviously, not every home will have the exact accessories needed, and as in this example, stand-ins were used to highlight what was needed to complete the look.

The medium sized deck with basic outdoor furniture was originally arranged with a large open space for gathering. Seating lined the railing, creating a void. The color of green unified the various pieces but also contributed to the somewhat rigid and ordinary feel. The grill, serving cart, table and chairs were crowded together in the far end of the deck in an attempt to make them more convenient and to create a dining area.  Instead, it made the deck seem smaller than it was. The space was certainly large enough but awkwardly arranged and felt uninviting.

After

To make the most of all of the available space, zones were created for grilling, dining, entertaining, serving and for conversation, with plenty of room for moving about. Spreading the furniture out in this way actually made the deck seem even larger because of the amount of room between each zone. 

The electric grill was relocated to provide a safe buffer zone between it and guests. The serving cart became accessible to both grilling and entertaining areas, ready to be rolled into the dining area when needed. A conversation grouping makes better use of the open space and beckons visitors.

Weather resistant accessories were selected from the home's furnishings to add color, comfort and interest. The green of the furnishings became the perfect neutral backdrop to the patterns and textures. The eclectic mix created a better transition between the feel of the house and the outdoor room.  For the reveal, the deck was dressed for an evening meal with drinks and appetizers while dinner was cooking on the grill.

The result is an extension of the house that is multi-purpose, functional, attractive and welcoming. This deck makeover took a little over an hour. What a difference it made even without the exact pillows and accessories.  When a deck or patio is staged or redesigned, people are more apt to walk out and lingered, discussing what a great space it is rather than just peering out of the door at it or taking a cursory look. 

This somewhat forgettable deck became memorable with just a little bit of redesign and staging. Make the most of your indoor and outdoor spaces when selling your home! 

I recently wrote about my experience with telemarketing "crammers" here on Active Rain (Warning! Crammers and Slammers are on the Line!) and oddly I received the following in the mail the day before I became aware that I was a "victim". I was really steamed about this cramming business and when I read the email I thought how absurd some of the things were and had to laugh. 

Please don't try this at home though, no matter how funny you may think it is or even if you change some of the wording because you are much more creative.  The way to beat these businesses at their game is to just hang up as quickly as possible.  If you ask them to put you on their Do Not Call List, DON'T hold for them to switch you for "confirmation", "verification" or anything.  Just hang up.  Switching you signals that you are opting in to whatever they are selling, which is an add on service to your phone line, in most cases. You wouldn't know this and that's what they are counting on.  Read my post on this scam for more.

In the meantime you may find at least one of these will bring a smile to your face.

Take "That" Telemarketers! *   

Have you ever been at home, enjoying the night with your family, and suddenly your phone rings?  You jump up to grab the phone, figuring the person on the other line is a dear friend calling to say they have an extra ticket to that event you wanted to go to, and suddenly your ears are assaulted by a stranger asking to tell you about an amazing deal, or conducting a survey.  You accidentally say yes and suddenly you're stuck in a 15 min sales pitch with no way out.  Well, you don't have to take it...fight back with one of these 10 tricks on how to handle a telemarketer:

1. Television Superstar: 

You: "Have you ever been on How to Catch a Predator?"

2.  Confusion:  Choose a random word and repeat...

• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith?"
• Response: "Pancakes"
• Telemarketer: "I am conducting a survey; could I ask you a few questions?"
• Response: "Pancakes"

3.  Convict:

• Response: "Do you realize you have wasted my one call for jail?  Do you have any bail money?"

4.  Answering Machine:

• You:  "Hello"
• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith?"
• You: "Haha, got you... This is Jon's phone, go ahead and leave a message after the beep" Pause a moment "BEEEEEP"
• Wait a moment, avoid breathing into the phone and see what type of message they leave.

5.  The Set Up:

• Response: "You sound so cute; you're not married are you?  I have the perfect person for you to go out with."  (then describe Carrot Top or  Rosanne Barr)

6.  Fake a Crime:

• Telemarketer: "Hello is this Mr. Smith?"
• Response:  "Quite, Shhhhh, he might hear you.   I was hoping it was the police, but you'll do.  I am hiding in the bottom of my closet, I don't know what to do, I came home and... quiet... he walked right past, he almost found me.   Maybe I should call the police.  I've got to go...."

7.  Baby Talk:  Talk to the telemarketer as you would a baby...

• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith?"
• Response:  "Who is this?  Is this my big guy?"
• Telemarketer: "I am Andy with Company XYZ, how are you today?"
• Response:  "Oohhhh I am with company XYZ, such big words for my little guy, what do you want to talk about?  Peak-a-boo! I hear you!"
• Telemarketer:  "Is this a good time?"
• Response:  "Sounds like someone has a case of the grumpies."

