Sensational Home Staging Blog

Denver - Totally rennovated 100 yr old house - Vacant to Staged and Spectacular! Sensational Home Staging!

2012-01-28T16:13:00.000-08:00

Check out our latest Staging success! This house is coming on the market next week - listed by Darcy Bertles, Keller Williams Littleton Southwest. The house has been totally updated and remodeled inside and out! Smooth walls, warm neutral colors, white doors and casings, beautiful counters in baths and kitchen (granite, travertine, soapstone), stainless appliances, updated light fixtures, travertine, lovely dark wood floor . . . great neighborhood in the Wash Park area. For more information, contact Darcy at (303)518-5775.

Incredible Before-After Transformation - Boston MA ASP Class!

2012-01-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

This house was transformed in a matter of 3 hours with the combined creative talent and ideas of ASP Stagers and Realtors in Boston. Forget the TV shows that take days - look what ASPs can do for Sellers using their own things and the principles of ASP Home Staging!

Staging transformation - Brighton, CO

2012-01-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Check out this Staging transformation - using what the Seller's had, encouraging them to paint some areas, and a small budget for some accessories - they worked with the plan of action and got their house Staged. Ideally it would have been great to replace carpeting and update fixtures, but what they were able to do with the timeframe and budget they had makes a big difference in how this house will present to buyers.

Staging and Selling in Winter by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

2012-01-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

Staging a house can become challenging in the winter when the landscape around the country does not look that great - dead grass, spindly trees with no leaves, two-tone colors with snow and dirt. In fact I believe winter time is the toughest time of the year to sell when dealing with curb appeal. Depending on what part of the country you live in, you may have lots of green and warmth this time of year, or deal with the barren landscape. When there is snow on the ground, it does look pretty, but as the snow melts, you are often left with bald patches of dirt, icy or muddy streets, and little color in the yards with deciduous trees that have no leaves.

So how do you add that curb appeal necessary for Selling when Mother Nature seems to have another plan?

Here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Home Staging Tips for Every Season" where expert and my personal mentor, Barb Schwarz, was interviewed by AOL online (http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2010/07/20/home-staging-for-every-season/

Home Staging Tips for Winter:

• Keep your place warm. You want the house looked at! If you aren't living there or even if you are, spend the money to keep it warm. They will walk out if it's too cold," says Schwarz. "And that means no sale." Trying to save money by keeping your house cold and not heating it properly is a turn-off to buyers.

• Keep lighting in mind during the winter months. Winter means it gets dark earlier, so put lighting on timers inside and outside the house. Every room in the house can be on timers, as it welcomes buyers into a room and you want them to keep walking and checking out the house.

• Just because it's winter doesn't mean you shouldn't have flower boxes and greenery at your front door, in pots. On the contrary, it's really warm and welcoming. Just make sure they are seasonally appropriate.

• Keep snow off the back patio and front porch. You want people to go out and see the back and front of the house and the patio and yard, too. Go back to your back fence and see what does the back of your house looks like, does it look boring? You can keep flower pots by the slider doors, as it softens the look of the house in the gray winter.

• Don't forget to put out the summer photos of your great outdoor deck, so people know what it will be like in warmer months.

Here are some added tips:

Invest in some annuals or perennials that like the cold weather and put them in pots or line the walkway with them. Some of the best annuals for color that like the cold are pansies, primroses, kale (cabbage), and emerald greens (arborvitaes). Think not just about adding green bushes, but add color with annuals that will survive in your climate. If you are not sure, consult with your local landscape supplier and ask what you should put in those pots in the front and back yards.

Remove hazardous ice from walkways, streets, etc. - this could pose a slipping hazard for a potential buyer and you want to avoid potential issues arising from a buyer that falls on your property. Plus, it makes it look like you care about your house when you have taken the time to remove the ice and piles of snow so that the house is easily accessible.

Add outdoor cushions to your chairs that may be outside for color and appeal. You can have a fireplace set up on your patio or deck where when the nights are not too cold, you could convey enjoying a nice cozy fire outside.

Lastly, when the outside is lacking in color, make sure you have plenty of color elements INSIDE your house to balance out the bleak. Use accessories and layers of color to help create that buyer appeal and transition from the outside to inside. If a house is bleak on the outside, and then on the inside has white walls, tan furniture and beige carpet, it is blah and boring. Using artwork, fabrics, throws, pillows and accent decor can help create an inviting look for buyers.

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For information on getting your house show ready, contact Jennie at 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE. With over 2,700 houses Staged successfully, Jennie has the expertise and ideas to help you achieve your goals of a successful sale. http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Home Staging Training - JAN-FEB 2012 - Featured Locations

2011-12-29T11:50:00.000-08:00

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Home Staging Accreditation - BOSTON & Northern VA/DC REGIONS - JANUARY 2012

2011-12-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to BOSTON - JAN 17-19 AND NORTHERN VA/DC JAN 31-FEB 2, 2012.

This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging. An ACCREDITATION is the highest form of Training in the Staging industry!

Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education. No other association has educational standards prior to joining - this sets IAHSP apart with our standards of quality, ethics and excellence. For over 12 years IAHSP has set the standards of excellence in the real estate and Staging industry and no other group has the longevity, integrity and history that IAHSP provides.

Realtors licensed in Virginia receive 8 Continuing Education credits for this class.

Professional Stagers attend for 3 days and learn about the real estate industry and how to work with Sellers and Realtors for business, as well as how to establish, manage, market and maintain a successful Home Staging business. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the only professional association founded in education and excellence standards, for the Home Staging industry.

ASP graduates also receive access to the Staging University, the largest online resource for Home Staging success and is a private resource available only to ASP graduates.

This class is taught in a LIVE classroom setting with a Trainer that has actual success and knowledge related to Home Staging and real estate. All questions are answered and you have ongoing support from a real person that cares about your success after you graduate. The hours you receive are the equivalent of a college semester course with 24 hours of Stager education and 16 hours of Realtor education.

Only Stagedhomes.com has over 12 years of training history, and is based in nearly 40 years of experience by the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz.

If you would like to become trained as a professional Home Stager, enroll now to receive the only legitimate Accreditation available for Home Staging in a live classroom forum. An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the Home Staging industry.

If you are a Military Spouse - you can enroll in this course under the MyCAA Program. Click here to find out more: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/MyCAA.php

Go to www.Stagedhomes.com for information including a course comparison spreadsheet that will give you an entire summary of the most imporant things to consider when getting training, and how our ASP Course stacks up to others that are offered. https://www.stagedhomes.com/PDF/COURSE%20COMPARISON%20SPREADSHEET-SHC%20ONLY.pdf

to Register for BOSTON: http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/massachusetts/reading/?id=58

to Register for HERNDON, VA: http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/virginia/herndon/?id=69

If you have any questions you can contact Stagedhomes.com at 800-392-7161 Save $$ off your tuition as an ASP Home Stager or ASP Real Estate Agent by using code "HOLIDAYSALE" when registering.

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality
•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003
•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?
•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients
•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

Vacant Home Transformation - Wilmington, DE - ASP Course

2011-12-09T18:29:00.001-08:00

Check out the wonderful photos of the transformation of a house for sale - using inventory and creativity to "set the scene" for Buyers! Thanks to Theresa Thomas of Stage Right Home Staging for allowing us to use her Staging project and inventory (and movers) to get this house Staged to sell!

Do Stagers need a 12-Step Program?

2011-11-30T09:15:00.000-08:00

I blogged about Home Stagers having A.D.D. http://activerain.com/blogsview/585638/Do-Stagers-have-A

- and although I know most of us do not actually have that condition - I did think that Stagers enjoy staging because of the short term gratification element.

Along those same lines - I also believe that those of that have found our life passion with Staging are ADDicted to Staging.

What is an addict? Websters defines it as: A person who cannot resist a habit, especially the use of drugs or alcohol, for physiological or psychological reasons.

OK - let's just remove the drugs and alcohol part - and put in "A person who cannot resist a habit, especially the use of Staging and creativity, for physiological and psychological reasons." - and there you have it!

We that love Home Staging are Staging Addicts!

Does this mean we need our own 12-Step program for support? Having grown up in a 12-step household (so this is not in any way meant to demean the helpful groups that saved my family's life), I can just hear the statements now at the weekly support groups - "SA - Stagers Anonymous."

"Hello, my name is Jennie, and I am a Staging Addict." Group: "Hello, Jennie."

The 12 Steps would be launched with the statement:

1. I am powerless over Staging - and help declutter other houses and my own so their lives and mine will not be unmanageable.

2.. Came to believe that a power greater than myself - Staging - could restore me and my clients' houses to sanity.

Etcetera.

The truth is, like an addict, I CAN feel myself going through withdrawals when I have not had my hands in someone else's house. My husband and kids notice it too - as I begin to "re-Stage" our own house - rearranging things, straightening, and fussing in the house - in order to make something "old new again." It bothers them - they want to be able to leave a blanket on the ground or not put the centerpiece back where it belongs after playing our Wii. To me - I often don't feel complete until my own house is back "in order" and yet I do have clutter - the kind that most families with children would have. Books, papers, collections, displayed school projects, and laundry - lots of laundry. And yet I recognize when I am crossing over to the addiction fix - I become sort of like a whirling dervish - spinning through my house cleaning, straightening, and re-doing displays. Time for a Staging project - FAST!

I do believe we that love Staging are ADDICTED to it - as one of my mentors proudly shared, "It gets in our blood stream - it's addictive." And yet I also know it is one of those "healthy" addictions. We are not harming anyone in the process of Staging (unless we drop a box on our toe), and we do help others to achieve their goals.

Now as I am writing this - I realize that as Home Stagers, we are addicted to Staging spaces and making houses more visually appealing, which is true. But what about the other role we play in this 12-Step world?

Think about it. Are we also codependent as Stagers? Do we do for others what they should do for themselves - but are not able? Yes we do. The decluttering, the proper presentation for the overwhelmed home seller - are all things the seller (or Realtor) are not able to do - and we come in and "save the day" with our plans, our creativity, our inventory, our knowledge.

Hmmm. I had not thought of that before now - but there is a grain of truth. We do help rescue the sale time and time again, offering up our solutions, telling our sellers not to be concerned - we'll take care of it - and allowing them to step aside and pass the responsibility for presentation of the house to us.

I guess we play both roles - we are the proverbial Addict and the Enabler. But the good news is that we are not hurting anyone in the process - we are helping. We are helping feed our own addiction and helping the Client achieve their goal of selling, even if it means we have to do the work ourselves.

Afterall - life should not be all boring - we have to have some FUN to feed our spirit - even if it is an addiction that can drive some of our family and friends crazy! And that is a whole other 12-step program.

SA unite!

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality

•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003

•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?

•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients

'Twas the Month Before Christmas . . . A Staging Poem for Sellers and Realtors

2011-11-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

Trouble viewing the graphic? Here is the text version:

‘Twas the month before Christmas, and all through the town

Sellers were asking, “Should we bring our price down?

Or go off the market until sometime next year,

We just can’t seem to get a buyer in here.”

Their houses were marketed during the season

No buyers were coming - what could be the reason?

Perhaps there needs to be more appeal

To help a buyer come make a deal!

Well here’s the solution that’s sure is engaging

From your Staging expert - Sensational Home Staging!

I’ve transformed many houses, to help them look best

From furnished, to vacant, large, small and the rest.

The services are varied, but one things for sure,

Staging a house is often the cure!

The best things about a home - I help buyers see

Using their own items or special inventory.

The data I track proves Staging works well

Even in this market - my Staged houses sell.

The investment in Staging is really quite clear

It will help you sell now versus sometime next year.

Staging for the Holidays - How Much is Too Merry?

2011-11-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

The holidays are just around the corner. If you have your house listed for sale or are going to put it on the market, here are some things to think about to ensure your house is "buyer friendly" during the holidays.

First, not everyone celebrates the holidays you do so minimizing what is put out for celebrating is key. Make every buyer feel welcome - even the ones that don't do much for the holidays or believe in celebrating the ones you do. There is nothing "wrong" with what you believe or celebrate and it's important to think like a buyer and create that welcome feeling for anyone viewing your house. Not putting out everything you own for decorating for a holiday will keep your house feeling spacious, neutral and inviting for any buyer.

The next major holiday is Thanksgiving. The warm tones associated with this holiday are fine for selling unless they totally clash with your current color scheme. Having a nice cornucopia on the table, or an arrangement with fall gourds, pumpkins and the like is fine. Just make sure the decor you put out does not draw too much attention to it - whatever you use to decorate for the holiday needs to be just a highlight in the room - not the focal point. Don't overdo it in your front yard with a bunch of cute yard items like scarecrows, pumpkins, turkeys, flags, etc. Think "less is more" for selling during this time.

The religious holidays that are coming are a source of remembrance, joy, and ritual for many. Not all buyers are going to know what your religious items signify and we don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable in the house they are potentially buying. If someone feels uncomfortable they will just get out and go look at the next house on their list.

I am going to address Christmas because that is what we celebrate in my house and if you celebrate another religious holiday in the November-December timeframe, apply the same guidelines to your house. Christmas decor is a lot of fun - I have lots of Nativity Scenes and Santas. I have a collection of over 40 Nutcrackers that are a family favorite and on display wherever I can fit them. They would surely be a conversation topic for any buyer coming to see the house if it were for sale.

Are you selling your decorations or are you selling your house? Also if you have some heirloom or precious things on display and they get broken or stolen, wouldn't you be upset? So this is the year to not put all those things out. Keep it to a minimum.

Even our tree has a special spot and it blocks the view to the back yard. So if we were selling, I would not put my Nutcrackers on display, I would relocate the tree to a better spot (or maybe not have one), and I would limit the number of decorative things to a few. Poinsettias are fine. A wreath on the door or on a wall is OK. But the abundance of decor some of us put out for our normal Christmas tradition would have to be left in the boxes for where we move next.

It might seem hard, but you are selling a house, not a home. If it is really a non-concession for you and you insist on having all your stuff out - then have no showings for the week before and after Christmas until you can get your personal holiday decor put away.

Know this: People DO buy houses at Christmas. There are people relocating from around the country and this can be a time when serious buyers are looking for a house, and must make an offer.

If you HAVE to sell now - then make some adjustments so that you house can remain on the market and be viewed as a product that any buyer would want to purchase.

Enjoy your scaled-back holiday and know that next year when you are in your new home you can go all out!!

Staging Creativity and Transformation!

2011-11-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest Staging transformation from Accredited Staging Professionals in the Wash DC area . . . wonderful work using what the Sellers had in their house - and the principles of Home Staging!

Latest ASP Staging Project - Total Transformation!

2011-10-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest Staging Tranformation - has been on the market over 90 days so far and with the Staging work of the ASP Students from Boston, we expect this house to show much better to buyers and get SOLD!

Denver-Littleton Condo For Sale!

2011-10-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Open house October 22 from 11-2 PM! Come check out the latest listing from Virginia Clair, Urban Mountain Properties - 303-229-2450. 7925 Layton Avenue, #317 - Denver 80123. Located right off Wadsworth and Belleview area - close to shops and is a quiet condo community.

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

2011-10-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP – Owner, Sensational Home Staging

If your house is on the market and you do not want it to sell – here are some tips you should consider.

1. Keep all your personal stuff out in plain sight. Clutter makes buyers feel right at home and hides all the real selling features of your house. They will probably layer up their counters and floors with stuff so just let the Buyer see how the house will look when they live in it too.

REAL STORY: This was one of my clients known as Dr. Bill. He had papers strewn all over his floors, coming out of tubs, down hallways, all over the counters. It was incredible! This was a bedroom but you cannot tell by the photo.

2. With area rugs more is better! Hide the hardwood or tile floors throughout your house with area rugs – and do not worry if they do not match. Letting the buyers hop-scotch from one rug to the next is FUN!

REAL STORY: What is it with homeowners that put a million area rugs all over. If you do not want your wood floors, put in carpet! This particular seller had 38 rugs in her house – all sizes (I counted).

3. Make sure to keep oddities and strange thing out. It gives buyers something to talk about and remember your house by recalling that item. Forget all the selling features you want them to remember your collectible. Killed a moose in the wild with your son? Great – keep that up on the wall with the large eyeballs following Buyers through the house. Even better, hang the photos of your hunting expedition right under the moose head so they are sure to get the full story.

REAL STORY: This was a treasure that I found in a high-end house owned by a doctor. Proudly on display at the entrance of the house in a niche, they could not understand why buyers would not appreciate the Jack-a-phes-a-lope.

4. Do not put any of your personal artwork away. If you have ones that are nudes that’s even better. That will tell Buyers that you are free and easy and do not care about pretenses and are super comfortable with yourselves.

REAL STORY: This is a painting that hung in the formal dining room of a very high-end house. If you look closely enough you get too much of a view. The seller had listed the house and it had not sold (surprise!). The painting ended up leaving the dining room and a tasteful fruit bowl painting was put in its place.

5. Keep all your family photos out so that Buyers can really get to know who you are. Your young children that go to school down the street will be recognizable by anyone seeing your house in person and online and it is a great way for your kids to gain new adult friends!

REAL STORY: I had a client protest having to put away all her kid’s photos. She said, “They are so cute, I do not want to pack them up.” Too many family photos give buyers too much information about you, your family, your interests, your background. No one should be able to determine that much personal information about a seller.

6. Do not make your beds or clean up when Buyers are coming. They have seen dirt and unmade beds before and if this is how you live they can either like it or go to the next house. And if your house is smelly on top of dirty, that is an added bonus!

REAL STORY: This was a client that was too busy to be bothered to make the bed. Anyone that is in the business has seen this – do they not know Buyers are coming through? Yes, I’d much rather look at your unmade, rumpled bed and clothes on the floor.

7. Do not paint any of your walls – the colors you like have to be appealing to everyone. Darker colors you painted will make your rooms feel small – which actually means, cozy, right? Darker colors are good for mood lighting – after all who wants to see all the features of a room?

REAL STORY: This client thought the purple walls were “fun” and the fact that she had accented the walls with bedding in all hues of purple made it better.

8. Wallpaper – who says you have to take it down? You picked the pattern because you liked it so buyers should like it too. In fact, if you have put wall paper up that matches the curtains, and also matches your fabric in the room – all the better because then Buyers can REALLY appreciate the pattern and thought you put into selecting the design.

REAL STORY: These sellers could not get past the amount they had invested in the wall paper. Taking it down seemed like a crime! Notice how the striped curtains and striped chairs, area rug and wall paper all make the room spin? Where does my eye go? My eye goes “lets get out!”

9. Keep all your windows shut and blinds closed or nearly closed so that the house is nice and dark. It will take a moment for the Buyers’ eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in the house, but that will make them appreciate how private your house can be from the neighbors. They do not need to see the view from the windows – they saw it when they drove up to the house.

REAL STORY: Although the room itself is not bad from a Staging standpoint, having the blinds down, AND the curtains drawn over them is not a good selling point. Buyers immediately ask “what are you hiding?”

