Deena Cottingham, Home Stager & Photographer

‘Twas the month before Clutter-mas, and all through the house
Not a creature could find anything, barely even their spouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with greed,
hoping for things that they didn't even need.

The children were nestled with lumps ‘round their beds,
While visions of Mortal Kombat danced through their heads.
Mamma had her list made for quite a long time,
Clothing, perfume, and purses - all the latest designs.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed but tripped on a ladder.
How did that get there? Oops, I've forgotten!
Out of mind now that I've stepped on somethin' rotten!

I made my way through the debris on the floor,
And suddenly thought of what I needed some more . . .
I caught a glimpse of the new SLX30,
as my neighbour drove passed - it shure was purdy.

When much to my displeasure, who should appear,
but a little boy and his dog going through the garbage out rear.
He lifted the lid and it fell from his hand,
As he shouted with glee at what he thought was so grand . . .

"Look! Chicken and veggies! Plus hardly used sneakers!
And a portable stereo with tiny little speakers!
From the top of the pile, to the bottom of the can
Let's stash this away! Pack it away!" They took it and ran!

They went down the alley and got quite a-ways,
When suddenly they stopped and seemed in a daze.
The boy looked down at all the things in his sack,
Guilt crossed his face; then he turned to bring it all back.

And then, like a tickle, a thought entered my head,
like a light breaking forth from a place that was dead.
It started out dimly, and got bright in a minute,
it grew and it grew, until my heart was committed.

I looked - he was dressed in rags from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
An ill-fitted jacket he had flung on his back,
and I knew he was homeless, carrying that pack.

But his eyes, how they twinkled when he saw those treasures,
in our trash heap of all places - oh what measures!
I realized, then, that he doesn't get many meals,
my head fell, unable to imagine how that must feel.

Shame coursed through my veins as I thought of our stuff,
I couldn't take it anymore, so I shouted, "Enough!".
We have and we have, and then want even more,
we have run out of places to keep it and store.

He was skinny and alone, with no place to stay,
a tear spilled from my eye as I was convicted that day;
We weren't any happier because of these things,
It is what we can . . . give . . . that happiness brings.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And re-filled the trash can, before he turned with a jerk.
But I was down the stairs quickly and flew out of the door,
I desperately shouted, "Wait! We have so much more!"

"We have clothes and food and things that we waste,
Please come in from the cold, let us make haste."
Instead he gently urged, then vanished from sight,
"Give a happy Christmas to all, and to all a good life."

An original adaption by Deena Cottingham
Based on, "'Twas the night before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore

____________

Clutter and "stuff" (especially around the holidays) is an on-going battle in our household. We've evolved and made changes to how we choose to celebrate, reward and purchase throughout the years--admittedly, on a rather small scale. I lay awake the other night thinking about this issue and got inspired to write this.

We received the World Vision catalog in the mail, and my kids decided that we should all chip in for several gifts this holiday season (Canada, US & international). There are many other people and organizations, even in our own backyards, that are also worthy of being remembered.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends.

What difference can a Stager make in 3 hours??

Here are some Before and After photos from a recent Power Staging. The Realtor who referred me felt the property lacked a little pizzazz and appeal for the typical home buyer in this middle-class SW Calgary neighborhood. I had visited the home the week before and brought along some artwork and pillows (we had an inexpensive rental agreement for these items). Otherwise, I worked with all the home owner's stuff and we mostly just rearranged furniture . . . and, of course, de-cluttered!

There are a few more rooms that we touched on, but these had the greatest impact!

Just as a note, I did recommend removing the girls' names from the walls, but we didn't get that done in our time (temporarily overlooked). Personally, I would have also liked a few less things on display in the bedrooms, but they had already come a long way!

The home owners had moved the extra bed out of the second bedroom, and moved one of the girls into that room upon my recommendation before I arrived for the Power Staging. But what a difference just a few hours can make! The Realtor was thrilled with the changes we made and the photos she had for marketing the property.

(I just use a point and shoot camera for the "Befores", due to time constraints. I take the time, however, on the "Afters", as these are the MLS and brochure pictures. View another blog post on selecting a camera for real estate photography, if you are interested. Read the comments for specifics on the equipment I use.)

Get more information on how the right artwork can help sell a house.

Thank you for viewing.

Asking Santa for a new camera for Real Estate Photography? Keep reading . . .

With about a gazillion different digital cameras out there, how do you even begin to narrow down the choices? With my experience as a professional real estate photographer, hopefully I can provide you with some useful guidelines of the features that are the most important for photographing your properties.

