staging benifits: Is Your Ignorance Bliss or a Missed Opportunity? - 04/08/08 02:39 AM
I have been writing here on Active Rain for nearly 2 years now and have seen the presence of home stagers explode here. Even though we share much of ourselves to this great community, in general it AMAZES me how ignored, snubbed and misunderstood our message has been by the overall Realtor community here on AR... and, to be honest, out there in markets we serve. So many Realtors seem to have shut down ANY possibility to understand ANY opportunity staging offers. There has to be a message that will finally alter the perception the general Realtor community has of who we are and what … (47 comments)

staging benifits: Chipping Away at the "PRICE IS KING" Myth Too Many Realtors Rely On - 03/31/08 09:22 AM
I hate to break some Realtor's chips... but for many of you the belief you have, regarding the role pricing plays in real estate sales, is not cracked up to what it could be. Believe it or not there is a simple yet profound parallel lesson that can be learned from how Lay's potato chips are packaged, priced, marketed and sold and how real estate is packaged, priced, marketed and sold.
Let me be clear... when it comes to selling anything, be it real estate or potatoe chips, Price IS King. It is a fact that the seller (market) will only get the price the buyer (market) is willing to … (27 comments)

staging benifits: TAX MAN COMETH for Seller's... but NOT if I Can Help It! - 03/30/07 04:54 AM
Another POSTIVE reason why home sellers can benifit from Home Staging is because the fees for a staging services can be considered an advertising fee (See IRS Publication 523) and influence a seller's capitol gain or loss on a property that has been sold.
What is IRS Publication 523 and what does it say? IRS Publication 523 explains all tax rules that apply when a home seller sells their main home, including advertising expenses and how they influence the seller's capital gain or loss on the property.  It does not cover the sale of a rental property, second home or vacation home.
What does IRS Publication … (22 comments)

staging benifits: Recycling a Full Circle Moment - 03/16/07 03:31 AM
Last November I took a business trip to China. I went there because the professional designer "me" was needed, however to my surprise the personal "me" was profoundly impacted.
While I was in China, I visited both Hong Kong and a city called Shenzhen (45 minutes from Hong Kong via water taxi)  on the mainland. During this trip it became quite apparent that Hong Kong was all about consuming, and Shenzhen was all about manufacturing.
Shimmering and sparkling, yet cluttered in EVERY nook and cranny of the streets of Hong Kong, were shops, stores and boutiques selling every conceivable thing we stuff into our lives.
In contrast … (62 comments)

staging benifits: REALTORS... Selling a home is as easy as riding a Tricycle - 03/04/07 07:24 AM

When a home seller puts their home up for sale, they are much like kids about to go on a tricycle ride. But for this selling ride there are 4 basic elements impacting how smoothly the ride will go: Market, Location, Condition, and Price.
The Market is the sidewalk that the seller's tricycle maneuvers on. Sometimes the market is bumpy, sometimes smooth. Regardless, what the markets surface conditions are, the seller must just roll along for there is little they can do to impact the market path.
However, to get the tricycle ready for its travels, the seller must consider the 3 wheels … (55 comments)

staging benifits: Canned Cranberry Sauce… the jiggly symbol of an industry? - 11/20/06 11:17 PM
This Thanksgiving every Realtor and home seller should be thankful and contemplate Canned Cranberry Sauce. As it/they sit/s on your plates, know that it/they symbolize/s what staging has to offer. 
Here is my scholarly list...
7 ways Canned Cranberry Sauce embodies Real Estate Staging!
1. Canned Cranberry Sauce does not cost much, but can have tasty results.
2. Canned Cranberry Sauce visually appeals to almost everyone.
3. Canned Cranberry Sauce takes the right tools and skill to get it out of a can properly.
4. Canned Cranberry Sauce is memorable without overpowering the rest of the food.
5. Canned Cranberry Sauce isn't cluttered with complex flavors.
6. Canned Cranberry Sauce is best served with the entrée, … (26 comments)

staging benifits: Staged Property does NOT sell... BUT WHY? - 10/18/06 03:06 PM
    
Here is a set of Before & After pictures of a TOTALLY VACANT property we staged back in mid June and un-staged today.
IT DID NOT SELL. WHY? Was it because staging really does not help?
SOME nay-sayers might (and will) jump to that conclusion. I happen to have experienced far too many POSTIVE results because of our work to agree with that deduction.
Could it be because of the slow/poor market? Yes, that is a strong possibility. Actually the owner WAS able to rent it in the end.
OR COULD IT BE IT WAS PRICED WAY TO HIGH?  YES, DEFINETLY in this case … (15 comments)

staging benifits: Who wrote the book on Home Staging? - 10/09/06 12:55 PM
   
Well from the looks of if... 5 different people so far. So there is NOT a lot written about the subject as of yet.  I happen to own all but have only read 4 of the 5 books listed here so far.  And I gotta admit... not all staging books are the same.
I am actually surprised to say that the ONE BOOK I thought would and SHOULD be the best of the bunch... is a bit of a let down on a number of levels.
While this industry is still on the grow, so I am sure there will be … (14 comments)