10. Make sure to leave out air filters, fans, water filters and water jugs – Buyers want to know if the house they are thinking of buying will make them sneeze, have water that tastes bad, or doesn’t heat and cool properly. Give them the clues up front so that they can make sure to bring their fans, heaters, filters and jugs when they move in! Extra bonus! When the buyer sees the large jug on the counter they will obviously think “Hey look at all the room!”

REAL STORY: These sellers used the jug water daily. When asked to move it for selling, they resisted saying, “If buyers cannot look past this then they can just get over it.” Then the agent, afraid of offending the seller said, “I actually think the blue of the water jug is a nice accent.” Please. If we do not tell them the truth we are not doing our job to help the house sell!

11. Do not bother cleaning up the yard or trimming your bushes and trees. They are just going to grow back so it is better to let Buyers see how they will look that way than trim them down. When they cannot see the house from the street it is more of a “surprise” when they get around the limbs and bushes and see the front door for the first time. When the trees and shrubs hide the windows of the house from the front it adds that special touch of privacy that every Buyer wants.

REAL STORY: This seller had not only the issue of “cannot sell it if you cannot see it” with the giant tree hiding his house, but the neighbors were kind enough to park all their extra vehicles all over the cul-de-sac so it looked like Auto-Row. I recommended he trim his tree and have a motivating conversation with the neighbors.

12. If you are updating your house make sure to pick styles and colors from years gone by – they are nostalgic and will help Buyers feel that connection the past. Brass fixtures really shine – and just scream 1980’s and who did not LOVE the 80’s?

13. Follow potential Buyers around your house during a showing. They do not need privacy and need to hear all the things you did over the years to personalize your house. Tell them all about your pets, your children, all the stories that will make sure to leave an impression.

14. Do not put any photos of your house online. Keep it a mystery so that the “big reveal” happens when the Buyers come in person!

15. Do not Stage your House and list your house with a Realtor® - Staging does not really matter and buyers can look past your stuff. You can just watch a TV show and figure out what to do innately. And Realtors - they do not do much anyway and you can just do it yourself. Marketing cannot be all that hard and the paperwork if you get an offer does not have any legal issues at all. It’s a cinch!! (please note I am being sarcastic – and value Realtors and what they do greatly!)

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For help in Staging your house so it DOES sell, please give me a call. 303-717-7918 or toll free 888-93-STAGE. After Staging over 2,500 houses for sale since 2002, I have yet to meet a house or client I could not help. You can find me on the web: http://www.sensationalhome.com/

Home Staging for Realtors & Stagers - ASP Course - Littleton, CO Nov 15-17

2011-10-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Join over 25,000 other Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Graduates that have learned the secrets and processes of successful Home Staging and attend the ASP Course - Littleton, CO on November 15-17.

Realtors attend 2 days (Tues & Wed - Nov 15-16) and learn how to get Sellers to say, "YES," to Staging their houses BEFORE listing. Stagers attend 3 days (Nov 15-17) and learn how to own and operate a successful and profitable Staging business.

For over 12 years Stagedhomes.com has been the industry and world leader for Home Staging training and education. The ASP Accreditation is the highest form of training in the industry and testimonials from graduates prove that the ASP Accreditation and Designation help create more income for Realtors, help houses sell faster and make Sellers happy, and help Stagers know how to run a profitable business.

Go to the link below to register and use code "BACKTOSCHOOL" to save $$ off your tuition.

http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/colorado/littleton/?id=46

Staging Works!! See for yourself the magic of ASP Staging!

2011-10-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

This house looks MUCH better after Staging than before - and the magic is that we used only what the Sellers had in their house! Staging is not about the money - it's about Creativity and Talent - and ideas!

7701 S. Estes Drive - Staged and for Sale!

2011-10-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

Check out this great unique house in Littleton, CO - listed by Kellie Morrissey of the KW City & Mountains Group. The 5 bedroom, 4 bath, 3,359 sq ft house has been updated with new carpet, and remodeled kitchen and baths. CONTACT: Kellie Morrissey - Keller Williams Realty Success: 303-877-2813

Description:
This quintessential farmhouse style home has over 3300 finished square feet on 1/3 acre with a 2 bedroom mother-in-law apartment in the walk-out basement. This home has been beautifully upgraded throughout with a Stunning kitchen complete with slab granite, stainless appliances and new cabinets. All baths have been equally upgraded including a beautiful glass bowl sink, elegant fixtures, and tastefully framed mirrors. New carpet and paint top off this incredible home, complete with a main floor master suite, his and her closets in the oversized upstairs bedrooms, separate large office or additional living area, make this home a rare find!
Subdivision: Fairview Heights.

Gain an EDGE in your Business! Colorado - Home Staging Training - November 15-17

2011-09-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com is coming to Littleton, CO November 15-17, 2011. Now is your chance to earn the industry's top rated accreditation and designation for Home Staging.

If you are a Realtor - you need to know how to get your Sellers on board with making the necessary changes to their house BEFORE listing. The ASP Designation will give you the knowledge and tools to help you gain an edge in your business. Staging is a key financial, marketing and listing tool for you - and will help you work smarter, not harder - to earn your income.

If you are someone that wants to start a Staging business, the ASP Stager Accreditation is the top in the industry and ASP Stagers around the world earn 5-7 figures from the Staging busineses. Learn how to set up a professional business with performance standards, and proper pricing for your creative skills and ideas. Staging is a key tool for Sellers that want to sell their house in the shortest time and for the most money.

Stagedhomes.com has graduated more students than any other training organization. For over 12 years Stagedhomes.com has been educating Realtors. Stagers, and the public about Home Staging - and continues to be the only nationally recognized designation for Staging.

Graduates earn their ASP Real Estate Agent or ASP Stager Accreditations - and have a full-year membership in the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, as well as in the Staging University - the only online resource of its kind to support ASP graduates.

ASP Graduates also are featured on the Stagedhomes.com site with a profile and links to websites and other information that help the public find them to work with, gain exposure on a top-rated Staging site, and feature properties that are Staged.

To register go to www.Stagedhomes.com - http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/colorado/littleton/?id=46

Use CODE "BACKTOSCHOOL" to save $$ off your tuition as a Realtor or as a Stager.

Fantastic Transformation with ASP Creativity! - Montclair NJ

2011-09-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Accredited Staging Professionals from the Stagedhomes.com ASP Course tackled a 6 bedroom house, that was in sore need of some pizazz to present it the best for the market. Using what the seller had (and removing a lot of excess) our students tranformed this house in a matter of hours. The homeowner remarked, "This house has never looked this good." Now it's sellable - and even though there could be some updating (removal of wall paper, painting, etc.) the house will show much better than it would have before our teams took on the challenge!

Staging Before & Afters - Sensationally Staged for the Client's Budget & Timeframe!

2011-09-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Check out the transformation Staging creates in this house. Although the house itself is dated, the Staging helps give it an "updated look" using current colors and styles. The Buyers will still have decisions to make on flooring, counters and amenities, but they can definitely appreciate the square footage and layout of this house. The Staging selections were based on the client's budget and timeframe for Staging and we used a combination of their things paired with rental items. Now it's time to get an offer!

Staged by Jennie Norris, Sensational Home Staging - 303-717-7918

Staged and Ready for Showings! Come and buy!

2011-09-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

Check out this listing by Lee McCue - the McTeam - Keller Williams DTC; Call Lee for a showing at Cell: 303.859.0198;
http://www.McTeamRealEstate.com
13245 Regulus Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO

Sensationally Staged by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging 303-717-7918

Staging Statistics: Where do they come from and can they be Trusted?

2011-08-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

I read a fellow Blogger's post about Staging statistics being unsupported and wanted to address this concern in my own blog post. I believe the post was about where statistics come from and should that be the only success criteria measured when selling a house.

Staging Statistics are tossed around freely - and I can understand a concern where the origin of the statistics comes into question. Just where is this data gathered and who is compiling it and can it be trusted?

As a professional ASP Master Home Stager and business owner, I have ALWAYS tracked my own statistics for my own personal business. It is imperative that I am able to demonstrate that my work is successful and I am making a difference. Any Stager that does NOT do this as a standard business practice not only is missing a huge opportunity to promote their success and quantify it for clients, but perhaps is not operating their business at the same level of professionalism as others that DO track their statistics. Just as not all Realtors and real estate agents are created equal, the same can be said for Stagers.

I am not unique in this activity. Most professional Home Stagers (those that have set up a business, have training, accountability, etc.) can tell you how many houses they Stage, how quickly they sell compared to the overall regional market, and can quantify in some manner how successful their involvement in the listing and selling process is. We also share our numbers with each other and when a group of professional Home Stagers is able to share numbers in a region, we can capture a snapshot of what IS happening relative to Staging in a particular market. We can also segment out vacant versus occupied houses, high end versus modest.

Realtors: Before you throw out the baby with the bath water and discredit ALL Stagers or the Staging process by doubting statistics, it's important to remember that since the Staging industry is NOT regulated and anyone can call themselves a "stager" - for statistics and data on the market that you can trust, find a Stager that has training and credibility - and I bet that Stager will be able to offer you credible, reliable data you can share with Sellers.

Recent example: I Staged a house that had been listed for A YEAR with no offers. Then it was rented for a year. The owners decided to try their hand at Selling again - and this time decided to Stage. After Staging was complete the house SOLD in 10 days. Here's the other KEY PART: it was also PRICED RIGHT FOR THE MARKET.

Do Stagers believe that THEY are "the schizz" and the only reason a house sells is because they get their magic hands on the house and transform it? I hope not.

Selling a house is a PARTNERSHIP with the REALTOR. It takes both presentation and price to sell a house. Anyone that believes otherwise is living in their EGO and needs to remember that pricing the house for the market is the most important part of selling. A house that is Staged and overpriced won't sell.

Back to Statistics: Where do they come from anyway?
One of the best resources is the www.Stagedhomes.com site. For YEARS they have been tracking the success of ASP graduates who input statistics into a survey portal and then generate graphs and data based on the information. The houses are not just all the "good ones" either. A stat is a stat. When it sells - that data is put into the system. There are THOUSANDS of houses in the survey and it is a national snapshot of what is happening with Staged properties. For this reason, it is a great resource for the media, and often referred to by reporters writing articles on Staging or on television segments such as The Today Show that recently used the data on their segment on Home Staging with Barbara Corcoran.

Home Gain has been another good resource for Staging Stats. They track the Return on Investment for putting forth some money and time into making modifications to the house prior to listing. It's quantified. And they have been doing this study since 2003 - putting out new results of their survey of 2,000 agents every 2 years.

With ANY statistic - whether real estate, staging, diets, health, etc - the key is to ASK WHERE THE DATA came from for the survey? If the person cannot answer you - chances are they are regurgitating something they "heard" and it should not be trusted. If they can point to a reputable article (because reporters do their homework!) or other media segment - I would trust the data. If they can point to an actual survey that is being done and is ongoing - like the Stagedhomes.com site or the Home Gain survey - I would trust it. If they have their own data from their own work - trust it.

Statistics are only as good as those that submit the data. It boils down to trusting that the people in the industry have integrity and are reporting what the truth is relative to Staging and selling.

So - when a house SELLS after it is STAGED - and the rest of the marketed competition sits and the days on market for the Staged house are clearly far less than the average and the price is better than if it sat and dropped in price - should that house be counted in a statistic? Yes. Should the agent use that data to get future listings? Absolutely. Should the Stager credit him or herself with helping the sale? Of course.

Don't be skeptical of reputable statistics. Instead use them to help you get your Sellers on board with Staging - and then put that key partnership in place that helps everyone WIN.

________________________________________________________________________________
Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality
•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003
•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?
•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients
•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

Don't "Test the Market" - Stage it Before Listing!

2011-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

Don’t “Test the Market” – Stage it Before Listing!
by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Back when I first got started Staging, the “belief” that Staging would work was just not really there. Realtors knew inherently that a house needed to look good, but understanding the principles of Staging (depersonalizing, declutter, clean, color-pizzazz) was missing. Also, conveying the facts to a Seller about how Staged houses sell at a better price and faster than the marketed competition was a challenge. Sellers were skeptical and did not want to make “unnecessary changes.”

When I finally did get opportunities to Stage and the house sold quickly the “belief” was still not 100% that what I did really made an impact. Some thought, “Well it is the market, the house would have sold anyway.” So I kept plugging away and keeping track of statistics that supported Staging. Eventually my track record of success spoke for itself and doubters could not explain away why a house I Staged sold in 10 days while the other listings sat and sat for months.

Flash forward 10 years and in most places in America we are in a market now that demands Staging. A seller that wants their house to sell NOW versus sitting and waiting needs to use every tool available to attract a buyer. Stage the house BEFORE it is listed. Don’t wait to “try” or “test” the market thinking that “Well we don’t want to ‘spend’ the money on Staging if we can sell without doing that.”

What sellers may not fully understand is with Staging, you either invest up FRONT in the process of preparing a house for sale to maximize the rate of return, or you LOSE it on the back-end with a price reduction, low-price offer, and extended days on the market.

I went to Stage a house recently and the office was dark burgundy and had been that color when the current owners bought the house. They never liked it but just had not yet gotten around to painting it. After showing them pictures of how dark and un-welcoming that room would look in photos and for buyers, they agreed to paint. They invested less than $200 to have a painter paint the room a nice warm tone neutral color (Sherwin Williams: Blond) and said, “We wish we had done this when we first moved in.” Now the room is bright and inviting – and since they are competing with lots of other properties, they have not given the buyer a reason not to choose their house. Best foot forward.

Don’t test the market – Stage it now. Even if you happen to be one of the lucky ones in a market where it’s a Seller’s market, think about how much money you might be leaving on the table if you choose not to Stage? Yes, the house might sell but could it have sold at an even BETTER price if it had been Staged? The answer is – yes. . . Statistics prove this.

And the best part is Staging helps everyone WIN. The Seller wins with a faster sale and a good sales price, The Realtor wins with a faster sale and more commission, and the Buyer wins because they can picture living in the house and make that connection that helps them make an offer.

__________________________________________________________________________

If you live in the Greater Denver area and need to prepare your house for sale, give me a call! Affordable prices, expert recommendations that work and professional standards.

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging - 303-717-7918
www.SensationalHome.com

Stunning Home in Highlands Ranch - For Sale!

2011-08-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Listed by Lee McCue - Keller Williams Realty, Cell: 303.859.0198. Call now to schedule a showing!

5940 S. Cimarron Way - Littleton 80123 - Staged and Ready to Buy!

2011-08-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Listed by Susan Miesen, Remax Professionals, 303-521-2133. Call today to schedule a Showing!

Sensational Staging Project - Littleton, CO - Staged and Ready to show and SELL!

2011-08-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest Staging success from Sensational Home Staging - Denver Region's Premier Home Staging Resource!

This staging project came from a Seller that found me online - and impressed with what she saw, she hired me to Stage this property. It was listed for 90 days with another agent - did not sell. Enter Staging - and working with professionals that know how to market and sell a house.

Not only did I get the Staging work - but I also REFERRED the listing to a Realtor client that I do a lot of business with - and it was my pleasure to give her this opportunity as a way to say, "Thank you" for all the business she has brought me. I also know she gets the job done - and has successfully SOLD some tough properties! Of course, they were all Staged - so we are a good team.

For help in Staging your house or listing, please give me a call. 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE. After successfully staging over 2,500 properties, I have yet to meet a house or client that I could not help. - Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, WCR

Home Staging Success - ASPs Set the Scene for the Buyer

2011-08-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

This house in Indianapolis was transformed using what the Seller had - and the principles of ASP Staging. We packed, rearranged, repurposed and set the scene in every room of this house. The results speak for themselves! Enjoy!

Staging Success - another great transformation!

2011-07-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

This house had lovely features and amenities but a LOT of stuff and big pieces of furniture not arranged in a good flow cut off access to rooms, and made rooms feel smaller than they really were.

Enter ASPs who Staged this house in a matter of hours! What a difference - the Seller was amazed and we know it will help this house sell in record time!

Wonderful Staging Transformation - Time, Talent and Creativity!

2011-07-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Check out the transformation of this 3,300 square foot townhouse. This is why a professional Stager is needed - to create the proper vision for the Buyers - and to help get the work done so the listing agent can focus on what they do best - list and sell houses!!

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2011-07-16T11:07:00.001-07:00

National Association of Professional Women - NAPW - Woman of the Year Award Recipient - Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging.

Check out the profile link below!

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2011-07-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

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Staging Works! Check out the before-after transformations of this occupied house!

2011-06-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

Fabulous Transformation - ASP Staging makes this house look its best!! Using CREATIVITY versus telling a Seller "you have to replace all your furniture and buy things," works!!

Fabulous Staging using Creativity to transform the house for sale

2011-06-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Check out the before/afters of this wonderful ASP Staging project from the Boston-Waltham, MA Course taught last week . . . students did an amazing job after learning the principles of Staging from me in the ASP Course. As the Trainer - it's fun to see how the reality of Staging is applied in a real house! I advise, and get involved in rooms only if they struggle - and did not have to do too much of that with this class!

Home Staging Training - ASP Course - White Plains, NY - July 26-28, 2011

2011-06-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to WHITE PLAINS, NY - JULY 26-28, 2011.

This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging. Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education. No other association has educational standards prior to joining - this sets IAHSP apart with our standards of quality, ethics and excellence. For 12 years IAHSP has set the standards of excellence in the real estate and Staging industry and no other group has the longevity, integrity and history that IAHSP provides.

Professional Stagers attend for 3 days and learn about the real estate industry and how to work with Sellers and Realtors for business, as well as how to establish, manage, market and maintain a successful Home Staging business. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the only professional association founded in education and excellence standards, for the Home Staging industry.

ASP graduates also receive access to the Staging University, the largest online resource for Home Staging success and is a private resource available only to ASP graduates.

This class is taught in a LIVE classroom setting with a Trainer that has actual success and knowledge related to Home Staging and real estate. All questions are answered and you have ongoing support from a real person that cares about your success after you graduate. The hours you receive are the equivalent of a college semester course with 24 hours of Stager education and 16 hours of Realtor education.

Only Stagedhomes.com has over 12 years of training history, and is based in nearly 40 years of experience by the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz.

If you would like to become trained as a professional Home Stager, enroll now to receive the only legitimate Accreditation available for Home Staging in a live classroom forum. An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the Home Staging industry.

If you are a Military Spouse - you can enroll in this course under the MyCAA Program. Click here to find out more: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/MyCAA.php

Go to www.Stagedhomes.com for information including a course comparison spreadsheet that will give you an entire summary of the most imporant things to consider when getting training, and how our ASP Course stacks up to others that are offered. https://www.stagedhomes.com/PDF/COURSE%20COMPARISON%20SPREADSHEET-SHC%20ONLY.pdf

Here is the link to the registration information for the WHITE PLAINS, NY COURSE: http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=947606 If you have any questions you can contact Stagedhomes.com at 800-392-7161 Save $$ off your tuition as an ASP Home Stager or ASP Real Estate Agent by using code "ACTNOW" or "JUNESIZZLE" when registering.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality
•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003
•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?
•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Client
•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

Home Staging Training Course - Virginia, DC, MD Area - July 13-15, 2011

2011-06-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to FAIRFAX, VA - JULY 13-15, 2011.

