The Stage Coach - Diggin's & Plunder

Someone's up to No Good with All of OUR content to help with their SEO - Updated!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:59:29 -0600

Hello Stagers! Sorry to report this news, but it seems our content is being used by some one trying to increase their SEO juice.

I was experimenting this morning to see if The Stage Coach's Fan Page would come up in a Google Search. So I was searching some long phrases pulled directly from my tabs. On a fluke, I came across another Home Stager's Page that used a line Verbatim from my website.

"The Stage Coach provides Austin Home Staging Services for Homeowners, Realtors, and Builders in the Austin Round Rock metro area."

The page Google linked to does not come up on her website - it's some crazy back door. You can try to link to it from here.

Or, go to my Google Search page here. See Home Make Overs by Melinda

I saw all kinds of lines about Home Staging pulled directly from our sites with company names still attached.

I did leave the owner a comment asking her to pull my content, hopefully she will pull all of ours.

Let me know what you find!

Friday, November 20, 9:00am

After not receiving any response from the post I made on this site, I emailed the site owner directly last night. Just received this communication this morning:

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. My web administrator has confirmed the link you inquired about has been removed and can no longer be retrieved."

I would have appreciated an apology, but I'll settle for the removal of the content. At the same time, I've made a note on my calendar to search the same string in January.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

New Service - Prime Photography Package

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:01:26 -0600

The Stage Coach is excited to announce

the formation of a new partnership!

We are Teaming up with Professional Photographer, Thomas Meredith, adding yet another top shelf offering to our list of services: The Prime Photography Package.

The idea came about while viewing some actual listing photos on the MLS. For some reason, photos are being used that would compel a buyer NOT to visit the property and other photos are in such poor quality that buyers can not see the features of the home. The solution: by teaming a professional photographer with all of the best equipment and the experience to take top-notch photos with an obsessive-compulsive Home Stager, we will make every photo count!

Our goal is to make the listing photos more reminiscent of Pottery Barn than Craig's List!

No more random photos of bathroom fixtures! No more odd photos of plants! No more kittens staring at you from the top of the book shelf! No more laundry piled up on top of the dryer! Most home buyers are looking on the Internet before they contact a REALTOR. If you want your listings to stand out from the crowd, then you need to have high quality photographs available for potential buyers to view! Here's how it works: The Stage Coach will come out to the house when it is ready to list and spend an hour tweaking the home to prepare it for the listing photos by "sweating the small stuff". We will go into primary rooms and examine the space from several angles, then remove the little things that create distractions in photos. We will fluff up the pillows on the beds. Hide the daily clutter that is necessary in life. Arrange the chairs and tables appropriately. All Photos are then reviewed by the Photographer and Home Stager to make sure they meet both of our Professional Standards. The photos are then hosted online for your use - at no extra charge! The entry level option will cover photos of each living space and panoramic photos of primary living spaces, plus the exterior front and back. For an additional fee, an interactive floor plan can be provided allowing users to click on a particular room and see the panoramic photos providing the full virtual tour experience.

Contact The Stage Coach for more information.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Why I prefer Facebook over Twitter... From a Home Stager's Perspective.

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:56:27 -0600

We have all been hearing a lot lately about Twitter, Facebook and numerous other Online Social Media Tools, and I have been experimenting with them for just about a year now. It is my conclusion, that for what I do, Facebook is the tool for me.

First and Foremost:
Many will argue that the beauty of Twitter is the limitation of 140 characters. This may be great for scouring the Interwebs for people looking for answers to questions. But as a Home Stager, I believe Twitter lacks the visual element that Facebook offers, which is extremely important to me. I can post actual pictures and videos - not just a link to them. And when I want to send a post announcing an upcoming property, the Facebook post is much more visually pleasing than the Twitter post.

Next, if I am to be totally honest, I just don't get Twitter. As many articles as I have read about it, the light does not go on for me. Then again, most articles I see are aimed at REA's obtaining Referrals, and selling $9.99 Widgets. [Oh, yeah - and Free Laptops... Can't forget that you can always find people giving away Laptops on Twitter...] As a Home Stager, again, I am selling a visual product, and feel that I need to have a visual element. I update my status regularly... I play with RT's.... I respond to other Twitterers... It just seems like Twitter is 10% Content - 40% Useless Banter unless you're part of the conversation - 40% RSS feeds being sent up - and 10% Porn.

Another reason that I like Facebook: as I mentioned above, for me it is hard to understand what is going on unless you are part of the conversation. On FB, if you are gone for two days, you can come back, check status updates, and still be a part of the conversation by reading the thread of what others have posted.

One of my biggest gripes about Twitter, is when I click on a link to try to read an article some one has posted of interest to me. No matter how many browsers I have open, the new page seizes priority, and I am unable to change tabs/browsers while the new page loads. As a serious multi-tasker, this is unacceptable! I should be able to jump over to another web page while Bit.ly processes the shortened link. But instead, I am stuck staring at a white browser window, and can not navigate away. Worst part is, having tried to change applications or browser windows almost always results in the browser crashing. And I have the same experience with Seesmic.

Lastly, despite my feelings about the shortcomings of Twitter, I am not writing it off completely. There are a number of tools that can be used to increase Online Social Media efficiency, but that's another Blog. For the time being though, my focus will be on The Stage Coach's Fan Page.

Stop by and become a Fan!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Suggestion for Stagers who use Cort...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:33:02 -0600

Hello, Stagers:
I was reading a blog by Stefan Swanepoel regarding Brookfield acquiring Real Living earlier this morning. Later, it occurred to me, that there was some important information for Home Stagers far down in the article - look at Post# 115. According to Stefan's post, Berkshire Hathaway is involved in Home Services of America, and he goes on to list many RE companies that fall under this umbrella.