The More MegaPixels the Better . . . Right?

No, not necessarily. Though MegaPixels may appear to be the "muscle" of a digital camera . . .

(imagine the following conversation)

"Nice little unit you got there, Chuck. How many megapixels under the hood?"

"She's running at a full 15. I can dial her down as low as 3 or 4 if I want to conserve storage space when the game goes into overtime. But otherwise, she can take the heat if I run her full out most of the time."

"Sweet."

. . . they are really just a measure of maximum image resolution. Resolution becomes significant when you determine the final size an image is going to be printed or displayed at. Monitors have relatively low resolution compared to prints (72 dots per inch vs 300 dpi). A 10 megapixel (or 10 million pixel) image typically measures 3648x2736 pixels (multiply it out). In screen size this equates to an image that is about 50 inches by 38 inches! Overkill, for sure. In print, this same image would be about 9 inches by 12 inches--larger than a sheet of paper, such as your typical brochure.

Without boring you with the math (which you can do yourself with the information above) if you typically make 4x6 prints, a 10MP image will not give you any more noticeable quality than a 3MP image! That's right. 3MP is all you need for your typical 4x6 print. Now if you want to have some room for cropping or a larger image on the front of your brochure, it's best to go bigger. Suffice it to say, though, that an 8 or 10MP camera will be more than enough, unless you are wanting to go poster size.

Instead of paying for more megapixels, look for brands that are also known for having high quality image sensors (e.g. Canon, Nikon, Panasonic/Leica). It seems the megapixel race may be over, as many newer models have held back on the overall number of megapixels, in favor of improving things like low light image quality and dynamic range (the ability of a camera to capture a larger range of shadows to brightness and retain detail in those areas).

Wide Angle Lens

How many times have you seen photos of a home like this?

Clearly, the typical 35mm equivalent lens just doesn't do the job when it comes to real estate. Look for a camera that has a minimum of 24-28mm equivalent viewing angle. Better yet, a DSLR with lenses that are purchased separately give you the most flexibility in this area. 14mm to 24mm is the ideal sweet spot for interiors. However, DSLR's and their accompanying lenses also cost a whole lot more cash! If Santa is feeling generous, this is the way to go. If not, you need a "wide angle" lens on a point and shoot. Luckily, there are more and more models that fit this requirement. Some cameras even have a "wide angle adapter" that can be purchased separately. While not coming anywhere close to the quality of a DSLR, they may do the trick. Beware, though, of lens distortion--correct it with photo editing software (see below).

Flash

In order to avoid pictures like this . . .

. . . it is imperative to shoot with a flash. Despite all of the automatic scene settings and face recognition technology built into today's cameras, none of them yet compare to the experience of the human eye! Your eye can see across a much larger range of brightness (dynamic range, from above) and can more readily adapt as it scans a scene than any camera out there. There are times when the "smarts" in your camera are just not good enough. And when it comes to exposure--especially in interiors--this is the case more often than not!

Shooting interiors is one of the . . . yes THE . . . most challenging lighting situations. The brightness of a window can be 100-1000 times brighter than the room. If you point your camera towards the window, it will expose for that area leaving the room in the dark--something we've all seen over and over on the MLS system.

The ideal camera is one with a "hot shoe" mount for adding a more powerful flash than the ones that are typically built-in. This feature is going to be much trickier to find in a point and shoot and will definitely be at the upper end of the price range. However, at least look for a unit that has flash compensation allowing you to manually bump up the power of the flash by one or two stops. (Of course, you need to know how to force your flash to come on!)

Along the same lines, a camera that also has exposure compensation gives you additional control over the lighting. On most units with this feature, there is usually a little +/- button that allows you to adjust the exposure reading of the camera. Another definite asset for real estate photography.

Software

Lastly, having some kind of photo editing software in your arsenal is a definite plus (Picasa is free!). Like we've already talked about, cameras don't always get it right. Adjusting things like white balance and removing color casts from different kinds of lights (incandescent, fluorescent) is important when you want paint colors to read true. Do you really want the buyer thinking the walls are peach when they are really beige??

And I'm sure we've all also experienced the results of a camera that was not held perfectly level. Being able to straighten the room out goes a long way to making your photos look and feel a whole lot more professional!