This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging. Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education. No other association has educational standards prior to joining - this sets IAHSP apart with our standards of quality, ethics and excellence. For 12 years IAHSP has set the standards of excellence in the real estate and Staging industry and no other group has the longevity, integrity and history that IAHSP provides.

Professional Stagers attend for 3 days and learn about the real estate industry and how to work with Sellers and Realtors for business, as well as how to establish, manage, market and maintain a successful Home Staging business. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the only professional association founded in education and excellence standards, for the Home Staging industry.

ASP graduates also receive access to the Staging University, the largest online resource for Home Staging success and is a private resource available only to ASP graduates.

This class is taught in a LIVE classroom setting with a Trainer that has actual success and knowledge related to Home Staging and real estate. All questions are answered and you have ongoing support from a real person that cares about your success after you graduate. The hours you receive are the equivalent of a college semester course with 24 hours of Stager education and 16 hours of Realtor education.

Only Stagedhomes.com has over 12 years of training history, and is based in nearly 40 years of experience by the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz.

If you would like to become trained as a professional Home Stager, enroll now to receive the only legitimate Accreditation available for Home Staging in a live classroom forum. An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the Home Staging industry.

If you are a Military Spouse - you can enroll in this course under the MyCAA Program. Click here to find out more: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/MyCAA.php

Go to www.Stagedhomes.com for information including a course comparison spreadsheet that will give you an entire summary of the most imporant things to consider when getting training, and how our ASP Course stacks up to others that are offered. https://www.stagedhomes.com/PDF/COURSE%20COMPARISON%20SPREADSHEET-SHC%20ONLY.pdf

Here is the link to the registration information for the FAIRFAX, VA COURSE: http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=906402 If you have any questions you can contact Stagedhomes.com at 800-392-7161 Save $$ off your tuition as an ASP Home Stager or ASP Real Estate Agent by using code "ACTNOW" or "JUNESIZZLE" when registering.

______________________________________________________________________________

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality

•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003

•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?

•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients

•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course - Indianapolis August 2-4, 2011

2011-06-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to INDIANAPOLIS, AUGUST 2-4, 2011.

This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging. Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education. No other association has educational standards prior to joining - this sets IAHSP apart with our standards of quality, ethics and excellence. For 12 years IAHSP has set the standards of excellence in the real estate and Staging industry and no other group has the longevity, integrity and history that IAHSP provides.

Professional Stagers attend for 3 days and learn about the real estate industry and how to work with Sellers and Realtors for business, as well as how to establish, manage, market and maintain a successful Home Staging business. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the only professional association founded in education and excellence standards, for the Home Staging industry.

ASP graduates also receive access to the Staging University, the largest online resource for Home Staging success and is a private resource available only to ASP graduates.

This class is taught in a LIVE classroom setting with a Trainer that has actual success and knowledge related to Home Staging and real estate. All questions are answered and you have ongoing support from a real person that cares about your success after you graduate. The hours you receive are the equivalent of a college semester course with 24 hours of Stager education and 16 hours of Realtor education.

Only Stagedhomes.com has over 12 years of training history, and is based in nearly 40 years of experience by the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz.

If you would like to become trained as a professional Home Stager, enroll now to receive the only legitimate Accreditation available for Home Staging in a live classroom forum. An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the Home Staging industry.

If you are a Military Spouse - you can enroll in this course under the MyCAA Program. Click here to find out more: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/MyCAA.php

Go to www.Stagedhomes.com for information including a course comparison spreadsheet that will give you an entire summary of the most imporant things to consider when getting training, and how our ASP Course stacks up to others that are offered. https://www.stagedhomes.com/PDF/COURSE%20COMPARISON%20SPREADSHEET-SHC%20ONLY.pdf

Here is the link to the registration information for the INDIANAPOLIS COURSE: http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=945504 If you have any questions you can contact Stagedhomes.com at 800-392-7161 Save $$ off your tuition as an ASP Home Stager or ASP Real Estate Agent by using code "ACTNOW" or "JUNESIZZLE" when registering.

________________________________________________________________________

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality
•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003
•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?
•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients
•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

IAHSP Featured on The Today Show - finding a professional Home Stager to help you prepare your house for sale!

2011-06-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 6th, Al Roker and Barbara Corcoran discussed real estate issues and talked about Staging a house for sale. When posed with the question of where to locate a qualified professional Home Stager, the answer was "IAHSP" - The International Association of Home Staging Professionals. Having served as Vice President for 5 years and President for 2 years, and currently on the IAHSP International Board serving as Ethics and Special Projects Director, IAHSP members truly are the industry leaders for Home Staging.

IAHSP is the only professional association serving the Home Staging industry that is rooted in education first, ethics that are enforced and excellence standards for Staging. Members must be educated in Home Staging from a reputable entity - and earn the highest form of training - an Accreditation as a Staging professional to qualify for membership.

As a member of IAHSP since 2003, I am happy to see this great coverage for our professional Association that serves thousands of members worldwide!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Before and AFTERS - Sensationally Staged!

2011-05-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is the latest transformation by Jennie Norris of Sensational Home Staging! Using what the Seller had, adding a few updated items helps this townhouse show better for Buyers in photos, virtual tours and in person! For help preparing your house or listing for sale, contact Jennie at 303-717-7918.\

Lovely Lonetree Townhouse!

2011-05-31T12:56:00.000-07:00

9495 Southern Hills Circle, Lone Tree, CO 80124

This townhouse is located in a well-maintained community in Lonetree. It is conveniently located near shops and parks, with easy access to C470 and Hwy 25. The house features vaulted ceilings in the Living Room, hardwood floors, formal dining, kitchen with counter bar area, eat-in nook, lots of storage! Upstairs 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, and downstairs has large Family room and another bedroom and full bath.
Listed by:
Mary Davis and Tom Spall

RE/MAX Leaders
303-790-7475 Direct Office
303-548-9137 Cell
MaryDavisTomSpall@msn.com

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market - by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

2011-05-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Home Staging – Miss the Mark and Miss the Market

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

There is a trend I see emerging in some Staging businesses where the Staging is so extreme, so unique, so well, trendy, that it misses the mark, and more importantly misses the market. In other words, the Staging may “look really cool” but does it actually appeal to the target Buyer?

With Home Staging we have to ask ourselves, “Who is the potential Buyer for this house?” “Who am I creating this look for and is that audience going to like what I have planned for this Staging?”

Dare I say, we need to ask, “Are we more focused on the Staging or the fact that the house is Staged?”

The truth is, lately I see some that call themselves “Stagers” use some truly amazing inventory – stuff that would make any reader of a design magazine drool. But again, is the inventory and Staging of mass audience appeal or is it taking Staging down to a tiny market niche? The photos I see of some work really make me say, “Huh?” because the Staging is not broadly appealing.

Don’t get me wrong - Is it stylish? Yes. Is it fun? Yes. Is it too unique? Yes. Does it appeal to the broad base of buyers – NO. That is the telling question – and the key is that Staging is NOT Decorating or Design. Both industries serve a purpose but only one serves the goal of Selling a house and appealing to mass audience online and in person. STAGING.

What is the goal of Staging? To SELL the house. A “Home Stager” that is focused on the STUFF is not focused on the goal. I am all for creating a really great look in a house, but when the focus is on the stuff, prices charged are often too high, and the look truly does not appeal to the broad audience.

More importantly, in a market like we are in today, we cannot afford to alienate any facet of the audience of potential buyers by using furnishings that are too “out there.” Instead of selling the house, what is being sold is the “design style” of the person that installed all that “really cool stuff” in the house.

Most (and that is 99%) of Buyers cannot relate to a red piano or extremely modern art as things they would like to own. Those items have a place of use for Staging – in a very miniscule number of properties. So unless you are Staging strictly Soho lofts In NY for eclectic artisans, this type of Staging is not doing the job of appealing to the broad buyer base.

Keep our eyes on the GOAL – Sell the house, sell the house, sell the house. Can we afford to Stage for that one Buyer that likes our design aesthetic, or are we Staging for ALL Buyers so they all want to buy the house? I know it only takes one – but do you want a needle in a haystack or the whole haystack? And when time is not on the Seller’s side, it’s up to us as the professionally trained Stagers to make SURE that the house appeals to the broadest demographic.

Charming Rancher in Arvada

2011-05-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Check out this new listing in Arvada - great starter home or home for someone downsizing that wants a nice one-story layout in a charming neighborhood. Hardwood floors, new refrigerator, updated amenitites - ready for you to move in!

Realtors - Don't Tarnish Your Hard Earned Reputation

2011-05-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

Realtors - Don’t Tarnish Your Hard Earned Reputation

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP

Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging

There are many articles expressing the need to Stage from a financial standpoint and buyer standpoint, but I have not read any that address this service from a REPUTATION standpoint.

Realtors need to know that Staging listings will help THEM gain market share and keep a great reputation as a successful agent.
It positions you as the Agent that gets the job done. You are the “hero in the hood” and all the neighbors that are watching take notice when the sale goes PENDING.

When Staging is not included – there is a lot at RISK.
Think about it. When a house or product is listed for sale and is NOT presented well and Staged – the house languishes on the market.

This means it will have to have a price reduction in order to respond to the market and buyers. This makes the Seller unhappy.

As the listing agent, you promote YOU as the marketer and expert to get the house SOLD.
You have your signage out front and in the house. You are promoting this property online, and hopefully marketing it using various methods to gain exposure.

When the house does not sell – and sits and sits – this makes YOU as the agent look like you can’t get the job done. Your reputation suffers as a result. This makes you unhappy. It makes your broker unhappy.

Maybe you even lose the listing that you have worked hard to win, hard to market and hard to sell. BUT – the house was not Staged and therefore did not appeal to the broadest audience.

When the house does not sell, your reputation is TARNISHED.
Damage is done. People in the neighborhood that are looking to list their house will not consider you because you were not successful.

It is a high price to pay. And NOT Staging costs you.

• TIME
• MONEY
• REPUTATION

Do you really want to be known in the neighborhood as the Realtor who could not get the job done? Do you really want to have people going through a house that presents poorly with your name all over it?

Staging Recommendations and Resistance
Now I know that sometimes you do recommend Staging and tips to Sellers and they resist. I also know that sometimes you don’t want to tell the Seller the truth about their house because you don’t want to hurt their feelings and risk losing the listing. And I know sometimes the Seller has some pretty odd things in their house that you just have no idea how to eliminate.

It takes skill and patience – and that is where working with a professional Stager can really help.

When you Seller says to you, “I don’t want to spend the money on Staging,” AGREE with them. Tell them you don’t want them to spend it either. Tell them you want them to INVEST their money – in STAGING – because Staging their house will help them get the highest return on their sale.

They either INVEST in time and dollars to Stage up front, or they will lose far more on the back-end with price reductions.

Then work with your ASP Stager – who has statistics and information to help you demonstrate to your Seller that they cannot afford NOT to Stage.

YOUR REPUTATION is at stake
Don’t risk tarnishing your reputation because or resistance or fear. Get an advocate to help you – partner with a Stager who is ready to use their skills and knowledge to get your clients on board.

Make it standard protocol that all your listings are Staged.
Many Realtors I work with will not take a listing if the Seller does not agree to Stage it first. WHY? When the house is Staged it makes your job much easier to market a product that looks great for all buyers. It reduces the time on the market and helps the Seller get the best price possible based on the market.

IF a price reduction has to happen, it is not because you have not used every tool possible to attract a Buyer . . . it is just the market. And when the house does sell, it will still sell at a better price and faster than the marketed un-Staged competition. These are FACTS that have been proven time and again and there is data and statistics available to back the statement up.

And the best part is . . . when you do include Staging, everyone WINS!
Your Seller is happy because they get their house sold in the best time frame and at the best price possible based on the market. You are happy because you are successful, and you’ll earn more commission! And the Buyer is happy because they were able to mentally move in to the Staged house.

Don’t risk your valuable REPUTATION . . . use Staging for your clients. Staging is not just for them – it’s also for you.

2011-05-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this great Staging project - ASP Staging is the best! Using what a homeowner had every room is transformed using Staging princples learned in the ASP Staging Course. Great job - so proud of our ASP Family!

For help in getting your property or listing Staged to sell contact me - Jennie Norris, Accredited Staging Professional Master, to help you. I will give you an honest assessment of what it will take to get your house Staged to sell. I will not oversell you on things, I will not criticize, and I will work with your budget and timeframe to make it happen successfully.

303-717-7918
Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP
Principal Stager and Owner, Sensational Home Staging
www.SensationalHome.com

Sensational Home Staging - Before & Afters of our latest Staged property!

2011-05-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

This house needed some warmth and pizzazz to help it show its best in photos and in person. This client had some budget constraints - and yet we were able to come up with a Staging plan that not only fit their budget, it is all that is needed to showcase this house properly. For information on how we can help you with your house or listing to get it Staged to sell, contact me at (303)717-7918 or SensationalHomeStaging@q.com.

Staged - Before & After in Denver - Coming on the Market soon!

2011-05-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

Check out the Before and Afters of this transformation - using what the Seller had, removing, rearranging and repurposing! Sensationally Staged!

Staged and Ready for Sale in Brighton, CO!

2011-05-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

12191 North Holly Way, Brighton. Listed by Clinton Porter, Remax
Colorado Vistas Team 720-876-8544

Sensational Home Staging - Occupied House - Creativity and Talent Showcased!

2011-05-03T17:36:00.001-07:00

Available in Arvada! Great 3 Bed 1 Bath house! Details coming soon!

2011-05-03T17:31:00.001-07:00

Highlands Ranch House for Sale!

2011-04-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Check out another Staged house listed by Monica Bennett of Keller Williams. This house is ready to be shown to Buyers that want a well-priced house in a nice neighborhood!

What do Stagers and Major League Baseball Players Have in Common?

2011-04-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Well it certainly is not our annual multi-million dollar contracts . . . or the papparazzi that follow us around! LOL

But seriously . . . I was out to dinner with my husband and friends and saw a game on TV. We were seated at the bar waiting for our table, and people were shouting and yelling for their preferred team.

I said hello to the man seated next to me - he looked to be in his mid-50's - and as he watched the game he sort of whimsically said, "You know - those guys really have it great. They get to do something they have loved since childhood and make money at it."

Hmmm.

So I turned to him and said, "Well I may not make the multi-million dollar annual contracts of the baseball players, but I get to do something I love and have been passionate about since I was young."

He was intrigued - I told him about Home Staging, and found out he was an engineer (boring - to me anyway) and from the environmental business arena (where I used to work) . . .

Think about it - it's true. As Home Stagers, we get to use our creativity that we've had since we were very young, and make money and have a life because of it.

Most people (including me) were taught to get educated, get a good job, pay bills, and pursue something that helped make enough money to support the lifestyle we want.

When I found Home Staging as a viable business, it opened my eyes and my life to the possibilities of doing something I really enjoy. I hope to teach my kids that their passions are worth pursuing - and there are ways to make income doing something they love not just doing something for money.

There is a difference, as most of us know. Any of us that have ever worked for someone else doing something we really did not enjoy can attest to this truth.

I think there are many people that are following their passions and doing things they truly enjoy. The true test is to ask ourselves, "Do I see myself doing this for the rest of my life and if so, will I be happy?"

The best part of all is that we CAN earn good money as a Home Stager - it totally depends on how we build our business. We can be successful, we can even have "fans."

Home Run for Home Staging!

- Jennie

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality

•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003

•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?

•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients

•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

If you STAGE it, THEY will come!

2011-04-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

How many times have you been asked to do something you were not quite sure of - and you reached a crossroads of decision? "Do I follow this advice and do what I am being told to do or do I fall back on my safety net just in case they are not right?"

There are two movies (I am sure there others) that I can point to that are relevant for this subject. The first is "Field of Dreams" where I was inspired by Kevin Costner's character, Ray, as he goes out on a limb and despite everyone thinking he is crazy as he follows the mantra he hears, "If you build it they will come." He goes ahead and follows the plan and takes a risk.

The second movie is "Evan Almighty" where Steve Carrel's character, Evan, is told by God to build an ark because there is going to be a flood. This is an edict given to him during ione of the hottest, dryest spell in Northern Virginia, and to top it off he has all of the DC politicians thinking he is "crazy!" God even changse Evan's appearance to look like Noah - furthering his humiliation until he finally "gets it" and goes for the task with FAITH. His family doubts him at first and then gets on board. . . hmmm - sounds slightly familiar!

I thought about parallels - and see that it takes FAITH to follow through with Staging. Faith is belief in something not seen. It is trusting that the advice and direction you are being given will lead you to where you want to go.

Fortunately with Staging, we don't have to just go on blind faith as we have PROOF Staging works! There are statistics being released monthly that demonstrate Staging's power in any market to help bring a Buyer that makes an offer.

Selling a house is not just about having a bunch of people look at your house - it's about getting at least one of them to MAKE AN OFFER you accept! In order to do that your house has to be THE ONE they want over all the others out there.

Like Evan, you may be asked to change the appearance - of your house. You may have to paint, remove things, bring things in - all in an effort to help your house appeal to the most buyers! But unlike Evan and Ray, this does not involve embarassment to you or your family, does not cause you to lose your job - really the RISK is minimal.

So why don't more people embrace the service and business of Staging? I believe it's an issue of education: They don't know what Staging really is and how it can help them.

Staging is NOT decorating, it is a MARKETING and FINANCIAL tool to help your house sell.
Staging can HELP you by getting your house sold FASTER and at a better price than your un-Staged competition, which translates in to EQUITY you get to KEEP.
The longer a house sits un-sold on the market, the more likely it is going to have a price reduction - and you don't want that.

Staging will help your house attract MORE BUYERS! As they look at houses online and see how nice yours is compared to the others - they will then decide to look in person.

IF you STAGE it, THEY (the Buyers) will come!

So be like Evan and Ray - and take a leap of FAITH - and get your house Staged. You will be thankful you did follow through with the advice that is there to HELP you achieve your goals and dreams.

Lovely Littleton Home ready for move-in!

2011-04-08T06:23:00.001-07:00

Broomfield Townhouse Beauty!

2011-03-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

Lowe's Home Improvement features ASP Home Staging and Barb Schwarz

2011-02-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Home Staging Tip of the Quarter from Lowe's Home Improvement Newsletter

Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging®, the ASP® Designation, and CEO of Stagedhomes.com and The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®, IAHSP.com shares her tips on how to Stage® a home to help your client's homes sell faster and/or for more money

"Try to look at your house "through a buyer's eyes," as though you've never seen it before. This exercise will help you see what needs to be done. Any time and money invested on these items will usually bring you the return of more money and a quicker sale."

http://ebm.email.lowes.com/c/tag/hBNZ-E4APSXh3B8ZUyPAAAAAA.AAAAAAdS/doc.html?RAF_TRACK=&email=Barb@stagedhomes.com&EMAILCODE=&t_params=EMAIL%3DBarb%2540stagedhomes.com%26FNAME%3DBarb%26LNAME%3DSchwarz&cm_mmc=email_newsletter-_-realtor_121310-_-num1-_-num

Wall Street Journal features ASP Home Staging & Barb Schwarz, The Creator of Home Staging

2011-02-25T13:32:00.000-08:00

Check out this article from the Wall Street Journal - featuring Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging, and how she advise Sellers to prepare houses for sale using a professionally trained ASP Home Stager.

