Stephanie's Blog

REALTOR® Statistics

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:07:37 -0500

REALTOR® Statistics

Hours worked by all REALTORS® (nationwide): 40 per week

Gross personal income by hours worked: $63,000 (median for 40-59 hrs.)

Percent of business generated by REALTOR® personal web site (all REALTORS®): Zero - 28%; over 25%- 12%

Real estate experience of all REALTORS® (median): 7 years

REALTORS® by gender: Male 41%; Female 59%

Formal education of REALTORS®: Some college: 34%; associate degree: 12%; Bachelor's degree: 26%; High school graduate: 8%; Graduate degree and above: 10%; Some graduate school: 8%

Affiliate membership of REALTORS ®: CCIM: 1%; CRE: 1%; CRB: 3%; CRS: 10%; IREM: 1%; REBAC: 10%; RLI: 1%; SIOR: less than 1%; WCR: 4%

Sides per agent: For all REALTORS® in 2006, the typical brokerage specialist completed 10 transaction sides

Number of years with present firm (median): Agents - 3 years; Brokers - 7 years

REALTOR® affiliation with firms: Independent contractor 83%; Employee 6%; Other 11%

Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile NAR Membership Statistics

Members to date: 1,257,686 as of Aug. 31, 2008

Number of local associations: 1,443

Source: Monthly Membership Report and NAR Membership Statistics, 1908-present

Home Buyer & Seller Statistics

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:06:47 -0500

Home Buyer & Seller Statistics

Active home search (median):
Number of Weeks Searched - 8
Number of Homes seen - 9

Method of Home Purchase, By Use of Internet:
Agent/Broker - 81%
Direct from Builder - 10%
Direct from previous owner whom buyer didn't know - 5%

Definitely would use same agent again: 68%

Actions taken as result of using Internet site:
Drove by/viewed a home - 73%
Walked through a home viewed online- 57%
Found agent used to search/buy home - 23%

Prior Living Arrangement:
Owned previous residence- 47%
Rented an apartment or house - 41%
Lived with parents, relatives or friends- 9%

Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

What Repeat Buyers Want Most From Real Estate Professionals

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:06:00 -0500

What Repeat Buyers Want Most From Real Estate Professionals

Persons living alone are expected to account for 36 percent of household growth between 2010 and
2020. Three-quarters of the more than 5.3 million projected increase in single-person households in 2010-
2020 will be among individuals aged 65 and older—a group that has shown a marked preference for
remaining in their homes as they age.

Source: State of the Nation's Housing 2008 (Joint Center for Housing Studies)

Information Sources Used in Home Search

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Statistics

Did you know?
. . . the typical FSBO home sold for $187,200 compared to $247,000 for agent-assisted home sales.

FSBO Methods Used to Market Home:
Yard Sign . . . 50%
Friends/neighbors . . . 29%
Newspaper ad . . . 31%
Open House . . . 25%
Listing on the Internet . . . 21%

Most Difficult Tasks for FSBO Sellers:
Getting the right price . . . 15%
Understanding paperwork . . . 18%
Preparing/fixing up home for sale . . . 15%
Attracting potential buyers . . . 9%
Having enough time to devote to all aspects of the sale . . . 7%

Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Technology Statistics

REALTORS®' use of email for business - 50% of REALTORS® communicate with their clients by e-mail more than 50% of the time

Real Estate Web Pages -
Does your company have a website?
yes - 89%
no - 8%

Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile

Technology Products used by REALTORS®:

The typical REALTOR® spent over $1000 on technology in 2006.

Digital cameras were the most popular technology product among REALTORS® in 2006 (92%), followed by desktop computers (79%) and cell phones (72%).

The most frequently used operating system is Windows XP (87%).

The top places where REALTORS® place their listings are REALTOR.com, their broker's website, their own site, and their local MLS site.

Source: 2007 REALTOR® Technology Survey

What Repeat Buyers Want Most From Real Estate Professionals

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:05:07 -0500

Help you find the right house to purchase - 53% Help with price negotiations - 13% Tell you what comparable homes are selling for -11% Help determining how much buyer can afford - 11%Help with paperwork - 8% Help find and arrange financing - 2%Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home buyers and Sellers Real estate agent - 84% Internet -84% Yard sign - 59% Open house - 48% Home book/magazine - 31% Builders - 24% Television - 9% Billboard - 7% Relocation company - 5% Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Did you Know?Minorities now account for 29 percent of all households, up from 17 percent in 1980 and 25 percent in 2000. The minority share is likely to reach about 35 percent by 2020. Persons living alone are expected to account for 36 percent of household growth between 2010 and 2020. Three-quarters of the more than 5.3 million projected increase in single-person households in 2010- 2020 will be among individuals aged 65 and older—a group that has shown a marked preference for remaining in their homes as they age. Source: State of the Nation's Housing 2008 (Joint Center for Housing Studies) Information Sources Used in Home Search For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Statistics Did you know? . . . the typical FSBO home sold for $187,200 compared to $247,000 for agent-assisted home sales. FSBO Methods Used to Market Home: Yard Sign . . . 50% Friends/neighbors . . . 29% Newspaper ad . . . 31% Open House . . . 25% Listing on the Internet . . . 21% Most Difficult Tasks for FSBO Sellers: Getting the right price . . . 15% Understanding paperwork . . . 18% Preparing/fixing up home for sale . . . 15% Attracting potential buyers . . . 9% Having enough time to devote to all aspects of the sale . . . 7% Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Technology Statistics REALTORS®' use of email for business - 50% of REALTORS® communicate with their clients by e-mail more than 50% of the time Real Estate Web Pages - Does your company have a website? yes - 89% no - 8% Source: 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile Technology Products used by REALTORS®: The typical REALTOR® spent over $1000 on technology in 2006. Digital cameras were the most popular technology product among REALTORS® in 2006 (92%), followed by desktop computers (79%) and cell phones (72%). The most frequently used operating system is Windows XP (87%). The top places where REALTORS® place their listings are REALTOR.com, their broker's website, their own site, and their local MLS site. Source: 2007 REALTOR® Technology Survey

