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Ashley Whittenberger

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FREE PR Seminar for Realtors, brought to you by your local Real Estate Staging Association members!

10-23-09
Ashley Whittenberger

Mometum Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2009 -- Austin, TX - The Austin Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) is hosting its November monthly meeting on Thursday, November 5, 2009, 11:30 A.M., at Fidelity National Title, 3708 Spicewood Springs Road. Lunch provided by Bank of America Home Loans.

Momentum Public Relations principals Anne Lasseigne Tiedt and Laura Bond Williams have been invited to discuss Building a Comprehensive Communications Effort that Delivers Results.

The interactive session that will address the communication-related questions real estate professionals and their colleagues have about communicating their businesses. What is the right mix of advertising, marketing and public relations needed for a business? Where does one start? What do professionals need to know right now to create their communications platform that delivers results?

Momentum Public Relations will help show the group how to set communications goals and figure out which tools are needed in a company's PR toolkit. The experts will reveal what advertising and marketing avenues can complement your public relations efforts. Finally, they'll discuss how to get the media's attention and why your business might be newsworthy right now.

RSVP is Required

Due to limited seating, please RSVP today to reserve your seat.

RSVP to Brenda Spencer

President, Central Texas Chapter Real Estate Staging Association

brenda@SpencerStaging.com 299-1203

About Real Estate Staging Association

www.realestatestagingassociation.com
RESA is the portal to the staging industry and is the source of education and business tools focused on the needs of real estate stagers and support to the real estate community. Each month RESA provides valuable training and guest speakers in support of home stagers and real estate professionals.

About Momentum Public Relations

www.momentum-pr.com
Anne Lasseigne Tiedt and Laura Bond Williams formed Momentum Public Relations in October 2008, after nearly three years of working together as independent PR consultants. Together they apply their nearly 30 years of experience as strategists, spokespeople and hands-on PR specialists to design and execute PR programs that create momentum for client businesses and new projects.


Their client experience includes Moreland Properties, Austin Real Estate Partners, Duncan Commercial, RVi Land Planning + Landscape Architecture and Design, McDonald's Central Texas, Seton Family of Hospitals, Grande Communications, AT&T (formerly SBC Communications) and many others.

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I hope to see some new faces at the event! Seating is very limited, so you'd better RSVP quickly!

Ashley Whittenberger
President, Interiority Complex
Texas State Chapter President, RESA

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AUSTIN STAGERS COME TOGETHER TO EDUCATE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

10-08-09
Ashley Whittenberger

PRESS RELEASE

With over 9,000 listings in the Austin MLS, the Central Texas Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) is working hard to help Realtors and home sellers by educating them on the benefits of staging.

Austin, October 8, 2009 - Think of selling a home, and staging is likely to come to mind for a growing number of Realtors and sellers. There's a reason for this: home staging is one of the fastest-growing trends in real estate, thanks to a multitude of staging programs on HGTV, Realtors becoming more educated on the process, and the growing presence of the industry's trade association, RESA. Now, Austin-area stagers, Realtors and related businesses are becoming more connected and educated on staging than ever before with the help of the Central Texas Chapter of RESA.

On October 7, 2009, the Central Texas Chapter of the RESA sponsored a booth at the Austin Board of Realtors' annual Realty Round Up (https://www.abor.com/roundup). Proving to be a valuable resource for the local real estate community, staging members spent the day networking and educating local Realtors and real estate industry professionals about the association, the many benefits of staging and the benefits of working with RESA members.

"Our booth was filled with Realtors excited to participate in our monthly programs and other businesses anxious to partner with us as affiliate members," said local chapter president Brenda Spencer.

According to THE CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO REAL ESTATE STAGING published by the Real Estate Staging Association, "Staging is the act of preparing and showcasing residential and commercial property (house, apartment, condo, model home, commercial use) for sale. It is a systematic and coordinated methodology in which knowledge of real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract a buyer. The benefits of staging are numerous. Perhaps the most impressive benefit is that studies show that staged homes can sell more quickly than un-staged homes."

In a 2008 study of homes for sale conducted by RESA, staged properties were shown to spend an average of 87% less time on the market.

Deciding to work with a Professional Stager is one of the smartest things Realtors and sellers can do when selling a property. "Giving your clients every opportunity to get more attention for their property and have a less stressful selling process is the best gift a Realtor can give a client!" says Shell Brodnax, President and Founder of the Real Estate Staging Association.

"I'm proud to be a member of RESA, which represents a very professional and united group of business owners," said professional stager, Ellen Boetcher, after spending the day with her fellow stagers.

Another local stager, Alicia Autrey added, "I have truly enjoyed being a RESA member. The life of a stager can be lonely occupation, but being a part of RESA allows me the opportunity to network with other staging professionals. It motivates me to get to meet with like minded professionals to discuss the industry and be a part of creating standards for it. I know that by being a RESA member, I will be able to continually educate myself to be able to serve my clients needs more effectively, and that even though this is my business, I do not have to work alone."

It's important for stagers, realtors and affiliated businesses to join RESA as our association creates avenues to accomplish marketing and networking that you don't usually have on your own," added Ashley Whittenberger, Texas State Chapter President of the RESA. "We invite anyone interested in learning more about staging or how to become an active participant in our industry to come check out one of our local monthly meetings."

Members of the Real Estate Staging Association include not only stagers, but also Realtors and businesses affiliated with the real estate or staging industries. To learn more about becoming active in a chapter near you, visit www.realestatestagingasssociation.com .

