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."
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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:
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.
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...
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.
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.
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]
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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!
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. 
today's market, you need every possible buyer to be interested in your home. That's how homes sell quickly! 
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]
;)
;)
