To celebrate the start of our 3rd year in business, Stage, Show & Sell Home Staging Company sponsored a contest to give away a FREE half-day staging makeover on an occupied property and a gift certificate for 50% off staging fees on a vacant property. The drawing was held today at high noon, and the winners are...
Congratulations to the winners!
For anyone living in south Hall or north Gwinnett Counties, I hope you will join us at Blackshear Place Baptist Church this evening as we celebrate America. This year's program is titled The Torch Is Passed and is centered around the theme of passing the torch of freedom on to the next generation while we pass our faith along. Here is a photo of a previous program to give you some idea of what you are in for.
The program is always a huge crowd pleaser and incorporates choir, orchestra, drama and narration. Year to year, the highlight of the presentation is our Salute to the Armed Forces section. We bring in military in full uniform representing each branch of service as well as a local color guard comprised of Army personnel. Here are the particulars:
Yours truly serves as drama director and program coordinator, but don't let that keep you from coming. Please join us as we celebrate our freedom, pay tribute to the military, and honor our Lord. Come early to get a good seat!
Last week I received a call from a woman in the area who is contemplating becoming a stager. She found me on the internet, saw that I was close by, and asked if I had time to discuss the business with her. I immediately said, "Absolutely!" What an honor to help bring someone else along into the wonderful world of staging!
We met for lunch a few days ago. She whipped out her sheet full of questions and the fun began. She asked questions such as, "Do I need to be accredited?" (Yes, I highly recommend it. It gives you credibility in the industry.) "What program would you recommend?" (That depends. Do you want to spend your money learning how to stage or learning how to set yourself up for business? Different programs are geared toward different ends.) "Do I need business cards, a brochure, a website, a car wrap?" (Yes; yes, soon; yes, but don't rush it or you'll have to have it rebuilt in a few months because your first pass didn't cut the mustard; no, but I do think car magnets are a good idea.) And on and on we went.
Have you ever seen the show, "What Not To Wear"? That's what the second half of our conversation reminded me of, only regarding staging. This dear woman had the benefit of learning from all the mistakes I've made in my (almost) 2 years of being in the biz. (I won't list them here. You would get tired of reading.)
I remember when I first started out, I asked several other stagers I came in contact with how long it took them to get their businesses up and running. They all replied, "Two years." I thought to myself, "Yeah, maybe for THEM!" Well, I realize now that they were right and it's actually very reassuring to me at this point to think back on their words, because it lets me know I'm right on schedule. My business is definitely growing and gaining momentum, but I don't quite have the consistency I'd like. So knowing that it took other successful stagers that long to get up and running is very reassuring.
My point is this: when mentoring others I think we can be the most help to them by being perfectly honest. They need to know what fun staging is, how every day is different, and that it is many things but NEVER boring; but they also need to know that it's not easy and there is a price to pay to build a successful business. Do I enjoy staging? Yes!!! Have I made mistakes? Yes!!! Would I do things differently if I were to start over again? Absolutely!!! Would I go into a different profession? NEVER!!!
That was the response I received from a Realtor this week after he took a look at my bid on staging one 
of his vacant properties. He went on to say that the activity on his listings is very slow right now. (He primarily lists "2nd home" lake properties.) He explained that if he were having 5-10 showings per week, the price for staging would be justified; but with little activity, he and I might be the only ones seeing the work.
So how did I respond? "While I admit that your situation is a little different in that your properties are not 'mainstream,' please keep this in mind. Eighty percent of all buyers are shopping for properties FIRST on the internet. They have a tendency to click right past vacant homes, as they are not warm and inviting and, being empty, do not show the full potential of the space. But if the property is staged with furniture, accessories, and warmth, they will be much more inclined to actually visit the property personally. Once there they will see the home in its best possible light with proper furniture placement, directed traffic patterns, and carefully placed accessories to make it sparkle."
So, can I guarantee that his home will sell once it is staged? Of course not. Can I guarantee that his chances of getting the property sold will greatly increase when the home is staged? Absolutely!!! Is the price of staging worth it? Only if you want to sell the home.
