What a great feeling it is to know that I have built great relationships with my clients! They trust me to be professional, kind, and consistent when applying our staging principles. ASP® know what it takes! I AM Proud to be part of an amazing group of business people!

Stacey Gibson

Online dating is very common these days.  People create a profile with pertinent information about interests, hobbies, background, etc. and add photos for those looking online for a match.  Based on what is read online, the people decide to set up a date to meet in person. They are basically interviewing a person online to see if there is more of an interest.  It’s like a job interview – to get the appointment to meet in person, your resume or information has to be compelling and a match to the prospective employer.

Isn’t that the same thing we do when we list a house for sale and put our info on the internet for buyers to see?  When a Buyer looks at your house online, it’s an interview.  They are checking out the house and reviewing the information to see if they want to engage further in the relationship.  Based on what they see, they either decide to meet the house in person or move on to the next online option.  Remember we only have one chance to make a good first impression.

The Wall Street Journal just came out with a highly interesting study that shared 45% of buyers do NOT read agent comments on properties they find online and instead rely on the PHOTOS of the house to either convince them to want to see more or move on to the next online listing.  This is a crucial part of the property interview that either leads to a date or moves the buyer to the next online option.

The question becomes, “Is your house or listing making a good Interview impression?”  If the photos shown online are of cluttered, empty, dated, and/or dirty rooms the interview is unsuccessful and buyers move on to the next option.

Imagine back when we were dating or if you are currently dating – think about how we present ourselves on a date?  Do we go out with our worst clothes on, uncombed hair and heck – why bother showering?  No.  Hopefully we put our best foot forward to make a good impression and dress nicely, groom appropriately, and make an effort.  We smell good, we look good.

So the question becomes, “Is your house Date Worthy?  When Buyers come in person does your house or listing make the right first impression for people looking at the house?  Does it smell right?  Is it clean?  Is it appealing?  Does it make Buyers want to see more?  If not, they will turn around and leave and move on to the next property.

Staging is the KEY to getting successful Interviews that translate into Dates.  Photos online of un-Staged houses do not create a good impression for the online interview and will not result in a date.  Instead those houses will sit on the market, not have showings because of how unappealing they look, and actually be “used” to sell the houses that sell.

When Buyers come in person for their date, the house better look like it did online - Staged and ready to buy!  Using pictures of a furnished house and selling that house vacant when the Sellers move out does not compute to a Buyer.  It is misleading and is disappointing to Buyers when the photos do not translate to the reality of what they experience in the house.  It’s like the old bait and switch of online dating – people load up a photo of a really attractive, fit individual and when they meet in person what they actually get is a mildly attractive out of shape reality.  The photos need to match what is seen in person or else a buyer will just turn around and leave.  A vacant house does not cut it to get top dollar.  Without furniture and decor to highlight the rooms, add warmth and emotional appeal, all a buyer has to look at are the flaws in the house.

I had a client that shared their house was under contract and it fell through.  They had already moved out and despite the fact that they received an offer quickly at first, they were now faced with an empty house that did not show well.  When the house was furnished they received rave reviews about how nice it looked.  When they house was being shown as a vacant product, all the sellers heard were complaints about all the things that were “wrong” with the house – and they had not changed anything except move out.  So wisely they invested in Staging so that they could once again create that buyer appeal and give the buying audience more to focus on than the empty rooms.

The last piece of key advice is to keep the house ready to show at all times. Sellers cannot relax in the house once it’s Staged.  They have to set the scene daily to ensure that any in-person showings or dates leave the best impression.  As a professional ASPM® Stager, I have Showing Instructions that I leave with Sellers that include key tips they need to do on a daily basis to make sure their house is date worthy on a daily basis.

In order to Sell successfully the house must interview well online and be selected for the in person date that will hopefully lead to the offer to buy the house!  It all starts with Staging for the buying audience – marketing the product properly with Staging and the Seller can eventually relax and move on to their new home once their house SELLS with Staging!

I consider one of the most important aspects of my Home Staging training through StagedHomes.com® is that I was taught to be sensitive to my clients.  I hold this philosophy near and dear and use it foremost in my Staging business.  Not only has it helped me provide great customer service, but I am regularly complemented by Realtors® on how gently I handle their tough clients.