8.  Old Friends: Talk fast so he can't interrupt...

• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith?"
• Response:  "Hey is this Tommy? How are you? It's been too long, when was the last time we talked?  Remember that one summer, when we freed all of old mister Johnson's chickens?  I hear one of his hens still won't lay eggs.  And Mexico...don't get me started on Mexico, they are probably still looking for you..."

9.  Movies Help Us in Real Life:  Use quotes or plots from movies to end the call...

• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith?"
• Response:  "Dumbledore is that you?"
• Telemarketer:  "No this is Andy from Company XYZ, how are you tonight?"
• Response:  "Listen Andy, Ron and I were down at Train Station 13.5 and we missed the train to Hogwarts.  But that's not the worst of it. "
• Telemarketing:  "Well I hope that works out, it will only take a minute, have you heard of..."
• Response:  "Andy my lightning bolt scar on my forehead is hurting; he who must not be named is back... I have to go."

10.  The Jerk:

• Telemarketer: "Is this Mr. Smith"
• Response: "Your real parents are in Canada."
• Telemarketer: "I'm sorry?"
• Response: "This is the exact reason your parents gave you up."

*Info on the T-shirt shown click here

Warning! Crammers are on the Line!

In the last week I've received quite a few boiler room sales-type calls-you know the type when you can hear a lot of people talking in the background. I tell them to take me off the list and that I'm not interested before they can give me their pitch.
                                                                              
Last month there was a new long distance carrier charge on my business phone that I had to dispute. It was bizarre since I make it a practice never to talk to these people. Verizon said that they get complaints about this kind of thing all the time, it's called "cramming"  Another type is "slamming" where your phone service provider is switched.  The Verizon rep agreed to send this to dispute and put a block on my account so that "add-ons" like this wouldn't happen. She also said that it might take a few billing cycles for the charge to come off, but at least I wasn't liable for the charge.

I learned some important things I wanted to pass along. We all know not to talk to these people, but they are getting more clever in their business practices. If you ask for your number to be placed on the Do Not Call list, hang up immediately after that. It's not a guarantee that you won't be crammed, but it's a start. If you hold for verification, it will somehow technically imply that you are agreeing to services! The key is being switched. So hang up if you get a call that even remotely sounds like a sales call and DON'T let them switch you to anyone or for anything because it will imply a "sale". Report it immediately to your phone carrier. They may not be able to block the charges proactively but they should be able to place the information on your account so that if you do get crammed you will have more information for a dispute.

The Verizon rep told me that she has handled hundreds of calls like this. Many of the calls sound legitimate and can lure people in. The aggravating thing is that you may not even know you have been crammed until you get your phone bill as in my case. The most disturbing thing is that these "crammers" are in many ways protected from penalties or prosecution, even though it is costing the phone companies unknown dollars to undo these charges, and the cost is passed to business owners like us. Reporting incidents to the FCC can help.

I'm writing this to make everyone aware that there are lots of these "crammers" out there with subtle schemes to entrap you, making it easy for them to add something directly to your phone bill without you even realizing it until you get your bill. For me, it was a time waster and an aggravation for a charge that was less than $20. The Verizon rep said that in some cases it can be more-a lot more. 
                                                                                                                                                 Have you had a similar experience or one that was worse?        Please share it to prevent others from becoming victims.

There are many aspects in marketing a home.  A great marketing plan starts with the best possible product.  Your home is that product and you want to present and package it so that it stands out in the sea of similar homes. That's where staging comes in.  Just as a super model or celebrity consults with a professional stylist before a premier, your home needs to be sure that is polished to perfection before its big premiere.

Stagers are independent business owners who may or may not belong to professional staging associations.  Services may include do-it-yourself staging consults and coaching to comprehensive, turn key packages.  Consider your situation when looking into staging.  What is your budget?  How much time do you have to prepare your home?  Do you have the skills and knowledge to make needed changes or repairs?  Can you be truly objective when evaluating your home?

Reading staging articles and books may help.  Watching home shows on TV may or may not help and can give false or misleading impressions about prepping your home for sale.  Keep in mind that these shows are edited and produced as much for entertainment as they are for providing information.  Some points:

• Most professional stagers are respectful of your feelings and your furnishings.  They will, however, be honest about furnishings that are not an asset to the selling presentation.

• It's not about you.  You may be very comfortable with the way your home is furnished and may feel hurt if you now have to disrupt your way of living. You are not being judged for your tastes or punished for not having the right furnishings. Remember that you may be inconvenienced for the greater good.

• It is not always necessary or practical to do construction or remodeling in order to sell a home.  Slightly less expensive, but highly effective home updates like painting cabinets, walls or replacing carpeting may be indicated to update the home for a better price/quicker sale.