On the way to a meeting this morning, it occured to me: our friend Warren Buffet also has his fingers in Cort. So I returned, and reviewed the list. My thought process was, as I have been known to use Cort on occasion, perhaps I could work with Cort to muscle into some of their Sister or Cousin Companies. [when I was in the IT business, it happened all of the time. If you want law firms to buy from you, you have to enlist their legal services...]

Reviewing the list, I did not recognize any groups from Central Texas. My next thought was, as this list is easily accessible, why not tell other Home Stagers who may be using Cort to review it.

Have a look - if one of these companies is in your area, give Cort a call and have them set up a sales meeting presentation!

Good luck! Let me know if you score!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

"Sanctuary!... Sanctuary!"

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:48:36 -0600

It is fairly common from my experience to enter a Master Bed Room and find that the children's belongings have spilled over into the parents' room. I suppose some people would find it convenient to let the little ones play whilst they dress for the work day. Others believe in "co-sleeping". What ever the reason, when it comes time to put the house on the market, one of the most important things you will hear me stress is: The Master Bedroom (suite) must be cleaned of ALL evidence of children. You are selling Sanctuary!

When buyers see a Master Bedroom that contains your kids' stuff, it sends the message that the house is small, and there's not a lot of storage. In this house, I was brought in for a Basic Stage Coaching (consultation) and made many recommendations. But the owners needed a World Series of Interventions with Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, and the Super Nanny to get their stuff straight. They did get the Master cleaned up for photos, but within a couple of weeks, it was right back to where they started. And, sadly, after six months the house never sold.

I am not trying to say that the house did not sell because of the Master - but I do like to stress to the sellers that I work with: Lots of little things can do you more harm than one or two big things. The Big Things can usually be negotiated. The Little Things will build up in the buyers' minds, and lead them to feel that your house in not the house for them.

When preparing the Master Bedroom/Suite: Think Sanctuary! It sounds bad, but make the room a place where parents can escape the kids, and leave all of their worries behind! You want the room that most adults will spend almost 1/3 of their time in to really tug at the senses. It is pretty common to find the Sanctuary technique used in Master Baths, but it most definitely needs to carry over into the bed room!

So get those toys and children's books out! Replace them with scented candles and a trashy paper back on the night stand. Keep the end tables to the basics: Lamp - Clock - Phone - Remote - Book. But only keep three items on each night stand. Make sure you have lots of pillows on the bed - at least Six, plus decorator pillows. Bedding should be Updated - no floral prints - beds in a bag can be found for less than $100. Have a nice throw available to accent. Heck, if it makes you feel better, do the Cliche Staging Vignette: a tray with champagne bottle and glasses - maybe a silk rose to top it off.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

I'm not a prude, but...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:52:03 -0500

During a Basic Stage Coaching visit to a home, I ran into a wall with the home owner in regards to what I call a "Butt." There's no easier way to say - it's undeniably a painting of a man with his rear end exposed. Never considering myself very artsy, I would still have considered the painting to be in good taste - but it still needs addressing in preparation of the home to sell.

I'm sorry - I'm not a prude, but some buyers might find this kind of artwork offensive. And in today's market, you need every possible buyer to be interested in your home. That's how homes sell quickly!

In addition to the "Butt", there were several suggestive sculptures in the room that may have gone unnoticed had the picture been taken down. Against my recommendation, the owner is refusing to remove any of the sculptures or the painting from the wall.

Artwork is a very personal purchase - beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all! Getting some sellers to understand that their personal taste is not under attack can be difficult. This owner is particullarly difficult and the discussion is not over. Overcoming Seller objections is a major component of being a Good Stager and I learn more every time I am in a home.

If the REALTOR and I are unable to break down this particular wall, I am going to be watching the home very carefully. Odds are, the house will get some cheesy nickname, like, "The Nudie House" or some thing similar. But, every once in a while, even a blind squirrel gets a nut, so maybe it well sell quickly. I plan to post a monthly update to see how the sale is going, and what feedback I'm hearing from the REA.

In the meantime, head over to Facebook by clicking on the link below to take my survey:

and become a fan of The Stage Coach while you're at it!

Happy Friday!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Quality Photos... Not Quantity Photos...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:21:52 -0500

Now that the local MLS system supports up to 25x Photos, it leave me wondering, "Who needs 25 photos?" It is always my recommendation that 10 good quality photos is all that is needed to make potential buyers interested in seeing your listing.

I found this picture today, while looking at some homes for sale near an appointment on Monday. This is what I call the "Junk Room". Many homes have one - it's a catch all for what to do with stuff you don't want to throw away, but have no real place to put. I would have guessed that this home was professionally Staged based upon the other photos. And I may have done some thing similar to this if the sellers' budget could not swing rental furnishings.

But the reason for my Blog: Why include this photo in the MLS? It's one of 17 photos - the majority of which I think are appealing. Then this.

Personally, I would have left this photo out - it does not add to the appeal of the home nor does it provide much in the way of selling points. There were already around 15 good photos. I would always recommend to sellers that they leave out Children's rooms. The listing info tells me there are three bedrooms. I don't need to know if little girls or little boys live there. Knowing that factoid will determine whether this house is for me. Or not.

Quality photos will trump quantity photos any day. Personally, I'd rather flip through 5 or 6 good photos that show great features of the house, rather than sift through 25 photos of the laundry room, the art niche, the view of the front door from the top of the stairs, the doggy-door in the back door, etc...

Applying the KISS principle to online photos is a great way to think about. Another way: use photos that emphasize what you are selling. If you did not include the details of the photo in the description of the house, then the photo is probably not needed.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Email: effective communication tool? Or not worth the headache?

