New Furniture Source For Vacants - And Loving It!

Lovely and sounds like you have a great new source.  Sometimes they'll let you choose furniture when they do their buying so that they'll have what you like and want to use.  It's great to have a good relationship with a furniture partner.

It's really a great business to be in, I'm not sure why more people don't do it.  House looks great by the way!

Nice work Betty!  You are lucky to have a new source!  I have considered it myself...the furniture rental option here is a challenge because the choices are not varied enough...or nice enough.  We all make do but not everyone has Brooks in their backyard!  Good find!  Regards-Kathleen G

Once again BFF, you and Margo did a fab job, eh?  And what a boon to your business, a place you can get good stuff to stage your vacants.  Would that we could do that here, but alas we're either at the mercy of crummy furniture rental companies, or have to foot the bill and buy our own stuff.  You guys in Canada are so lucky!  Well your weather kinda sucks, but all the rest is awesome.

Thanks for sharing! Wish we had an independent in the Chicago area. There may be one that I am not aware of? Brook is great, don't get me wrong! It would be nice to have a varied selection for higher end properties.

Great job on the staging and what nice furniture!  Sounds like you've found a great source - wish we had something similar here.  Thanks for sharing!

That's awesome!  I too love those chairs (and the sofa as well).  I'm so glad that you found someone, Betty.

Kathy

Terrylynn, James has mentioned bringing in a new furniture line so we are anxious to see how it will fit into our staging.  Hopefully our partnership will be long and fruitful - for all parties involved.  Thanks for commenting.  Betty

Cindy, Margo and I have talked about it but there seems to be so much involved in getting a furniture & accessory warehouse up and running.  Plus here in Calgary there is a labor shortage and it would be difficult to find movers.  James is already having trouble - he and his warehouse manager actually delivered the furniture.  But, never say never...  Betty

Kathleen, as I said to Cindy, we too have thought about it - but now I hear there is another stager with a warehouse almost ready for rental.  You just can't have too much of a good thing.  I'm always so jealous when I see the gorgeous furniture from Cort.   Betty

Terry BFF, you are so right:  we are lucky and our weather sucks!  It is suppose to get up to 9 degrees celsius tomorrow - yeah!  That's almost 50 degrees farenheit.  Hey have you ever thought about opening your own warehouse to rent furniture & accessories to stagers?  Would your market support such a venture?  Betty

Gina I know exactly what you are saying.  We've turned many a job over the last two years because we just couldn't get high end furniture that would do the home justice.  Maybe now....  Betty 

Lisa, keep looking because you just never know when a stager will turn renter.  We were very surprised when James emailed us and even more surprised when one of the stagers at the meeting said she was doing the same thing.  Can't wait to see her stuff.  Betty

Thanks Kathy.  It really takes a big weight off your mind when you're not scrambling to find decent furniture.  Can hardly wait to see what else he brings in.  Will keep you guys posted.  Betty

There should be more furniture rental places like this!  Where I'm located, there isn't very many rental stores to choose from (about 2) - it is less expensive to go and buy something.  The down side of purchasing furniture is the cost of delivery and storing it when the project is done.  

Betty

You did a great job of staging this property.  I had an opportunity to meet with James and his inventory is certainly a step up in quality.  It is a shame that businesses in Calgary are having so much difficulting in not only obtaining but also retaining qualified staff.  Kudos to James for stepping in when necessary.  I too shall be utilizing his services as required.

Betty that is awesome!

I am hoping someone in Edmonton decides to do this! I did have a lead on a Consignment Furniture place, till she went under from ripping her clients off...sighhh go figure

Heather

How exciting Betty that you found a great resource and what seems like a professional in this field. Great job as always..I too love the couch!