Home Staging

Depersonalizing as a Sales Tool
By Iyna Bort Caruso

"A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when you’re selling your home, that picture may cost you time and money.

Family photos, along with personal collections and even works of art, make a house a home, but they don’t necessarily make it more saleable, say real estate experts. Home staging ¬— the art of neutralizing and depersonalizing to allow a prospective buyer to mentally move in — does that.

Staging solves common design dilemmas, clutter among them, and employs tricks to maximize a home’s best assets. According to one report, staged homes sell up to five times faster than their non-staged counterparts.

In the 1970s, Barb Schwarz coined the word “staging” and developed it into a marketing concept. Using her background in interior design, theater and real estate, she’s since staged thousands of homes and founded the International Association of Home Staging Professionals.® “A house is like a theatrical set,” she says. “The audience is the buyers coming through.”

http://online.wsj.com/ad/article/sir-insights?WC=TABIns

Top Tasks for Staging your House for Sale

2011-02-25T06:34:00.000-08:00

HomeGain recently surveyed nearly 600 real estate agents nationwide to determine the top 10 low cost*, do-it-yourself home improvements for people getting their home ready to sell.

As a professional Home Stager, all the categories included in the survey are about Staging a house for sale which is all about how to best present that property to the market. The only category I don't discuss with clients is Electrical and Plumbing (although lighting, fixtures and updating I DO discuss) - ALL other categories would be addressed in a Staging Consultation and conversation with a Seller.

http://blog.homegain.com/category/home-improvement-and-staging/The top five nationwide home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers, based on average cost and return on investment (ROI) to sellers, are:

1.Cleaning and de-cluttering ($290 cost / $1,990 price increase / 586% ROI / 99% recommended)

2.Lightening and brightening ($375 cost / $1,550 price increase / 313% ROI / 97% recommended)

3.Home staging ($550 cost / $2,194 price increase / 299% ROI / 80% recommended)

4.Landscaping ($540 cost / $1,932 price increase / 258% ROI / 93% recommended)

5.Repair Electrical or Plumbing ($535 cost / $1,505 price increase / 181% ROI / 92% recommended)

Home Gain - Top Green Home Improvements for Selling your House

2011-02-25T06:29:00.000-08:00

The top 5 GREEN home improvements that Realtors recommend to home sellers are:

1.Plant native trees and plants ($141 average cost / $399 average price increase / 284% average ROI / 65% of agents recommended)

2.Replace air filters ($76 cost / $201 price increase / 266% ROI / 63% recommended)

3.GREEN home staging ($223 cost / $445 price increase / 199% ROI / 47% recommended)

4.Weather strip and caulk doors and windows ($169 cost / $313 price increase / 185% ROI / 68% recommended)

5.Install programmable thermostats ($146 cost / $249 price increase / 170% ROI / 62% recommended)

http://blog.homegain.com/home-improvement/top-9-green-home-improvements/

EMBRACE versus REPLACE? How to work with Color that is not leaving

2011-02-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

CONSIDER THIS SCENARIO:

You have a bedroom with BLUE walls or carpeting

How do you Stage this for sale when the Seller says,

"I am not going to paint or replace my carpet??"

Use the principle I like to call "EMBRACE versus REPLACE"

This principle that I developed says: When a seller is unwilling, unable or unreasonable even - about removing, repainting, or replacing in order to help a house Sell, we must engage our creativity to make the house work for Buyers despite the shortcomings we know these unpopular or dated colors, decorative choices may create.

In order to use this principle you need a COLOR WHEEL: (they can be found online and in many art stores)
STAGING: You need to neutralize - that is the goal of Staging - to make the house and each room in it feel Buyer friendly. The solution for Staging would be to address what we call the "moveable" color - bedding, pillows, artwork, accessories and bring in neutral tones or colors that help tone down the blue walls. The opposite of blue is . . . orange (purple and yellow, red and green - remember your Kindergarten days?) - so anything with orange-yellow and gold tones would work. Browns would be great even - but stay away from more blue as a prinary accent item in the moveable color group.

The idea with downplaying a dominant color is to go ACROSS the wheel and bring in the opposite color or what experts call "CONTRASTING" color.

Adjacent colors are colors that are right next to each other and harmonize with one another. They work well together (usually). For example Green and Yellow or Purple and Magenta.
Complementary colors are colors separated by another color.
Contrasting colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Red and Green are contrasting colors.

TIP: Colors that clash are not always a bad combination if used carefully. Blue and yellow or Green and Magenta are contrasting colors.

Within each color family you have some that are more saturated (darker) with undertones - most likely mixed with black - and those that are lighter, i.e. Powder blue versus royal blue

Staging Principle: When color is an issue on what we call "permanent" areas (walls and floors) bring in neutral tones and opposite (complementary) colors to help create an appealing look. Do NOT bring in lots of the same color. Can you bring in a pillow, artwor, or an accessory item that has the color in it - sure but it would be great if that item were mostly the contrast color with hints of the color you are balancing.

BALANCE is the key operative word here - less is still more with Staging and sometimes our role as a professional Stager is to help make sense of a wall color, flooring, or item in the house that is not leaving with the Seller or being updated prior to the house coming on the market.

Fact is, not every Buyer coming in has the budget to totally redo a house so when we are able to help them embrace the color in question, we are helping them to imagine themselves living there - and not just MOVE ON to the next house.

DECORATING: In our example scenario, those that decorate or design would say, "Bring in more blue!" (I heard this recently) because they are customizing the space and don't see a challenge with adding more of a color that is not universally appealing for buyers to begin with - and this is a concern. Bringing in more blue just calls attention to the fact that the walls are BLUE! Why would we want that for selling? We don't - it's that simple.

It's kind a concern of mine . . . this trend that seems to be trying to push Staging over into Decorating realm when they truly are two separate industries with two individual goals.

Decorating is personalizing - and you DO consider the likes and dislikes, color schemes, etc. of the homeowner. It may not be universally appealing but that's OK because it's not about selling a house - it's about customizing a home for the person or people that live there.

Staging is depersonalizing - this is not just about removing family pictures and personal collections and such . . . it's also about making the house work for all buyers - that is the ideal goal. When a Buyer walks through the door we don't want them commenting on stuff or remembering a house because of a color that was prevalent throughout. We want them to picture themselves living there.

And when a house has flooring or wall colors that have not been neutralized due to budget, time or just plain resistance on the part of the Seller, we can work with those colors by bringing in other colors to make those "work" even though they are not truly neutralized.

So the BEST way to reduce the chances of that happening in a house for sale - is to incorporate STAGING PRINCIPLES - not decorating ideas -when selling a house.

Please do not confuse the design-decorating world with Staging . . . they serve a totally different purpose.

When you are SELLING your house - work with a trained, professional Stager - not someone that has a flair for design or decorating or even a great decorating or design business. ASK "what is your background relative to STAGING?" As talented as these people may be, if they don't understand and use the basic principle of universal appeal with Staging, you will be wasting your money on a service that is not going to help you SELL your house.

If you live in the Denver area let me help you get your house properly prepared for sale. If you live in another area, I'd be happy to locate a trained colleague that would be able to assist you in Staging and Selling your house.

How to Neutralize COLOR on walls and floors with Staging

2011-02-07T11:32:00.000-08:00

CONSIDER THIS SCENARIO:

You have a bedroom with BLUE walls.

How do you Stage this for sale when the Seller says, "I am not going to paint?"

STAGING: You need to neutralize - that is the goal of Staging - to make the house and each room in it feel Buyer friendly. The solution for Staging would be to address what we call the "moveable" color - bedding, pillows, artwork, accessories and bring in neutral tones or colors that help tone down the blue walls. The opposite of blue is . . . orange (purple and yellow, red and green - remember your Kindergarten days?) - so anything with orange-yellow and gold tones would work - and even a pop of orange would be great. Browns would be great even - but stay away from more blue as a prinary accent item in the moveable color group.

BALANCE is the key operative word here - less is still more with Staging and sometimes our role as a professional Stager is to help make sense of a wall color, flooring, or item in the house that is not leaving with the Seller or being updated prior to the house coming on the market.

DECORATING: People that decorate or design would say, "Bring in more blue!" - because they are customizing the space and don't see a challenge with adding more of a color that is not universally appealing for buyers to begin with - and this is a concern. Bringing in more blue just calls attention to the fact that the walls are BLUE! Why would we want that for selling? We don't - it's that simple.

It's kind a concern of mine . . . this trend that seems to be trying to push Staging over into Decorating realm when they truly are two separate industries with two individual goals.

Decorating is personalizing - and you DO consider the likes and dislikes, color schemes, etc. of the homeowner. It may not be universally appealing but that's OK because it's not about selling a house - it's about customizing a home for the person or people that live there.

Staging is depersonalizing - this is not just about removing family pictures and personal collections and such . . . it's also about making the house work for all buyers - that is the ideal goal. When a Buyer walks through the door we don't want them commenting on stuff or remembering a house because of a color that was prevalent throughout. We want them to picture themselves living there.

And when a house has flooring or wall colors that have not been neutralized due to budget, time or just plain resistance on the part of the Seller, we can work with those colors by bringing in other colors to make those "work" even though they are not truly neutralized.

So the BEST way to reduce the chances of that happening in a house for sale - is to incorporate STAGING PRINCIPLES - not decorating ideas -when selling a house.

Staging Principle: When color is an issue on what we call "permanent" areas (walls and floors) bring in neutral tones and opposite (complementary) colors to help create an appealing look. Do NOT bring in lots of the same color. Can you bring in a pillow that has the color in it - sure but it would be great if that pillow were mostly the complementary color with hints of the color you are balancing.

Please do not confuse the design-decorating world with Staging . . . they serve a totally different purpose.

When you are SELLING your house - work with a trained, professional Stager - not someone that has a flair for design or decorating. As talented as these people may be, if they don't understand and use the basic principle of universal appeal with Staging, you will be wasting your money on a service that is not going to help you SELL your house.

If you live in the Denver area let me help you get your house properly prepared for sale. If you live in another area, I'd be happy to locate a trained colleague that would be able to assist you in Staging and Selling your house.

When should you bring in a Stager?

2011-01-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

"When should I bring in a Stager?"

I get asked this question a lot and it is an easy one to answer: "Bring in a professional Stager when you want to Sell your house (or listing)."

My recommendation is to get that person in to your house (or listing) BEFORE the house is coming on the market so it truly has the best foot forward. If you are planning on selling your house come spring - get the Staging assessment done NOW so you have time to get the work done.

To me it's not a matter of picking or choosing to bring an outside expert in or not - it's a standard protocol for those that want to sell their house versus having it sit on the market.

Getting a 3rd party opinion is good - I have done it for my own house. Why? Well we often don't "see" our house the way a Buyer sees it. When someone comes to your house for the first time they notice EVERYTHING - all your decor, your photos, your stuff. Meanwhile, because we LIVE in the house we filter out the excess and the things we are used to seeing. I call it "selective vision."

Buyers don't have Selective Vision - they have "TOTAL Vision" - meaning they take it all in and form an opinion based on what they see.

They ask:

"Could we live here?"
They notice if the rooms feel crowded or cluttered.
They notice if the house is clean or not.
The notice the condition of the yard and home.
They wonder how much work it will take to fix up to their standards.
They calculate the effort it will take to make it "their home."

And then they weigh all this against the asking price and the competition and decide whether or not to make an offer.

So as a Seller - don't give them a reason NOT to make an offer on YOUR house. You may love your stuff, but let's face it - our taste is subjective - and we cannot be mistaken in our thinking that just because we paid a lot of money to have our house decorated, or paid a lot of money for some custom piece of furniture - that everyone is going to love it the way WE do. That is not reality.

And it's hard to be OBJECTIVE in our own houses - so get that 3rd party objective opinion from your expert Home Stager. They are trained to know what to keep and what to put away or pack, and what to paint out - the changes that will help you make money and the ones you don't have to do.

Some things you should know: Not all Stagers are created equal so ASK for credentials and ask to see a portfolio. Ask for references. Ask for statistics. Any Stager worth their salt will be tracking their business success and have proof to show you that their Staging suggestions work! Ask about any added value services, discounts, and exposure they can give you . . .

And then make your selection based on rapport and relatability - the person you feel will do the best job for you. Then sit back and watch how your house (or listing) SELLS because it is prepped right for the market.

Check out my other blog posts on how much this should cost or what the fees are relative to Staging! http://sensationalstagedhomeblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-are-you-paying-me-for.html

Home Staging Training - Navigating the Plethora of Options and Knowing What to Look For and What to Avoid by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, Owner Sensational Home Staging

2010-12-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Home Staging Training - Navigating the Plethora of Options

and Knowing What to Look For and What to Avoid

Nearly 40 years ago the industry of Home Staging was created by Barb Schwarz, and 12 years ago it went to the next step with the creation of the first professional designation and course offered for a much needed service.

Flash forward to where we are today and there are many "courses" (and I use that word lightly) that offer some sort of education for Home Staging.

If I were looking for a class today it would be confusing.

I don't envy those that are researching to find a place to be trained. Did you know there are over 30 "classes" found online you can take to get educated in Staging?

Did you know the Staging industry is not regulated . . . Yet?

It's true. No one is regulating who can teach or offer a course or call themselves a Home Stager.

Fact is, some courses are reputable and others are scams.

There are those in the industry that claim you don't need a professional designation to Stage® and some say that there is no such thing as an Accreditation for Home Staging. The first part is true and the second part is false.

Anyone can claim to have been in business or have all this experience and unfortunately there is no way to stop someone from making false claims. Personally, I am frustrated at how some people even explain their credentials in this industry - falsely stating experience and impact when there are those that know what is shared is not true.
So how can you tell the difference when no one really regulates what is shared?

You have to do your homework.

A. Do the research: Ask the questions . . .

1. How long has this course been around?

2. Is the course content about Home Staging only or does it cross over into other industries, diluting the focus of my business?

3. Do the real estate agents know about this class and recognize the designation?

4. Is my Trainer someone that actually has built their own Home Staging business successfully?

5. Will the company be there 5 years from now when I need help?

6. What ongoing support will I have from my Trainer and the Company?

7. What kind of exposure will I receive online to help me succeed?

8. Do they have a professional Association for me to join?

9. Does this Association have standards for joining like requiring education first?

10. Are there local chapters of this Association that I can be part of for ongoing success?

11. What kind of ongoing education is there?

12. Is there a code of ethics and professional standards that are upheld?

13. What national and regional industry company partnerships do I have to help me add value to what I bring to my client?

14. Ask for references of others that have taken the class and find out what they though and how successful they have been.

B. ASK WHAT the course is about.
If you want to be a professional Home Stager - take a Home Staging Course.

For those reading this post that is a key distinction. Staging is a stand-alone industry that falls under the auspices of the Real Estate industry.

It is not decorating or design or redesign - they are stand alone industries and provide valuable services for people in need of professional decorating or design work.

In other words, if you want to be a professional Home Stager, take a professional Home Staging course that sticks to the fundamentals of what it takes to own and operate a successful Home Staging business.

If you want to be a designer, decorator, redesigner, feng shui expert, color expert, etc. - then take a course specifically catering to that service and industry.

They are all unique industries and services and should not lumped under the auspices of "Home Staging."

I believe in not putting all your eggs in one basket and to diversify, but I also do not believe in diluting.

Diluting is trying to cover too much in one course so that the student doesn't really learn what it takes to be successful in any one industry.

Diversifying is adding knowledge about other services you would like to offer such as color, feng shui, redesign, interior design, interior decorating and so on - and you can do that at a later time so you can offer added services to your clients.

Are there cross over elements with these various industries and services? Sure - but it's important to note that the goals of these industries are not the same.

Staging is about depersonalizing and preparing a house for sale for an unknown Buyer and to make a property appeal to a particular and distinct audience. The likes and dislikes of the homeowner really do not come into play as the house is being prepared for the Buyer so it must be very broadly appealing.

Decorating, Design, Redesign, Feng Shui, and Color Trends are about customizing and personalizing a home and in the process, the likes and dislikes of the property owner are the main consideration. It does not have to be broadly appealing, and in most cases is not simply because the work is being done to please the property owner.

C. You need to ask yourself, "Who is behind this course?"

It seems these days that everyone wants to teach a class or course on Home Staging - and I can't blame them - when you are successful and want to share with others, it's a natural path to take in the industry.

But as a person considering launching a career in Home Staging you have to dig deeper and ask yourself if the class you are considering has any recognition in the Real Estate industry?

Because as a professional Home Stager - you don't want to pay money for a class and just get knowledge - you want to take a course that is actually going to help you succeed in your own business.

Fact is, a new course and designation that has not been around is not going to have the brand recognition of one that has been established and has integrity in the industry.

The only way to get that is longevity. You can either be part of the movement to help brand a new course and set of initials or go with one that is already established - and your participation will be about branding YOU with the muscles of the already established course and designation behind you.

D. Online Exposure:

One of the best ways to determine if a class is reputable or not is how you are represented online and how you are marketed to the public and Realtors that want to hire you.

Yes, you may have your own website, but...

Your training company should have a way of promoting and marketing you online and a way to drive business to you - and they must invest the right amount of money on your behalf to ensure that when the public does search for people to work with, you have a fighting chance to be found.

To do that successfully takes a LOT of money and this is where the smaller training camps clearly fall short. You don't want to go with a training company that lacks capital to fund site optimization and site design that will help build your business and give you proper exposure.

E. Who is Successful?
Next you want to evaluate what Stagers have business in your region - and find out how successful they are.

Find out where their training roots are - I know those that took a reputable class and launched their business successfully, and then may have branched into something else - even training their own course - but you need to go back to that core training as that is what created their success initially.

Ask the people that are successful TODAY - don't ask those that tried and failed or quit. Find someone that is where you want to be and ask them HOW they did it - and then do your own research so that you can be launched on the right path for success and have a business that will serve your clients and you as long as you want to be in business.

Do your homework. Ask questions. Make an informed decision so that when you launch your Home Staging business you have the resources to help you grow for the long term.

F. WHAT TO AVOID:

1. Avoid courses that cannot point you to real life graduates that have actual success.

2. Avoid courses that have not been around long - they have no history of success or graduate they can point you to that have been successful.

3. Check the BBB rating of the course - and if they don't have one that should be a red flag. These are companies taking your money and should be rated online and pay the fees to be part of the BBB network.

4. Avoid any course that guarantees you any sort of income post graduation. That is impossible to provide to graduates as you are not employees of their company and are an independent business owner so your success is truly up to you.