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:09 -0500

A couple of things occurred over the last week or so that have made me wonder if email is no longer an effective communication tool. But unlike the article online in the Wall Street Journal today, I do not think Twitter is the new replacement. At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, I am thinking about going back to good, old fashioned forms of communication: the telephone and the face-to-face conversation. Here's why:

Last week, I finalize a proposal for Furnishing and Accessories rental for an Occupied Home. I sent the contract via email with these instructions:

"Attached you will find a copy of a contract for Occupied Home Staging Services for the rooms specified in the earlier email. Please:

Read all of the terms of the contract
Fill in the appropriate information on the top of Page 2
Sign the agreement on the first page
Return copies of ALL pages via email/fax

Once an agreement has been reached and I have received a copy of the contract, we can schedule. As of today [Wednesday], the first availability is Monday."

I followed up with both the home owner and the REALTOR on Thursday and Friday via email and did not hear back. Sunday afternoon, I receive an email that merely asked, "Should I have a check ready for you tomorrow?" [Note: in this case, the REALTOR owns the client, so I do not have their telephone# yet. And the REA is CC:d on all correspondences.]

Without getting into the terms of the contract that was presented, based upon the above text, was there anything unclear in my statements? Personally, I feel that my writing is explicit - and thus, I think this is the error in the electronic communication era: you think you are communicating the point, but that is assuming that the reader is looking at the communication from your perspective.

Twitter and Facebook may be changing the game some what - and I don't have a Google Wave trial, so I can't comment to this new service. But it may surprise you to know that many people do not check their email on a regular basis. Or that some people do not have email at work. Sounds crazy, I know. I would hazard a guess that the Minority of people in the USA are "Connected" all day.

All of this being said: Is it time for me to do away with email and drive the contract over for signature and scheduling on the spot? I would be able to insure that the contract has been reviewed, get the appropriate signatures, and put on my schedule, without having to wonder if the client received my email. And I would be able to answer all questions on the spot, with out any back and forth... It's sounds more appealing, the more I write about it...

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

New Service has potential for helping with home owners' junk

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:19:15 -0500

While making coffee this morning, there was a commercial on for a relatively new service that perked my ears up: It's called Bagster and is brought to you by Waste Management. Essentially, it's a Dumpster, but in a Bag - thus, Bagster. Here's the rub:

Go to your local Home Center and buy a Bagster (Retail is about $30, find locations here)
Open the bag up and fill with up to 3 cubic yards of junk - 3,300 lbs max!
Call the local Waste Management group and arrange pick up.

The first benefit here is convenience: Have you ever had to arrange for a dumpster? For large projects, there's so much headache like where to put it, what if it has to be moved, why are you paying for 30-40 cubic feet when you only have 20 cubic feet of waste... The Bagster bag is 8' long by 4' wide by 2'6" tall.

Next is price: Last time I checked on a dumpster, it was $400+ plus extra fees depending on the weight. The Bagster is $30 and I was able to estimate the collection fee on their website: $130. (register for a $5 off coupon)

Lastly, you can even schedule and pay for the pick up online, with a credit card or an echeck!

There are certain restrictions that vary by area for the types of waste that can be put in a Bagster. Basic information is available in PDF form on their website. And if you go the the Collection Fees and Pricing Page and enter the Zip code, they will outline types of waste accepted. For example, I entered Austin: 78701 and was shown:

"Mixed Waste Load

Accepted                                       Not Accepted
Household junk                  Appliances
Construction debris               Electronics
Yard waste                           Tires
Dirt/Sand/Rocks*                   Food waste
Sod*                                   Large Stumps

NOTE: These items are NOT ALLOWED in any Bagster bag: Toxic/Hazardous waste such as paint, oil, batteries, asbestos, fuel, chemicals, medical waste, hot materials, liquids, appliances, electronics, tires, railroad ties, propane tanks, and fluorescent light bulbs and ballasts.

*Heavy Materials / Weight Restrictions: The Bagster bag can hold 1 cubic yard of heavy materials. Bagster will not pick up any bags containing more than 1 cubic yard of heavy debris. Heavy materials include, but are not limited to dirt, brick, rock, concrete, asphalt, sand, gravel and sod. Heavy materials should be placed at the bottom of the bag no more then 10 inches up from the bottom of the bag. Load Capacity: Materials can not be sticking up over the sides or top of the Bagster bag. Distribute weight evenly and load heaviest items at the bottom of the Bagster bag."

Sure, you could save a few bucks and load up the junk in a truck and drive it out to the dump. Or find That Guy on Craigslist who will haul trash for $50. For me, time is money, so I can't wait to give this product a test drive on a project and post a review of this service.

Thanks for stopping by!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Double up those pillows!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:20:44 -0500

On Monday, we moved some furnishings into a condo in downtown Austin that was recently vacated by the owners. For the bedding, two different sets were required: one queen and one king. The king set had been in storage for quite a while, so I did not remember exactly what was in the Space Bag. After the bed was made, it was seriously lacking some thing [see pic on right] - all four King-size pillows were used. But it was just not working for me. The bed looked like it had just been slept in - it "felt" awful. [As a Stager, I am sensitive to the Feel of Staging - I let my feelings guide me - but that's another Blog!]

The next morning, I stopped by Big Lots and purchased four more king size pillows @ $6 each and brought them down to the condo. By stuffing one into each pillow case/sham, I was able to make a significant difference for only $24 in pillows.

I like it so much better that I am picking up four queen pillows for the second bedroom this morning. Of course, I still have to find the throw pillows - those were, shall we say, Misplaced. [I think they flew off the truck when this bedding was last DeStaged. :-O]

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Listing next Spring? Start thinking about Curb Appeal NOW!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:53:19 -0500

Not everyone has the luxury of taking six months to prepare their home for sale. But I have to admit, I love working with them when they come along!

One thing I am pushing with this client is to start working on their curb appeal by planting next month. In the Austin area, hopefully Summer will be turning down the heat a little before too long, and Fall Planting can begin. This is a great time to put in new trees and shrubs so that they are well established before next year's 100+ degree heat. And most importantly, you might get flowers in time for listing!