Phyllis Pafumi 

Kristina, I completely agree with you.  Having your own furniture would be wonderful, but who is going to move it around for you...  Not my husband - he has a bad back.  Betty

Cheryl-Anne, we are very happy with what we have rented so far.  I must say I feel like I'm 'cheating' on Carolyn.  Is this too woosy like Margo says.  Margo says business is business and we have to do what's best for us and our clients.  Betty

Heather, the way staging is taking off in Canada - maybe you should think about opening a staging warehouse.  I bet the stagers in Edmonton would be knocking your door down.  Betty 

Phyllis, thanks for the kind words.  We staged a small downtown condo today and the furniture was just as nice.  Unfortunately I deleted my pictures - I could cry.  Hopefully the Realtor's photographer will let me use some of his.  The only other alternative is to go pick up the keys, go downtown and take them all over again.  I think I will play the wait and see game...  Betty

Betty and Shy Margo:

Beautiful pics, beautiful furniture (you lucky gals), beautiful stage.

Great stuff Betty.  I'm trying to talk a local furniture store into doing this but so far he's clueless as to how to proceed and I don't have the time to educate him.  It seems that since he's been in the furniture business for 3 plus years that he should have resources to get this done.  Another disadvantage of small town life...so in the meantime I keep buying.  Your photos and the work is awesome!

Nora - so good to hear from you.  I've been away so sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.  We just recently found out that our furniture source is raising his prices by 30%!  Yikes - that hurts, but we love the furniture so will continue to use him.  I guess all good things do come to an end.  We just hope our clients can deal with the increase.  Betty 

Ginger, we just found out he is raising his prices by 30% so I think you are further ahead purchasing your own inventory.  Plus, with your great eye - you always have spectacular inventory to work with.  Betty

Betty,

It's always a great day when you find a new resource that will be useful for your business! Looks like they have nice pieces available. Furniture rental is always a great way to stage vacants, because the rental company will deliver,unload and pick up after it has sold.  This to me is a much better scenario  than bringing your own inventory and setting up.  Glad you were able to find this company to work with.  Continued success!

Hi Michelle and thanks for commenting.  I was just over at his warehouse today and we have come to a business agreement where he will rent me part of (a very small part of) his warehouse space.  Yeah!  Less money and heated - thank you James.  Betty 

Wow!  Today was your lucky day I guess!  Congratulations on such a great find! James, give the girl a little more space if you can.  Betty, perhaps you can stage vignettes or groupings of his furniture around his showroom in exchange for additional space or less rent? Just a thought! Perhaps he already has a designer/stager in house!

PS: Kind of weird, but my graphic for this comment was pimenta and my last name is a derivative of this Portuguese name. Just thought that was somewhat coincidental.

Michelle, can you hear 'The Twilight Zone' music playing?  Pimenta and Pimentel - coincidence, I think not!  James is a former stager so he does do vignettes and groupings in his showroom already.  Too bad for me - but when I said tiny space I meant that it was tiny in comparison to his whole warehouse space.  It is actually a little bigger than what I have now.  We are considering doing some type of business together so will have to wait and see how it pans out.  In the meantime I will be busy moving my stuff over to my new space.  Betty

Betty,

Somehow the music from The Twilight Zone is always playing around me! LOL  I forgot to mention in my first comment, that I love how you set up your pictures with the instant camera snapshots.  That looks really nice and gives the appeaance that you really wrote notes on them.  Did you do that on Photoshop? 

I'm a big fan of renting!  I love finding new sources; it's so much easier when you have a great partnership in place. Good luck!

Hi Michelle, no I didn't Photoshop those pics.  It was way easier than that.  Jackson West here on Active Rain let us into his secret for editing and framing his photos.  He uses a free sight called Picnic.  Just go to www.picnic.com and start uploading and creating.  I did pay a small fee so I could have access to everything on the sight so I'm not sure if the Poloroid frames are free or not.  But, they have lots of other cool things to do with your pictures - including other frames.  Betty

Tori Lynn, I love renting too - at least now that we have a great source.  The fact that they deliver and set up makes my job so much easier.  Sometimes I wish I had my own furniture, especially when I see the great stuff being used here by stagers who own, but then I remember how convenient my rental company is - and I get over it.  :)  Betty

Betty, Thanks for the tip, I will be sure to visit that web site!