Sheila O'Mara

S.E.R.T. Seminar

at Atria Assisted Living Community,

Elizabethtown, KY

on

July 21st at 3pm

Find out great information about Senior Services in our area!

Topics include:

* Medical in home care

* Non-medical in home care

* Downsizing and Home Staging

* Nursing Home facilties

* Assisted Living Facilities

* Memorial Planning

* Financial/legacy planning

* Adult Day Care Services

** Realtor and Mortgage broker will also be on hand to answer your questions.

Get comfortable with the providers of these fantastic services before you need them. Making a call in a time of crisis is always easier if you feel comfortable with who you are calling.

This is a FREE seminar complete with refreshments and door prizes.

Please RSVP at 270-300-6045 by July 20th.

Check out all of our great resources online at www.SERTonline.net

Join us for the next SERT Seminar designed to provide you great information about the following industries:

* Medical in-home health care

* Non-medical in-home care

* Living Communities for Seniors

* Transitioning and downsizing

* Home Staging

* Memorial Planning

* Financial Legacy Planning

Our next SERT Seminar will be located at:

Kensington Manor

July 9, 2009 from 2 - 3:30pm

Please RSVP to Kim at Kensington Manor at 769-3314.

Recently I have taken up walking through my neighborhood trying to get healthy. There is a health benefit, but also a staging benefit. As I traverse down the streets I have a host of homes that I get to grab curb appeal ideas from. Like with anything, there are great examples of what NOT to do along side those homes that belong in a magazine.

One thing that has popped out most during these walks is probably one of the least considered items in the front yard ... the mailbox. We take for granted everyday the mail will be delivered into some sort of receptacle either at the curb or by the door. There are many telling features about a home based on the condition of the mailbox.

If the mailbox is at the curb, it is most likely the first thing that potential buyers will see as they pull into the driveway. This could be a huge indication of whether or not the buyers even want to continue the tour. If that mailbox is falling apart or leaning over to the side, does that really give the impression that the home is taken care of? Not so much. Here a few tips to maximize the appeal of the mailbox.

First make sure that it is sturdy and placed well in the ground. Leaning is not an option! Use cement if you must, but make sure it won't fall over with the next windy day. Secondly choose a style that will compliment the home. There are so many options that can be found at the home improvement stores; the sky is the limit really.

Make sure that the post is complimentary as well. All too often I see posts that have been left untreated. Those posts quickly deteriorate if left untreated and leave a worn look that is not attractive to potential buyers. Painting the post to match the trim color is a great way to coordinate your home and mailbox.

A brick surround is one choice for a mailbox. Remember to maintain the brick and seal it to maintain the brick's integrity. Regularly check the mortar to observe any crumbling and fix accordingly. A plastic mailbox is also an option, but this too may need care. Spray paint has come a long way and there are formulas now that will adhere to plastic. Don't let that mailbox get a faded look when all it would take is a can of spray paint to revive it!

Many homeowners landscape around the mailbox. This is a great idea that adds wonderful appeal IF ... it is maintained. I have seen so many mailboxes lately where the landscaping has completely crowded out the opening to the mailbox. Regular pruning is a must - buyers won't want to buy what they can't see. This is an ideal place for annual plantings to add a little color. Make sure that mulch is used to freshen up the area at the beginning of the season.

Some mailboxes are attached to the home. Please do not neglect these. Make sure that it fits the scale of the area that it hangs and the style of the home. There are many outlets for homeowners to purchase period pieces that will reflect a home's character. Also keep in mind the finish. Homeowners put them up and call it a day. If the mailbox is metal, it will need regular maintenance too. Spray paint can be a great tool here as well.

If there are numbers or a name plate attached to mailbox, maintain them as well. Some are more weather proof than others. I just saw some today that had cracked in half and I couldn't really tell what the number was. Hard to buy a house that you can't find!

Staging a mailbox may seem unnecessary, but all of these little details could really make a difference. Send the right message from the start and maintain those mailboxes!