staging benifits: Over Done vs. Done Right - 10/03/06 09:05 AM
 
Here is a picture of the livingroom of property we just completed yesterday. Which version of the same room do you think more people will relate to as "their new home"? This happens to be a property on the markete in an ultra HOT gentrifying area on Chicago's north side.
The room on the left has a unique style that will only appeal to a smaller niche population (OK I am really trying to be PC when I pick adjectives to discribe this space), while the room on the right looks put together and appealing with nothing screaming to be noticed.
MORE IMPORTANLY.... a feature of the home, … (14 comments)

staging benifits: Another FEISTY BLOG about "Professional" Staging! - 09/27/06 11:22 AM
Well it seems like everyone and there brother/sister is becoming a stager. Which is a good and bad thing. 
GOOD... because it means the industry and the concept is growing.
BAD... because is seem like all a person needs to do is get a cute name, business card and an accredited/certified “staging fairy” can turn them into professional stager. Hocus Pocus!
Well tonite I JUST went to a staged home site where a “professional” proudly displayed their work. AND I KID YOU NOT... the BEFORE was BETTER THAN the AFTER! The BEFORE was BETTER!!!!!
NOT every home needs staging... AND JUST BECAUSE YOU MOVE … (5 comments)

staging benifits: Be careful what you ask for - 09/17/06 11:09 AM
Well this past week has been the busiest of my life. Hard, long and both physically and mentally exhausting. This is the one thing about staging I fear all the staging seminars are not teaching in their weekend workshops.
I woke a 3 AM 3 times this week to try to get on top of all that we are doing. I have lost count on the number of 16 hour days I put in this week.
For so long I wished to have a career like this... and now that I have it, I gotta admit I am not enjoying the dance as … (13 comments)

staging benifits: REAL ESTAGING announces a whole new level of service! - 08/11/06 11:24 AM
Here at Real Estaging we are constantaly trying to offer the best in real estate staging services.
That is why we are proud to announce that we are the first staging company in North America to offer this level of service.  We call it Real Erazing... perfect for properties that have no hope, and home sellers that have no clue.
Bruno Bulldozeroni, our lead property stylist in this newly formed department, will be happy to tear down and destroy any listing of your choice,  AND for a limited time... his cousin "Knuckles"  will be happy to "persuade to reconsider" any seller who insistes they know what the best asking … (4 comments)

staging benifits: GET THIS... real estate staging is NOT interior design! - 08/09/06 12:40 PM
So in the last week now, twice I have had clients that want to tell ME how to stage their totally vacant properties.  That is like going to the dentist and telling him you know how to drill our own teeth... and asking for the drill while he watches.  Real Estate staging is NOT interior design. The work we do is NOT a reflection of the seller's life, tastes, hopes, dreams, or wishes.  It IS a cohesive and UNDERSTATED expression of what the LARGEST home buying demographic segment would find appealing.
To date we NOW have over 2OOO props in our … (5 comments)

staging benifits: YOUR LISTING'S VALUE (Humor) - 08/03/06 11:51 PM
Sometimes you just gotta laugh. The great thing about blogging is, if it is written from a personal point of view, it lets the reader know the "backstory" of who you are.  Integrating HUMOR into what we do is a big part of how Real Estaging and I operates.
While the home pixes have been floating around the web, I pulled them together on this little flyer for you all on ActiveRain... but it turned out so well, I figure I can now  use it in my info kits too. If anyone would like me to send to them a PDF file of this... just … (5 comments)

staging benifits: I admit... Staging ISN'T Necessary! - 08/02/06 03:21 PM
Even though I am a stager, I will be the first to say Staging ISN'T necessary to sell a home.
Does it help? YES.
Can the seller profit from it? YES.
Can a home sell faster? YES.
But it is necessary? NOPE.
I can remember my father was the type of guy that always bought the "diamond in the rough."  He could see potential around the mess... and those are the houses he bought... and at a lower price.  
One of the reasons why we take (and post) so many photos of so many different types, styles and levels of staging … (5 comments)

staging benifits: What Every Realtor Should Know About Home Staging - 07/22/06 09:28 AM
Because real estate staging is still relatively new in the Midwest we still get a lot of questions from Realtors about our services. 
Many Realtors say they  already "do their own staging"... which I think is great.  But in this world were time is money, my question back to Realtors often is: "Is staging the BEST use of your time?"  Is chasing a dust bunny, scheleping a coffee table, or arraging nic-nacs really what you want to do? Just something to think about...
Anyway to help Realtors understand and work with our staff better, we actually have a brochure directed right to the … (15 comments)

 
These are the creative writings of Craig Schiller, a home staging professional, passionate real estate marketing professional and founder of the Real Estaging, one of the nation's leading home staging companies.


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