5. Avoid online courses that have no access to a real person that you can ask question of during your training.

6. Avoid courses that cannot tell you how to price yourself for where you live - specifically - as the range of pricing for Staging varies greatly depending on geography and you don't want to "guess" at how to price yourself in business. You could end up leaving a LOT of money on the table or price yourself out of your market which would be a big mistake too.

7. Avoid anything that sounds too good to be true - it probably is.

8. Avoid a course that has no ongoing support for YOU - an Association, exposure online, and ways to market you for success.

9. Avoid Associations that allow anyone to join. You will have made an investment in your training and business - do you really want to be part of a group that allows ANYONE to join - therefore diluting what you paid for and the standards you set for your business?

I hope this article has been helpful to you - and as a professional Home Stager that has owned and operated a successful Staging business for nearly 10 years and is a professional Trainer for 6 years, let me know how I can help YOU make a choice. Just email me at SensationalHomeStaging@q.com or go to www.SensationalHome.com to contact me.

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR? Part 4 of 4 by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President

2010-12-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR?: PART 4

In this series of 4 articles on what you pay for when hiring a professional Home Stager, this last article covers the inventory investment for houses that need a little or a lot of pizzazz to attract a potential buyer.

I hear this question a lot: "When it comes to renting items for Staging why can't they just sit for FREE in a house until it sells?" Great question and before I can answer it let's look at some facts.

What is inventory? Inventory consists of décor and furnishing used to add visual appeal to a property. The inventory can be a few items to help enhance a Seller's existing things to help add "Wow Factor" or inventory can be furniture and décor to help furnish a vacant house. Therefore inventory can be artwork, bedding, accessories, greenery, furniture, rugs, and so forth.

Inventory a professional Home Stager brings in is a convenience to the Seller - so that they do not have to purchase extra items, store them, or move them to a new property.

Inventory = Overhead: When an item is purchased it becomes an overhead expense and property of the company. Professional Stagers are not just pulling stuff out of their houses to stick in a vacant house or to help spiff up house that needs some pizzazz. They make an investment in selecting things that are universally appealing, will enhance a house, and make it look better for the buying public. They must also consider the style of the house they are Staging - not every piece of décor is useful in every house for sale. So we have to purchase things specific for types of properties as well.

Think about this: That piece of furniture, lamp, vase or fichus tree costs money every time it is moved or used. There is labor involved, gas and time.

When it is stored - there is often overhead costs associated with warehouse or storage unit space.

Things get damaged in houses - from careless Sellers who may paint interiors, or by Buyers that break something or use something inappropriately.

So why can't items just sit for free in a house? Because all these costs have to be covered by the renting of the items.

So before any Stager turns a profit from "stuff" they bring into a house, they must first cover their overhead expenses of managing and maintaining that inventory, and then pay for the transportation of those items to and from the house.

Moving costs average $200 each way per project for 2 men and a truck.
A small Storage Unit averages $100-150 per month.
A warehouse costs thousands to manage and maintain monthly.

Then there is the wear and tear on an item. Fabrics get stained, woods get nicked, and items get broken. Over time an item must be retired and replaced with a new item. The old one is sold or donated at pennies on the dollar. Things even get stolen from time to time - and have to be replaced. It's all a cost of doing business. And professional Home Stagers operate a business.

So when you are paying rental for things, you are helping that business owner cover operating costs and maintenance costs on having those items as a convenience to you - the Seller or Realtor - so that your house or listing CAN look better than the un-Staged marketed competition.

You pay for the "WOW Factor" to help your house or listing SELL - and when it sells we can say 100% of the time - "THE INVESTMENT OF STAGING IS LESS THAN A PRICE REDUCTION" - that you did NOT have to take because your house SOLD.

Green or Eco-Friendly Home Staging

2010-11-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Green Home Staging

By Jennie Norris, ASP Master®, IAHSP® President, President Denver IAHSP® Regional Chapter and Owner, Sensational Home Staging

The trend across the country is to have eco-friendly everything – “Green” is the buzz word to identify those people or industries that want to do more to conserve resources. People and companies are “going Green” in an effort to help protect our planet and our futures.

Did you know that ASP® Home Stagers have been doing this BEFORE the word “Green” was even in fashion? I was reminded of this during a leadership call with the Creator of Home Staging®, Barb Schwarz – who really has been teaching the idea of using what someone has or “repurposing” – which is really what the Green movement is all about – for nearly 40 years.

Home Staging with a Green focus or eco-friendly focus can be about using natural materials, cotton, bamboo, jute rugs, real greenery (instead of silk) which is so easy to do. . . I have done some of these projects and it is really simple to adapt to that type of Staging by thinking about what we are using and how we use it in Staging. (go to http://www.sensationalhome.com/ and link to eco-friendly home staging to learn more).

We even have an eco-friendly “star” in the ASP® Family that has developed a whole line of eco-friendly furniture to use in Staging houses – that is made from recycled materials and this genius was born from a need in the Staging industry and finding a way to fill it. (go to http://www.nextstagefurniture.com/ to find out more).

But when it comes to the average person’s home and selling – an ASP® Home Stager is already in the mode being Green – which is about using what is in the house – repurposing and find new uses for items that otherwise could get thrown out or as others in the industry that don’t have the same training might do – have the homeowner go purchase MORE stuff. . . that they don’t need which then causes even more wastefulness.

This philosophy has been taught for nearly 12 years and used in successful real estate sales for nearly 40 years! As the original Home Staging training course, Accredited Staging Professionals (ASPs) have been doing “Green Staging” since the beginning and that makes me really happy to know that I am part of an industry that does care about the environment and the future of our planet, and that we were doing a service for clients and the world before it was “trendy.”

So if you want a Green approach to preparing your occupied house for sale, look no further than your local ASP® Home Stager. Give them a call – and then sit back and watch in amazement as they transform your house using your things – and put the focus on selling your house – not selling you on purchasing a bunch of stuff you don’t need. If you have a vacant house – give your ASP® Stager a call to get an honest assessment of what you need to showcase your house working with your budget and timeframe to make the most impact for Buyers.

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR? Part 3 of 4 by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President

2010-11-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR: PART 3

By Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP®, Owner, Sensational Home Staging

In today's market, many people can be confused about what they are actually paying for when hiring a professional Stager. In my last post, I talked about the Staging Consultation and what the underlying costs are – and what you pay for when including this service as part of preparing your house for sale. Remember, professional Stagers have business overhead and marketing expenses, and the costs to having an actual business - not just a hobby - and why it's important to hire someone that knows what they are doing.

In this post - we talk about The Vacant House. This type of Staging has a lot of work that goes in before the actual Staging takes place. In most markets, a Vacant House Staging starts at about $800 and goes up from there. There are 3 types of Vacant Staging: Light, Moderate and Fully Furnished and based on your budget and the type of property we are Staging, we will recommend the most cost-effective solution that gets your property SOLD.

What we don’t want to do is say something is “Staged” when there is no furniture in the property, when the “Staging” is not going to truly help a Buyer visualize living in the house or when the quality is not of the standard based on the type of property. If you are not going to Stage it right, then don’t do it at all because you are wasting your money. You need to invest the money up front to get your house or listing SOLD so Stage it so that it will SELL.

Here is a run-down of what typically goes into Staging a vacant property:

For a Vacant House: I drive to the location of the house to preview the property – typically at no charge to the client or you. While I am there I begin to form a vision and plan for what has to be done to Stage the house. I am not being paid at this point.

I go back to my house and prepare a detailed proposal – and have to research pricing for rental items and furnishings that are needed for the Staging. I am still not being paid a dime. This process can take hours to even days to find the exact pieces that are needed for your particular house or listing.
I put the proposal together and then share it with the my client. I answer any questions they may have about the Staging and pricing. I negotiate. I listen to concerns they may have and overcome them. Hours have gone into the process at this point and I have still not been paid anything.

Once the Seller agrees to the Staging, I have to send them an Staging Services Agreement and secure payment, and establish the date for the Staging.

Then the work begins of pulling the Staging together. I take time to source furnishings from my own inventory or outside source. I coordinate the financial aspects of the Staging. I pull a team together and hire them for the Staging day. More time in the process is taken here.

Once I process the payment according to the terms of the Agreement, I finally get paid. On Staging Day we meet early and get loaded up and ready. 70% of the Staging is completed by this point because I have been planning this project mentally and now it’s just a matter of executing the plan.

We drive to the house and get the Staging done. I coordinate the entire project – what piece goes where, what each room should look like, and convey that to the people I hired to work with me on the project.

Once the Staging is complete, I coordinate the return of trucks, pay for labor, and then turn to the marketing of the property. If there are any incidences with the Staging, my insurance policy is activated and I take care of it. My goal is to make the process as user-friendly and easy for Sellers and to get the house sold.

I take photos that I will share with Realtors as needed. I put your listing up on a special website featuring only Staged properties and brings leads to you. I send you an interactive media show on the house that you can use to market the property. I will create customized flyers for your future listings, and if I get a call from the house I Staged, the leads are passed to you as my partner in success.

And once the house Sells, I and my team come back and remove everything efficiently and effectively, and restock the inventory.

All this is done and included in the price of the Vacant Home Staging.

Can you see why something like this would cost more than $500?

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR? Part 2 of 4 by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President

2010-11-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

In today's market, many people can be confused about what they are actually paying for when hiring a professional Stager. In my last post, I talked about the business overhead and marketing expenses, and the costs to having an actual business - not just a hobby - and why it's important to hire someone that knows what they are doing.

In this post - we talk about The Staging Consultation or as it is sometimes referred to "The Staging Report, Staging Plan, etc." No matter how you name it - the goal is to share with a Seller and/or Realtor what is needed to get a house ready for sale when the owner plans on doing the work themselves.... On average - the investment to provide a Staging Consultation averages between $150-$375 around the country and the pricing depends on the market where you live and the square footage of your house.

As you read below, consider this:

1. Average Appraisal: $400-$600

2. Average Home Inspection: $400+

3. Average Pest Inspection: $80-$100 and usually leads to $$$$ for repairs

Staging is the only service done in preparation of a house that brings MEASURABLE value and we help a homeowner keep 5-20% of their equity. So for the "Staging Report" - investing $150-$375 to get clear direction on what to do to help you keep 5-20% of your house value - is WORTH it!

For a Staging Consultation: I arrive at the scheduled time and rarely charge for time and gas to get to your client's house (unlike other service industries that have a "trip fee"). I have my report materials with me that I paid for - and a packet that I will leave with your client that I have prepped ahead of time.

When I walk in the door - I am immediately engaging my psychology skills to understand the Seller and what motivates them. In a matter of seconds to minutes I have to size up that person and adapt myself and my communication style to reflect theirs so we "sync" up and they are receptive to what I share. And when there is a couple - I must do this with not one, but two people - that I am sometimes meeting for the first time. This is called "developing Rapport" - and is a SKILL that must be learned through experience and training. Without Rapport - well - good luck getting your client to take down the painting of the naked woman or dead animal head they have hanging in their dining room.

Next, I have to walk through the house - first time to see it - and come up with "the Staging PLAN" in my head and figure out solutions that meet the Seller's timeframe and budget. I have to be able to "see" their house in a different way in my head. This talent is present in less than 10% of the population and it's more than just decluttering surfaces.

While I am there I am building camaraderie and rapport with the client - this is so when I go through my recommendations with them there is a foundation of trust and likeability between us. I do this in many ways - subtlety and skillfully.

Next, I prepare a detailed consultation report - and some Stagers hand-write this professionally while others prefer to type theirs. Regardless, your client is given a detailed summary of what is needed, room by room throughout the whole interior, and the curb appeal (all parts of their yard, the house, etc.) issue is addressed in detail as well.

When I go through my recommendations with the Seller, I must be able to communicate my vision effectively to the Seller in way that does not offend or hurt their feelings.

While I work with your client, I boost you as the Realtor - I edify, I am there as your advocate - I have your back. The deadline is set - and it all ties back to the desired MLS date that you have set with your client.

As a professional Stager that is networked throughout the region, I also provide Value Added Services to your Client in the form of discounts on things they may need such as paint supplies, moving services, storage services and more.

Then I follow up with your client - I make sure they are on track based on the goals and listing dates. I encourage them. I hand-hold if needed. I am available to help finish the Staging if they get overwhelmed or are not able to get it done themselves.

After the Staging is done, I help market that property (now not all Stagers do this - but I do). I take photos that I will share with Realtors as needed. I put your listing up on a special website featuring only Staged properties and brings leads to you. I send you an interactive media show on the house that you can use to market the property. I will create customized flyers for your future listings, and if I get a call from the house I Staged, the leads are passed to you as my partner in success.

All this is done and included in the price of the Staging Consultation Report. And all this helps YOU as the Seller or YOU as the Realtor (or as the Investor, Builder, etc.) KEEP more equity in the house.

So in summary - when you hire me for a Staging Consultation - you are paying me for my creativity, vision, ideas, psychology skills, communication skills, and business acumen to help get your client on board with the Staging and keep them on track.

It is a worthwhile investment to pay a Professional Home Stager to do it right!

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR?

2010-10-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

WHAT ARE YOU PAYING ME FOR? - by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP Presidenrt

(Part 1 in a Series of 4)

I recently attended a real estate networking event and had a Realtor come to me and say, “It seems that all the Stagers in this market have increased their prices 100-fold and I cannot find anyone to work at the rate I paid before.” Intrigued I asked him about the pricing he had received and did my best not to laugh (or throw up in my mouth) when he shared that he was getting a vacant house Staged with rental inventory and time for only $500. I asked what happened to the person he was using, and he said, “She is not longer Staging.”

REALLY? Hmmm – I wonder why? Maybe it’s because she ran herself into the ground and was losing money – not able to even cover operating costs. It does not surprise me in the least this Stager is no longer around. And it upsets me to know there are still more wearing the same shoes of that Stager thinking “If I do it cheaply, people will hire me.”

My experience with anything CHEAP is that it does not hold up and the quality is poor. Cheap shoes, cheap clothing, cheap vacations . . . and Cheap Staging.

How many of these Cheap Stagers are lurking in your market and just what do we get paid for anyway?

This question has haunted me these past days as I mulled it over. It seems that the gap between wanting Staging to work but wanting it to be cheaply priced is still there and getting agents and sellers to walk over the Bridge of Value and understand WHAT we do in Staging needs to happen.

So just what DO you pay for when you hire a Stager AND WHY am I worth every dollar?

First, I have set up a BUSINESS. This means I have licenses, education and insurance. I have memberships, marketing fees and costs. That is called OVERHEAD. So the projects I do in Staging must at MINIMUM cover these basic operating costs to owning and operating a business. I did not get into business to lose money. It’s not just a hobby for me and it’s not just a way for me to get a creative “fix” by tweaking someone else’s house instead of my own.

Next, when I work with your client as a Realtor or with you as a Seller – you are not just paying me for ideas – although that is a large part of it. You are paying me for my vision and my ability to effectively communicate that vision to the Seller in a way that does not hurt their feelings or make them get upset at you for bringing me in to their house.

Anyone with creative bones can spew out an idea or thought. The key is to not do it with mean-spiritedness, not to offend. That takes experience and training. I am sad to say that probably over 50% of the “Stagers” in any market DO NOT have proper training and therefore are stomping all over the feelings (and odd items, poor paint choices, and clutter) of a Seller – instead of honoring that client.

When you pay me – you are paying for a skilled NEGOTIATOR, someone that understands the PSYCHOLOGY of Staging, and the MOTIVATING factors for a Seller.

You are paying me to make YOU look good to your Sellers . . . and if you are the public you are paying me to share honestly with you about your house and to explain the reasons behind recommendations in a way that makes you WANT to make changes.

You are paying me for my KNOWLEDGE of the market – and to know what should be done (or does not have to be done) to sell your house or listing. We are Selling your house or listing – and my job is to know WHAT recommendations are MOST important in your market.

I study statistics, I stay up on trends. I know what colors, fixtures, flooring, cabinetry, counters, etc. - are the ones Buyers want to see (and which ones they don’t) . . . and I know what it’s like to move and sell – it can be emotional, stressful, sad . . . and I don’t take that lightly.

You pay me for my discounts I get at local resources in your area. I pass those through to my clients - unlike other industries where they make a profit on stuff or charge a fee for this - I include this as part of working with me as your Stager.

I am your advocate for future business referrals, Realtors. When you use me – and we form a Partnership for Success – I will help YOU get more business.

You see – Staging is NOT just about a “look” and having an idea for where to put the sofa or what clutter to take out.

Staging is a PROCESS – and it involves human emotions and feelings. It involves SKILL – creative and psychological . . . and It is a key tool to help sell a house to help the Seller achieve their goals and for Realtors to be successful.

Knowing all this - don’t you think it deserves the value that brings? Do you still think it should be CHEAP or want it to be CHEAP? And knowing that someone like me is out there and knows how to handle your client, is someone you can trust, is professional, has standards, training, and much more – don’t you believe that is worth working with me versus the low-ball leader?

Stay tuned for Parts 2-4 of this Series to understand WHAT you are paying for - the STEPS and PROCESSES a professional Stager goes through . . . to better help you know and understand the VALUE behind the PRICING.

Do what you Love . . . Don’t just Work as a Means to an End

2010-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Do what you Love . . . Don’t just Work as a Means to an End
by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

I was listening to a radio show the other day and they were talking about jobs and how people should not whine about having to work – it’s a means to an ends. . .

There was a caller that kept changing jobs because she was unhappy with her workmates, they annoyed her, they were not intelligent enough, she got bored, or whatever other reasons she tossed out there – she was not happy at her work. I just kept thinking, “She is in the wrong industry.” If someone is that unhappy in their job that they keep looking for “it” somewhere else – and job hops, and hates going to work – they need to do something else.

I kept thinking to myself: "They need to find their passion."

However the advice from the radio people was, “Suck it up.” They actually said for working, “We do what we have to in order to have the life we want.”

In other words a job is just a paycheck and working is part of what we all HAVE to do in order to pay bills and have a life that we hopefully enjoy. It does not really matter if you really like it or enjoy the people you work with . . . you do it because you have to in order to live the life you want.

WRONG. Anyone else find something wrong with that advice?

Settling for a job just to pay bills – is a miserable existence. I know many people do it and I also know for many in this economy having any job is a blessing . . . but I just feel sad for those people.

Finding a passion is the key to happiness in the work world. I think high school counselors should be helping kids discover their passions – whatever it is – and steer that child into an industry they will enjoy – not just figure out what jobs pay the best and steer that kid into an industry they will hate.

Why did I have a physician in one of my recent ASP® Training classes? She has a full-fledged career as a Doctor – M.D. – and yet wants to be a Home Stager. This person was so full of life and creative energy – her field (oncology) was stifling that in her – and dealing with death and dying was just not fueling her passion. She was good at it – but she wanted something more.

Realizing there is an industry that pays well and will fuel that creativity opened the door of opportunity for her . . . I expect her to be very successful and much happier as a professional Home Stager!

Follow your Passion! Then work is not drudgery or just a means to an end . . . it is something you look forward to every day!

You know how some people just get through the week and then live for the weekend? I live for Staging! I get so excited when I get to work with a client and help them get their house ready for sale!