• Years of maintenance issues cannot be resolved in a day, or even a week.  Before any staging begins, tend to the HVAC, appliance, fences, walkways, roofing, landscaping and other issues.

• Preparing your home can and will cost money.  Home preparation costs depend on how well your home has been maintained over the years, whether any updates have been done and what interior re-arrangements may need to be made for the house to show at its best. It will also depend on how much you will take on yourself and how much you expect others to do for you.  A staging consult can give you a clearer idea of the steps needed to prep the house and can be one of your best investments.  How well you prep your house will have a direct bearing on how well it shows, how many, if any, offers are made and how long it will take to sell.

• You directly affect the sale of your home.  You are a partner with your realtor, stager, handyman and others who provide services to ready your home for sale.  Communication, cooperation and consideration are necessary for the best possible outcome. 

In previous posts, I wrote about the new IRIS National Capital Area Chapter's homeless shelter apartment makeover project.  Two of the three apartments are finished.  On June 9, 2009, at the Shelter House.org Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, the Chapter received the Community Partner Award for work on the Patrick Henry Family Shelter.  As President of the chapter, I can tell you that the results and the response from the staff and the family who moved in were rewards enough for the hours of work spent on the redesign and staging of the apartments .  To be the recipients of this award is such an honor.  We are so thankful to be able to give back to the community in this way.

As if that weren't exciting enough, we were also presented with an official copy of the United States Congressional Record for June 9, 2009 in which Congressman Gerald R. Connolly of Virginia recognized "Shelter House.org and in particular the contributions its volunteers make in service to our community", and names the Interior Redesign Industry Specialists as the Community Partner Award winners for the Patrick Henry Shelter. 

This project, which begain with a desire to redesign and stage one apartment for the Shelter grew into a committment to fulfill an immediate need for three.  Deserving redesign has created ripples that we would never have expected.

To see brief videos of the first two apartments please click on these links:

http://www.realestateshows.com/383648

http://www.realestateshows.com/392976

More on the third and final apartment to follow!

Dumpster-What?  Yes, I must admit that we are not too proud to pass up great potential furniture that has been left by the side of the dumpster. 

IRIS National Capitol Area members (and soon to be new chapter) have finished their second apartment makeover for the Patrick Henry Shelter House in Falls Church, VA.  Key to this project was stretching the bare bones budget by using donated materials and furnishings and finding freebies through craigslist (yes, it is supposed to be lower case) and Freecycle.  That also included keeping sharp eyes out for 'potentials" which brings us to the dumpster diving part.  One particularly nice "potential"piece was found next to a dumpster by one of our members.  It was an old Ballard Design low cabinet with two drawers and only one of its two doors.  The narrow piece was perfect for the small apartment and creative eyes saw its reincarnation into a small bookcase.

So what does this have to do with staging a home to sell? 

Most sellers are on a tight budget, particularly in this economy.  That budget must cover repairs and cosmetic fixes like painting.  Once it comes to actual staging, the budget may be next to nothing.  I'm not suggesting that everyone should start hanging out at their local dumpsters looking for treasure like this, but to take a look at what the homeowner may be ready to throw out in their quest to pare down for their move.  Often furniture with potential ends up in the trash because no one has recognized its value.  As redesigners and stagers we can offer our clients this additional service-using our creativity to save them from wasting resources but also showing them how to use reclaimed furnishings in decoratively functional ways.  It's another way to be green in our businesses and to show homeowners how to be green in their decor.

To see the video of the family room/dining area redesign, please click here or cut and past the link below:

http://www.realestateshows.com/392976

A friend forwarded this to me and I found it to be more than a little disturbing.  Thinking you can go into the staging business by just reading a book?  Staging is the same as redesign?  Uh, NO.  Maybe to someone who has just read a book about it and knows little else about the subject it is.

If a person has talent and a natural ability to assess a home and knows what it would take to showcase it, then reading a book could help them on the way to a career. It might help the home seller understand what is needed to sell a home and allow them to do some of their own staging. Would it tell them all they needed to know about the process? Would it allow them to see their home as  buyer might?  Would they believe it?

Hands on training in real life situations is the minimum one should expect in a home stager. It's like learning to fly a plane by reading a book.  You may learn the fundamentals but what has been left out-hands on experience. Bad staging reflects on the rest of us.  Many people have gone into the business as a hobby with little or no training or a true grasp of the scope of a staging project.  I have restaged homes for clients who have had bad experiences with "stagers" who talked a good game but weren't able to deliver.  Did they learn their craft by watching TV or reading a book? 

I am not a trainer, but I feel strongly about training or lack of it, and how it can affect the perception of our profession. The article was meant to be helpful, but it sends out a misleading impression of what it takes to be a successful in real estate staging, both for stagers and their clients