New Videos New Videos New Videos

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:02:59 -0500

Hello all We just came out with another terrific video check it. Let me know what you think.

God Bless,

Stephanie

www.propertystagingconsultants.com

Okay this might be a silly questions but...

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:32:26 -0500

I love reading the blogs everyday on stage it forward and love being a member. OUr Staging Company is Property Staging Consultants and we want to see if we can link up stage it forward with our site to help out both of our sites! Is this a possibility. I seen it on Shells site (RESA) as our staging company is on her site as well and would love to show this group of talented stagers off.

If so please let me know what I need to do to get the logo and we can get both sites linked together.

All My Best

Stephanie Rhodes

Staging Training for Interior Designers and Decorators and Others

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:24:41 -0500

Property Staging Consultants®

Staging Training for Interior Designers and Decorators and Others

The 3-Day Property Staging Consultants® course will provide you with everything you need to become "licensed" and start generating profits from your own home staging business. In this comprehensive course, staging professionals will gain in-depth insight into the entire staging process, and will also learn how to effectively educate clients and real estate professionals to achieve optimum results. This course is designed for interior designers, decorators and individuals with a natural ability to decorate. Graduates of the Property Staging Consultants program are those who plan to stage homes full time while coordinating with their Property Image Consultant counterparts.

Click Here to Learn More | Get More PSC Course Information

Staging Training for Real Estate Professionals

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:23:04 -0500

Property Image Consultants®

Staging Training for Real Estate Professionals

The 2-Day Property Image Consultant® program is designed to educate Real Estate Professionals on the importance and value of the staging process. By implementing established staging concepts, you will sell properties in less time and for more money. Real Estate Professionals will be encouraged to expand and adapt their present approach to selling, as the staging course teaches how to introduce the proven 5 Key Elements to sell more homes, faster.

Click Here to Learn More | Get More PIC Course Information

Why the PIC and PSC Courses = Proven Success in Property Staging!

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:21:35 -0500

Home Staging Courses & Training

Why the PIC and PSC Courses = Proven Success in Property Staging!

We offer two totally separate courses tailored to your individual goals and educational needs.
All of our Trainers are fully licensed in both real estate and property staging. This allows us to give you both the staging know-how and the basic real estate knowledge you need to get your business off to a running start.
We place great emphasis on Trainer-Student interaction at every step of the training, always focusing on the end result of preparing you for a successful staging career.
The PSC courses equip you with all the knowledge and resources you need for a "Turn Key Business Startup." Our curriculum is unrivalled at providing students with a solid foundation to build a profitable business.
PSC stresses a teamwork ethic throughout the process to maximize value to the home owner. This means we educate based on identifying priority issues that require the attention of both the Real Estate Professional and the Staging Professional involved in the sale. By working together, we optimize the owner's return on investment.
PSC provides students with in-depth preliminary property analysis skills that instruct you on how to identify issues and prepare the property before the actual "hands-on" Staging begins.
PSC sets the industry standard for affordable, results-oriented Property Staging, producing proven, real-world benefits for everyone involved. Even in today's challenging market, we are moving 95% of our properties within three to 14 days. Bottom line: we help home owners sell their property faster for more money. These are results you - and your clients - can take to the bank!

"Everyone at PSC is fully invested in our students' ultimate professional and personal satisfaction. We only consider ourselves successful when our students have reached their desired level of success!" -- Jackie Riggins

Staging Tip of the Week.

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:18:52 -0500

Staging Tip of the Week:

Educate yourselves on what it takes to adjust your presentation to the market. We train per real estate needs not as designers! Staging makes a huge difference, don't continue to let fear stop you from making a change in your approach. We can help you make a difference, take this opportunity. Costs are rising, housing is leveling, yet it is more important today to set yourself apart than ever before. We must be educated for our clients and give them exactly what they need.

Property Staging Consultants

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:16:37 -0500

Property Staging Consultants - Founded on vision, designed to succeed!