Attention Atlanta real estate professionals! Do you have a listing that has been on the market for 3 months or longer? Do you think the home would benefit from home staging? If so, have I got a deal for you! The Atlanta Chapter of International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP®) has just launched a contest in which a homeowner whose house has been on the market 3 months or longer and listed with a Real Estate Agent can enter to win a FREE HOME STAGING! The prize package also includes FREE SERVICE FROM OUR CONTEST SPONSORS, plus, once the staging is done, we'll sponsor your open house so you can show off the transformation and attract more buyers. Your clients only have until April 20th to enter, so have them go to www.homestagingcontest.com where they will be able to download the entry form. Please tell them you learned of the contest through Patsy with Stage, Show & SELL, your home staging partner. I hope you will share this information with your clients.
The above photo was taken last Friday at the Atlanta Home Show where our IAHSP® chapter officially kicked off the contest. Yours truly is second from the left.
In the meantime, for those who can't afford to wait to see if they will be the contest winner, please contact me for your immediate home staging needs: 770-843-2307. I leave you with a testimonial from one of my current Realtor clients:
I wanted to thank you for your staging services on my Sandy Springs listing. I listed the property and literally had no showings. Within days of your staging the home we had over 4 showings. With the abundance of foreclosures, one has to stand out. Your staging of my listing has put me over the top
with two offers on my property. Thanks again for giving me the edge in my market place.
Stage, Show & SELL!
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Stage, Show & SELL is a full service home staging and redesign company. While no job is too small, we specialize in merchandizing high-end properties. Accredited, licensed & insured.
Our services could best be summed up in one word... QUALITY. Please be advised that all stagers are not created equal. Some specialize in occupied homes while others stage only vacants. (We do both.) Some shop at garage sales for furniture and accessories while others use covered plastic tables for props. (I just put my mother's heirloom china in a home!) Some pride themselves on getting in and out quickly while others can't seem to get to the job. (We are on the project within days and stay until the work is done to perfection.) There is a difference!
Our Services:
10. You applied for a makeover on Clean House, but they wouldn't touch it.
9. You have money to burn and can't think of any other way to spend it.
8. You tried to flip you house, but it flopped.
7. Only a trained home staging professional can clear out your clutter.
6. It's been 15 years since you've seen your countertops.
5. Your neighbor's home was Staged and sold for the Staged list price!
4. You lost an expensive piece of jewelry and need someone to help you find it.
3. You've seen all the Staging shows on TV but still can't do it yourself.
2. You want to get back at the decorator who brought all this stuff into your home to begin with.
1. You know that Staging doesn't cost... it pays!!!
Patsy, the house looks awesome! Everything looks beautiful ... simply elegant and just right for Andy's home! The furnishings are warm and welcoming and show the rooms off perfectly. I cannot wait for Andy to see the pictures. Thank you very much for the wonderful house staging! (from Nancy in Duluth)
Wanted to let you know we had the photographer at the house today and I cannot wait for you to see his photographs! Patsy did a FABULOUS job staging the home and it really looks like a model home now! It is amazing what a difference the changes have made. The accessories in the main rooms really pull everything together and create a much more finished, high end look. Many pieces of furniture and some of the rugs were moved around to different rooms and it really opened them up. The upper hallway looks fantastic, as does the dining room! I will forward the photographs to you as soon as we receive them. (from Cindy, the agent, to the homeowner, who had already vacated the property)
It was astonishing how much space you provided and cleaned out. Staging is amazing and we can see how it will help us sell our home more quickly. I've even given your name to another KW agent here in Loganville. (from Linda)
The photos of the house looked AMAZING!!! Thank you so very much for your effort and creativity. You did a wonderful job of bringing out the striking features of my home and really made it feel more elegant. Thank you for using your mother's china! That was so thoughtful of you. Thank you again. You did a beautiful job. (from Sarah in Suwanee)
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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