A good resource for plant ideas that can stand heat and drought is from the City of Austin. You can click here for a PDF version of Native and Adapted Landscape Plants.

Your next best resource is to ask at your local nursery. My favorite is Barton Springs Nursery, but we also go to a couple in the RR/PF area. I try to avoid the local home centers when it comes to plants, primarily because we have purchased items from them that were either mis-marked or misplaced. Recently, we bought what we thought was Retama, but turned out to be Pride of Barbados. We got a deal on the price, and wanted the orange flowering plant (see page 9 of Perenials PDF), but if the sun/soil/water requirements were different, we would have a dead plant on our hands right now.

Another reason to work on the curb appeal during the fall is to get a leg up on the local builders. Most will likely be building spec homes into the spring, and landscaping them as they are completed. New homes in our area always have the same, generic, immature landscaping: Nandina, Liriope, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Indian Hawthorne...[YAWN!] Take a drive through a new subdivision and look at what NOT to do. Then go to your local garden center and ask for help. Ask specifically for Spring flowering items that will work in your area.

While you're at the garden center: look into fertilizer options for your new and existing plants. There are tons of options, including some great organic/non-chem products now. I'm a big fan of the Tree Spikes that are available. If you put them in the ground around you trees and shrubs in Oct/Nov, you can repeat them in Feb/March. On our street, many of the homes were built at the same time, and you can tell which houses regularly use tree spikes.

Winter is a good time to prune back some trees as well. We cut back our Live Oak between Christmas and New Years. The idea being that by pruning away some branches, more water and food resources are committed to less branches, causing the tree to grow better. Also, by thinning the branches, it allows more sunlight to get to other branches.

Lastly, when spring does come around, you can get some flowering annuals in as early as February in Austin if you get a cold-hardy type. Annuals are a good way to add some color to your curb appeal. But given the opportunity to plan ahead, your landscaping will have a bit more character six months from now than it would if you refreshed it in Spring.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Buyers can't keep their hands to themselves...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:59:01 -0500

This Blog has been brewing in my head for quite a while now: With Austin being the self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World", it should not be surprising to come across many homes with Musical Instruments.

I still recall the home that was Staged by my ASP Class back in 2006. Nice home, no outstanding features, other than an office that was a Gun Room. Steiner Ranch. The formal living room had a Baby Grand of sorts. Never having taken a piano lesson, I am only guessing this based upon the shape & size of the piano. For all I know, it was a harpsichord. But I digress: My memory includes the piano very vividly, as it just happens that there were TWO Concert Pianists in our group who decided they must have a piano duel. While some may think this was exciting, I was personally annoyed because one of them was supposed to assisting me in the Staging of the room, so not only was I working solo, but had to put up with their voluminous rampage.

What does this have to do with Home Staging?

Well - a couple of things. This first home served as a lesson to me: Musicians are in the business of show casing their musical gift. Makes sense. So I feel it is in their nature to sit down at some one else's piano and play a few bars. A little bit curiosity - maybe a little showing off. [Next listing you go into and see a piano, let me know what happens!]

But primarily, I tell home owners the following when I encounter musical instruments in there home:
"Odds are people who are looking at your home are going to be curious. And odds are many of them will poke their noses in places you and I would not have thought off yet. But you can bet, that if you have a piano or a guitar sitting out, some people will consider it an open invitation to sit down/pick up and play. If that does not bother you, then, Great."

I do not have a good solution for keeping people from playing your piano: It's probably the largest possession you own, so moving it or hiding it is not an option. I imagine that more damage would be done to smaller instruments. So I am going to recommend every time to put guitars, horns, flutes, etc. into their cases, and the cases be put away in a closet. This will keep your instruments in tune, away from little fingers, and generally safe.

And if you have a recommendation for keeping peoples' paws of pianos, please let me know. I'm not sure a "Please do not Play" Sign would be all that effective.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Are you having fun microblogging yet?

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:02:47 -0500

With out going into too much detail on Online Social Networking, Microblogging is a generic term used to describe the Status Update on Facebook, and the Tweet on Twitter. I am currently following 173 people on Twitter, have a paltry 136 friends on Facebook, & am still trying to get my Fanpage custom URL (several on both from here on Active Rain). And, I hate to say, but many of them bore me to death.

Would it kill some of them to put a little personality into their posts? I always says, "If you can't have fun doing it, ask yourself if it's worth doing!"

For example, the other day I was going through the refrigerator making sure we had all of the necessary ingredients for Caesar Salad. When I pulled out the jar of Anchovies, it had written on it, "Best if Used by Jan 11, 2008". So, in the garbage they went. Just then I had a thought, and picked up my phone to send out a Microblog to Facebook and Twitter via Ping.fm. Here's what I typed:

"just looked @ his jar of anchovies for Caesar salad: best if used by Jan 11, 2008. Hmmmmmm... What do you think?"

Now, doesn't that have a lot more character than "I just threw away Anchovies dated Jan 2008..."?

Or, I was getting new tires on my truck because I was told the previous ones would not pass State Inspection. A boring Tweet would have been: "@ Firestone getting new tires." Instead, I posted: "says, "Sorry, Girls: I know you wanted to go to college, but Daddy needed new tires... alignment... oil change... inspection... plates..."

I get immediate feedback from my wife, who thinks I'm a little goofy, and maybe even unprofessional at times. But I find that I enjoying microblogging when I can put my personal spin on it. My primary reasons for participating on these two networks are Exposure and Connections. It is my hope that by interjecting a bit of personality into my posts, that people will remember me. And while posts like, "Austin Real Estate Stats for 78701 for June 2009" might be useful and shed some light on local stats, fankly, I don't recall who wrote it.