Too many sellers expect us to come into a project full of critical insults about their housekeeping, color and décor preferences, and their beloved personal collections.  Though HGTV has some great programming, the real estate teams who criticize the homes of sellers have left a negative impression on what to expect from a Home Stager.  Thankfully we are Accredited Staging Professionals® and Accredited Staging Professional Masters® and we have been trained to respect our clients and our clients’ belongings!

I never walk into a messy home and judge the homeowner.  I don’t roll my eyes and sigh.  I haven’t walked a mile in his or her shoes; I don’t know the emotional or physical condition of the homeowner.  I am there to assess the property and make recommendations to help it sell.

Likewise I don’t tell a homeowner what I might really think about his or her décor.  I have been ASP®-trained to respect my clients.  First I find something about the décor to complement.  Then I explain why it might be distracting or offensive to potential buyers.  I’ve found that taking a minute or two to explain why you are asking the homeowner to make a change is greatly appreciated.

Remember your training, review your ASP® course materials, and always treat your clients, their possessions, and your client’s home with respect.  Thank you, Barb Schwarz, The Creator of Home Staging® and the ASP® course, for making us the cream of the crop in the Home Staging Industry that you created!

On Tuesday, April 30, we’ll start a new feature at our Facebook page called “How would you Stage this room?” A couple of times a week we’ll post a picture of a room, kitchen, hallway, bathroom before it was Staged, asking our followers what they would do if they were charged with the task to Stage the room. The following day we’ll post a picture of what the ASP® Course participants did. Featured photos are from ASP Home Staging Courses around the United States. We hope many will comment and share their tips!

Want to follow our new feature? Visit and “like” our Facebook page. That way you’ll see all our updates with wonderful ASP® Staging before and after photos from Staged homes all over the United States.

Clutter Free- Turn Chaos into order and peace

1) Americans are the largest consumers in the world. We have “stuff” everywhere!

-Go through room by room and remove excess items.

-Leave space between items, on the walls, and floor to show off the architectural features of the house.

2) The room will “feel good”, seem larger, & be healthier (fewer dust mites)

3) Commit to keeping the room this way by not bringing in more “stuff”.

-Don’t just stash the items in boxes somewhere. Donate them for reuse and recycle!

-Implement a new policy such as: When a new item is brought in, another goes out.

4) When preparing to sell a house, go a step further and remove items that are more personal.

-Buyers need to envision themselves in the house and mentally move in.

-Pre pack collectables, trophies, and family photos.

-Contact an Accredited Staging Professional to help you choose which items stay, and which ones “go”.

Clean- A sparkling house is appealing to buyers. It is also healthier and more comforting to those living in it.

1) Clean without harsh chemicals and save money too by making your own natural cleaning formulas.

-Natural cleaners are better for people with allergies, prevent indoor air pollution, and create less hazardous waste.

-Use ingredients that can be found in your own cupboard, such as baking soda, cornstarch, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and even toothpaste!

- Create air fresheners, kitchen & window cleaners, scour powders, and virtually any kind of household cleaner you need!

2) There are many books, articles, and websites with “how to” tips and recipes.

*Make windows hard water stained fixtures shine with vinegar & water.

*Scrub sinks clean with a mix of baking soda & salt.

*Clean the toilet bowl with denture tablets!

3) We highly recommend Pure Ayre, an excellent natural odor eliminator.

4) Common house plants are pleasing to the eye while creating clean air.

-They provide a natural way to control indoor air pollution by absorbing gases: formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide.

-They produce more oxygen to breath, which provides more energy in the body.

- Plants are especially helpful in an office environment, where off gassing can be high and the esthetics can be low.

- According to Dr. Bill Wolverton, formerly a senior research scientist at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss., “A living air cleaner is created by combining activated carbon and a fan with a potted plant. The roots of the plant grow right in the carbon and slowly degrade the chemicals absorbed there.”

Color-  A great way to refresh a room and add style!

1) Paint: The least expensive way to change color in a room with the maximum amount of impact.

-To make your house a home, use colors to suite your own personal taste.