Property Staging Consultants is a professional organization specializing in the training of real estate professionals and other interested individuals in the art of "Home Staging." Graduates of PSC® courses will be issued a certificate as a Property Staging Consultant®, and this official PSC® designation will provide added credibility with clients.

What is your perception of staging? Professionally trained home stagers know that they are dealing with a client's needs to prepare a given property to appeal to the market conditions here and now. During our many years of staging homes nationwide, and training others to stage properties for faster sales and maximum return, PSC® has refined the true meaning of staging - and it is much more than simply addressing the concept of initial or "surface" appeal. PSC® training programs will give students in-depth instruction in the first Four Key Elements of home staging that must precede the Fifth Key Element, in which the appeal or actual "staging" of the home is achieved.

Wouldn't buyers and Agents like to get to the closing table without any negotiation? That is the job of a qualified Property Staging Consultant®. And it's a job that cannot be learned without the combination of classroom instruction and "hands on experience" offered by PSC®. Would you want a surgeon to operate on you if he or she had never seen and consulted with you? It's the same with effective property staging -- understanding and being involved in the complete process is critical to how you achieve optimum results for yourself and your clients.

Staging Properties One Home at a Time

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:13:39 -0500

Welcome to Property Staging Consultants®

Property Staging Consultants have sold properly prepared homes in less than two weeks and most often more than the asking price.

Signing up for a Course is Simple

51 Reasons why PSC is your choice for professional
Property Staging Training!

Your doorway to the exciting, rewarding world of home staging!

Real estate staging professionals are in greater demand today than ever before. The reason is clear: homes staged by professionally trained stagers sell faster, and they sell for more. Property Staging Consultants® is helping meet the national and international demand for home stagers with a full range of classroom and hands-on staging training for real estate professionals, interior designers, decorators and property staging professionals.

Real-world home sales statistics and real-life experience in the staging marketplace form the foundation of all PSC® training. The results are easy to see. Properties staged using proven PSC® techniques move into the "sold" column faster, with a greater Return on Investment.

Increasingly, home staging professionals are being incorporated as vital members of the agent-seller team by formulating strategic plans for improvements to the home that will lead to fewer price negotiations, shorter listing time, fewer viewing's, quicker sales and increased profits. For REALTORS® eager to stand out in a highly competitive landscape, the value-added service of home staging is an indispensable benefit to home sellers.

Whether you're an established real estate pro, or a newcomer exercising your flair for design, Property Staging Consultants® offers cutting-edge training based on time-tested methods; methods drawn from longstanding experience with what really works in the staging industry. To find out how you can put the power of home staging to work for you, please read about our staging courses and register for our staging training or request additional staging training information.

What is Home Staging?

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:02:24 -0500

What is Home Staging?

The concept behind home staging is as simple as it is powerful: a stager prepares a property for sale to meet two key goals of the homeowner: a faster sale and a greater Return on Investment.

This is accomplished by a careful evaluation of the home's current condition and attributes, followed by in-depth attention to any existing issues that have the potential to deter prospective buyers. Additional focus is given to transforming the visual aesthetics of the home away from limiting, individual tastes and broadening the home's appeal to the widest possible spectrum of buyers.

Staging today has become much more involved and sophisticated than merely "rearranging the furniture." PSC® takes its students far beyond this outdated misconception by advanced training in the latest, most effective techniques of this fast-evolving business.

In recent years, home staging's clear benefits to home sellers and agents have made it a must-have skill within the real estate trade. In addition to shorter listing times and significantly improved profits margins, the advantages of a professionally staged home include fewer showings, less frequent price negotiations and decreased expenses for both real estate professionals and homeowners.

In every part of the country, today's markets are changing at an unprecedented rate. That makes it more important than ever to ensure that properties are staged by credible, trained Staging professionals. Join us now and get ready for success!! Register today.

Here is a Question for All

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:03:54 -0600

In the beginning of the Staging industry the development of this process came to creation based on and taught to real estate professionals to assist in the sale of homes. My concern is that most agents do the initial element involved in staging, yet the "quote" designers or those individuals with a natural talent appeal to the architecture. So, why has everyone jumped on the "staging" wagon. Redesigners, Decorators, Designers and all have started staging. Yet my question is where is the real estate knowledge?

I train based on real estate knowledge and ask Realtors and real estate professionals to work close with the clients and the stagers to achieve the best result based on the homeowners budget. We can not simply go in and appeal and still have closing issues, allowances and price reductions. Staging is the perfect way to "show" a property, yet if we as real estate professionals are still giving away income why are we using stagers? I simply would like to know how anyone can take an online course and not have hands on experience?

