Staging Stories and Other Stuff

Some time ago I went on a staging consultation that was quite unique.  The home was small, but in good condition.  As staging always begins with curb appeal, I noticed the house gave a pleasant first impression with a well-kept lawn and freshly painted front door.  But then I entered the home.

As I walked through the front door I couldn't help but notice a sturdy pool table in the living room.  How could I help but notice, as I bumped right into it?  As the homeowner and I got to know one another and began to discuss why her home had not sold, I said, "I think I've got a pretty good idea without even seeing the rest of the home.  Have you thought about removing the pool table?  It absolutely eats up the living room leaving no space for ‘living.'  You are definitely narrowing your market, as the only people who will walk through the front door and tell themselves ‘This is the house for me!' are (bachelor) pool sharks."  She understood my comments and agreed with me, but said her husband plays pool on the table regularly and was not interested in moving it while they were still living there.

(I didn't take a photo of that property, but do have a shot of a pool table properly placed in the basement of another staged home.  See below.)

Pool Table Properly Placed

We continued the staging consultation as we walked throughout the house.  In the kitchen we removed cereal boxes from the top of the fridge and created a "pantry" to the side that was not in the site line.  In the bedroom we discussed putting away all personal photos and packing up clutter that was stacked on the dresser.  In the office we packed away miscellaneous books and discussed turning the room into either an office or bedroom, but not both.  But there was still the matter of the pool table in the living room.

As the consultation was coming to an end, the homeowner and I found that we shared a common faith and we had a glorious time sharing with one another.  She was a precious woman whose company I enjoyed immensely.  When it was all said and done, I couldn't even bring myself to charge her for the consultation; but there was still the matter of the pool table in the living room.

As I departed that day I explained, "No matter what sort of staging we do in the rest of your home, if you can't remove the pool table from the living room your chances of selling this house are very slim.  Potential buyers will make their first impression of your home in 8 seconds as they walk through the front door.  If they are not specifically looking for a home that would make a great pool hall, then they will go on to the next property.  Please reconsider removing the pool table from the living room."

The moral of the story is this:  when staging your home, don't overlook the pool table in the living room.  The potential buyers certainly won't.

To celebrate the start of our 3rd year in business, Stage, Show & Sell Home Staging Company sponsored a contest to give away a FREE half-day staging makeover on an occupied property and a gift certificate for 50% off staging fees on a vacant property.  The drawing was held today at high noon, and the winners are...

• Lance Hempen, Funari Realty - FREE staging (occupied)
• Brady Miller, Keller Williams Realty - 50% off staging fees (vacant)

Congratulations to the winners!

For anyone living in south Hall or north Gwinnett Counties, I hope you will join us at Blackshear Place Baptist Church this evening as we celebrate America.  This year's program is titled The Torch Is Passed and is centered around the theme of passing the torch of freedom on to the next generation while we pass our faith along.  Here is a photo of a previous program to give you some idea of what you are in for.

 The program is always a huge crowd pleaser and incorporates choir, orchestra, drama and narration.  Year to year, the highlight of the presentation is our Salute to the Armed Forces section.  We bring in military in full uniform representing each branch of service as well as a local color guard comprised of Army personnel.  Here are the particulars:

• Wed., July 1 at 6:30pm
• Blackshear Place Baptist Church
• 3428 Atlanta Hwy.
• Flowery Branch, GA  30542
• 770-534-7058
• www.bpbc.com

 

Yours truly serves as drama director and program coordinator, but don't let that keep you from coming.  Please join us as we celebrate our freedom, pay tribute to the military, and honor our Lord.  Come early to get a good seat!

Last week I received a call from a woman in the area who is contemplating becoming a stager.  She found me on the internet, saw that I was close by, and asked if I had time to discuss the business with her.  I immediately said, "Absolutely!"  What an honor to help bring someone else along into the wonderful world of staging!

We met for lunch a few days ago.  She whipped out her sheet full of questions and the fun began.  She asked questions such as, "Do I need to be accredited?"  (Yes, I highly recommend it.  It gives you credibility in the industry.)  "What program would you recommend?"  (That depends.  Do you want to spend your money learning how to stage or learning how to set yourself up for business?  Different programs are geared toward different ends.)  "Do I need business cards, a brochure, a website, a car wrap?"  (Yes; yes, soon; yes, but don't rush it or you'll have to have it rebuilt in a few months because your first pass didn't cut the mustard; no, but I do think car magnets are a good idea.)  And on and on we went.