-When selling a house, use color to lighten & brighten dingy walls or tone down loud color schemes.  An ASP® can assist you in choosing colors that have broad market appeal.

2) Paints and finishes release low level toxic emissions into the air for years after application, which come from a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOC)s.

-It is important for your health & the environment to use less toxic paint & finishes

-Look for Natural Paints, Zero VOC, and Low VOC for:

*Effective coverage

*Very little odor when applying

*No “off gassing” after curing

*Easy clean up, as they are water based

*Easy to dispose of, since they are not hazardous waste like other paints

3) For little more investment of time and money you can use wall plasters.

-Limestone, clay, & other natural earth plasters are durable & elegant wall finishes

-Create texture and depth while contributing to healthy indoor air quality

-The thickness improves insulation through thermal mass, requiring less energy to heat and air condition a house

-Surfaces are non-dusting, mold & fade resistant, repairable, and moisture controlling.

-Available in a wide variety of color and textures

4) What to do when you have porcelain fixtures that are dated and cannot be changed? Embrace them!

-When they are in good condition & replacing would be wasteful and leave more of a carbon footprint -or- you don’t have the money to do it, go “retro”!  Add touches of black to a pink bathroom & change out the faucets for some reclaimed fixtures from the 40s/ 50s.

5) Add “pops” of color with environmentally healthy accessories such as:

-Recycled glass, natural pottery, soy candles, fresh fruit, flowers, & edible plants

Creative- We see more furniture pieces made of natural fiber & sustainable wood now on the market. Many companies now have entire lines of organic cotton linens, mattresses, bamboo, recycled glass, and natural tableware.

*** But, it is the salvaged and repurposed items that make a house more unique, creative, warm, and inviting!

1) Re-use & Reclaim items that haven’t been used in a very long time such as dishes, napkins, quilts, and towels that have been stored in boxes or handed down in the family and just don’t get used.

- Visit companies in your region that specialize in selling salvaged and surplus items such as antique furniture, doors, windows, mantels, fixtures, artwork, and more!

- Inquire about items from the sale or destruction of shops and historic buildings.

- Save big $$ at estate sales, yard sales, consignment, and thrift stores.

- Use the floor boards of an older house or under your own carpet, instead of buying new.

2) Recycled materials such as steel, wood, paper, plastic, can be made into furniture, hardware, and fixtures.

- Recycled content carpet has the same look, feel, and price of virgin carpet.

- Countertops made from recycled glass and concrete or crushed bathroom porcelain make durable slabs similar in form to granite or marble creating a smooth and shiny surface. Stainless steel and reclaimed wood are other options.

- Major department stores (like Target) now offer many recycled items for the entire house, including table ware and bathroom accessories.

- Specialty and one-of-a-kind recycled furniture and accessories are available in “green living” stores.

*** Note that you can Stage to Sell with furniture props which are made from recycled material from Next Stage Furniture. They are lightweight, yet strong and durable.

3) Repurpose items: Ask yourself, “What else can be done with this?”

- Use wine barrels and old pottery for plants.

- A large wooden door can become a table.

- Artwork can be made out of fabric or clothing.

- Bed linens can become window or shower curtain, or pillows.

- Iron work can be used inside or outside for artwork.

- Quilts can become wall art or even a table cloth.

Recycle, reuse, reclaim!

Visit StagedHomes.com for more information about home staging or to find an Accredited Staging Professional. © 1999-2010 StagedHomes.com®. Stage®, ASP®, ASPM®, StagedHomes.com®, IAHSP®, Accredited Staging Professional® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com®

We have all heard that before and yet have we really taken that to heart in our Staging businesses?  I want to encourage anyone reading this blog that is in the business of Staging we have to find ways to make our time most productive so that we maximize our profit.  We are paid for our Creativity and our ability to implement a plan of action effectively.

I did not get into Staging to earn a little bit of money.  Staging is a lucrative business when it is treated like a business.  When I understood the big picture of the income potential of this business, I got very excited.  It is an industry that compared to a traditional job pays a full-time income in part-time hours.

As a Stager, we give a lump sum for our projects – not an hourly rate.  In order to do this you must estimate how long you believe a Staging will take and then hit that goal.  What it really boils down to is good Project Management.