My last tidbit of advice is when you get that camera, PLEASE read the manual. No, it's not a real page-turner or suspense thriller, but you cannot possibly take decent pictures-- even with the most expensive equipment--if you do not know how to use it! An average camera in the right hands will produce much better pictures than a high-end camera in the hands of someone who clearly doesn't have a clue of what they are doing. You are wasting your money if you buy beyond your ability level. (Suggestion . . . hire someone instead!)

Any questions? Ask away! Happy shopping, and HO HO HO.

I love sleeping. Nothing makes me feel better than having that full 8 hours, and then just greeting the day full of energy and appreciation for all things good in life. Unfortunately, more often than not, this is more of a "dream" than reality!

Yesterday I woke up earlier than I needed to (groan), as I have been doing for too long now. I had a headache, I was hungry, and there were a million things running through my mind that I needed to attend to. I usually walk every morning, but since I felt so crummy, I thought I'd just grab my coffee and breakfast and head to my computer.

As I was about to scoop the grounds into the beckoning basket, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that I'd regret skipping my walk. "Well, I don't feel good . . . I need the coffee now," I thought back defensively. But the annoying little goody-two shoes on my right shoulder wouldn't let it go. "You know, exercise induced endorphins are just as effective as medication in treating mild depression . . . " (The little halo was just a bit too shiny, if you know what I mean.)

Fine. I put on my gear (it's now in the 20's, Farenheit, first thing in the morning in Calgary--joy), shoved my ipod and ear buds in place and headed out. I normally walk quite fast, and with the cold setting in these days, speed is the only way to stay warm! After I reached the beautiful natural reserve area by my house, I was hitting my stride. The sun was starting to shine and warm the air, the sky was bright blue and a few deer crossed my path. My focus started to change and I broke into a jog, just out of sheer inspiration from my surroundings.

By the time I got back home, my headache had eased, my energy levels were up, and my mind was less frantic. It made me think of what I do. Decluttering one's physical space is often like a breath of fresh air. As hard as it is to let go of the stuff we've accumulated, it can be surprisingly freeing when we finally take that step. We feel a little lighter, less burdened and way more energized.

For someone who has exercised nearly every day for the last decade, I was surprised at how I needed to re-learn this same lesson for the decluttering of my mental space! When we take the time to get some fresh air, shed ourselves of some stress and worry, and embrace the simple joy of being able to move, we take care of ourselves in way that tackling our to-do list never will. It is the mind-body connection. Feed the body, feed the mind.

I encourage you to take some time today (and everyday!) to nurture your soul by taking care of your physical well-being. Eat, sleep . . . and play!

Don't think . . . Just do it!

Are you fit to sell?

I was preparing dinner a few weeks ago and had the weather channel on to catch the week's forecast. My mind was kind of tuned out as I was running down the list of the comings and goings in our household for that evening. Before I even got as far as "drum lessons", I was immediately reeled back in to the present by those five words . . . are you fit to sell?

I couldn't believe it! This is my mantra. I've lived and breathed this for much longer than I've even had my own home staging business. I mean, I have my business because I passionately believe in preparing a home or property for sale! (Well, only if you care about getting top dollar, that is.;-0)

But then I froze--onion tears and all--as I tried to figure out the implications of a nation-wide campaign by one of North America's leading real estate franchises empowering home owners to be more proactive in selling their homes. Would this be good for business? Bad for business? What if they are "giving away" information that makes a staging consultation no longer necessary?

Well, I am glad to say that as the proverbial ball spun around the wheel in my mind, that it firmly landed on, it's all good.

What I believe this campaign and value-added service by ReMax professionals will do is . . .

• Increase awareness that buyers have changed right along with their expectations. Thus, sellers must change as well, if they want to attract those buyers and profit in today's real estate market.
  
• Increase competition among real estate professionals to offer value-added services and arm their sellers with appropriate knowledge and tactics to compete in this brave new market. Realtors who have more than just a big black marker in their toolkits for price reductions will be sought out as true real estate marketing professionals. And for those Realtors who have banged their heads against the wall getting their vendors to "step up", they will now have tangible motivation backing them up!
  
• Increase demand for home staging consultations and services as most sellers will feel overwhelmed and stressed with the extra burden to keep up (isn't time already at a premium??).
  
• And ultimately . . . Increase the quality of pre-owned homes for sale. This is where everyone wins! I believe it will bring home-maintenance issues to the forefront of home owner's minds, knowing that when they go to sell down the road, good maintenance all along the way will pay off.

But that's my opinion! I'd love to hear what others think about this rather "progressive" move on ReMax's part! Exciting times . . .