Have you ever seen the show, "What Not To Wear"?  That's what the second half of our conversation reminded me of, only regarding staging.  This dear woman had the benefit of learning from all the mistakes I've made in my (almost) 2 years of being in the biz.  (I won't list them here.  You would get tired of reading.) 

I remember when I first started out, I asked several other stagers I came in contact with how long it took them to get their businesses up and running.  They all replied, "Two years."  I thought to myself, "Yeah, maybe for THEM!"  Well, I realize now that they were right and it's actually very reassuring to me at this point to think back on their words, because it lets me know I'm right on schedule.  My business is definitely growing and gaining momentum, but I don't quite have the consistency I'd like.  So knowing that it took other successful stagers that long to get up and running is very reassuring.

My point is this:  when mentoring others I think we can be the most help to them by being perfectly honest.  They need to know what fun staging is, how every day is different, and that it is many things but NEVER boring; but they also need to know that it's not easy and there is a price to pay to build a successful business.  Do I enjoy staging?  Yes!!!  Have I made mistakes?  Yes!!!  Would I do things differently if I were to start over again?  Absolutely!!!  Would I go into a different profession?  NEVER!!!

Attention Atlanta real estate professionals!  Do you have a listing that has been on the market for 3 months or longer?  Do you think the home would benefit from home staging?  If so, have I got a deal for you!  The Atlanta Chapter of International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP^®) has just launched a contest in which a homeowner whose house has been on the market 3 months or longer and listed with a Real Estate Agent can enter to win a FREE HOME STAGING!  The prize package also includes FREE SERVICE FROM OUR CONTEST SPONSORS, plus, once the staging is done, we'll sponsor your open house so you can show off the transformation and attract more buyers.   Your clients only have until April 20th to enter, so have them go to www.homestagingcontest.com where they will be able to download the entry form.  Please tell them you learned of the contest through Patsy with Stage, Show & SELL, your home staging partner.  I hope you will share this information with your clients. 

The above photo was taken last Friday at the Atlanta Home Show where our IAHSP^® chapter officially kicked off the contest.  Yours truly is second from the left.

In the meantime, for those who can't afford to wait to see if they will be the contest winner, please contact me for your immediate home staging needs:  770-843-2307.  I leave you with a testimonial from one of my current Realtor clients:  

        I wanted to thank you for your staging services on my Sandy Springs listing. I listed the property and literally had no showings. Within days of your staging the home we had over 4 showings. With the abundance of foreclosures, one has to stand out.  Your staging of my listing has put me over the top
with two offers on my property. Thanks again for giving me the edge in my market place.

Stage, Show & SELL!

o

What is Home Staging?  Home staging is the process of preparing a home for the market in such a way that it appeals to the widest possible audience.  This is accomplished by depersonalizing, updating and neutralizing the space.  It also encompasses minimizing the negative and emphasizing the positive elements of the house.  Home staging transitions a dwelling from a home to a house to a product. 

Home staging involves, in varying degrees, the following:

• decluttering
• removing personalized items
• neutralizing and color coordinating rooms
• rearranging furniture, rugs and accessories
• eliminating offensive odors
• ensuring that the home is clean

Shown below are a couple of before & after photos of a recently staged master bedroom:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These homeowners were dream clients.  They knew the value of staging and did everything I requested.  While clutter was not an issue, they did need to tear down the water bed and replace the furnishings with a nice bed and dresser from the back bedroom.  They neutralized the paint color and updated the light fixture; then I brought in new bedding and accessories to complete the look.  These photos illustrate the basics of home staging.

What is Redesign?  Redesign is the process of decluttering, rearranging, and revitalizing the furnishings already in the home to make the best possible use of the space, streamline traffic flow, and showcase the home in the way that best suits the homeowner.  Many times homeowners have beautiful furniture and accessories but simply don't know how to position or group them so that they work together to form a cohesive unit and are reminiscent of having the "designer" look.

The process of redesign is similar, in many ways, to home staging.  The main difference in the two is that home staging neutralizes while redesign customizes.  

Shown below are the steps used in redesign:

• Assess each room's purpose, problems and desired presentation
• Declutter
• Remove accessories
• Rearrange furniture and rugs to direct traffic patterns and give proper balance to the rooms
• Add accessories piece by piece, being careful not to "over dress"
• If necessary, bring in additional furnishings to complete the desired look

Here are before and after shots of a redesigned space:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a very spacious upstairs hallway which constitutes the children's wing of the home.  Little girls' bedrooms, bathrooms and playroom all flow from this space; hence, the fluffy pink rug and hanging ballet costume.  In the "before" photo to the left, there was not enough walking space.  The two matching chairs were removed to the master bedroom and the bench was repositioned.  The antique chest with mirror was taken from a bedroom and placed at the end of the hall to give that space a focal point.  The ballet costume helped lighten the feel of the heavy antique piece and added a bit of whimsey.  The blue and pink victorian paintings were found in a closet downstairs and appropriately hung.  For the finishing touches, I added a plant and brought in the pink rug.  This space was totally personalized; not so much to the individuals but to the hallway's surroundings.