Here are some key tips to help you make the MOST from the Staging projects you conduct and maximize your profit.

1. Make a Plan,
2. Be the Project Manager
3. Communicate Expectations Clearly
4. Manage the Clock
5. Manage the Budget

1.  Make a Plan – I know we have a proposal for the Staging project that gets accepted by the client, but that is not the Staging Plan.  The Plan starts with you figuring out what you need to do in each room, what you are bringing with you, who is doing what.  If you are doing a Vacant house, make a list of all the things you need to bring with you – write it down.  You will NOT remember everything the day of the Staging as you are loading up – and the kiss of death for profit as a Stager is us forgetting some key element of our Staging like a set of towels or the bed skirt for the bed – and having to drive back to our warehouse or storage, or worse, having to go shopping – because we did not plan and write it down.

Until I learned and embraced this concept of simply writing things down, I would be going to sleep the night before a Staging and suddenly remember something I really needed to bring – and as I was drifting off would be repeating it to myself 10 times so that when I woke up the next morning, it would be fresh on my mind.  What I found to be true is that I would have a fitful sleep, I would be going over the Staging in my head all night long and once I just WROTE IT DOWN – I slept great!

When you are doing a Hands-on Staging for an occupied – you will have already seen the house so it’s a matter of executing the plan you come up with.  You have only allotted a certain amount of time for the overall project, so you have to be the one to keep people on track.  That brings me to my second tip.

2.  Be the Project Manager – Your role whether you are Staging solo or with your Stage Crew is that you are the PM – the Project Manager. It’s up to YOU to plan the time appropriately and make sure things run on schedule.  Stagers that make the most profit are ones that stick to the timetable and keep their crew hustling.  We can still have fun – play music and encourage each other but you are not there as a friend – you are the PM and you have expectations for your team and the Staging project.

3.  Communicate Expectations Clearly with Your Team – People cannot read our minds.  We can never assume they know what the overall plan in, what their roles are, what we expect from them and the project that day.  It’s a good idea to take 5-10 minutes to share with your team what the goals are for that project.

How much time do you want to be in the house?  What is the overall plan?  What will they be doing today?  What are the priorities?  What are you bringing with you?  Where do you need their focus?

The last thing you want is for people to be standing around because they don’t have a clear mandate from you.  That kills your profit.

It all starts with you – since you bid on the Staging you hopefully allotted money for the crew you bring with you – and you will have labor and creative helping you depending on the Staging.  When you fail to communicate expectations you can expect people to move more slowly and be asking you every five minutes what they have to do next.  You need to keep people on track.  As an example, a bathroom should take at most 15 minutes to Stage – so you need to set the expectation for the team member Staging that space, and then make sure they stick to it.

4.  Manage the Clock – I watch the clock and call out the time and what our goals are 1-2 times during the Staging.  If someone is taking too long, you have every right to get them on track because you are paying them.  We don’t have to be mean – but we do have to be in charge because this is YOUR project.  And Time is Money.

When I have labor with me (movers either delivering furniture or helping move things around in a house) I am very clear on the expectations.  When I can, I also never pay anyone hourly – they are always paid Lump Sum – and what I have found is they will work a lot faster when they get a set amount for the project versus an hourly rate.  When hired labor gets paid hourly we really have to be on top of these people because they are motivated to work slower in order to earn more.   I tell them how long they have and then push them (nicely) if they are going too slowly. If I have a large hands-on Staging I often have the labor come first – we get the big things moved out or around where they need to go and then I cut them loose.  When you hire moving labor, make sure your Staging insurance covers them or that they have their own insurance.

The creative happens next and I can have my team members meet me at the house to start their part. That way they are not standing around.  If there is creative to do while the moving is happening, you can have that taking place – the key is everyone on the project is productive at all times.

We don’t stop for food breaks, we don’t take phone calls.  When they are on my clock, they are working for me and this project takes priority.  We want productive partners at all times.

If we are unloading a vehicle, the team members helping better load up their arms with things – not take one little thing in at a time – again we want to maximize profit by minimizing the time we take.  Same for a de-stage – we are there to get in and get our things out.