There are many classes provided now in the staging arena, yet how do you find the ones that truly base their knowledge on what needs to be identified with. What I believe has happened and I am not here to beat on anyone, I am here to Set the Standards in Staging as for the most part there are only a few classes available that have actual hands on experience on how to Consult the clients. Very few have identified the real need in real estate and the clients needs to achieve a result. Appeal is only the final element of the process. There is "so" much more to Staging than simply appeal. Staging started out with real estate professionals and should remain the beginning element of the process. I know many agents believe they already stage, yet the fear factor does in fact stop us agents from providing more to our clients in terms of getting the equity they deserve. T

he Staging process has been pushed into it's own category and has taken on a life of it's own. We are hearing from many agents that has used a Stager and have no knowledge of what they do and are only presenting model homes. My reply back is ask those Stagers what knowledge they have, are they certified and do they work with the clients and the Agent? Know who is working with you and know if they have your best interest at hand. The Staging industry will eventually require a licensing as did the Inspections, several years ago, the inspection was not a requirement and today it is. There will always be good and bad in everything that's done via the services industries, however sometimes there needs to be governing over what is right and what is wrong. Please tell me your thoughts on using a stager vs. not.

Real Estate Staging Course

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:01:45 -0600

2-Day Property Image Consultants™ Staging Course* for Real Estate Professionals

Mission: To maximize the selling price of every property through proven Home Staging techniques!

As a licensed Real Estate Professional, you understand how vital it is to set yourself apart from the competition in today’s crowded marketplace. By offering your clients the advantages of your services as a Property Image Consultant™, you will instantly stand out as someone who brings more to the real estate selling process. This 2-Day training course will provide you with the marketing edge you need to differentiate yourself and your services when it comes to moving homes faster and selling them at a higher price.

Register now and grow your business!

The real-world benefits of this course will enable you to:

Introduce Home Staging Consulting as a FREE, VALUE-ADDED service in your listing presentations.
Earn your Property Image Consultant™ Designation and Certification.
Learn the proven techniques of enhancing a property’s appeal through staging.
Decrease your overall expenses through cost-effective staging methods.
Network with PSC™ Staging Professionals and PIC™ Real Estate Professionals in your area, expanding valuable business contacts and obtaining referrals.
Learn how to research and create a Property Consultation Report©.
Learn all the details of how complete and effective staging of a property contributes directly to higher return on investment.
Discover how to recognize, recommend and prioritize the work to be done in the Property Consultation Report©.
Learn how to educate homeowners, investors, builders and others on the advantages of real estate staging.
Experience a hands-on staging project in a lived-in property.

As a Real Estate Professional, you understand that in order to further your career and maximize future earnings potential, investing in yourself and your skills is one of the most important steps you can take. Home staging training is just such an investment; one that will return its cost to you quickly – and repeatedly – as you apply the profit-boosting principles of staging in every home you sell throughout your career.

Looking for more?

Start your own Staging Business – and start earning extra income!

Anyone with a passion for design, and a desire for increased earnings, should look into the in-depth training offered in the full 3-Day Property Staging Consultant™ training course. CLICK HERE for additional information on the full 3-Day Staging program.

*MUST be a licensed Real Estate Professional to attend; no assistants may attend unless licensed.

Staging Courses and Trainings

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:56:25 -0600

Staging Courses & Training.

PSC™ Corporate Mission:

Property Staging Consultants™ is proud to offer a highly effective, “real-world-tested” combination of classroom instruction and hands-on, in-the-field training for anyone with a desire to learn what really works in the real estate staging industry. Our goal is to provide the real estate industry with creative, professional stagers equipped to bring the benefits of their unique, value-added services to all work with them. Our success is based on the success of our graduates. And by offering our students the most innovative home staging training available today, we’re confident that upon graduation they will be fully prepared to become successful, productive members of the wider real estate community which they serve.

Property Image Consultants™

Staging Training for Real Estate Professionals

The 2-Day Property Image Consultant™ program is designed to educate Real Estate Professionals on the importance and value of the staging process. By implementing established staging concepts, you will sell properties in less time and for more money. Real Estate Professionals will be encouraged to expand and adapt their present approach to selling, as the staging course teaches how to introduce the proven 5 Key Elements to sell more homes, faster.

Staging Training for Interior Designers and Decorators and Others

The 3-Day Property Staging Consultants™ course will provide you with everything you need to become “licensed” and start generating profits from your own home staging business. In this comprehensive course, staging professionals will gain in-depth insight into the entire staging process, and will also learn how to effectively educate clients and real estate professionals to achieve optimum results. This course is designed for interior designers, decorators and individuals with a natural ability to decorate. Graduates of the Property Staging Consultants program are those who plan to stage homes full time while coordinating with their Property Image Consultant counterparts.

PSC

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:54:31 -0600

Property Staging Consultants™

Staging Training for Interior Designers and Decorators and Others

About PSC

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:53:30 -0600

Property Staging Consultants – Founded on vision, designed to succeed!

Since founding the company in 2005, Property Staging Consultants™ CEO Jackie Riggins has built PSC™ into one of the most respected names in the business. Since then, her passion for sharing her home staging expertise has helped over 1,000 professionals graduate from her courses to become certified Property Image Consultants™ and Property Staging Consultants™. Each student will graduate from PSC™ fully equipped to deliver leading-edge staging techniques based on home staging statistics and real life experience in the staging, design and real estate industries. With the demand for qualified stagers continuing to exceed supply, Jackie has already added another national trainer, with plans to add up to ten more over the next five years.

