Frequently I am asked to hire aspiring stagers who want to "decorate!" as they put it. I must get 5-10 emails a month. I go through a series of questions, usually none of which are answered to my satisfaction.

However, I have learned over the last 7 years that everyone deserves a chance and that you either "got it" or you don't. Any person can take a staging course in this world and even that will not help you if you don't "have it" so to speak. Natural ability and the "eye" that it takes to put a room together cannot be learned in a class. May I repeat.... CANNOT be learned in a class.

I am finding it about a 1 in 30 success rate. Seriously. I bring on new "stagers" for a training day, ready willing and able to go, they show up and talk the talk and then there is no ability to put the room together.

This is a serious business that honestly requires spectacular people who are gifted at Staging, who perform superior to their counterparts, who run the full race even till late hours, who are tireless in ideas, who will jump in their car at 8:45 pm to make it 22 miles to Home Sense for the "perfect thing" rather than compromise a project outcome out of sheer laziness.....these "stagers have it in their BLOOD. They never quit, need no direction other than how to get to the house - and even then they are able to read maps and figure it out- they are the stars of this industry, the real deal. And hiring these Stagers will make your property sell. Hiring the "others" who do not fit the bill are going to cost you money.

As a Business Owner, I feel overwhelmed at times with the amount of people who call themselves stagers and in fact do damage to this fabulous industry.  

That is my soap box for the day....take from it what you will.  

Before...what is this room? THis was actually the first room seen by the buyers....and our WOW factor casued a sale the first week....summer of 2009

Recession? Perhaps, but it is all part of the ride we take as business owners. So how we handle it is really the question. Do we give up? Do we spend more? Do we ride it out and see what happens? There are many theories to support each one of those concepts, yet I believe that we have to listen to our hearts on this and in my case, I pray. I seek the Lord's direction and He always shows me the way.  May I suggest that you do the same? Perhaps it's been a while since you spoke to Him and He would love to hear from you.

The market here is up from what it was but nowhere near where it should be. I hear from Agents every day, that they are either very busy or not at all. So it makes me wonder if it's the strong who survive? Maybe success is a state of mind?

Jill

love this shot...great red dress. We thought it would add to the lack of color in the room and it drew the eye away from the dirt yard

 

 

desk accessories....always need a bunch!

 

 small grouping in dead space...worked really well

 

these rooms were beautiful finishes....I have a very talented team!

 

Jill

I see this as an opprotunity to do many things like catch up on areas I am behind, tie up loose ends, complete projects that have been started and left behind....this is a great time to implement new ideas, get the paperwork cleared away and get moving onto new goals!

Do I think it's slower? No. It's just different and I am fortunatly adaptable!

Jill

I did do the January Box at my New Years Eve gathering at the lake, and it was a hit- I was kinda surprised because of the mix of people, but I brought enough boxes (gift boxes at the boxing week sales)  for everyone and printed off my version of this concept.

Questions were about:

an honest look at where I am at in these areas and do I like it?

 financial goals and true current measurements, assets & liabilities...net worth

 

"There's a  BIG difference in not wanting to retire and not being able to."

spiritual growth or plans for that and scriptures that encourage me

dictionary definitions on CHOICE.

Family goals

Personal goals for weight, relationships, and an honest assesment of where they are at now as well as what needs to happen to move them forward

questions like " who do I need to make ammends with? When will I do this?

Is my conscience clear? Why not? How can I clear it?

IsS there anyone I need to forgive? Who and when will I do it?

Where do I see my weak areas? My strengths?

Am I taking care of my health? What can I do differntly?

 

Would I like to travel and where? Will I this year? How do I arrive at that?

What are my hobbies? DO I need new ones?

What can I try that I always wanted to try?

 

Where is your head right now? Where are your emotions?

What do you love to do? DO you do it?

Just some of the concepts. I tried to copy and paste it but it did not work.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Below, I am shooting an old Israeli Building in Jerusalem....go where you love to go, live your life !

Jill

 

testing out the www.mylivesignature.com website to see if it worked! All the Best;

Having a Merry Christmas I hope? I am taking some time off from the toy explosion in the living room to hide out in my sister's office and blog. Maybe I am a new addict.

This year I am starting a January Box. It's going to be a recall of the major successes, trials, ups & downs of the last year in every department of my life and business, so that next year I can measure my growth better. I am doing this because I am always trying to look back to see where I was and how far I have come and never can seem to remember the details.

So -if you are so inclined to join this...feel free....a January Box listing the: success and failures, growth, new opprotunities, financial standing, assests, liabilities, relationships (or lack or them!) spiritual growth and areas that are currently being worked on, age, weight, hairstyle...etc

This will be like a Yearly Time Capsule I guess....It should be interesting.

Merry Christmas....

 

Jill   

As a former Real Estate Agent turned home stager, I have found a need to maintain my Alberta License for Real Estate in order to provide referrals to Agents. I come across many sellers as we do Home Staging consultations, who are not in an Agency Relationship yet and are unsure of how to find a great agent, so I take their information and hook them up with an Agent that is suited to their needs, location and personality. It has been a fabulous outcome for all involved. see http://www.stageandsell.ca for office information if you are interested in learning more.

This home was vacant and we did the whole house, of course that is the best way to go when staging a property. Here are some after shots we took. We had a few of the seller's items to work with and so that of course plays into what the final look will be. We had a great result with a sale in just a couple weeks during the downturn of the market here.

 

more before and afters to be seen at http://www.stageandsell.ca or http://www.edmontonhomestaging.ca