We don’t want to be careless – so we always take the time we need to move things properly using our Staging tools – but the key is not to take excess time to do something as Time is Money.

5.  Manage the Budget – You have bid on the Staging project and must stick to the financial parameters.  When you plan your Staging, write the plan down and execute the plan, you will maximize your profit.  If the Staging runs over schedule, the people with you don’t earn less because you have told them what they will get for the project.  You earn less because you are the only variable you can adjust.  If movers take longer and are paid hourly, then there is less for you.  Instead of making $150 an hour for the Staging for yourself, you will earn, $100 then $75 then $50 if a project really goes haywire.

In the end, the key is in planning the project and clearly communicating expectations to your team.  Keep everyone productive while still enjoying the process.  Have fun while you are Staging – play music and get into the groove of Staging all the while keeping that clock and the budget in your head.  Then you will be pleased to see how much you actually net out of a project and will be smiling all the way to the bank!

By Jennie Norris, ASPM®, IAHSP-Premier®, ASP-SRS®, ASP-REO®

Certified ASP® Course Trainer, Stagedhomes.com®

I have witnessed Tweakers in action during the many Staging projects I have supervised both as a Trainer and as a Company owner.  These are the people that adjust an item over and over – moving it slightly here, slightly there.  Taking it away. Bringing it back.  Agonizing over whether the items they are using are “right.”  Making changes to the finished product repeatedly.  Even driving back to the house once the Staging is done to adjust things one more time.

When I have my Staging Crew – I make it clear up front that we need to execute the plan in each room and move on.  If I find I have brought a tweaker with me I have to do an intervention.  I need to step in and let them know what they’ve done looks great – and let’s move on to the next area.  As compelled as they are to go back and adjust, they are not allowed to do that.

I say we need to lovingly help Tweakers to help them get away from tweaking.  The reason I feel strongly about this is I want my colleagues to earn the MOST from the Staging creativity and expertise.  When we start tweaking beyond what is truly needed, time does not stop and we may end up taking much longer in a room or house because of our need to make it “perfect” versus sticking to the plan.

Here are the steps you need to take to get out of Tweaker mindset and in to a Stager business mind set.

1. Understand that Time is Money.  If you need more explanation on that just read my blog post on that principle and it will become clear.

2.  You have to make a plan and stick to that plan.  It’s not that things cannot change once you get into the Staging and another great idea pops into your head – the key is to settle on the final product and be happy – and move on.  When the Staging is done, it’s done.  Think about if you finish earlier than planned? That is a good thing – you have extra time for yourself and made more than you planned!

3.  You need to ask yourself, “Will my adjusting this item from where it is right now really make a difference in the Staging?”  If the honest answer is yes – then by all means do it.  If the answer is no and you are just over-analyzing the room and Staging – STEP AWAY FROM THE ROOM.  And Move on to the next area to be Staged.

4.  I think we all need to “tweak” our Staging just not to extremes – the final product to assess how it looks from the doorway – are tags showing on pillows, is the comforter straight, are the chairs placed in the right spot?  But taking it to extremes reveals a compulsion in some of us that we need to stop.  Because it is costing you money.  It is costing you sanity.

The fact is whether the plant is 3 inches to the right or left really is not going to make a difference in the Staging.  Whether a picture is hung 3 inches to high or low or too far to the right or left WILL make a difference – so fix it.

5.  Be Confident in Your Staging.  Staging styles differ with some Stagers bringing in a lot of décor and others bringing in more minimal – and the key is whatever you decide to put in a room, on a surface, on the wall – you need the CONFIDENCE to know it looks great and give yourself permission to move on.  Just who do you think is coming in the room?  I will tell you – it’s not the Staging Police – who will slap the letter “L” on your forehead because you did something “wrong” in your Staging!

If your challenge is about confidence in your work, then I recommend shadowing with an experienced Stager and study the before/after photos of Staging projects to really understand what it takes to be successful.