In addition to simply wanting that "designer" look, there is another purpose for redesign.  It involves people who are experiencing life's transitions. 

Consider the following situations:

• Setting up a household in a new home
• Downsizing due to an empty nest
• Melding two family units together
• Downsizing for the elderly moving into assisted living quarters
• Adding furniture or antiques which were recently inherited
• Removing childhood furniture to repurpose living space

Whether you are moving or staying, upsizing or downsizing, Stage, Show & Sell Home Staging Company is here to serve you with all of your staging and redesign needs.

10. You've applied for a makeover on Clean House, but they won't touch it.

  9.  You want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar!

  8.  You have money to burn and can't think of any other way to spend it.

  7. You tried to flip you house, but it flopped.

  6. It's been 15 years since you've seen your countertops.

  5. Your neighbor's home was Staged and sold for the Staged list price!

  4. You lost an expensive piece of jewelry and need someone to help you find it.

  3. You've seen all the Staging shows on TV but still can't do it yourself.

  2. You want to get back at the decorator who brought all this stuff into your home to begin with.

  1. You know that Staging doesn't cost... it pays!!!

Let Stage, Show & SELL prepare your home for opening night.

770-843-2307

 

Aren't you sick of parents bragging on their kids?  Several years ago I initiated the annual Overton Christmas letter.  With my first edition I made 3 promises:

1. I would never write more than one page.  (I have had to reduce the font size a couple of times in order to keep that promise.)
2. I wouldn't sell my mailing list, no matter what they offered.
3. I would never brag on my kid!

Okay, back to my title.  I actually saw this today in bumper sticker form on the car in front of me.  The question that immediately popped into my mind was, "How do I turn this into a blog?"  I'm still struggling with that part, except to say that I saw the bumper sticker when I was on my way home from checking on the blow-up camper bed in the "vignette staged" home to see if it was holding air.  It is!  No leaks!

Sometimes it's all about the title.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged Part I of "Is That the Before or After Shot?"  To refresh your memory, here it is again.  I'm now blogging Part II because many of you asked to see the "after" shot.  If you remember the text, just scroll on down to the photos.  Stage, Show & Sell continues to clobber the clutter, one room at a time.

In the summer of 2007 my friend, Sam, and I had just become accredited home stagers.  Through a friend of hers, we procured a "freebie" staging job and were ready to set the Atlanta home staging market on fire!  We went in to the home, staged all the rooms we could in the 3 hours we had that morning, took a few photos, and left.  Now we had our own pictures to start a staging portfolio!

Shortly after that, she was sitting down with another couple, anxious to flip through our portfolio to show them our beautiful work, when she turned to the first "after" picture and the husband asked, "Is that the before or after shot?"  She is no longer staging with me.  The last time I saw her she was selling boiled peanuts on the side of the road.

I was just blogging with a new friend from California when I was reminded of this story.  It seems she just completed a staging job where they have BEAUTIFUL sculptured blue carpet in the family room.  She posted the photo and asked, "Does this room look staged to you?"  What a hoot!

What about the shot below?  Is that the before or after picture?  And the next one???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a call from an agent a few weeks ago requesting a bid to stage the townhome he had recently listed.  The homeowner's budget was limited (as usual) and there were few options.  I mentioned that vignette staging seemed to be the only way to go, but that I was, in principle, opposed to it.  The reason is that I have seen too many "tacky" vignette stagings gone wild and I think the work is seen as "less than" staging.  That is certainly how I viewed it.

In order to clarify, my definition of "vignette staging" is using only lightweight pieces of furniture (nothing that would have to be rented), a blow-up camper bed (which, in the past, I have said I would NEVER use), and light accessories.  You may have a different definition, but that's mine.

Back to the matter at hand...  In this particular situation, I really thought vignette staging would work; mainly because this was a small townhome and there was no question the home would show better with even light furnishings  Therefore, I tossed my preconceived notions about vignette staging out the window and plunged ahead.  Here are the results:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although this home has not yet gone under contract, it's only a matter of time, as it has had a good level of activity.

I still think vignette staging will only work in certain situations, but for this homeowner, it will definitely help him get to the closing table.