For more information on staging or the Texas Chapters of RESA contact:

Ashley Whittenberger/ RESA Texas State President: ashley@theinterioritycomplex.com or 512-906-2567

or

Brenda Spencer/ RESA Central Texas Chapter President: brenda@spencerstaging.com or 512-299-1203

Austin RESA Members

In photo above (from left to right) Central Texas Chapter of RESA Members in front of their beautifully "staged" booth at Realty Round Up (which, by the way, won an Honorable Mention from the team of judges): Alicia Autrey, Ashley Whittenberger, Brenda Spencer, Sandy Boeser, Merrill Jones, Ellen Boetcher, Connie Sugden.

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Men are from Mars and more...Interesting gender statistics from Coldwell Banker study

08-21-09
Ashley Whittenberger

In a recent survey of 1,000 individuals conducted for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC by International Communications Research, we see some clear data regarding how much men and women differ in the homebuying process.

Some highlights from the press release:

  • When asked how long it took before they knew their home was "right" for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their mind the day they walked into the house, versus 62 percent of men.
  • Fifty-five percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family than to their job, compared with only 37 percent of men.
  • Sixty-four percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent).
  • When respondents were asked how they would use a spare 12x12 room, the uses that proved most popular with both men and women were bedroom, office/study and family room.
  • Of the 8 percent who indicated they would turn that spare room into an entertainment center, it was a preponderance of men leading the charge. In fact, four times as many men as women said they would use the extra space for recreation and entertainment.

(If you're a member of Staging and Design Pro's there's a discussion started on this topic on the Staging & Design Pro website, too.)

staging and design pros

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The Secrets of Staging to Sell MCE Course for Realtors - Aug. 19 in Steiner Ranch

08-12-09
Ashley Whittenberger

The Secrets of Staging to Sell 3 Hours MCE Course #03-00-060-7051 Provider # 0596

mce course flyer steiner

About the course:

Do you know how to effectively communicate homestaging strategies and statistics to your sellers? It's one thing to know how to get a listing, it's another to be able to position yourself as an industry leader, community expert and respected professional.

This 3-hour course is like no other staging course. It is written just for Realtors and Home Builders by real estate packaging, marketing and staging expert, Ashley Whittenberger.

Realtors walk away with:

  • The confidence to give educated advice to your sellers on effective staging strategies.
  • The knowledge of how to integrate staging into your business and marketing plan at little to no cost.
  • A strategy for separating yourself from the other agents in your market during your listing presentation.
  • The tools you will need to brand your listings and earn a reputation for always listing "model" homes.
  • Materials and information you can use in your listing packet.

Builders and New Home Industry Professionals walk away with:

  • Knowledge on how to work with a stager as an affordable alternative to decorating your models and spec homes to sell.
  • How to partner with area real estate stagers in event marketing in order to draw traffic to your communities, models and listings.
  • What to look for when hiring or choosing to work with a staging company or how to effectively utilize your in-house designers to package and prepare your vacant specs.

Course outline:

  • The true Definition and Objectives for real estate staging.
  • Statistics and real estate data relating to buyer psychology
  • Industry trends you need to know that will help you market your real estate
  • The Science & Psychology of Staging.
  • Understanding the "why" so Realtors can effectively communicate with your clients to ensure their cooperation.
  • Areas improvement with the highest return on investment.
  • Top 10 Most Common Mistakes Sellers Make.
  • 5 Staging Mistakes Realtors Make
  • 10 Things Sellers Can do Today to Sell Their Home Faster and For More Money.
  • Hints, pictures and tips on some of the most important areas of the home.
  • Before and After Photos.
  • Q&A Session

About the Instructor:

ash on fox 7Ashley Whittenberger has personally sold, staged and decorated hundreds of homes. Whittenberger is also Owner and President of the Texas-based interior decorating firm, Interiority Complex, which she founded in 2002. Interiority Complex specializes in creative and affordable design assistance for clients in the Central Texas area. Prior to starting Interiority Complex in 2002, Ashley was an award winning top-producer with two national homebuilders, as well as a licensed Realtor. After many years of experience in working with home buyers, she knows exactly what compels them to bring an offer to the table, and what sends them running. She personally trains each consultant that works for Interiority Complex so they learn that staging a home is much more than "designing to sell" or "re-decorating". It is strategic marketing. Ashley is currently serving as President of the Texas State Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association.

Seating Is Limited.

Follow this link to register online.

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Virtual staging... is it right for your listing?

07-30-09
Ashley Whittenberger

Interesting read today in Realtor Magazine online... http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009073002?OpenDocument

I personally think virtual staging can be very effective marketing tool. In fact, I wish I had it as a tool when I sold new homes many years ago. I used to use good old fashioned furniture templates and blueprints -- not nearly the wow factor of a virtual staging, but it helped. Most buyers I worked with truly couldn't visual the potential of a home (which is why the model home plans always sold out first and why new home sales people dread selling out of a trailer in a start up community.)

I agree with the author of this article that Realtors and Stagers must be careful when using virtual staging as a marketing tool so as not to look like your trying to deceive potential buyers. Here are some things that we always suggest if you use virtual staging...

1) Use before AND afters in your marketing efforts.
2) Use text on the virtually staged photo indicating it is virtually staged (eg "Imagine the possibilties..." or "Designer's rendering".)
3) Don't make structural changes or landscaping changes (or anything that would otherwise convey with the property if it were really there.)
4) Display the virtual staging photos on foam core poster board on an easel in the actual listing so that prospects can imagine the possibilities.
When we have used virtual staging, it has worked VERY well! I just think more Realtors and sellers need to understand it is a very effective marketing strategy, and an affordable alternative when the budget doesn't allow a full blown staging.


Need a listing virtually staged? E-mail or call us today! info@theinterioritycomplex.com 512-289-7177

(P.S. HOME STAGERS ONLY: If you are a home stager and you want more information on how you can add virtual staging services to your business, send us an e-mail.)

Virtual home staging before photo Virtual home staging after photo

Interiority Complex Logo

RESA LOGO

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