6.  Final Stamp of Approval.  At some point in all our Stagings we need to give the stamp of approval for the room and move on.  Never drive back to a house because you saw some small “flaw” (to you) in the photos.  Remember that Staging makes an overall impression on the Buyer and very few are really scrutinizing what was done close up – unless they want to go into the biz.  Some Stagers bring an iron to all their projects and take out all the wrinkles in fabric as they make the bed.  I say, get bedding that does not wrinkle!  I have a steamer and will use it as needed but when our budget it tight and we need to stick to the clock I am not whipping out an iron to get rid of wrinkles when I can avoid them from the start by bringing products that make me most efficient.

In summary, Staging is subjective and we have guidelines for what we know works for both process and presentation.  Simply follow those guidelines and have confidence in YOU and your creative talent.  That is the cure for tweaking.

Article written by Jennie Norris, ASP®Master, IAHSP®-Premier, ASP-SRS®, ASP-REO® and Official ASP® Course Trainer, Stagedhomes.com®

For some time we have featured photos provided by several wonderful ASPs® and ASPMs® as cover photos of our Facebook pages. We have done that in an effort to showcase your work!

Each week we feature a photo of a Staging project, and ,of course, we give credit to the ASP® who has provided it with their name, designation and company name, both written in the photo itself (as sampled in the image above) as well as in our Facebook update.

Want to have your Staging photo featured at the Stagedhomes.com Facebook pages?

All you need to do is send an email bj@stagedhomes.com with

1. A picture from a Staging project
2. Your ASP® number
3. Your company name
4. ASP®/ASPM® Designation
5. Location

Please do not hesitate to contact BJ if you have any questions before submitting your photo and number.

The size of the photo needs to be 851 wide and 315 pixels in order to look great as our Facebook cover photo of the week. If you are not able to resize an image please send it anyway as we will try to make it work.

I am excited to have the opportunity to celebrate you and your work at our Facebook pages.

Always working for you,

Barb

Barb Schwarz, The Creator of Home Staging®
Founder/CEO Stagedhomes.com®
Founder/Chairwoman of The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®

The image above provided by Sarah Raines, whose Staging picture currently is  featured at the Facebook page of Stagedhomes.com.

Barb Schwarz, ASP®, ASPM®, AB, IAHSP®

Pricing seems to be one of the most guarded and mysterious aspects of the Home Staging profession.  No one wants to “fix” pricing or do anything unethical, so it may seem like pricing may feel like an elusive topic.  I’ve found that new ASPs® coming into the IAHSP® chapter have a lot of questions – and pricing their Home Staging services is at the top of the list.  Sometimes even seasoned ASPs® wonder if they’re pricing competitively.

When I attended my first ASP® course under instructor Wanda Hickman, she asked the class, “How much do you want to personally earn on a Staging project – $500, $1000, or more?”  After you determine how much time you will put into the project and how much you want to earn, then you add in your expenses and come up with your bid amount, she said.  Wanda gave the average hourly earnings for novice and experienced ASPs® and ASPMs®.  Simple, right?

Pricing is a difficult subject for some ASPs®, but that doesn’t have to be the case.  Refer to your ASP® manual, retake an ASP® class, have a pricing discussion in your IAHSP® chapter meetings.  When I was president of Charlotte IAHSP® in 2008, we held a chapter discussion on pricing.  The members who spoke up had pricing formulas that were all over the place – from charging a flat fee per room to charging a percentage of the list price.  One member said, “Whatever works for you.”  And that holds true to this day.  Whatever formula or method you use to price your Staging business should enable you to pay your expenses and earn a profit.

Without profit you cannot stay in business.  So it is important to develop a pricing strategy that will keep you in business.  There will always be “stagers” who work for expenses or work for free.  They come and go, so don’t believe that you are competing with them.  Don’t be concerned when you lose quoted projects to those “stagers.”  Customers who appreciate your worth are right around the corner.  Value yourself and value your ability so others can see the worth that you are bringing to them.

Joan Inglis, Accredited Staging Professional Master®
2013-2014 IAHSP® Int’l Board of Directors, Public Relations
2011-2012 IAHSP® Int’l Board of Directors, Membership
2011-2014 IAHSP® Chapter Liaison – NC, SC, NV, UT, IL, WI
803-628-8053
joan@iahsp.com
www.CarolinaSpaces.com