With virtually unlimited potential for further success, Jackie looks forward to providing the real estate industry with productive and professional stagers who bring value-added benefits to all who work with them. Be a part of this exciting profession now! Register today!

Welcome to Property Staging ConsultantsTM, your #1 Staging Company

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:48:32 -0600

Welcome to Property Staging Consultants™

Your doorway to the exciting, rewarding world of home staging!

Real estate staging professionals are in greater demand today than ever before. The reason is clear: homes staged by professionally trained stagers sell faster, and they sell for more. Property Staging Consultants™ is helping meet the national and international demand for home stagers with a full range of classroom and hands-on staging training for real estate professionals, interior designers, decorators and property staging professionals.

Real-world home sales statistics and real-life experience in the staging marketplace form the foundation of all PSC™ training. The results are easy to see. Properties staged using proven PSC™ techniques move into the “sold” column faster, with a greater Return on Investment.

Increasingly, home staging professionals are being incorporated as vital members of the agent-seller team by formulating strategic plans for improvements to the home that will lead to fewer price negotiations, shorter listing time, fewer viewings, quicker sales and increased profits. For REALTORS™ eager to stand out in a highly competitive landscape, the value-added service of home staging is an indispensable benefit to home sellers.

Whether you’re an established real estate pro, or a newcomer exercising your flair for design, Property Staging Consultants™ offers cutting-edge training based on time-tested methods; methods drawn from longstanding experience with what really works in the staging industry. To find out how you can put the power of home staging to work for you, please read about our staging courses and register for our staging training or request additional staging training information.

Early Bird Special

Act now and SAVE! Sign up within the next 30 days and receive $100 off our 3-Day Staging Course (PSC) and $25 off of the 2-Day Course (PIC)! Please note, this offer is valid only if you registered 30 days prior to the course start date.

The need for trained home stagers is rapidly expanding! Join the dynamic Home Staging industry by enrolling in the next available training course. Check out our course schedule, then take the next step to register – and prepare to launch yourself into a new dimension of career satisfaction and success!

Property Staging Consultants Welcomes You

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:44:20 -0600

Property Staging Consultants^TM provides a combination of classroom and hands-on staging training for real estate professionals, interior designers, decorators and property staging professionals.

Staging is preparing a property for sale to meet two goals: a faster sale and a greater Return on Investment. PSC bases their knowledge on staging statistics and real life experience in the staging, design and real estate industries. Properties that are staged using the PSC^TM proven techniques in real estate provide maximum results.

Real Estate Professionals will become more of an asset to their clients by offering this value added service, and will help them sell homes faster and for more money. Stagers will become an integral 3rd party to the team of agent and seller by proposing a plan of change in the home that will lead to fewer price negotiations, shorter listing, less viewings, quicker sale and increased profits.

Property Staging Consultants^TM offer quality programs for every student that has a desire to learn what really works in the staging industry. Please read about our staging courses and register for our staging training or request additional staging training information below.

Areas of Expertise

PSC Corporate Mission:

Property Staging Consultants^TM strives to offer quality programs for every student that has a desire to learn what really works in the staging industry. Our goal is to provide the real estate industry with productive and professional stagers who are a benefit to all who work with them. We aim to achieve overall success through the success that our graduates will experience as they apply our proven techniques in the marketplace and help more properties sell in shorter time for higher capital gain.

The 2 Day Property Image Consultant Program is designed to educate Real Estate Professionals on the benefits and value of the staging process. By implementing proven staging concepts, you will sell properties in a shorter amount of time and for more money. Real Estate Professionals must be willing to change their present approach to stay competitive. This staging course will teach you how to introduce the proven 5 Key Elements to sell more homes.

2 Day - Property Image Consultants^TM Staging Course* for Real Estate Professionals.

Mission: To Maximize the selling price of every property.

As a Real Estate Professional you utilize your knowledge in real estate to sell properties, and by adding the Property Image Consultant^TM consultation process, you will be more of an asset to your clients. This training course will set you apart from the other real estate agents in the industry because you will sell your staged homes faster and for more money.

What you will gain from this training:

This course will allow you to Introduce Consulting as a FREE service in your listing presentations.
You will earn your Property Image Consultant^TM Designation and Certification.
You will learn the benefits of staging.
Our course will help you to decrease your expenses.
A great opportunity to network with PSC^TM Staging Professionals and PIC^TM Real Estate Professionals in your area.
We will teach you the value of the complete staging of a property for sale.
This course will show you how to recognize, recommend and prioritize the work to be done in the Property Consultation Report©.
Learn how to educate the homeowners, investors, builders and lessee's.
You will experience a hands on staging project in a lived in property.

Real Estate Professionals, please understand that the staging industry is not about taking money out of your pocket, it is about putting the dollars you deserve back into your pocket by selling homes faster and often more than the listing price.

Looking for more... Start a Staging Business!

If you have a passion for design then you are eligible to attend the full 3 day, Property Staging Consultant^TM program CLICK HERE for additional information on the full 3 Day Staging program.