Authored by Sheila O'Mara, as seen in The News Enterprise, Friday June 26, 2009

I had a totally fabulous opportunity this week. Active Rain has a blogger by the name of Jason Sanderswho started The Value Pages Group. Definitely check him out and his network! Jason is a wealth of marketing and networking knowledge and is trying hard to bring great information to other business owners. One of the vehicles that he does that is through his blogtalkradio show TVPG: Get More Business Show. What an awesome idea! Jason focuses the show each week on a different business owner that has a unique take on marketing. His guests have all had great ideas and have met with success. His ability to highlight great marketing tips for others will ultimately set The Value Pages Network apart from the rest. The network that brings you useful info that will help you achieve success will be one that people come to rely on. Again a brilliant marketing tactic in itself!

Well, Jason asked me to be a guest on the show. I was very humbled and had a great time. Jason is a wonderful host and made me feel very comfortable. I appreciate the opportunity so much and here is the link to the podcast so you can check it out: TVPG podcast . (I hope I did that right!)

I wasn't sure about being qualified, but if anyone has stayed afloat through these economic times on a small budget - it is me. I really have no secrets to success - I just get out there everyday and rely on my creativity to find ways to promote my services. It was an honor to be able to share some of the things that I have learned and done along the way. Of course I thought of a hundred things I forgot to mention, but those may be upcoming blog posts - so stay tuned.

Thanks again Jason - it was an honor and I look forward to hearing many radio shows from TVPG: Get More Business Show!

Whenever I conduct seminars in the community about Staging, I frequently get asked the question:

"Do I have to buy all new stuff?"

I can't help but smile when I think about why the person asking me that question has that idea. More often than not, people associate Home Staging as they see it on television. With shows that tout: "You too can get your house ready for sale with only $2000!" or "I spent $950 on Staging and it sold in less than two weeks!", it is hard not to have the impression that one must spend plenty of money before selling a home. Some of the designers on television replace the homeowner's possessions with all new furniture and accessories because the "look" they are after cannot be delivered with the homeowner's current possessions.

I am here to tell you the goal of professional stagers is really not to cost you thousands of dollars to Stage your home. In my accreditation course, I was taught that using the homeowner's current possessions is the best course of action in saving them money and gaining the most profit from the sale of their home. The goal is to use creativity to repurpose what homeowners already own to fit the vision for a home. Granted, that doesn't always work and sometimes there do need to be purchases made, but that is where the vendor discounts come in. Most professional stagers have a host of vendors that they receive discounts from and can pass those savings on to their clients. That really helps take the bite out of having to purchase new items.

Creativity here is key! It is so important to look at what you already have and discover new ways to make them work for your space. I recently read a blog post from a Teresa Meyer, owner of Stage A Star in Cincinnati. She had a house that was filled with antique furniture. She reused the homeowner's existing antique sofa and made the living room look fabulous! It saved the homeowners a ton of money and oh, by the way, did I tell you it sold within a week. Teresa repurposed and repositioned furniture and accessories that the homeowner already possessed! That is getting the most bang for your Staging dollars!

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When furnishing a home, there a few ideas that I would like for homeowners to keep in mind - whether they are selling or staying. Keep big items neutral whenever possible. No one wants to replace a sofa every four years! Bring pattern, texture and color in with accessories and smaller upholstery pieces. It will save money in the long run. Neutral pieces can be livened up with just a change of color on the wall or the addition of throw pillows or area rugs.

When purchasing accessories for the home, keep adaptability in mind. Target accessories that can be updated for the seasons or color changes quickly. It is easy and inexpensive to update the color of a candle as opposed to purchasing a whole new table vignette.

It can be quite daunting to purchase accessories for a home. Having a professional to assist with making informed choices goes a long way in saving money. If you would like additional information about choosing transitional accessories for your home, I will be at Whitt's End: Home and Garden on May 28 at 6:30pm. Refreshments will be served and there will be a short demonstration on how to choose the right accessories for your home.

If homeowners make good choices to begin with, they will not have to ask their Stager if they have to "buy all new stuff". They will be confident knowing that they have items in place that will create an inviting atmosphere that buyers will be interested in. This ultimately creates good news for one's living environment and wallet.

This article was posted in The News Enterprise, May 22, 2009 by Sheila O'Mara