Virtual Staging - Selling a House is NOT the time to Air Brush for Perfection - by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP, Owner of Sensational Home Staging

Virtual Staging – Selling a House is not the Time to Air Brush for Perfection

Virtual Staging – Selling a House is not the Time to Air Brush for Perfection

 

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master®, IAHSP-Premier, BTS, REO, SRS

Owner, Sensational Home Staging, Denver Region’s Premier Home Staging Resource

IAHSP International Board Member

In the world of fashion, models, Hollywood, and the media – much of what we see is not real. Lighting, clever stylists, and make-up can drastically alter the appearance of the model or subject. Then add in the common practice used in print media of air-brushing out flaws, and the person that is featured in the photo spread often does not resemble that at all in real life. In recent years, we have all read or seen actresses criticizing magazines for doing everything from altering their size, elongating their legs, deleting scars or cellulite, and adding things like abs and muscles.

All this is done with the magic of the computer, software and clever person with the mouse.

We know when we look at a person in a magazine that 99% of the time they don’t really look like that in person. We love to see the tabloids actually catch these models or actors in real life with their messy hair, real bodies and flaws. It reminds us that there are many clever things that can be done with a computer and software specifically designed to alter photographic images.

Although we accept this action in the world of fashion and Hollywood, we should not accept this as an acceptable trend for Real Estate and Home Staging.

Virtual Staging. This is where vacant rooms are “Staged” using images of furnishings and décor that are not real. The rooms are not truly Staged – as they are done by a person at a computer, not by a trained expert in the house. For some they may feel this is an alternative to having to invest in real Home Staging. However, the savings they get may actually end up costing them far more in legal fees or reputation than if they Staged it properly in the first place.

Photos do help sell a house, but how do we know that the images and dimensions in a “virtually Staged room” are accurate? How can we be sure that certain flaws have not been removed? Since Buyers are not imaginative, can we trust that they can translate what is in a little photo to a large empty room? Most importantly, editing out flaws or altering the appearance of rooms in houses for the sole purpose of selling the house is bordering on deception. In the opinion of professional Stagers everywhere, the photos of the house should be of the real house – not a virtual representation of the house.

Another problem is that Buyers will eventually go and see the house in person, and imagine their disappointment when the photo they saw online is not the representation of what they see in person. Their energy will drop, and they will not be able to translate the excitement of nice furnishings found in a virtual photo to a droll, empty room that echoes. Buyers need to experience a real Staged house with real furnishings and décor to not only know if their own furnishings will fit, but they need it in order to have a real emotional connection. That connection is what sells the house and makes it a home.

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR®) Magazine came out with an article (July 30, 2009) admonishing agents and Sellers to not give credence to the idea of virtual Staging. It is a risky proposition that could find itself being worked out in a court of law with disgruntled Buyers who felt deceived by a clever computer tech with some slick software.

The link below contains the full article and there is an excerpt below.http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009073002?OpenDocument

“However, there are some potential pitfalls to virtual staging, including liability issues. There is the chance, for example, that a buyer will challenge whether the digitally altered photos provided an accurate rendering of the space. After moving in, the new owner could make a case for misrepresentation of the property against the real estate practitioner.

Another problem is the lack of control that sellers and practitioners experience in terms of color schemes and accessories. Virtually staged properties tend toward neutral tones and commonplace art and window treatments that could turn off some prospective buyers.”

(Virtual Staging: Brilliant but Maybe Dangerous? Daily Real Estate News -July 30, 2009)

The moral of the story is virtually clear. With Home Staging, ensure an honest and accurate representation by entrusting your house or listing to a trained professional ASP® Home Stager, and not the clever skills of a computer jockey equipped with a mouse. That mousetrap could prove fatal to the purchase, the Seller, and even a Realtor’s career.

Being Guido - How to Get Control of Your Money Flow - by Jennie Norris, ASPM, IAHSP-Premier, BTS, REO, SRS - Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Being Guido 

How to Get Control of Your Money Flow

Most people have seen those movies – the gangster flick where the bad guy named Guido talks with a thick Brooklyn or Italian accent and roughs up some other character as part of the plot.  No one likes Guido.  I bet Guido does not even like being Guido.

Yet so many Staging business colleagues put themselves in that role of the enforcer, collector - well, Guido.   The good news is there are ways to get away from being in that role.