So think about those 140 or 160 characters for a couple of minutes. Not so much about what you say - but How to Say it. Put a little bit of yourself in each microblog post, just like you would your A/R blog!

See you online! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Google Alert included my Twitter Post!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:16:49 -0500

Talk about weird!

I am signed up for several topics on Google Alerts in order to stay on top of news and posting for a couple of topics. Not to sound paranoid (the black helicopter guys can tell when I'm being paranoid), but I am subscribed for news and blog posts about "Michael Fontana".

One never knows what you will find out about yourself, like when Michael Fontana, former Austin Paramedic, and Nurse was arrested due to several deaths that happened under suspicious circumstances for patients in his care. But I digress...

Today, I received an email for updates on Michael Fontana. One was about the Nurse, the other two were about little old me! I had posted a status update last night regarding my tinkering with Hulu Desktop, my laptop, and our TV. It worked great by the way, but that's another post. (There's also a comment I made about iPhone, but it's essentially the same story)

I clicked on the link in the Google Alert, and it brought me to this page.

Point of my story - looks like some one is now officially watching our Twittering. So, use your head and don't put any thing out there that you don't want to become public knowledge! Back to paranoia: I use Google Alerts to be updated if I am praised [or put down...see paranoia comments] by clients, REA's, etc. If you bad talk a competitor on Twitter, it could be easily found!

Now, back to coating the office with Aluminum foil...

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Don't use the towels... [When did I become my mom?]

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:41:24 -0500

While on a recent visit to an occupied home, I was discussing the possibility of supplementing furniture and accents with the owners. The opportunity was becoming less desirable by the moment as the owners kept telling me about their dog, who was probably born before Nixon resigned, and how he continues to soil any thing he is not familiar with... The thought of provided furnishings for the home was not appealing. Luckily, they primarily needed accents.

Now, what does this have to do with my mom? When discussing accenting the Master Bath, I mentioned adding matching towels. And I found myself saying, "These towels would be decorator towels, and not for your daily use..."

Wait a minute: I just recommended to some one that they put towels in their bath room and not use them! I can vividly remember rolling my eyes at my mother when she was complaining that "we kids" were using her towels in the bath room... And I can remember thinking, "Who puts towels in the bath room that aren't to be used?"

Fast forward thirty... er... twenty, yeah - twenty years, and here I am making the same comment. OK - so may be Mom was right about this one. A Master Bath definitely needs fresh towels. And in a +$300k condo, they should coordinate with the bath accessories. Which are also a must have! Plastic cups from a Longhorns football game are not acceptable! How many college grads are buying expensive condos? Not many...

The owners decided to get their own towels, so I am OK with that. They coordinated them well with their bath accessories. All in all, they did a tasteful job. Now if I could only convince them to hide their robes in the bath closet, and drop their morning towels in the dryer on the way out of the home in the morning...

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Oh, yeah!?! Well, we don't need you either... [Rant]

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:19:21 -0500

The following is an excerpt from an actual flyer sent out by an Austin REALTOR to every home owner in a large subdivision. This was emailed to me last week by a fellow ASP Stager in the Austin Area, whose daughter lives in this particular subdivision. I intentionally delayed my blogging on this topic so I did not jump all over this team and call them names. Here's what was said:

Did you know that one of the top 5 financial mistakes a seller can make it to hire a staging company? It’s true! According to a prominent real estate magazine supported by the National Association of Realtors, it is unnecessary to hire an expensive staging company to stage your home, unless it is an extremely unusual floor plan or is priced at over $2 million. Many of the homes in that range are so large, they need furniture professionally placed to show depth and arrangement possibilities to prospective buyers in sometimes massive family rooms and dens. See, we’re already saving you $money$! There’s no need to pay someone $500.00-$2,000.00 or more, to have them tell you to take the trash cans in and open the blinds. We’ll do that for you, for free.

First and foremost, if this publication is so reputable and supported by NAR, why is credit not given to it directly? There was no footnoting or any information provided about this publication. And doesn't this statement against Home Staging directly contradict NAR's previsous statments that in the current market Staging is more important than ever before? [Jed Smith, NAR from October 2008 statements]

Second: I take personal offense to his statement that hiring a Staging Company(me) is a waste of a home owner's money. I know: it's business, not personal. But as my business is personally my family's source of income, you bet your bottom it's personal! As a Stager, my approach is to fit my services with in the owner's needs and budget - there's not forcing furniture and acccent rentals on my clients. We provide suggestions and solutions - offering to do it for them, or leaving the owners to do it for themselves.

Third: Clearly, I am not charging enough for my services if some one else is charging $500 to tell home owners to hide the garbage can and open the blinds. Sorry, Clients: Prices are going up as I provide a much higher level of service than this. You can thank this Real Estate Team for the price increase as they let the cat out of the bag.

Let me ask you this, Mr. Austin REALTOR: What other services are you going to provide for free to increase your marektability? Why not become a home inspector and start doing the inspections for free? Or become a licensed mortgage broker so you can handle the financing? While you're at it, why don't you change the oil in their car, instead of wasting money on a mechanic? Are you going to be the seller's cleaning crew as well? And take out their trash? If so, I might hire you to sell our house - that'd be like 3 months of free house cleaning... And while yuo're at it... Mow my lawn...

Now that most of my Rant is complete, some closing thoughts:

As more home owners approach me before enlisting a REALTOR, I could advise them to save considerably more money than they would pay for Home Staging by going FSBO, or use one of the discount brokerages. Instead, I advise just the opposite: Interview more than one REALTOR. Ask lots of questions. Go with the one who puts the best foot forward, not the one who gives you the highest list price, or is a friend of your cousin's.

I could disparrage any REALTOR who does their own Home Staging as part of their marketing plan. But I wouldn't because many that I have seen know what they are doing. And those who don't will eventually pass the practice on to a Professional Home Stager - if they survive in the current market.

