Speaking Up about Home Staging

Last week I received an email from a past client.  Two years ago we staged her downtown Charleston loft and in less than a month it went under contract.  The deal was supposed to be a lease to own, but apparently things didn't go exactly as planned with the economy and banking being what they are.  Recently the tenants moved out and the home was ready to go back on the market.  The email was on Thusday of last week and the new open house was scheduled for Thursday of this week.... with no time to spare and my calendar being completely full, I turned the staging job over to one of our experienced team members, David Moon.

I had no doubt that he would do an amazing job - he always does!  I was curious how it would differ from what I did 2 years ago.  Leaving him completely on his own to do what he does best, I waited until today when I could see the completed project.  So.... how did they compare?

          (Mine)                                                                             (David's)

Now, I confess I think he did do a better job on this unit than I did way back when.... in my defense, we certainly have a broader selection of inventory than I did.... anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking too it.... lol!

I am curious what the homeowner will say having seen both....

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

I thought this blog (see reblog below) was well written regarding the need for research before getting into the staging industry.  Anytime you are going to put out money for a training in a given profession, research is paramount. 

Gary Barnett recently commented on another one of my blogs regarding researching a staging training organization:

"Melissa, Interesting that the questions that should be asked about a course or an instructor are much like those that should be asked by Agents or homeowners of their stagers.

As you know Linda spent a lot of time researching before choosing which courses she wanted to be involved with training.  Her thought was that just like her own staging business, the training that she would be involved in needed to represent quality and a sound reputation because her name would be associated with that training. 

I think we have a mixed bag of training in our industry today.  We have some that is just plain horrible (Buyer beware), we have some that are just OK but have not adapted well to the changing needs of the staging industry (Buyer be Informed) and we have some that are quite superior due to the depth of training that is being provided and the experience level of those that are doing the training (Buyer be completely trained).  As it turns out this staging stuff is a real living, breathing business that is part art and part business skills.  You cannot be successful unless you are trained in both skill and business.  Very good points."

I loved his comment so I thought I would add it to this post as well....

This seems to be the philosophy of so many new staging training providers that are popping up in the industry these days.  Have you noticed how many there are?  Because many businesses are struggling, and of course staging training is a 'cash cow', they have decided to throw their hats into the ring - at least that is perception. 

In truth, courses that are properly prepared, written and presented are not 'cash cows'.  They have high levels of overhead and expenses.  They have industry professionals teaching the course who are taking time out of their busy schedules of running their own successful businesses to teach.  What they earn per student per day is typically less than what they make in their actual staging professions. 

Before signing with a training provider, there are some basic questions you should be asking:

• how long have you been in business?
• how many staging classes have you taught?
• what is your training background?
• how many pages is your training manual?
• how many hours is your course?
• how many students have been taught?
• do you offer an exam at the end of class, or does everyone pass?
• If you offer an exam, what's the ratio of students who pass?
• What happens if they don't pass?
• Do you offer hands on training?
• what is the instructor's actual staging experience?  Do they own their own staging businesses?  What is their success like?  (how many homes a week/month/year do they/their company stage?)  Are they still in business?  If not, why did they get out?
• can you give me references of students you have taught who have successful staging businesses?
• do you have a portfolio of some of your class projects?
• Do you have an outline of what I'll learn & receive in class?
• What kind of after class support do you offer?
• Do you offer any ongoing or continuing education so I can learn as my business progresses?
• What additional business tools do you offer?
• If I take your class are there any trade discounts with industry partners that I'll be able to use in my business?

These are the basic overall questions you should be asking - at a minimum.  Don't assume that all courses are created equal.  Just because they are both similar in number of days, price, etc that they are the same.  Also be mindful that courses that are significantly less expensive are that way for a reason!  Remember, just like everything else, you typically get what you pay for. 

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

This is the mentality of today's buyer - particularly the younger first time buyer.  Move in ready is the name of the game.... Do your listings meet this guideline?  Did you know that

*  72% of a buyer's first impression of a home can be controlled through proper staging techniques?

*  Home Equity makes up 60% of the average homeowner's wealth...

*  79% of buyers indicated they would be willing to pay a premium price for a home with an updated kitchen... (martiz research)

*  Staging provides up to a 349% Return on Investment (Homegain.com survey)

*  64% of expired listings are vacant

*  Staged vacant properties sell 78% faster than unstaged vacant properties

*  63-66% of sellers think that Realtors are a good source for information on preparing their homes for sale (realtor.org)

*  37-58% of sellers think Realtors should bring the latest technologies to the process

Staging helps bridge the gap for Real Estate Professionals, Buyers and Sellers.  These services are being actively sought after by consumers and they expect this informatioin to come from you.... Do you know how to talk to your clients?  Do you have the information available for them?  If not, contact a staging professional near you and ask questions, learn the answers and prepare to impress your clients! 