This Extensive 3 day Program will provide you with the tools needed to become licensed and to start your own staging business. In this course, staging professionals learn the entire process of staging, how to educate clients and real estate professionals to achieve maximum results. This course is geared toward interior designers, decorators and the individual with a natural ability to decorating who will be staging homes full time while coordinating with their Property Image Consultant counterparts.

3 Day - Property Staging Consultants Staging Course

Mission: To solidify the selling price of every property we improve!

Property Staging Consultants^TM offer quality driven programs for every student that has a desire to learn what really works in the staging industry. This 3 Day PSC^TM staging program consists of practical hands-on experience, staging techniques, marketing formulas, business planning, design tips, furniture placement, building inventory, pricing and much more. We have based our knowledge on staging statistics and real life experience in the staging, design and real estate industries.

What you will gain from this training:

Learn how to build and price inventory.
We'll teach you how to introduce redesign.
Learn how to peel back the layers of the property.
Learn how to stage based on a clients' budget.
We'll show you how to network with Realtors® in your area.
You will learn how to build a Property Consultation Report®.
We'll show you how to build, Proposals, Contracts & Agreements.
You will learn the liabilities in the industry.
Our instructors will teach you how to give presentations.
How to get Sponsors.
Maintaining staged properties.
How to educate the Realtor® and the homeowners.
Learn how to implement the FIVE Key elements to achieve maximum results.
Learn how to introduce the techniques used to achieve a fully staged property.
Learn about additional income opportunities.
Marketing a staged property.
Marketing your business.
Building a Business Plan and Setting Business Goals.
Differentiating between Design, Redesign, Decorating and Staging.
Statistics.
Learn about lighting, furniture placement and angles.
Color trends of 2007-2008.

CEO of Property Staging Consultants- Set to Change Real Estate Industry

Jackie Riggins, CEO, is the powerhouse behind the authoritative training program at Property Staging Consultants^TM, and is currently growing her company by leaps and bounds.

Jackie began PSC in 2005 and already over 1,000 professionals have graduated her weekend course to become certified Property Image Consultants and Property Staging Consultants. In the dynamic real estate industry, there is so much demand for staging professionals that Jackie has already hired another national trainer and hopes to add up to 10 more in the next five years!

Jackie Riggins, a local of the Wichita area, has a talent for real estate staging and a passion to share that gift with others through her vibrant hands-on training program.
Property Staging Consultants was born on the idea that staging professionals could be more - much more, than they formerly were in the real estate industry.

Jackie has worked for other staging companies in the past that were more focused on decoration, and she is eager to change the false perception that staging is just a type of re-decorating. Riggins insists: "The aspects of redesign are only the final element in a whole process of staging that achieves results." Results such as shorter listing times, fewer showings of the property, fewer price negotiations, as well as a decrease in expenses for both real estate professionals and homeowners, not to mention a drastically improved profit margin!

Staging is quite the phenomenon in the real estate industry right now. Staging, simply put, is preparing a property for sale to meet two goals: a faster sale and a greater Return on Investment. This is done by peeling back the layers of the home and addressing each issue that may dissuade or deter potential buyers, in addition to neutralizing the visual aesthetics of a home to appeal to a wider variety of prospective buyers.

Professional stagers trained by PSC strive to work within the seller's budget and will work for private homeowners, as well as owners of commercial or farm properties, and For-Sale-By-Owners.

Property Staging Consultants provide a combination of classroom and hands-on staging training for trainees to become Staging Consultants, or even Property Image Consultants. Property Image Consultants are real estate professionals who learn the basics of staging in order to offer a free value-added service to their clients that will help them sell homes faster and for more money. Stagers become an integral 3rd party to the team of agent and seller by proposing a plan of change in the home, and walking them through to completion.

Jackie's passion is to provide staging and real estate professionals with a working and adaptable knowledge to simplify, reclaim and re-identify every property seller's space and existing treasures ~ in a fun and affordable way. Her training and hands-on experience in the staging, real estate, and design industries set the PSC courses apart. She is determined to build a team structure among stagers that is exemplary in the real estate industry.

"My sincerest passion is for my trainees to succeed. My success will only come once they have achieved their goals," says Jackie.

Jackie bases her knowledge and training program on staging statistics and real life experience in the staging, design and real estate industries. Properties that are staged using the PSC proven techniques provide maximum results. PSC is seeing constant successes in their chapters all over the nation, and through affiliations, that validate their techniques and training. In addition to developing and creating the Property Staging Consultant Training Courses, Jackie shares her years of experience and her triumph over various challenges. She has confidence in her passion and is committed to guiding individuals through the emotional experience of professionally preparing a property for sale.

With only upward to go, Jackie hopes to accomplish a set of standards associated with staging. Her goal is to provide the real estate industry with productive and professional stagers who are a benefit to all who work with them.

Testimonials

Just a quick little note to thank you for everything. You are such an inspiring person. I truly don't know how you do all that you do!!!

Gretchen Waltz

You were wonderful and entertaining, Some instructors can be so dull & boring-you are not the norm!!!!