Lastly, if truth be told, this person does not worry me. According to the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, Austin had 11,535 listings in May of 2009. In a recent blog post by Donna Harris, A/R contributor, the Austin Board of REALTORS was approaching 9,000 members. [Note to Mr. REALTOR: see the proper way to provide data, listing sources and links to the data] So the odds are slim that I will ever even meet this person to give them a piece of my mind. In the meantime, I will continue to provide my services to the 8,999 other agents in the region who want to market and sell homes, and not waste their time worrying about where to place the sofa in the living room. And I will continue to advise Home Owners to engage a REALTOR despite the cost of using one. As long as it's not this team!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Featured Service: Sweep it Clean!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:34:47 -0500

Featured Service: Sweep it Clean!The "Sweep it Clean" Service is a Rapid Declutter service provided by The Stage Coach. If Home Staging is a tool used to help houses sell faster, then this service would be the Sledge Hammer of Home Staging Tools. There is nothing pretty or gentle about this service. We come out to the home with boxes and packing materials and start moving clutter & furnishings out of the house. As each room is completed, some light Home Staging is performed. We will work through prioritized rooms using existing possessions in order to increase the appeal of the home. This service is available in hourly blocks with a two hour minimum.

The requirements for this service are:

The house will be reasonably cleaned before our arrival.
The Home Owners must be absent from the home for the duration.
The owners must accept that we are going to handle their belongings, moving them to a predetermined neutral space, and that we may accidentally pack personal items if left out.
Packing of items is meant to reduce clutter and increase appeal, and should not be considered making items ready to move. We are not professional movers/packers and the packing is not intended to be "Move Ready."
The focus rooms are to be determined ahead of time & will be completed first. Other rooms will be handled as time allows.

Admittedly, this Service can feel a little invasive as in most cases, we turn rooms upside down in an effort to make them presentable. Here are some results from a recent service:

Sweep it Clean - Garage Before

Sweep it Clean - Garage after 8 Hours

For more information on the Sweep it Clean Service, Home Staging or Customizing a Staging Services Package for your Home or Listing:

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Just in time for Memorial Day: How to make the best burgers @ home

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:27:21 -0500

With Memorial Day right around the corner, the Official Barbecue Season begins. For many of us, Grilling Season never ends. I have fired up the grill in snowstorms and hailstorms. And now that we live in Texas, it gets fired up at least once a week, every week. Even in +100 degree weather. Even with all of this grilling experience, I have always had trouble with hamburgers. Over cooked. Under cooked. Fat and small. Thin and hard. You name it - I've experienced it.

Then - two things happened: For Father's Day, several years ago, I received a hamburger press from Williams Sonoma. This gift was inspired by a failed attempt at burgers when I thought aloud: "I think the problem is consistency - if I had the same size patties, I could figure out just how long to cook them..." [it appears to have been discontinued, but I did find this substitute]

And as if by divine intervention, shortly thereafter, I was reading a old issue of Texas Monthly while at a doctor's office. And they had a brief interview with Food Network's Alton Brown on the subject of grilling. Who then gave me the last couple of tidbits to making the perfect burger at home.

After four years of Research/Field Studies:

Start with Ground Sirloin - it's a 90/10 mix. Any thing leaner won't be juicy. Any thing fatter shrinks up too much.
Start making patties with a patty-press like mentioned above. Uniform patties will help you maintain consistency. [Ray Croc made millions on consistency with his hamburgers. Maybe you've heard of McDonald's?] No fancy fillers, or eggs/bread/milk needed.
The only season I use is a little salt and fresh cracked pepper. You could "Bam" them. Or other season to taste.
Per Cook's Illustrated advice, it does not hurt to place a "well" in the top to prevent shrinkage. This well could just be two knuckles, pressed down into the meat.
I grill on charcoal. but for hamburgers, per AB's advice, a cast iron griddle is placed on top of the grate over the hot coals. Coals should be hot enough that you can't put your hand over the grate for more than a few seconds.
If you choose, you can oil the griddle to help prevent sticking. Bacon grease is a wonderful lubricant and flavor enhancer for this. Optional in my opinion.

Here's the easy part - in fact, it is so simplistic that it makes me laugh to watch neighbors who cook their burgers on the grill for 20+ minutes. It's no wonder America eats out so much! Because they don't take the time to figure out how to do it better at home! My patties, which are as thick as the press will allow at about 1/3lb, cook to well done in a little over 3 minutes per side. It's True! Well Done burgers, 1/3 pound, in less than 10 minutes, including cheese melting!

I know - many of you are cringing at the Well Done aspect. But here's the rub: many weekend-warrior grillers [like those mentioned above] will stand over the grill, and futz with the meat. This is a big No-No! Check you cell phone - their is probably a timer/alarm function. Set it for 3 minutes and go back inside. Resist the urge to play with the meat! Do Not, I repeat, Do Not press down on patties with a spatula! That's how you make a hockey puck - by squeezing out all of the juice. Juice = flavor. And lastly, take the meat thermometer and stick it where it won't do any harm. Again, piercing the meat with this will let out the juice. If you follow the above cooking suggestions, you don't need to check for internal temp - your burger will be cooked.

Place patties on the cast iron, and cover with the grill's top. After the first three minutes, flip. And set the alarm/timer & lid again. Three minutes later return with your cheese, which only takes about a minute to melt. Personally, my wife and I use one slice sharp cheddar and one slice jalepeno jack. And then I will add some Merkt's/KauKauna cheddar to my bun as well.

My last words of advice: try to let go of the notion that well done meat tastes like charcoal. You will be surprised at how juicy a burger can be if you follow the above suggestions. Many of us prefer Medium burgers because it is the only way to get a burger that still has flavor: by getting it away from the cook before he has a chance to squeeze the life out of it! Try giving my suggestions a try for the first time. If you prefer some thing pinker, reduce the cook time for each side 30 seconds until you get where you want.