But in order to follow your Passion, you have to know what your Passion is. It might be working with kids, or gardening, or writing or health and fitness, or old cars, or any number of things. . . There are careers for all those fields – they may not pay the same as you are making now – or maybe they will pay more – but what I have found is that I would easily give up $$$ in order to be HAPPY in what I am doing daily and be motivated to be the best in that field that I can be!

I thought about all this and realized how lucky I am to have found Home Staging. I had a passion for creative things – decorating, painting, remodeling houses, and found this industry. It is my work – and yet it is not a means to an ends only. It’s not just a way to provide income to my family so we can do what we love. It is my passion!

My motto is, “I do what I love so I can live the life I love.”

I love Staging. In fact all the Stagers I know love Staging. We did it for free for much of our lives for crying out loud! Finding there was an industry that would actually pay me for my creative energy and ideas is the icing on the cake. Knowing I am helping other people (one of my passions), using my creativity and talent (another of my passions) and earning great income (a great benefit of the industry – and OK a passion as who does not want to be paid well?) is the proverbial trifecta of working for me!

So if you are reading this and are doing what you love, say a little prayer of thanks as you truly are blessed. If you know someone that is unhappy in what they are doing – ask them, “What you are really passionate about?”

It’s never too late to re-invent yourself.

Age is just a number and I’d rather go out of this life doing what I love than suffer in silence or never discover and use my true passion.

ONE WEEK on the MARKET - and SOLD after Staging!

2010-06-14T18:38:00.001-07:00

Another SENSATIONAL Success from Sensational Home Staging! SOLD only one week after Staging! When you want Sensational Results, call Jennie Norris at 303-717-7918!

SOLD IN 7 DAYS! Days on market average 60-90

2010-06-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

SOLD in only 7 days after Staging!! When you want Sensational Results, just call me at 303-717-7918!

ZZZ’S . . . is your house so BORING that it puts Buyers to Sleep?

2010-04-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

ZZZ’S . . . is your house so BORING that it puts Buyers to Sleep?
by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President, Owner, Sensational Home Staging

In the words of the immortal Ella Fitzgerald . . . “It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing.”

When it comes to Selling your house . . . we need to change the words to: “It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that ZING!”

How about . . . “Your phone just won’t ring without Buyer Zing!”

Have you ever walked into a house and there was just nothing there emotionally for you? You know – it looked “OK” but there was no CONNECTION in the emotional realm. There was no “ZING”.

Buyer Boredom strikes. Yawn. When they see room after room when looking at houses – what makes your stand out from the crowd?

Ya gotta Bring the ZING!

What exactly is ZING? One definition is: “To be lively or vivacious. To have pizzazz.”

That is what we want to have buyers FEEL when they walk into a house. An instantaneous connection to it . . .
Buyers will always say when they find houses they like, “This house FEELS better than that other house.”

What do they mean? Does it actually physically feel nicer to the touch? NO. What they mean is considering ALL their senses, the house FEELS internally better – they make a connection to the house that the other one did not do for them.

Think of it as BUYER CHEMISTRY.

CHEMISTRY . . . we all have experienced that with dating . . . You know that feeling you may have had when you went on dates – and the other person either created that “ZING” inside you – or not? It was the desire to spend more time with that person and explore getting to know them. . .

Well – houses can do the same thing – create a ZING for Buyers. When there is no ZING there is no ZEST or ZEAL for buying – and the buyer will go in search of the ZING somewhere else.

Then you get ZILCH. No offers or at least not the kind you want.

So how can we get that ZING for buyers and get them to ZOOM ahead with an offer?

Make sure your house has BUYER CHEMISTRY. It needs to look, feel, and smell right. It needs to invite the Buyer to explore all areas of the house – room by room. We don’t want them ZIPPING by each room with a cursory, “Uh huh” as they glance from the door. We want them to experience the house – and really begin to FEEL like they could live there.

Each room should have some ZING – appeal that makes the buyer want to see more of the room and more of the house. Then the chances that Buyer will feel the ZING inside are greater – and then instead of them passing on the house, they will be eager to write an offer because this house feels just right!

To get help creating “ZING” in your house or listing, make sure to work with a professional ASP® Home Stager – trained to bring the WOW Factor and ZING needed to help Buyers want to make an offer.

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If you live in the greater Denver area, call me – Jennie Norris, ASP® Master, and Owner of Sensational Home Staging at www.SensationalHome.com to prepare your house or listing for sale. 888-93-STAGE.

Check out Columbia, MD - ASP Course - Creativity and Ideas used to present this house for sale!

2010-04-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

ASPs rank #1 in Google Search Engine results thanks to Stagedhomes.com

2010-04-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

Stagedhomes.com has released stats that show that we rank #1 in Google Search results for the key phrases related to Home Staging! This helps boost all ASPs and ensures the public finds those they need to work with for Home Staging all over the world! As a professional ASP Master Home Stager I am thankful for the partnership that Stagedhomes.com extends to its graduates and the investment they make monthly with earch engine placement to ensure their graduates and members do come up first in search results!

The 5 Senses of Staging a House - A Sensible and Sensational Idea

2010-04-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

The 5 Senses of Staging a House – a Sensible and Sensational Idea!

By Jennie Norris, APS Master®, Owner, Sensational Home Staging

I read something recently that caught my attention as it talked about how our 5 senses – SIGHT, SMELL, TOUCH, HEARING, TASTE – engage as we look at houses, or rather how they don’t engage if the seller has not deliberately put things out to make that happen or has not bothered to prepare their house for sale.

I thought about this – and as a professional Home Stager – I realized this is what I do every time I work with a Seller and on a house to Stage it for sale. But there is an imbalance with some Staging out there – where the focus is really on ONE sense – SIGHT and the others are sort of forgotten. Let’s take a look at what a complete sensory Staging would be like. . .

Before we take a look at what happens with Staging, let’s consider the flip side - when a Seller does NOT prepare their house for sale and what a Buyer might experience within their 5 senses.

SIGHT: Cluttered and dirty houses are a turnoff to Buyers. If the house is not picked up it says, “I don’t care about my house.” If a Buyer sees too many personal things, they feel like they are invading someone’s space and they are uncomfortable and will leave. If they see all the Seller’s things it not only distracts them from just being able to take in each room as a whole, it also could turn them away if the items are too personal, tacky, or just plain odd.

SMELL: Do I really have to mention that ANY unpleasant odor, aroma, or smell in a house is not a good thing for Selling? If a Seller is unsure whether their house has a smell that is unpleasant, tell them to ASK any number of people that do not live there. The most common culprits are cooking odors, pet odors, cigarette smoke odors, and mildew smells but it could even be too much fragrance or plug-ins that cloister the senses. However, most people are afraid to tell them the truth, and that is where the Home Stager can help.

TOUCH: This can go a couple of ways, but let’s first start with the touch that ends up with sticky residue on your hands – that is a house that needs cleaning! Buyers are going to open doors, cupboards, and touch things as they go through the house. Buyers will also consider the furniture in the house, and if touching it gets a reaction like “EWW” – that is not a good thing. Threadbare, torn or tattered is not a good look for any Seller hoping to attract a Buyer and give them the belief that, “Hey I took great care of this house – just look at how well I cared for my furniture!”

HEARING: We cannot always control the noise outside of our houses – traffic, dogs, construction, but we can control the noise inside. A faucet that sounds like a Mack truck engine when you turn it one says, “There is something gravely wrong with the plumbing in this house.” Squeaky hinges, doors that drag on the floor, and in general any noise that advertises the age of the house is not a good thing for Selling.

TASTE: This one really does not pertain to pre-Selling so we’ll just skip this one for now and go right into the recommendations for when the house is Staged.

It’s easy to incorporate all 5 Senses in a positive way when Staging and Selling a House. This can be done with Occupied or Vacant houses for sale and is a key process that ensures a Buyer has a complete experience in the house. . .

SIGHT: Make sure the house is light and bright. Open up windows where there is a view to show off, and minimize any unattractive views with blinds or strategically placed objects. Make sure the house is very CLEAN and also DEPERSONALIZED as far as collections, personal items (bills, medicine), photos, and anything that could be a potential distraction for a Buyer. Any brightly painted walls should be painted a warm neutral color. Walls that are too dark actually make the room feel smaller as it closes the room in . . . And when a Seller does not paint, they are eliminating a large portion of the Buyer pool who don’t like that color, it does not go with their stuff, and they don’t to have to paint when they move in! They’ll just go buy something else that is ready for them and does go with their things, a.k.a. NEUTRAL.

However, we need and want COLOR and NATURE for visual appeal in Staging. Accent décor and greenery, artwork that draws a person closer, and other fun whimsical displays are good for Staging and Selling.

Do not make your house so stark and plain that all the pizzazz is gone. This is taking the “de-cluttering” too far – and now your house is cleared out but it’s Boring.

TIP: Your Home Stager will know what to do in each room to make it visually stimulating and appealing to draw the buyer in and want to see more! They can use your things or enhance what you have with décor, but the plan should be to keep or add pizzazz but allow the Buyer to take each room in its entirety and not be distracted by décor or too much. There is a fine balance your Home Stager can help you achieve.

SMELL: We want houses on the market to smell good – fresh and inviting. For showing houses Realtors often use the baked cookies or bread trick or the cinnamon simmering on the stove trick . . . but Buyers can detect if there are other underlying aromas. This is where a house must be CLEAN – and there is no concession here – we don’t want smells –urine, dirty clothes, smoke smell, cooking odors, mold or mildew smells in the house. Once the smells are eliminated, the house should smell fresh and clean – and be kept that way while the house is on the market. There are products that eliminate odors for good as long as they are not reintroduced.

When others may be afraid to tell the truth about odors in a house that is coming on the market, a professional Home Stager owes it to the Seller to tell them the truth. Those that are trained understand how to couch their message in kindness so they don’t offend – and yet if we don’t tell the truth and the house does not sell because of this issue, we did not do our job.

TIP: Ask your Home Stager what they recommend as a permanent solution for odors. There are inexpensive yet effective products that are odor eliminators, as well as machines that can be used.

TOUCH: The house should look “plush” and inviting. There should be soft surfaces along with the hard – and this relates to the furniture. A bed can havea comforter, but why not add some accent pillows and a throw as well to create layers of softness? If a Seller has a collection of Adirondack furniture throughout the house, they need to possibly minimize the collection, and for sure bring in accent pillows or cushions, and silk trees or plants to help soften all that wood. Not that a Buyer is going to sit in a Seller’s couch, but we want them to feel like each room is inviting them in to experience more. By the same token if the Seller has a bunch of overstuffed couches, bean bags, or large floor pillows, we want to bring in some structured furniture to help add strength and solidness to the room, otherwise we feel like we are sinking. Throughout the house there should be a balance of hard and soft, plush and streamlined.

TIP: An experienced Home Stager will know what to do in each room, how to make the most of what a Seller already has, and bring in any needed décor to complete the look.

HEARING: Showing houses agents will often play music – and I think that is a good thing to create an atmosphere that is pleasant and inviting. There are other audible enhancements that are appealing to buyers as well. A water feature is enticing and relaxing – consider putting one in the Master bath or a larger one in the courtyard or back patio. Sellers need to fix all the squeaks and groans in the house they can before it comes on the market. You cannot “Stage away” traffic or construction noise, but you can minimize it by having another sound override it. This helps a buyer to know, “Even though there is some exterior noise, I could still live here if I had this water feature.” Help them to know how to override what may be a potential detraction to buying the house.

TIP: Your Home Stager can provide a creative solution or idea to help override a potentially negative sound. They cannot “Stage away” the issues, but they can help come up with a plan that will minimize or eliminate the issue.

TASTE: Of the 5 senses this one is probably the least utilized when Staging as most of the time we are not using real food as props that are supposed to be eaten. However, when Showing a house, it’s fun to have cookies or fruit and refreshing drinks for Buyers. Stagers can use faux prop food for a look – such as parfaits or small cakes, faux fruit or even faux champagne in glasses, but these are props. Some Stagers can use real fruit as a prop – but with most it’s not to be eaten. To get this 5th sense involved with Buyers the Seller or Realtor will have to provide the delicious snack that gets that last sense engaged, or a team partner Stager can bring cookies and lemonade for the open house – and get that last sense checked off!

Let’s face it – the market is competitive and to get the Sale you want within the timeframe you need, you owe it to yourself and your house to engage all 5 senses for the Buyer.

The Results? A SENSATIONAL Sale . . . When Buyers make a 5 senses connection to a house it is more likely to become their HOME and the Seller will achieve their goals as well of selling versus sitting on the market.

Sensational Home Staging - Using CREATIVITY and not renting or buying!

2010-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

Another Sensationally Staged house - for sale . . . and instead of having the Seller "remove everything and bring in all brand new stuff" - which really requires little creativity - we used what the Seller had in their house - and our ideas.

TWO Staging Project - TWO Success Stories - TWO Examples of Sensational Home Staging. . .

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161639&id=212548433098&l=d953e6310c&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161641&id=212548433098&l=c133798211&ref=mf

In today's market - many sellers cannot afford to "spend" thousands of dollars to "stage" their house - and I put the word in quotes on purpose - because when a Seller is told to get rid of their stuff - and a "Stager" brings in new things - it's Decorating. Decorating focuses on the stuff - and not the space. It's not about the house it's about the Stuff - we can select what we want, put it where we want - and although it might look great - we need to ask - "Was it necessary?"

Sometimes it makes sense to add a few things to add "WOW" Factor or even a lot of things - to make a house appeal to buyers - but to replace a whole house that is already furnished - is a costly venture. If the house is vacant - yes it does need rental furnishings to make it feel homey and inviting. But a furnished house - does NOT need to have things replaced or removed . . . we can work with what you have.

This type of Staging is tougher. Mentally it's hard to be restricted to what someone else may have in their house. I may think it's dated or even unattractive - and I can still work with it - and using my training and experience present the HOUSE using those things - in a way that appeals to buyers.

When a Stager is restricted by what is in the house - CREATIVITY has to kick in - and it's a welcome mental challenge for me. The other type of Staging is physically demanding - because we are bringing in boxes of decor and furniture - but it is not as challenging creatively. Staging with what a Seller has is also physically demanding as furnishings are moved from one place to another, or room to room.

90% of Sellers cannot afford to spend excess on Staging - and so are we so focused on making the look like an episode of Design Chic - that we forget that we can use our creativity to present a house for buyers?

I believe that one reason some Stagers only use rented inventory to Stage is they don't want to take the time to have to figure out how to make the things in a Sellers house work. It's much easier to know that they can bring in the sofa or chair of their choice than be stuck working with one that may be worn or dated.

When a Buyer buys the house - are they buying the furniture too? NO. They are buying the house and space - not the stuff. They do use the furnishings in the rooms to assess whether their things will fit and how to arrange their things. But rarely are they there to shop for furniture and decor.

So Sellers and Realtors - you need to know that Staging is NOT about having you buy or rent things - when you already have things to work with in the house. Check out the link of photos that prove my point.

Could there have been different things added - sure. Was it necessary. No. These houses got the attention they needed post Staging - and the Sellers were flabberagasted at how GREAT their houses looked.

When you want to minimize costs for Staging - and invest in the time it takes to use someone with Talent and Creativity to Stage a house - look for an ASP Stager. Go to www.Stagedhomes.com to find them on the online directly.

If you are in the Denver region - I would love to help you or your client get their house Staged - and will honestly assess whether we can use what they have or if they do need to rent. But the first words out of my mouth will not be "it all has to go and you need to buy things or rent." Never.

Call me at 888-WE-STAGE or 303-717-7918 or go to http://www.sensationalhome.com/ to learn more about how I can help you achieve your goal of Selling your house or listing in the shortest time and for the most money.

TWO Staging Project - TWO Success Stories - TWO Examples of Sensational Home Staging. . .
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161639&id=212548433098&l=d953e6310c&ref=mf
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=161641&id=212548433098&l=c133798211&ref=mf

Home Stagers: Is Your Mama Proud?

2010-03-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Home Stagers: Is Your Mama Proud?

I was thinking early this morning – as my mind wandered and settled on different thoughts and conversations – that as a professional Home Stager – there seem to be those that expect us to do work for FREE to “prove ourselves” with the promise of lots of business to be had.

I know of many Stagers that have fallen into that trap – “Gosh – when they see how wonderful my work is – they will then give me all their business. I just have to prove myself to them.”

Remember what Mama used to say? “Don’t give the milk away for FREE or else they won’t buy the Cow.”

Mama was right – even though she was talking about something else – it applies to business as well.

Let me ask you something.

When was the last time you heard a REALTOR® offering to sell a house for free? (and those that waive the commission fee if the Seller buys a house through them are still MAKING MONEY off that client).

Do you think they have established their business, paid for education, memberships, and insurance – only to work for FREE?

“Gosh – if I just list this house for FREE then these Sellers will refer me to all their friends and the neighbors will see how great I am and the next time someone needs to sell they’ll call me.”

That’s not how it works!

When you give it away for FREE people want that the next time too! They don’t see the VALUE in working with you and therefore diminish your worth.

Realtors would not list a house for free unless they are – well – foolish. I know of NO successful agents that would do this as a strategy for getting business. Instead they focus on their value, their expertise, and their relationships.

So why are Home Stagers expected to “give it up” in order to gain business.

I think we have only ourselves to blame. And it’s – well - foolish.

When we don’t let our prospective clients know that we run a COMPANY – a BUSINESS – and there are business expenses inherent in that – education, memberships, licenses, insurance, marketing – AKA – OVERHEAD. . . when we don’t let people know we have set up a professional business, maybe they think that we really don’t have anything to lose by working for free.

Do Agents or Sellers ask pest inspectors or home inspectors to do their reports for free? NO.
How about Appraisers? Do Agents or Sellers expect them to come and do an appraisal for free? NO.
What about a Title Rep or a Lender – do Agents or Sellers expect them to provide their services for FREE? NO.

These other affiliates of the Real Estate Industry don’t work for FREE – so why should Home Stagers? We don’t have to give it away for FREE in order to gain business and “Show our Stuff."

So STOP using FREE as a marketing strategy. If you are a professional Home Stager, you have value – you BRING VALUE to the table. You can quantify your VALUE to the Realtor and Seller.

And if you are an Agent reading this – please realize that your Home Stager can be a key part of your team – to help you get your listings SOLD, and help you get future business. They have taken the time to set up a Business, and have expenses related to that business, just like you do.

Please don’t expect FREE with the promise of “lots of future business” – I have heard that speech so many times, and it never seems to quite pan out the way it is painted in the beginning.

So my recommendation is to establish a partnership with a trusted and TRAINED professional Stager that can really help YOU gain more business. They can help add to your marketing, and can even provide things to help you in your business. This will make them a valued asset to your team, not just someone that can do things for “cheap or free.”

We honor our Realtor clients and I know how much WORK goes into what an agent does for a Seller and Buyer. I would not dream of asking a Realtor to discount their fees or Sell my house for FREE (or my friend’s or family member’s house) . . . as I know it is not smart Business to do that – and the same is true for a professional Home Stager.