Suzette

We had a great time meeting and working with you, and appreciate your support and encouragment in implementing what we learned. I hope that we can utilize our newfound knowledge in building Jack's business, and maybe someday, mine! Thanks again, Jackie, for everything.

Chris & Jack Lanman
Dallas, TX

Jackie, You are a phenomenal and energetic INSTRUCTOR! You made it so easy to understand, I have learned so much! I have already starting applying it by contacting agents on an individual basis. I love the literature we received with the class. I review some part of it everyday. The staging for Ava was so very helpful. Yes, I was overwhelmed, the class was just TREMENDOUS. I plan to use my consignment furniture business more in the coming months for staging. Can I work for you??! So much fun! Enjoy your grandchildren! I would take the class again, sorry I did not stay for Saturday. Thanks So MUCH, Martha Lloyd, Broker/CRS Fridrich & Clark Realty

Martha Lloyd, Broker/CRS
Georgia

Dear Jackie What a truly inspiring week with you as our instructor for "staging". You are undoubtedly an expert in the field and I am so plese to have know you as a friend who over exceeded in class management, energy, sharing experiences and materials. Your influence can't help but make us all Successes in "staging" Thanks, Gloria Van Zandt

Gloria Van Zandt
Dallas, Texas

Dear Jackie I want to thank you again for coming to San Diego and teaching our Staging class. You have such great, infectious energy - which is so important to this business! I learned a lot and look forwrd to using my new abilities in my practice. Mark, Ellen and I also want to thank you and the class for the fantastic job you did staging their home. They are working on the painting and other details. I will send photos to you when it's completed. Deepest Appreciation, Kristi Olson

Kristi Olson
San Diego, CA

The course gave me a new positive outlook at selling real estate.

Debra Devore-Nelson
Bremerton, Washington

I am so happy to have met you. You're a woman who knows what you want and where you are going. I admire that about you. I hope to see you again. It's a Good Life! Messial From small beginnings come great things - PROVERB

Messial Cruz/Kitsap Credit Union
Bremerton, Washington

Looking for a Professional Stager who's Nationally Certified and Accredited

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:41:20 -0600

Check out our website at www.propertystagingconsultants.com for more info on Professional Stagers and Real Estate Professionals in your local area.

For Real Estate Agents from HGTV

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:38:30 -0600

10 reasons top producers get the listing

Ever wonder why that other practitioner gets more listings than you? Steve Stewart, a writer and speaker on real estate sales and marketing and the principal of Steve Stewart Seminars
(www.steve-stewart.com) in Claremont, Calif., explains why top producers are so successful.

1. They treat real estate like a real job. “They’re always in control of their job,” says Stewart. “And they’re confident enough to say no to clients they think are too demanding or unreasonable.”

2. They’re masterful presenters. “They have a planned listing presentation they could give in a howling windstorm without being distracted,” he says. “They know what they’re going to say and where in the presentation the decision points for sellers are. It’s all because they practice, practice, practice.”

3. They’re terrific at getting others to make decisions. “They never pressure sellers during the listing presentation,” Stewart says, “but every time there’s a decision to be made, they say, ‘Do you want to do this or not?’ They get people in the habit of making decisions.”

4. They’re big thinkers. Top producers think beyond the task in front of them. For instance, one top producer Stewart worked with decided he’d be more likely to get listings if he scheduled more than one presentation for each evening. “The fact that he had several presentations a night made it more likely that he’d get every listing agreement signed, because he was in great demand,” says Stewart.

5. They’re excellent at delegating to their team members. “Top producers make artful use of their assistant teams,” Stewart says, “which helps in marketing, too, because salespeople with teams can market themselves as being able to handle the sale from top to bottom.”

6. They get sellers to understand why pricing is so important. For instance, they keep emphasizing that sellers can price the home to own it or to sell it, Stewart says. They might say, “If you price this home too high, you’ll keep owning this house. Here’s the price that’ll get results.”

7. They look like sellers but slightly better. “People like and trust people who are like them,” says Stewart. “You want sellers to identify with you, but you should dress one notch above them. However, never go in way overdressed.”

8. Their confidence markets them. “You’re your own walking visual aid,” Stewart says. During listing presentations, sellers scrutinize not only what you say but also how you carry yourself. Do you know what you’re talking about? Can sellers trust you to sell their home? Do you appear confident about what you’re doing? Can you think on your feet?

9. They have professional marketing materials. “Thousands of salespeople don’t go to the appointment with presentation materials,” says Stewart. “They think they can wing a listing presentation.” Have visuals that sellers can easily see, whether in a printed presentation book or on a laptop screen.

10. They invest in themselves. The best salespeople spend the money they need to be successful. “If they need new computer equipment, they upgrade,” Stewart says. “If they need more advertising, they get it. They go to conventions and seminars all the time. They’re always looking for new ideas.”

Feng Shui Your Bedroom

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:32:57 -0600

Need a good night's sleep? We've got nine feng shui cures for the bedroom guaranteed to make your slumbering chi say "thank you."