Hope y'all have a great Memorial Day Weekend! And Happy Grilling!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Featured Service from The Stage Coach - Front Door Makeover

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:16:23 -0500

We've all heard the expression a thousand times [probably more]:

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

One of the recommendations I make to all of my home owners in this regard is to take the time to clean the front door. Sounds simple enough. Many times, the front entrance features a steel door and it will require a hose down and touch up paint. But what do you do for a nice wood door?

Call The Stage Coach!

This particular door had a full make mover done including a refresh of the locksets to replace the originals installed in 1996 when the home was built. This particular door took several hours to clean, remove locks, clean again, install new locks and treat. But the difference is amazing, IMHO. The Stage Coach completed this door over the weekend while working with home owners on preparing their home for market.

And if your wood door is in really sad shape - I can refer Rene's Refinishing to you. A true artisan, Rene will take the time to strip and restain the front door to better than new.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

The lesson learned this week - or, Professional Policy # 1772

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:57:02 -0500

1772 professional policies is probably a bit of an exaggeration. But for those of you in the Home Staging industry who are constantly updating their contracts, you know what I am talking about.

This week's lesson stems from a simple communication error. As the story goes, Monday evening I received a call from one of my REALTOR clients while he was at a client's home. We agreed on an appointment for Thursday evening for a consultation visit.

When I arrived Thursday (early, as usual, so I waited around the corner), I was greeted by the teenage daughter. The mother was not home and would not be home for a while. [Go thing it was only about 10 miles from home]

Calling the Agent, he was mystified, and he put me on speaker so his assistant could read the email from the owner that arrived earlier in the day. The email stated that after consideration they decided that a target list date of next week was not feasible, and wanted to push the list date back a couple of weeks. Well - apprarently the home owner figured it was the REALTOR's job to pass this information on to me. And the REALTOR and his team did not interpret the message as "we do not want to meet with your Home Stager for several weeks..." In fact, I agree - it would make sense to me that they wanted more time to work on the home. Not more time before the Home Stager arrived.

So, I willl have to go back when the owners are ready. Frustrating - yes. But it dawned on me - when I am taking appointments 4-5 days in advance, how much time would it take to call and confirm the morning of an appointment? A simple five minute phone call yesterday morning could have prevented the entire misunderstanding.

The Stage Coach's Professional Policy# 1772: If an appointment is made in excess of 48 hours, a confirming phone call will be made approximately 12 hours in advance. Morning appointments will be confirmed the evening before... Evening appointments will be confirmed the morning of... And lunch time appointments will have deal with me doing it when I can get to it. :)

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

Finally - my prototype Superman... or Pineapple, if you will...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:11:15 -0500

Over the last year, I have been meaning to create a signature of sorts to leave in my Staged Homes. (Primarily, Vacants) I have commented on several Blogs about this. But I am finally ready to unveil my prototype.

Here's the deal: Like Seinfeld had his Superman in every episode, or Psych tries to incorporate a Pineapple, my goal was to create a subliminal signature to leave in the houses I have Staged. Esepcially, if the situation does not allow me to leave my marketing materials. Hopefully, as I implement this more, it will start to become obvious to the initiated.

Here's my Prototype: I found the frames at Wal-mart for about $2 each - and printed the pictures on my laser printer. I'm not excited about the matte - so I may reprint 8x10's and remove it.

I know - it's kind of hard to see at this resolution, so:

I've spent months gathering pictures of things that are represtative of T - S - C. Now that things have picked up, I find myself in need of some more accents. What better time than to try than now, eh?

Here's some 8x10's I made as well:

So, Feedback please! My wife thinks it's Geeky - and that I'm the only one who will notice. Part of me thinks, Hey - that's the fun of it!

Thanks for stopping!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

When to get a storage unit

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:56:54 -0500

Yesterday afternoon, I was working a consultation for a REALTOR on a 3500 sq foot house that was filled to the brim with stuff. During the course of the conversations, the husband stated, "I better run out tonight and get a storage unit..."

Immediately, I stopped him. "Don't run out now. That should be done towards the end. Do you have space in your garage [three car garage by the way]?" He sure did.

Here's the recommendations I gave on why he should wait:

We had no idea how many boxes they would fill - thus, no idea what size storage space to rent
In my experience, two smaller units are more expensive than one larger unit.
Many businesses will let you use their truck and equipment for free with rental
Using their truck may only take one trip - using your vehicle will likely take several trips/days
Rent it now, and you are paying for empty space

The owners were left convinced to wait several more days. They will be able to tell what size space they need by trying to put every thing in a one-car section of their garage. They can then use the free rental truck to load up in one trip, and unload in the right sized unit. And the Coup de Gras: the moving can be completed after the pictures are taken for the MLS - who wants pictures of their garage? Focus on the inside! Worry about the boxes later.

Pretty simple, if you stop and think about it. And that's one of the lessons I try to get across to all of my owners: Let's stop for a minute and think about this...

Hope y'all are having a good week!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

The things I do for my clients...

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:49:05 -0500

The owners over at The Concord project and I had been focusing on the kitchen over the last week or so. I tasked them with finding the closing papers from the construction of their home in order to see what we could find in lieu of a proof of purchase for the kitchen faucet. It's been seven years since the home was built and the finish on the base of the faucet was chipping off over the years. The husband had looked up the information online, and had decided that their faucet fell under the 5year warranty since they bought it through their builder.

If there's one thing I have learned in the years of customer service that I have acquired, it's "You never know until you ask." The worst they can say is "no", Right?

So I picked up the phone and called 1-800-345-DELTA and a human being picked up after I pressed "1" for consumer services. I explained who I was, what the situation was with the faucet, and did the 5yr warranty or lifetime warranty apply to their situation. We chit-chatted while she looked up the part#, and she was all questions about Home Staging... "I've never had a Home Stager call in before."