We don’t just dabble in Staging. This is not a hobby. This is a business that we have established to support our lifestyle, just like you – as a Realtor®.

And how do we help you and your Seller? When a house is Staged professionally it will Sell faster – as much as 3-5x faster based on National Statistics tracked at www.Stagedhomes.com), and sell for more – as much as 5-20% more according to the National Association of Realtors. This mean they keep their equity and you make more commission $$.

I’d say that’s bringing a LOT of value to the Seller and Realtor.

I am not opposed to giving “Promotional Incentives” to clients – but I don’t do that until we have an established working relationship, it’s a once in a while thing, and it’s never 100% free. It’s a way I can honor my working relationship with my Realtor partners – and still pay my business expenses – and make a living.

And I can still hold my head high versus feeling cheap because I gave it away for free – and then the next call never came.

Mama would be proud.

6 UPLIFTING TIPS to Get Your House STAGED and SOLD

2010-02-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

6 UPLIFTING TIPS to Get Your House STAGED and SOLD

By Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP®

Owner, Sensational Home Staging – serving the Greater Denver region

1. If it’s cluttered – PACK IT UP

Clutter is a natural part of life and most of us do our best to stay on top of it. Things on surfaces, floors, walls, and in our yards – are all items we enjoy or have “plans for” – and that is life. However, when selling a house – the clutter that is part of daily lives actually cuts into our equity. As Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging®, says, “Clutter eats equity” and the more of it that is around, the harder it is for a buyer to look past and see the possibilities of the house and of living there as their home. When Selling – PACK IT UP – pack up the clutter and this actually gives the Seller a head start on moving – as when the Seller gets an offer they will already have packed up a lot of their smaller things and personal items – which will lessen the stress of having to move.

2. If it’s dated – SPRUCE IT UP

Not all houses are new. Not all buyers want new houses, and yet most all buyers want houses that are in move-in condition. This means that if your house or listing is dated, it might be worth the investment to paint or upgrade elements of the house so it stands up to the competition. Spruce it up – put in warm neutral paint colors on walls and paint over any custom colors that are too bright, too dark, or too dingy. Don’t be stubborn about painting – you are moving. You can paint your new house the colors you want but for Buyers – make the effort to help them mentally move in to the house you are selling by giving them a warm neutral palette.

Take down wall paper or paint over it – wall paper is too customized and individualized - make your house Buyer neutral. Replace worn carpeting if possible, and remove odd objects, funky art that is possibly distracting, and pack up controversial items. Replace dated fixtures – for about $25.00-$75.00 you can replace a faucet, ceiling fan or lighting fixture. That means for an entire house when you invest about $500 you can update a lot of elements that will help your house compete with newer houses for sale.

3. If it’s dirty, CLEAN IT UP!

Dirty houses are a turn off to Buyers. It sends the message, “I did not care for my house and you will probably find maintenance issues here.” It may also send the wrong message to the buyer that you are desperate or in some sort of sticky situation if you are not maintaining your house. That is the wrong message to send when selling. Dig in and do whatever you can to make your house really shine. If you are not able to do it yourself get help. Call in favors or get volunteers that can help you do what you need but do not put a dirty house on the market. If there are pets, get rid of the hair – and that means you need to vacuum UNDER the furniture too – and suck up those dust balls.

Get an objective opinion from someone that has high cleanliness standards – and LISTEN to their advice about your house and don’t take it personally. The things we do for buyers may be beyond what we do for ourselves, but remember this is all about the EQUITY in your house – and your desire to get the BEST offer in the SHORTEST time. Be willing to clean your windows and bathrooms until they sparkle. Buyers can tell how well you’ve cared for your house by looking at the small things – window tracks, bathroom or tile grout, fixtures. If you cannot afford to replace worn carpet, at least CLEAN it! It is an inexpensive investment to ensure your house looks the very best based on your timeframe and budget.

4. If it’s broken – FIX IT UP

Houses that are for sale need to be in good condition as well as show well. It would be worth it to have a home inspector go through your house for sale and find all the things that need repair or replacement so that when the house comes on the market it is ready to sell. A buyer does not like going through a house that has “issues” that need addressing – and anything that can be done up front will help the sale. If you cannot afford a home inspection, go through your house with "Buyer's Eyes" and see how your house stands up to the scrutiny you know it will go through with showings. Make sure things are in working order, any cosmetic scuffs or knicks are repaired, and your house is ready for the public to come through.

5. If it’s overgrown – TRIM IT UP

The outside of the house makes the first impression and we have about 3-10 seconds to capture the attention . Curb appeal is extremely important and yet many Sellers fail to address that when their house comes on the market. Trees get bigger and overgrown, and shrubs grow wider and taller – and sometimes the house – that is the product – is hidden. Take the time to trim trees and shrubs so that they don't make the house feel crowded. Add color to help with curb appeal - with annuals or perennials that highlight the yard and house and show up well in photos. And don't forget the side yards and back yard. If there is a view - show it off. If there is an eyesore - minimize it with strategically placed trees or lattice. If there are unused pots or other yard items, box them up or get rid of them. Minimize "yard art" as well - remember we want the focus on the house, not pink flamingos or a collection of cute bunnies.

6. If it’s not selling – LISTEN UP

Ultimately, Staging is a marketing tool and a financial tool to help the Seller and Staging will help a house sell faster and at the best price in any market. It is well worth it to invest in an objective opinion about your house by hiring a professional Stager to come and create a Staging plan for your house. Listen up to your Stager and do your best not to take things personally when you may be advised to pack, paint or perk up your house.

Staging works – however it is not a “magic wand” that allows a seller to price their house outside of where it will sell. It will help a house sell faster than the un-Staged competition. Statistics prove that fact – and yet Sellers - Listen UP to your Realtor and if your house is not selling and it is Staged properly for sale, then it is the price that is keeping a buyer from buying. This does not mean that the Staging did not work – it means that the house needs to meet the market conditions and other factors that could be impacting the sale – and it WILL sell before the competition that has NOT taken into account presentation and Staging as a marketing, listing and financial tool.

Follow this UPLIFTING advice and you should be receiving an offer on your house that will lift you up and make you glad that you invested the time and dollars in Staging. Whether you implement the suggestions provided to you by a professional Home Stager or you hire them to help you do the work, Staging is a proven way to get top dollar for your house in any market. And in today’s market and economy, we need every tool available to help put our best foot – or your case – house – forward and attract the positive attention that will get your house SOLD!

If you are in the Denver region and want a professional Home Stager’s evaluation of your house or listing, contact Jennie Norris, ASP Master®, IAHSP President, and Owner of Sensational Home Staging (www.SensationalHome.com)

Why Every Realtor Needs A "Guido" On Their Team

2010-02-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

The other night my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner with a new friend, and real estate professional and manager of an office, and her husband. We had a great time. However, as is common, the conversation got around to what we both enjoy doing, and when we talked about my Staging business this friend shared something I thought was very insightful - and about which I agreed 1000%.

She said (I am paraphrasing) that she was encouraging agents in her office to add a Stager to their team so the agent did not have to tell clients things that could hurt their feelings or as I call it, "Be Guido."

"Being Guido" means you are the one that tells the client all the things they have to change in their house before putting it on the market. It's like you are the "bad guy" - hence the name I give it - "Guido."

Agents - Do you REALLY want to go there with your client? I know many of you have ideas and knowledge on how to prep a house for sale - and yet do you REALLY want to be the one that tells them their house is outdated, paint colors are wrong, they have too much stuff, their collection of Hummels, Lladros, thimbles, teapots, trolls, beer steins, hats, mugs, golf balls, sports pariphenalia, etc.- has to be packed. . . or their big moose head on the wall that they love so much - has to go?!!

Staging is an investment in getting the house sold - and the average Staging report is about $200-$300. That is a worthwhile investment to get the client to make changes - without the Realtor risking something that is worth far more than $200-$300: The RELATIONSHIP.

No matter how you couch it - that Seller will always remember that you told them things about their house and taste - and decor, furnishings, and things they love - that may hurt their feelings. Even when the seller says, "Oh go ahead and tell me - it won't hurt my feelings." That is not true.

I have heard them say that hundreds of times - and yet they almost always cross their arms at some point when I am working with them - which is a LOUD body signal that "I don't like what I am hearing." Now - because I have training in how to work with clients I don't just "press on" with my opnions. I stop and assure the client, I compliment them, and help them get past whatever emotional issue is happening to cause them to shut down - and I will compromise if needed so that I do NOT risk the client's feelings. That takes TRAINING and EXPERIENCE.

Can I caution you agents out there that are contemplating working with a Home Stager? Don't just pick someone because you like their website or photos. A lot of Stagers work with vacant houses - and don't have to interact with a client, their things, and the emotions. If you list houses that have stuff in them - including a family - you need to work with a Stager that KNOWS how to handle this combination - a possible stressful situation with the seller and why they are moving, family members that may not be 100% on board, and the "stuff" they love in their house that they need to move, pack, or change.

I think getting a trusted Home Stager to be part of your Real Estate Team is genius - of course I would think that - but from your perspective - it will help protect your relationship with your client, and not put you in that sticky situation at all. Leave that part up to those that can get the client on board, not risk your relatiionship (because I am there to make YOU look good too!) and get the Staging done.

Because that is the goal after all - to get the house Staged so YOU can SELL IT for the Seller in the shortest time and at the best price!

We can make a WINNING TEAM! "Bada bing! Trust me" - oh wait, that sorta sounds like "Guido."

WHO is a TYPICAL HOME STAGER?

2010-01-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

WHO is a HOME TYPICAL STAGER? by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver Region

I am! I am! Are you? We have many versions of "us" out there, and based on the thousands that have entered the market over the last decade, and the many hundreds if not thousands I have met, I find out in class, at conventions, at meetings, and online - what people's backgrounds are and how they got into Staging.

The results of my informal but experienced survey may surprise you!

I offer up my profile of the "typical Home Stager." And by typical - I don't mean "average."
She is a woman (although thre are plenty of male Stagers), usually married, typically in her 40's-50's (although we do have more and more younger people entering the field inthe past 3 years and we also have many older women who do a great job!). She is creative. She has had several careers or at least multiple roles within one company over the years. She has been a business owner, lawyer, nurse, teacher, corporate executive, admin, sales person, marketing guru, or even stay at home mom. She is not in physically perfect shape, and she sweats when she Stages. She works hard, likes people, and Stages for the satisfaction of helping others and because she can make good money. She is a mom, grandma, wife, comforter, business entrepreneur and even a child referee.
Let's compare that to the television version of a Stager: There are typcially two types of Stagers shown on TV.

The first typical TV Stager is a man - usually gay - that has no kids but may have pets. He is probably a decorator or designer that has forayed into Staging. He is in his 20's-30's - he Stages houses and is shown with a fabulous inventory to use for his projects. He is funny and fun to watch. He is successful and savvy and has a passion for what he does.

Does that sound like YOU? I know, me neither.

The other television version of a Stager is a younger woman who is attractive, in nearly perfect shape, and is usually a designer who has not really run a typical Staging business. She has been successful in design and has a great eye for décor, placement. She is smart, sexy and looks good on camera. She has been seen in fashionable attire, high heels, and in some shows, actually wears "work clothes" - slacks, tennis shoes, etc.

Does that sound like YOU? It's getting closer except for the part about being in perfect shape and being able to Stage in heels (LOL).

One other common element of the TV Home Stager is that they can be portrayed as caustic and rude to the client, which is unfortunate. This is probably for "entertainment" value but ends up giving the wrong impression to the public. Not all shows on TV with Stagers are like this, but there are enough that are that makes it a concern.

Does that sound like YOU? Definitely NOT!

If you are reading this and like me feel like you cannot relate to who you see on TV as far as them looking like you or Staging like you, know that you are not alone.

In reality, 95% of Home Stagers are primarily women that are creative and looking for a way to have a business and/or add extra income to their family household. We are moms, wives, comforters, and business owners - and we not only run successful businesses, we run a successful household, daycare, love nest, marriage, and more! We spin many plates and manage to be productive despite all the distractions and outside responsibilities we have. We know that most of the TV versions of who we are could not last a week in our shoes.

Now, the MEN that are reading this - I know YOU may watch and feel that you need representation on TV too - for the ways YOU run your businesses and for your background.

The other issue with TV Stagers and shows is that TV has the public believing that all Stagers must have a HUGE inventory of expensive things to be successful. Or they have access to a crew that can build things with ease, and whip up a bookshelf, refinish tables, and remodel the house - all in a day's work! When I was interviewed by a television station for a show, one of their first questions was "how large is your warehouse?" and they wanted pictures. They didn't ask about my success rate as a professional Home Stager or ask to see a portfolio of photos. It's almost as if they are saying, "You cannot be successful if you don't have expensive inventory warehoused in a big place." They were thinking "visual" for the show - not what really happens in a Staging business.

I've "been there -done that" and invested a LOT of dollars into inventory that I used with my clients. However, I know we as Stagers serving the general public day in and day out - without TV crews following us around - can be successful without sinking profits into "stuff." I want to Stage, not run a furniture rental business. I do have inventory, but after having to manage and maintain a large volume of inventory, I'd rather take that time (and money) to find more clients and leave that part up to the rental experts or colleagues that partner with me.

I also don't really hear if the houses on TV sell. Did the Staging do the job? I hear plenty about how great they made the houses look but do these shows actually track statistics that prove their Staging works? If they do - I'd be interested to see them - I don't doubt the houses Sell, but so much emphasis is on how the house "looks" and the "stuff" and not the Sale and the Seller. Outside if it looking "gorgeous" because of all the wonderful stuff brought in, what else can you tell me about the process AFTER the Staging was done?

And what happens when the Seller says they cannot afford to rent or buy things? Do you just walk away because after all it's not entertainment value to have to use old or dated stuff? Or does the TV budget provided cover that aspect? I know there are shows where it just films the Home Stager and the money for the project is negotiated and collected by the Stager, and no other budget is provided by the TV show producer, but for most companies and individuals on the shows, they are getting compensated either up front or on the back end or in some other way for participating in the show.

You might say, "Jennie, What fun is it to Stage with all the old stuff in a house?" The FUN is that it challenges your and my creativity! It's not as creatively challenging to go out and rent or buy things to bring into a house and set them up to look like a magazine. It takes more time and labor to do it that way. The challenge with having to use what a seller has is having to "get out of the box" and tap into creative resources in our minds that we did not know existed! Making a house look wonderful and inviting is the magic of Staging! Making a new use for an item is great! Why is that not shown on TV?

Not everyone can do this - it takes practice and a lots of creativity. I can plan out the interior décor of a house with the best of them. I have set up multi-million dollar vacant houses down to modest small vacant bungalows. Occupied and Vacant houses. Being project manager and selecting the look, style, and placement of all the furnishings is easier from the standpoint that I am in charge and get to pick the colors, style, and placement. Running the project takes skill - and keeping things on track, setting the budget, negotiating with the client and managing the financials is a key part of business ownership.

Having to use what a Seller has in an occupied house is much tougher mentally - but easier on their pocketbook. And let's face it - in today's economy not every Seller is willing to or can afford $5,000+ to Stage their house.

Stagers can specialize and just Stage vacants or just Stage houses where they use inventory, etc. In my opinion, I think that part of the whole package is missing when we only do half of what we could do in the industry. It boils down to personal preference and there is not one "right way" to run a business or Stage. But so far, I am not seeing the other side of Staging that does not involve expensive rental furniture and a designer approach, versus working with what a Seller has with creativity and a reasonable budget.

So Who is a Home Stager?
Really, it's anyone that has a creative passion and the ability to visualize a space in a different way. It's a person that has excellent interpersonal skills, enjoys people, likes networking, knows marketing, and likes calling their own shots. It's a person that likes real estate and Realtors, and is not afraid to dig in and WORK (sweat!). It's a person that knows how to handle and hand-hold Sellers. It's someone that has a flair and individualized taste, but who also knows what the public expects to see when they walk through the door of a house. It's someone that is a good time manager, project manager, and people manager. It's a person that likes the challenge of going after business and reaps the rewards of taking that risk. It can be a man or woman, young or old, any race, any religion, sexual preference, and any educational background.

Does that sound like your resume? If so - you are in the right business!

Staging also does not discriminate. If you have the desire and fire to do something different with your life, and are ready to take on the challenge of building a business - then hang on! You are in for a great ride as you get on or stay on the Home Staging train! Get ready to go places and see things you probably thought you'd never see - big houses, small houses, cluttered houses, empty houses, and a slew of "amazing" things people have in their homes that they just don't understand why they need to pack! Get ready to meet some incredible people and experience the euphoria of a Staging project well done and done well!
I know that has been my story - and I know over time the profile I provided of a "typical" stager WILL change as the business continues to attract all sorts of people to it! How Wonderful!

I AM a Professional Home Stager and I am excited to be part of the next evolution of the Home Stager!- Jennie

Get in the Zone – the Creative Zone!

2010-01-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

Get in the Zone – the Creative Zone! by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

My eyes are heavy and my head has sunk blissfully into my pillow. Another day passed and I am ready for a good night’s slumber . . . and then something odd happens. My brain decides it is not ready for sleep and all these ideas start to flood in. It’s like a door to a creative part of my brain that was not awake (or acknowledged) during the day has been opened. And I HAVE to walk through it.

In the past I did not take advantage of these Creative Surges and would believe I would “remember the message in the morning” only to have the details be a distant memory. The inspired genius idea or thought not to be recovered and perhaps a missed opportunity went with it.

After having this happen to me one time too many, what I learned to do is to have a notebook by my bed for ideas, sketches and thoughts. I have even been known to get up at 2 AM and go to the computer to type what I have in my head – to get it out so that I can rest and go to sleep! Sometimes it takes a few minutes, and other times it has taken a couple of hours – but I have to get it out.

I have done this with business ideas, Staging plans and projects – where I visualizing the end result. I have had this happen when developing a marketing campaign or idea. I have written articles and stories based on Creative Surges. I have had ideas and brainstorms for our family, my life – and been amazed at what clear thoughts or solutions come when I turn off my own conscious thinking.

I remember one of my first Creative Surges happened when I was 18 and was asked to write an article for a magazine. The article was about what it was like being an identical twin on a performance team – which had been my life for 8 years. So I wrote a nice article and went to bed. Then I had a Creative Surge and the entire content and tone of the article completely changed in my head. I got up and wrote and wrote and wrote! The resulting article was so much better and inspired than the original, and the overall tone, message and flow was completely different than the original – and not something I thought I wanted to write. It was not until my mind wandered to my Creative Zone that I was able to envision something totally fresh and new.

I have written blog posts or had ideas floating in my head about something I wanted to share and it is not until I am in a quiet place of rest that my thoughts are free to flow! I have to go to my Creative Zone where my Creative Surges happen. So it reminds me to allow my Creative Surges to happen during the day too . . . get to a place where I am not just “doing” things all the time but to allow myself time to rest, get quiet, even lie down – and let my mind wander.