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That's right!  I've been enjoying my new position with CSP.  I have had some great fun working with so many dynamic people.  One of my responsibilities has been training fantastic professionals on how to educate agents to the importance of the staging process in real estate.  Our new Elite course is one that will change the dynamics of the real estate market.  Unlike some other courses, this course actually teaches agents the value of home staging when done by a professional.  Teaching things like why they shouldn't be staging themselves, but rather hiring a professional stager.  Written in large part by our own Terrylynn Fisher, it is written to the perspective of an agent, helping them understand the overall process, how we can not only save them money, but help them earn higher commissions, more referrals and how to increase their overall sales while providing outstanding service to their clients!

So who is on my Elite team?  I'll just bet you know some of these faces!

Linda Barnett                   Teresa Meyer            Michele Reneau          Anthea Click

Jessica Pirone                  Joanne O'Donnel           Duncan Scott            Nairn Friemann

  Devin Khuu                   Lynelle Hartman               Michelle Molinari

I continue to be excited and inspired by the talented, knowledgable professionals who I get to surround myself with.  Several other AR members are in the process of signing up and getting their training.  Soon, I'll be sharing them with you also....

Are you a staging professional who would like to join my team of Elite educational professionals?  Give me a call or shoot me an email.... this is an opportunity not to be missed!!

If you are an agent and want to know more about how staging can enhance your business, let me know your area and I'll put you in touch with a talented professional!

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

I had a call tonight from an agent who was having a little frustration.  One of his listings actually received an offer and a ratified contract from a client who he also has a listing for.... (wild, huh?)  The seller (who is also the buyer on another of his listings) isn't sure that staging really works and why he should do it.  The agent, who worked with me his first time on the property that the selling/buying client purchased was thrilled with the results and started working with us on all of his new listings - including recommending for this one.  In order to help convince his new client, he broke out what he felt was his most powerful ammunition... stats.... He copied me on the email and here is an excerpt of it...

"We first dropped the price to 200K and showings picked up (7 in one month).  Then a month later we staged it and showings really began to take off (39 in two months).  Staging cost, but it pays in the long run."

For all of those who doubt.... yes, you can reduce the price to sell the property, but that's not always enough.  Staging, for this client, increased the number of showings significantly - something the price reducation did not.

So, if you want more showings for your listings - STAGE YOUR LISTINGS!!! remember, more showings increase the liklihood that the property will sell..... btw, as a refresher, the listing client he is talking to is the one who bought the staged property - ironic, huh?

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• June 23 CSP Elite Agent Class - Charleston, SC
• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

Every month we will be adding to this series.  Parts 2 & 3 are available in the May 2009 & June 2009 newsletters on our website.  (June is being added today, so if it's not there when you look, check back tomorrow!)

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For years you've read our newsletters and seen our success stories and still we see many homes on the market in desperate need of staging.  After talking to past clients we've realized that often times this is because many agents just don't have enough information.  Each month we'll begin addressing some of the most common concerns.   

Cost & Who Pays?  Agents seem to have concerns about this because they are afraid that if they hire a stager then we'll suggest that they should pay for us.  Well this simply isn't true!  While most of our agent clients do pay for our consultations as part of their marketing budget, the staging itself should be paid by the homeowner.   

Consultations are typically paid for by the agents because they help sellers understand the need for staging and what exactly will be needed to get their home show-ready.  The costs are low and typically help the agent save on marketing costs.    Actual staging jobs should be paid for by the seller, whether the home is vacant or occupied.  When the seller pays for the staging, they typically become more invested in the process - helping keep the property in better condition, understanding the need for proper pricing, etc.   

Don't worry agents, we already know how hard you work and that you too have expenses that cut into your commissions.  We aren't going to ask for another piece of that pie!

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• June 11-12 CSP Elite Instructor Training - Charleston, SC
• June 23 CSP Elite Agent Class - Charleston, SC
• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

This morning our newsletter went out and it has already been wildly successful!  That is very exciting for me as I remember a few years ago sitting at the computer ready to write my first one.  I was nervous as to how it would be received and even more nervous about the committment of spending $50 a month on the service - would it pay off?  (needless to say we get a good laugh about that now since I'm pretty much known for my newsletters.... lol)

Still, my favorite parts are really two.... putting in the testimonial & advertising our statistics.  Every month without fail for over 3 years we've had agents provide us with glowing testimonials.   This always comes across better than us trying to 'toot our own horn'.  This month's quote came from a Keller Williams agent that I've worked with on a few occassions - Jim Near.

