Until this year, I've been doing Interior Decorating. I started doing staging the first part of this year. Up until now I've been doing occupied's while building up my inventory. They have all been by word of mouth and referrals from friends. Well, I've finally got enough nice "stash" to stage a few vacants. This is what I've really wanted to do. My question is this: now that I'm ready to do the vacants, where do I find them? Do I contact realtors? Do you ever do any foreclosures? If so, how do you reach the mortgage company? Help! Hoping that all of my friends on here can get me pointed in the right direction. I really love working with a "blank slate" and am looking forward to doing this. Thanks for any ideas on getting me up and going with the vacants. Love ya all!
Most of my vacant home staging jobs came from AR and my website. I recommend that you set up a website first. Then poston your AR Profile and website that you do vacant home staging for your area. Contact local Realtors in your area and off you go!! Good luck. :)
Welcome! Getting connected with RE agents has been where the bulk of my clients have come from. Although I work with many agents, I am really kept busy with an agent who is very successful in the area where I live. So, my point is that you may want to seek out the RE agents who are top notch in the field and see if you can make a connection with them.
Wish you much success!!
Susan
Sandy, Another way to find vacants is to sign up with Prudential Properties. Get on the email list and you will receive all of the new listings as they happen. Make sure you sign up for "Photo Updates" as there are still so many listings with NO photos. Then you can pick the listings that are vacant...follow the links to the listing agent's website, and then follow up with an email and phone call. I will tell you that, at least in my area of Ohio, there is a huge reluctance to staging ANYTHING! Hope this is helpful....best of luck!
Teresa
Thanks for all of the great ideas! I put together a newsletter introducing my business that I am sending out tomorrow to area realtors. I will definately check into Prudential Properties too. I'm finding the same thing in central Ohio......are they just that "behind the times?" Seems like nobody wants to stage anything here. The pictures of the homes for sale just make me kringe!! The decor in many of them is awful. Anyway, will let you know how it goes. Thanks again!!
Hey there Sandy...well..here is my advice..stage the bathroom and with commode covers !!! LOL..I haven't seen you on here in awhile...well actually I have been busy and have not been on .... Do you have a website ? If not get one..I did my own...with GoDaddy.com and for $60 per year you can have 5 pages...it is really easy to do , if I can do it you can... I send e-mails to Realtors..I get the magazines and just sit and go through and enter the e-mail addresses. I have gotten several referrals from AR and e-mails....Good luck...
Sandy a website is really important. You need to show what you do. I have received vacant staging jobs from agents, homeowners and builders. They all found me on the Internet.
Will get on the website right away......after the 4th! Have some fireworks, picnics, etc. to enjoy first. Thanks for the advise. Mary Lou...will feature the 3-piece bathroom sets on the website!!!
Hi Sandy,
A well designed, professional website is huge for people (Realtors) to be able to view your work. It is a direct representation of your company. I find that Realtors are very busy and a lot of them won't return calls unless they need a staging right at that moment, however, they may look at your site while they are online. If you can forward your website to them and then follow up with regular "newsletter" type e-mails, you will be kept in the top of thier mind. Hope that helps, good luck with the website. It is actually a really fun process and you can get quite creative, if you know what you are doing (or know someone who does!) I designed my own but had a friend do all the techy stuff. www.getaspacelift.ca
Oh Sandy cannot wait to see web site..I know it will be great..and not to mention you cannot go wrong if you feature Commode covers...
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