Her news was bad: the part in question is no longer available. It seems this model was on close out when they purchased the home and has not been available for awhile now. Not to be threatened by bad news, I asked, "You never answered my original question regarding 5 years or Lifetime warranty?" She replied, "Can you hold on a minute?" Of course - I"ve come this far, right?

She's gone may be 30 seconds. Then, "My manager agrees that as a professional service provider, we will honor the lifetime warranty with out proof of purchase in hopes that you recommend our products to your clients when you have the opportunity. As the replacement part is no longer available, we will send out a brand new replacement faucet, free of charge. It should arrive in 7-10 days. Does that work?"

"You Betcha!" (Retail price - $306!)

Kudos to Delta Faucet for timely, polite service that went above and beyond!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

1600 Thibodeaux - Success!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:29:36 -0500

Just heard word this weekend that an Occupied Home Staging Project that The Stage Coach helped with has gone under Contract! With Two back up offers!

On this project, The Stage Coach met with the owners, and they agreed to a Written Consultation back on January 19th. On January 26th, we delivered a 15 page document outlining the attention required in each area of the house, what items to keep, and what items to move to storage. The owners went right to work primarily, cleaning, decluttering, painting and some minor repairs.

On February 8th, The Stage Coach returned with a truck full of some accents and artwork to dress up the work they had completed as well as a bed for their spare bedroom to complete the room.

The REALTOR waited for the home to be prepared (she actually asked The Stage Coach to confirm with her when I thought it was ready), took lots of great photos, and priced it appropriately. As a result, the exact numbers, provided by the listing REALTOR: 28 days to first offer, and 33 days to Pending! [MLS # 5797920]

The owners agreed to provide The Stage Coach with their expenses so we could produce a white paper on the project. Total expenses for the owners for Staging, Paint, Preparation, Repairs, Storage Unit, etc: Around $600.

To see the Before and Staged photos take a look at: www.1600Thibodeaux.stagecoachtexas.com

The home owners provided the following testimonial, the day before the offer was given:

We didn't have a CLUE as to how to prepare our home for the real estate market. Michael was referred to us by our realtor, and couldn't have been happier! His pricing is very affordable. We will use him again in the future and refer family and friends to The Stage Coach. Because of his help, we expect to receive top dollar on our home. Many thanks!
Tim and Becky

Congratulations to Tim and Becky, and a job well done by their REALTOR, Dani Lynn Robison of Elk Realty.

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

WOW! a Billy Mays product that works!

Michael Fontana (The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:59:12 -0500

We've all seen him on TV - he usually wakes me out of a daze when he shouts, "Billy Mays here!". His commercials are intentionally loud and obnoxious. He's the man you love to hate. And always leaves me asking, "Does that really work?"

A product called "Mighty Mend It" had really caught my attention. What's not to love about a fabric glue you can use to fix tears and then parachute out of a plane with? Except for the whole jumping out of a plane thing...

I was wasting time at Kohl's while me wife was trying clothes on the girls and went over to look at prices on Steamers and a new iron [my iron was purchased when I left for college in 1989!] Near the home utensils they had an "As seen on TV" section. And there it was - Might Mend it - complete with the Easy Bling, or what ever he called it. It was $9.99 and we were using a coupon, so we would get 20% off as well. I said, "I need to know. In the name of truth, science, and one more crazy gadget thingy to put in my man-caddy!" And so it was...

My first trial was for inventory maintenance. I never maintain my inventory as much as I like to - people are always in a rush to have homes Staged and Destaged. But I had a set of pillows destined for the garbage can. Nothing spectacular about them - just some tan pillows that I use for poofing up a sofa when needed. They were like $4 each - so some may say it was a waste of time to try to save them. I say - any piece of inventory that can be used more than once is a money maker!

So, here's my Before - literally coming apart at the seam:

And here's after:

So - I admit - it's not the nicest Mend in the world - but when I toss it on the sofa, no one will have any idea.

My next repair, I have to admit I was so gung-ho to show the owner at The Concord Project that I forgot to take a Before picture.

The bed skirt was coming apart at the seam - with Might Mend it - we were able to glue it back together!

So far so good - I am going to recommend this product with a disclaimer: I have yet to Mend some thing and run it through the wash. But I have a pair of jeans that could use some Mending, so I will keep you posted!

Have a good week!

Contact The Stage Coach to learn more about Austin's Home Staging Handyman!

The Stage Coach - Diggin's & Plunder

Someone's up to No Good with All of OUR content to help with their SEO - Updated!

New Service - Prime Photography Package

The Stage Coach is excited to announce

the formation of a new partnership!

Why I prefer Facebook over Twitter... From a Home Stager's Perspective.

Suggestion for Stagers who use Cort...

"Sanctuary!... Sanctuary!"

I'm not a prude, but...

Quality Photos... Not Quantity Photos...

Email: effective communication tool? Or not worth the headache?

New Service has potential for helping with home owners' junk

Double up those pillows!

Listing next Spring? Start thinking about Curb Appeal NOW!

Buyers can't keep their hands to themselves...

Are you having fun microblogging yet?

Google Alert included my Twitter Post!

Don't use the towels... [When did I become my mom?]

Oh, yeah!?! Well, we don't need you either... [*Rant*]

Featured Service: Sweep it Clean!

Just in time for Memorial Day: How to make the best burgers @ home

Featured Service from The Stage Coach - Front Door Makeover

The lesson learned this week - or, Professional Policy # 1772

Finally - my prototype Superman... or Pineapple, if you will...

When to get a storage unit

The things I do for my clients...

1600 Thibodeaux - Success!

WOW! a Billy Mays product that works!

Oh, yeah!?! Well, we don't need you either... [Rant]