"We listed a condo built in 1983 and needed it changed from an older, tired unit to one that says buy me now.  Melissa came and worked wonders.  The very first showing resulted in the unit going under contract at a price 6% higher than the previous units sold for.  First Impressions makes the difference in this challenging real estate market."   Jim Near, Keller Williams Realty  

MLS# 2912367, Listed 05/05/09 , Sold after first showing!

Then I thought, since I'm adding a quote from a Keller Williams agent that I would add one from Gary Keller himself, right out of his new book, Shift - "Proper staging is one of the best ways to entice buyers to take a look and make a property stand out... Preparing a house to put it on the market directly impacts whether or not a home will sell, how quickly it will sell and for how much." 

Still as fun as quotes are, the most bang for our buck invariably comes from our statistics....

MLS# 2903262  Listed: 05/18/08 Staged:  04/08/09 AC: 05/26/09 only 48 days!!    

MLS# 2910652 Listed:  04/25/09 Staged:  04/24/09 AC:  06/06/09 only 42 days!!  

MLS# 2901714 Listed: 1/19/09 Staged: 04/02/09 AC:  5/02/09 only 30 days!     

MLS# 2909698 Listed:  04/07/09 Staged:  04/06/09 AC:  06/02/09 only 56 days with multiple offers!

MLS# 2827131 Listed: 03/01/08 Staged: 04/01/09 AC:  06/15/09 on market 395 days prior to staging, only 75 after! avg DOM  neighborhood - 127!  

MLS# 2821477 Listed:  06/12/07 Staged: 02/26/08 AC:  06/08/09 on market 8 months prior to staging, only 100 days after! avg neighborhood DOM 176!  

Carol Oaks Villas - Three properties AC after staged model unit on 1/12/09!  

Palmetto Pointe Villas -5 units currently AC after staging model!!  

I really do love my job!!!!

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• June 23 CSP Elite Agent Class - Charleston, SC
• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

The longer I have my iphone, the more I LOVE IT!!  Today I was on the phone with Dewey Sadka and he asked me if I had an iphone... proudly I said YES!!!  He asked me if I had downloaded Think Ink by Neenah Paper, Inc yet.  I hadn't known that there was such an app.  Here's the description:

"Think Ink is a free iphone application that lets you explore color combinations from the Dewey Color System, create custom color palettes, and order coordinating paper samples from Neenah Paper."

I wish I could figure out how to download a photo of the app itself, but having just downloaded it, let me say it's pretty cool!!

I was already having fun with my Sherwin Williams Color Snap and my Ben Moore Color Capture.  Now isn't it fun to know I have Think Ink too!!! 

Boy do I love my iphone!!!

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• June 11-12 CSP Elite Instructor Training - Charleston, SC
• June 23 CSP Elite Agent Class - Charleston, SC
• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.

I know, I've written blog after blog about my profile photo.  It seems to me that it's been strangely controversial.  I decided to switch photos after having lost the high resolution image.  This meant that I could no longer use it for business cards etc.  I only had a sad little copy that I had taken from the internet (my own website - right clicked & saved... sigh). 

What I could never have expected is that I have received email after email and comment after comment (some online, some in person) about how much the red photo is missed.... but what to do? 

Last week, right before my daughter's graduation, I had a thought.  Three years ago I had sent the original digital photo, in high resolution, to my graphic artist for a project he was working on at the time.  Was it possible that he had a copy still?  I emailed him on the off chance that he in fact did....

Rich Carnahan with Unimedia.... YOU ROCK!  So, by popular demand.... I'm in the red again.....

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If you would like to be taught by CSP's Executive Director, Melissa Marro, see her class dates below and call 1-888-STAGING to reserve your seat. To learn more about becoming a Certified Staging Professional, visit www.csptraining.com. 

• June 11-12 CSP Elite Instructor Training - Charleston, SC
• June 23 CSP Elite Agent Class - Charleston, SC
• July 8 -9 CSP Elite Instructor Training - St. Catharines, ON
• July 28-30 CSP Certification Course - Charleston, SC
• August 4-6 CSP Certification Course - Jacksonville, FL
• August 11  CSP Elite Agent Training - Charleston, SC
• August 13 CSP Elite Agent Training - Columbia, SC
• August 25 - 27 CSP Certification Course - Nashville, TN
• September 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Atlanta, GA
• September 22-24 CSP Certification Course - Denver, CO
• October 6-8 CSP Certification Course - Charlotte, NC
• October 20-22 CSP Certification Course - Baton Rouge, LA
• November 10-12 CSP Certification Course - Tampa, FL
• December 1-3 CSP Certification Course - Jackson, MS

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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC.  We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond!  For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com.  If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.