By Leah Hennen

Is your bedroom a peaceful haven you retreat to for rest and romance, and emerge from feeling refreshed and renewed? If not, a little feng shui may be just the thing your room needs.

Feng shui — which literally translates to "wind and water" — is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal is to enhance the flow of chi (life force or spiritual energy), and to create harmonious environments that support health, beckon wealth and invite happiness. At its most basic level, feng shui (pronounced fung shway) is a decorating discipline based on the belief that our surroundings affect us.

In the bedroom, "Feng shui helps you arrange the space to support your best rest and connection with your partner and with yourself," says Los Angeles feng shui consultant Jayme Barrett, author of Feng Shui Your Life. Whether you buy into feng shui's philosophies or not, many of its principles simply make good design sense. Here are nine simple feng shui strategies that will turn your chaotic and uninspiring bedroom into the serene and sensual sanctuary of your dream.

I Found a Great Article

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:30:21 -0600

Staging, Part II: Hiring a Professional Stager

Pro stagers help you make homes look inviting for showings.

BY BLANCHE EVANS

A difficult listing, such as a home that's vacant or in a high price range, might drive you to seek professional help... from a professional stager that is.

"It is difficult to show a vacant home well," says Mareya Burton with World Stage Design, a California company. "People walk in and they are looking for a place to hang hats. If the home is empty, and it echoes, it gives a negative vibe. Showing a room to its best potential is done with well placed and appointed furnishings."

Burton works with builders and salespeople to move property more quickly. "We go into homes for resale or spec homes and do anything from helping the homeowner with clutter to completely refurnishing the home."

Staging can be helpful in minimizing faults and maximizing desirable elements. "For a vacant home, sometimes you walk in and think it is smaller than it is," explains Burton. "A resale home can appear dark or cluttered. Highlighting focal points can make a room feel more welcoming."

Professionals stagers such as Burton maintain a large inventory of furnishings and accessories, carry their own insurance, and have access to special resources such as art gallery or antique rentals. Although they employ some elements of interior design, stagers aren't typically licensed interior designers. "An interior design is customized to the needs of the person living in the home. A stager goes in and furnishes as neutrally as possible to appeal to the widest audience," clarifies Burton. "We give ideas for placement and we pick focal points."

A staging job on a $1 million home can run in the thousands of dollars and typically involves a two-month contract, and month-to-month after that, says Burton.

Is staging worth the time and expense? According to California-based salesperson Joy Valentine, it is.

"I've seen many times properties sell for 10 or 15 percent more than they would have because they were staged," says Valentine. "I stage 75 percent of the homes I sell."

To test her theory that staging does result in higher sales prices for homes, Valentine conducted an analysis of 2,772 properties that sold between March 1, 1999 and September 30, 1999 in eight cities, including Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos to determine what effect, if any, staging had upon the net price, percentage of sales price over list price and the length of time on the market.

She found that the average days on market was 30.89, and the average difference of sales price over list price was 1.6 percent in all samples, including staged and unstaged homes.

Staged homes (120 properties) stayed on the market for only 13.9 days and sold at 6.32 percent over list price.

Although her survey was conducted at the height of the California sellers' market, Valentine feels that the conclusions are significant for salespeople, interior designers, prospective sellers, and buyers.

"California is on the cutting edge of the staging phenomenon," says Valentine, who contacted colleagues across the country with her results. With the exception of a few areas, such as Dallas, she says, staging hasn't caught on in other states.

Although some may sneer that staging exploits the buyer, it presents the buyer with real value. Knowing what size and types of furniture complement a room can be helpful in visualizing living in the home.

"Sellers and salespeople are missing the bet," says Valentine. "If the staging works, you are presenting the home the way the buyers could have it. Buyers often don't have the vision of what a home could look like and they may pay more for the property when they see what they like. Some people even buy the home the way it is staged. In the very high end properties, I've heard of buyers taking the house and the furniture."

If staging is so effective, why aren't more salespeople using it to sell homes? "The reason it isn't done is that salespeople are intimidated by sellers and afraid to lose the listing if they bear down too hard," explains Valentine.

Often staging is used as a last-ditch effort to sell an overpriced listing. By then it may be too late. "You see salespeople overpricing property out of ignorance or intimidation, or they are "buying the listing," says Valentine. "If the salesperson isn't convinced that staging adds value then they aren't going to communicate it."

"Salespeople have to be secure with their position as experts. It requires a strong personality and confidence to communicate with sellers," says Valentine. "They should think about their own personal feelings about walking into a vacant house, or a house with faded, dated furniture, discolored lampshades, with artwork that is too high on the walls. By contrast, walking into a place that is beautifully balanced delights the eye."

Lights Lights Lights

Stephanie Rhodes (Property Staging Consultants ) — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:58:29 -0500

Turn ALL the lights on and open the blinds before you leave in the morning. That way if you have showings while you are at work the lights will be on, it will feel inviting and enhance the square footage and the price of the sale.

For more tips and information check out http://www.propertystagingconsultants.com/