When is your Creative time and do you let your inner Creative Surge happen? For me “zoning out” is not about tuning out – it’s about tuning IN to my inner creative self – and allowing the “genius” that is in all of us to come out and inspire!

Paper ready, pen poised – Bring on the Creativity! Get in the Zone and watch your inner genius arise!

Home Staging Statistics updated for January 2010 - get your accurate data here!

2010-01-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Once again, Stagedhomes.com (http://www.stagedhomes.com/), the industry leader in Home Staging education has provided updated Statistics for Home Staging that show when houses are Staged for sale, they sell up to 5 times faster than the un-staged competition! That is HUGE in today's market and economy where houses that sit on the market are reduced in price as the only method to attract a Buyer. This can cost a Seller tens of thousands of dollars.

Meanwhile, the average investment to Stage a house ranges from $300-$2,000 depending on whether the house is vacant or occupied, and whether the Seller does the work or hires the professional Home Stager to do the work. High end or custom homes that are vacant cost more to Stage because they are larger and/or require unique inventory.

The bottom line: Save yourself thousands and get your house professionally Staged. Bring in an ASP Master or an ASP Home Stager to give you an honest assessment of your house's needs in order to get an offer in the shortest time and at the best price based on market conditions.

If you live in the Denver area, call Home Staging expert, Jennie Norris, with Sensational Home Staging at 888-WE-STAGE or email her at SensationalHomeStaging@Q.com

Sensational Home Staging Partners with ERA Agents and the Gold Star Property Program

2010-01-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

ERA and ASPs nationwide have partnered up to provide Home Staging services to Sellers as part of the ERA Gold Star Property Program. In the Littleton area, I am happy to announce I will be offering a 10% discount on Home Staging services as part of this national program.

Link HERE for the downloadable flyer you can share with your fellow agents and clients.

http://www.envisionent.net/ERA_Gold_Star_Flyer.pdf

Happy Staging and Selling!

Jennie

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President
Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging
http://www.sensationalhome.com/
SensationalHomeStaging@q.com

If Home Staging is in the Main STREAM why are so many Sellers up the CREEK without a paddle?

2010-01-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

If Home Staging has gone Main STREAM why are so many Houses still up the CREEK without a paddle?

Home Staging has gone Main STREAM - and yet there are still many houses that are not Staged and listed for sale. WHY?

Based on my experience, it can only be one of two reasons.

1. The Seller does not believe Staging will work to help them get the best price in the shortest time.

2. The Seller has not been told the honest truth about their house.

I know that some people would think “MONEY” – and yet when a Seller understands that “The investment in Staging is less than a price reduction” – they cannot afford NOT to Stage!

When they understand that Staging will help them keep anywhere from 5-20% of their equity (according to the National Association of Realtors) based on their current market conditions, why would they not want to invest in Staging? On average the Staging report that details what the Seller needs to do is about $300. For vacant houses, an average house would be about $2,000 for the Staging installation with an ongoing monthly rental commitment until the house sells. Custom homes or houses that require unique inventory would be more.

CONSIDER THIS:

Home Gain came out with a recent study for 2009 that listed Home Staging as the second most important activity a Seller can do to get top dollar for their house. The number one activity was de-cluttering – which is part of any Staging plan, so really, Staging is the BEST thing a seller can do to ensure the best price in the shortest time.

CLICK HERE for STAGING STATISTICS you can use.

The most important part about Home Staging is getting the Seller to consider the BUYER and what they want to see, feel and experience in the house. Sometimes this does require sharing tough messages to the Seller, but when it is couched in kindness, it is easier to receive. And providing them actual help to get the work done is also key.

A professional ASP® Home Stager has been trained to handle clients with kindness, and work within their timeframe and budget to get the Staging completed. This helps everyone involved in the selling process as a Staged house sells faster and at a better price than a comparable un-Staged house.

When you want an honest assessment of your house or property for a client or yourself, you can trust the professional recommendations of Sensational Home Staging and Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President.

http://www.sensationalhome.com/

SensationalHomeStaging@Q.com

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5 Things You'll Never Hear Me Say . . .

2009-12-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

5 Things You’ll Never Hear Me Say . . .

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master®, IAHSP® President
December 16, 2009

Let’s face it. How many of you have grown tired of the shows on TV that depict homeowners as tasteless saps and the Interior experts – Designers, Decorators – as the only ones with taste and knowledge?

I know I have. Actually as much as those shows do help educate the public about doing something to spiff up their houses, they also do damage to my industry – The Home Staging Industry - by portraying us as critics that have no manners when we walk in to a house.

As an Accredited Staging Professional Master® (ASPM®), the FIRST principle I learned when establishing my business was to “honor the client and their possessions.” Words are powerful. They have the power to heal, to hurt, to uplift, and to drag down. Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging®, has taught this basic principle for nearly 40 years. It is founded in the principle of human kindness and consideration for others.

It amazes me that somehow others miss the boat on the fact that people have feelings, and when it comes time to sell a house, those feelings are elevated to a much higher stress level. I am never there to be a dictator, a critic or to offend my client in any way. I am also never there to make the Realtor® that may have brought me in to work with their seller, look bad. That would be foolish and amount to financial suicide.

Here are 5 things you will NEVER hear me say:

1. You have no taste!

2. What were you thinking!

3. These woods or colors don’t match.

4. Your things are outdated.

5. You need to replace all your things to get a Buyer.

1. Your taste is your own. Home Staging is not about the “things” in your house. It is about featuring the house and the floor plan for the Buyer. Your things may be worn, may be a bit dated, but that’s OK. We are not selling your furniture. The Buyers have furniture – they just need to see if it will fit and so they use your furnishings to get an approximation of scale and size visually, and this helps them mentally move in to your house.

2. Your things are what you enjoy. Who am I to come and tell you that you have the “wrong things” in your house? If you like a particular color or collect certain things, that’s your choice. Again as I have learned from Barb Schwarz, “The way you live in your home, and the way we market and sell a house are two different things.” So I focus on things that could be potentially distracting to Buyers. When people are walking through your house, they do get easily distracted by photos, collections, and anything that is too “incredible” to leave out – as that becomes the only thing the Buyers remember about your house. So, you do have to make changes to Stage your house for sale, but they are not done to criticize you or your belongings.

3. Matchy-Smatchy. Your furniture woods don’t have to match – in fact we don’t’ really need to focus on that at all when we Stage your house. People that come and tell you that “your things are all wrong” are focusing on the “stuff” and not the space. They must not have gotten the memo that the “eclectic look is in” and we can do wonders with what you have by simply reducing, rearranging, and possibly refreshing with a little “WOW Factor” inventory.

4. Most people don’t replace their furniture every season so guess what – their things are “outdated.” My own house has things we’ve owned for 10 years or longer. I am not going to replace all my furniture any more than you should be expected to. That is not realistic. A house that is dated can still be Staged and reflect the best way for Buyers. Of course, if you have dated fixtures and colors, those are easy fixes for Selling and as your Home Stager, I am going to suggest making improvements as your budget allows. However, if you tell me you don’t have any extra money, then I am going to successfully work with what you have and make it look the best for Buyers. That is what I am trained to do as an ASP Master® – I use my Creativity and Ideas to Stage – and don’t just rely solely on your money to replace and upgrade everything.

5. Please don’t fall into this trap. Even if you have a very high end house – don’t fall into the trap of “you must remove all your things and we will bring in rental furnishings to get your house sold.” Now if your house is vacant, yes, you do need to rent some things. But if you have furniture in your house, I can work with that. I may bring in some added “pizzazz” with décor or key Staging items, but I am never going to tell you that all your stuff has to be removed in order to sell. Anyone that does that is focused on money and not the goal of selling your house. It makes me cringe inside when I hear that some Sellers are being gouged in the tens-of-thousands of dollars to Stage their house with some supposed “stager” (usually some other profession cloaked in the guise of Staging) – that convinces them the only way their house will sell is with all new stuff. Ouch.

When you want an honest assessment of what to do to put your house on the market to get the best price in the shortest time, please make sure to work with an Accredited Staging Professional® (ASP®) Home Stager or a ASP Master.

If you reside in the greater Denver region, I would be happy to assist you or your client in preparing your house or listing for sale.

My commitment to all my clients is that I will provide an honest assessment and work with your budget and timeframe to successfully Stage your house for sale.

Happy Staging and Selling!

Jennie Norris, ASP Master®, IAHSP®
President, International Association of Home Staging Professionals® (IAHSP®) 2009-2010
Owner, Sensational Home Staging
http://www.sensationalhome.com/
SensationalHomeStaging@q.com
888-WE-STAGE

10 Markets that are Poised for Rebound and 10 Markets that are Over Priced

2009-12-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

10 Cities Where Housing is on the Rebound.

According to Michael Kling of Investopedia (www.Investopedia.com), the following US Cities are poised for rebound:

(from MSN.com Real Estate news – December 16, 2009)

1. Minneapolis – up 3.2%. Manufacturers such as 3M, and high-tech industries are hoping to benefit from the coming recovery. Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp is among the healthiest U.S. financial services companies, according to Moody's.

2. San Francisco – up 2.8%. Home prices there will drop 8.3% by next June, but will increase 14.3% by 2011.

3. Detroit – up 1.9%. Home prices fell 22.6% since last year, and are at about 72% of what they were in 2000.

4. Chicago – up 1.7% following a 2.7% increase from June to July due to first-time homebuyer tax credit that has motivated buyers.

5. Phoenix – up 1.6% after a 1.8% increase from June to July. The city was one of the hardest hit in the real-estate bubble. Prices have dropped by more than 25% since last year.

6. San Diego – up 1.6% but reported a 2.5% increase in July, and fell about 8.9% since last year.

7. Los Angeles – up 1.6% - Prices there rose 1.8% from June to July, but are still 12% lower than last year.

8. Washington DC – up 1.4%. and fell almost 8% since last year. The city is somewhat protected by a reliance on government employment.

9. Denver – up 1% - Prices there fell only about 2% since last year and have avoided the real-estate bubble that hit east and west coast states.

10. Seattle – up 0.1% with 3.8% increase predicted over the next few years. The real-estate market suffered less than others, as prices fell 15.2% over the last few years.

According to Forbes, the following cities are the most overpriced markets.

This means the houses for sale in these markets are sitting longer than needed and are not selling.

The 10 most overpriced metro areas

1. Orlando-Kissimmee, Fla.

2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla.

3. Jacksonville, Fla.

4. Baltimore-Towson, Md.

5. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.

6. San Antonio

7. Denver-Aurora, Colo. (tie)

7. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. (tie)

9. Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.

10. Austin-Round Rock, Texas (tie)

10. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. (tie)

As an ASP Home Stager, it is important that I stay on top of the national statistics and trends related to the housing market so that I can serve my clients even better. Knowing that markets around the country are rebounding is good news, and yet in any market ASP Home Staging helps a house present the best for Buyers and therefore get an offer faster than the un-staged competition.

We know that when a house is ASP Staged and priced right, it will sell. But the two key factors of Presentation and Price must be balanced. We know based on our statistics that we track at Stagedhomes.com that an ASP Staged property sells 2-3 times faster, and in some markets 6 time faster, than the un-Staged competition. We also know that the Staged property sells for 5-20% more than the un-Staged competition, helping homeowners keep more equity and helping Realtors earn more commission and make more money.

When it comes time to sell your house, make sure to work with an ASP Home Stager. You can find us at http://www.stagedhomes.com/ in our online directory or at http://www.iahsp.com/ online directory of the current members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP).

If you live in the greater Denver region, I would be happy to personally assist you in getting your house or listing Staged for sale.

Please contact me at Sensational Home Staging - 888-WE-STAGE. www.SensationalHome.com

Happy Staging & Selling!

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP President
Owner, Sensational Home Staging
http://www.sensationalhome.com/
888-WE-STAGE
SensationalHomeStaging@q.com

New Staging Statistics Survey - Supports Home Staging return on Investment

2009-11-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

HomeGain has just released its 2009 survey of the top 12 things a Seller can do to make their house more marketable. #2 on the list: Home Staging. It has steadily climbed up the ranks as one of the most important things a Seller can do when putting their house on the market. With an average investment of $300 - Home Staging has over a 500% measureable rate of return.

See for yourself: The Return on Staging Investment (ROSI) is factual and supported by studies such as the one below, as well as statistics that are tracked nationwide through Stagedhomes.com.

"Your Job Sounds so Fun!" - The Reality of a Home Staging Career

2009-11-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

If I have heard that once, I have heard it 100 times."Your job sounds so fun!" and to be fair, I suppose from the outside looking in, it DOES seem like a "fun job." Most recently as I was boarding a plane the flight attendant spied my carry on that promotes my Staging business and exclaimed how fun my job must be . . .

What the public sees is the transformation of a house - room by room - where we use creativity and skill to enhance what the public sees when buying a house. What they don't see is all the work and planning that went in to that successful transformation.

Seems that most people believe that Home Staging is a "fun" job . . . probably ranking up there with Genie, magician, dolphin trainer, or some other "job" where a person appears to get to do something others perceive is lots of fun but don't really understand all the work behind the result. I haven't asked, but I think they believe that we just move a bunch of decor around and diddle with fabric or bedding, and tossing pillows is the most labor intensive thing we do.

To most, they probably figure we have an army of "workers" at our disposal, like those people on TV - that work for free, and make magic happen with their saws, lumber, and materials they just pull out of their magic trucks or vans. If there are Stagers that do this, it is a very, very small percentage. Most of us are the ones doing the work, moving the stuff, and lifting the furniture.

What they don't realize is that although Home Staging is "fun" it is also a lot of work. Home Staging itself is very physical too, or it can be. Home Stagers sweat. Home Stagers strain. Home Stagers can even stress out.

The reality of Staging is that it is not glamorous and the "fun" is not about the ease of what we do, but about the reward of a job well done. Most professional Home Stagers I know that actually work a business, and don't just preach about it, are in the trenches getting sweaty and schlepping stuff from point A to house B.

The days when I Stage, I show up in my "uniform" which is comfortable shorts and a tank top, sandals or tennis shoes, and my hair up in a clip. To be brutally honest, on days when I wake up and know I am Staging a vacant house, I don't bother with makeup, except maybe some lipstick, and - shocker here - don't even bother to style or comb my hair. Why bother - I am going to sweat - and I am not going to see a client so vanity goes out the window. I just stick my hair up in a scrunchy or hair clip - and off I go to "work." Where I live, the temps can reach over 110 degrees in the summer, and just loading up for a Staging project brings a workout. We don't "perspire." We sweat.

In the winter, we bundle up and deal with the cold temps and freezing weather - and hope that our projects "beat the rain" or other bad weather, but we've Staged during near hurricane winds, and with fog so thick we can hardly see to drive. God bless those Stagers that deal with hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, sleet, and any other weather related challenges. Like the mailman, come rain, wind, snow or shine, the show must go on!

I have been physically injured numerous times from Staging. I have broken toes, injured my foot, pulled muscles, gotten bruises, cut myself, gotten tennis-elbow from lifting furniture, and had a bungee cord snap back in my face, splitting my lip open. In that case, the show went on, and we Staged a house because we needed to get it done, with my lip bleeding for 9 hours. Good news is it was my lip - a few inches higher and it would have taken out my eye. I have had sore back, legs, arms and neck from Staging - and over the years have gotten smarter about how much physical labor I personally do, opting to hire movers and manual labor help whenever the budget allows. There are "tools" we can use to help minimize some of the physical strain - furniture lifters, movers, and such, but the bottom line is that we cannot escape the physical nature of Staging. Even if we are just pulling inventory and loading our truck, that is physical.

Home Staging is fun because we are helping others, we do get to see the transformation of a space happen relatively quickly, and we get the reward of accomplishment when the house sells faster than expected - compared to the marketed un-staged competition. But it's not "fun" in the sense that it's easy to do.

Working with clients and providing Staging reports is not physical, but it is mental. We may not sweat while preparing the Staging report (unless the homeowner does not have their air conditioning on), but the mental side of coming up with a plan of action on the spot, and then having the ability to convey that plan with compassion and kindness to a Seller that may or may not be ready to hear the suggestions, or be excited about moving, can be a challenge and be somewhat stressful. The emotional aspect is something we have to be prepared for each time we work with a client. We never know what response they are going to have to our plan, and much of the time we act in the role of compassionate counselor, encouraging them to make changes that will ultimately benefit them the most in the sale of their property.

The longer we engage in business, the more confidence we get, and the better prepared we feel going in to work with a client, but I don't believe we ever fully get over that feeling of pressure to perform Staging magic, using what a Seller has or bringing in some "WOW" factor, with the hopes that everything will turn out great. We have a vision, we work to carry that out to the best of our ability, factoring in what the seller has to work with, any limitations we may have, the necessary timeframe, and budget.

My last Staging report was done late one afternoon, and the next day we showed up to do hands-on Staging to finish it off, with the clock ticking from a Realtor that wanted to get the house on the MLS - ASAP! Of course, the Realtor was thrilled and the seller got a real kick out of seeing how we used her things, combined with some basic inventory - to get her house show ready. She even said, "You were not like those people on TV - you treated me very kindly and I appreciate that." Working with pressure is not something every person can handle, and yet professional Stagers do it every day.

My greatest satisfaction comes not just from seeing a room come together with my ideas that transfer from mind to reality, but from the reaction of a client that cannot believe how nice their house looks, and from a Realtor who is thrilled at a tranformation of their listing. And it comes from a part of me that feels great joy at using my talent and creativity in a way that helps someone else.

Ultimately, when I finish a Staging project, there is a part of me that just wants to high-five someone, or do a celebration dance. As I have shared with colleagues - having a "theme song" is important and keeping the actual Staging fun - by sharing it with other professional ASP Stagers is what make it fun for me as well. As I learned from my mentor, Barb Schwarz, "having a party with myself" is half the fun of Staging - and that happens when I do something unexpected with Staging, when my creativity comes out and we use something in a new way, or make something out of "nothing" in order to achieve a goal. I love that feeling.

However, the "work" behind Staging never ends. Any successful Stager will tell you that getting the business is always on our minds. We are managers, marketers, and workers. Besides the physical labor that leaves us sweaty and tired, there is the constant marketing that has to occur. We can never just sit back and "wait" for business but must constantly find ways to reach our target audience with our message of how we can help them achieve their goals of selling faster and at the best price.

As a markets change, we have to change our strategy for getting business, so we are also adjusting to economic trends that impact our business. Any successful Home Stager will attest to the reality behind reinvention, and carving out market niches to stay viable.

Yes, our "job is fun" but it is also a lot of work - mentally and physically. We have to have endurance to make it through the tougher times, we have to have optimism to keep our hope alive when the going gets tough, and we have to rejuvenate our creative spirit by continuing to find new ways to test our skills and transform houses and spaces that truly need our Staging touch.

So those of you out there looking from the outside at Home Staging - and believe it is one of those "fun" jobs - what it is really is a passion that we have turned into a career. Despite the physical, mental and even emotional work it takes, we love it because it feeds a part of our soul or spirit that nothing else meets.

THAT is the real "fun" behind Home Staging.