Back before merchant accounts were part of our business process, I would invoice clients for payment and then wait expectantly for a check to be mailed to me or left for me to pick up.  I am sure they meant well and had every intention of paying me on time and in full, but then some unexpected bill came up or they forgot they had to pay for some other thing – and my invoice went to the bottom of the stack.  It was not just sellers – it was also Realtors.  Paying for the Staging services was not a priority to them – but to me it was my only source of income and was a priority for me to support my family.  Staging is not a hobby to me – it is a full-fledged business and so I had to find a way to ensure others understood that fact.

Let’s face it – to a client, paying for Staging services does not seem quite as important as paying for a house payment or other pressing bills.  Hounding people for payment took the joy and focus off what Staging is about – making properties more marketable, making sellers and Realtors happy, and ultimately earning money in my business.

With how far we have come with many different options for processing credit or debit cards for payments I am left scratching my head when I hear colleagues complain about not getting paid.  It is so easy to avoid being Guido.  Set up a merchant account.  

Require clients to provide you with a valid credit or debit card number.  Process that payment at the onset of the next billing cycle and before a third party rental company may collect from you.  If that card is declined when you go to process it, there is no Staging that takes place.  If you process it for ongoing rental and the card declines, you pick up your stuff.   Period.  No leaving things in place believing that the check is on its way.  My experience is when a client has poor intentions and is going to default on paying, they will do it when you give them an easy way to make it happen.  When you take control of the money processing, these people cannot get away with not paying.

Leaving inventory in place with no client payment means you end up in the hole financially with little recourse.  Colleagues that have not been paid and are not in charge of their business money flow talk about having to put liens on the property or go to small claims court.  Both options create a negative situation that takes our focus off being productive.  They can also take a long time to be resolved.

Bottom line – Stop being Guido.  Don’t accept checks for large projects and/or for those projects that have repeat inventory payments.  Period.  No matter how nice a client is, or how good their intentions are, we leave ourselves open for being taken advantage of by not having professional standards that are communicated and enforced up front.  Someone that wants to only pay by check can provide a debit card – it is the same thing as the funds are pulled from the bank account.

I put away my Guido hat years ago – as soon as merchant accounts became available to me.  I gladly pay the processing fees that are far, far less than the cost of my time to hunt people down and hound them for payment.  I typical Staging project merchant fees are nominal compared to the thousands of dollars of my time and energy spent dealing with non-payment clients, not to mention the sleepless nights wondering how I am going to cover other bills I have to pay.  Just because a client has not paid is not a good reason for lack of payment to a vendor or service provider I owe.

There are numerous options for merchant accounts from your bank, credit union, online resources, and so forth.  You want to check the various terms and fees from the providers to ensure there are not hidden costs and negotiate low processing fees. 

So, in the words of Guido, “Fuhgetaboutit” – get a merchant account and enter the world of easy money processing.  No more waiting on others – we are in control of our money flow.   It is so easy, makes sense for a business owner that plans on growing, owning and operating a successful, thriving and profitable Staging business for years to come.

Staging Success – How Long Does it Take?

Staging Success – How Long Does it Take?

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP-Premier, SRS, REO, BTS

Owner, Sensational Home Staging

Starting a business is exciting because at the start we are full of possibilities and hope for success.  We get started and for some that have never owned their own business before – we realize that it is a lot more work than we realized.  We think, “I am creative – can’t I just Stage?”  Why do we have to do all that other business stuff?

Why?  Because without it – there will never be the Creative Side that we love to do. 

To be successful we have to be not only passionate about being creative, we have to be passionate about building our business.  It starts with our attitude and having huge perseverance to get us through the growth stages. 

 

The key is how PASSIONATE you are about your business and being a Stager.  If you have left yourself an out, then you have a “fallback” position and really have not committed 100% to your goal of owning a successful Staging business.  I teach, “Burn the Bridge” and don’t give yourself an out.  Have a motivating factor that is large enough that you don’t consider giving up and going back to a W2 job.

 

When I teach others about being successful in Staging, I am honest and share that you have to plan at least 5 years out with your vision for business.  To expect a thriving business in one year or even two is not realistic.  It is a minimum of 3 years to see your business begin to mature and at least 5 years to really see the big dollars coming in consistently where you are in the 6 figure or higher income category.

The typical growth of a Staging Business looks something like this:

Year  1: Getting established, setting up the business framework, and planting seeds of success by initiating relationships with Realtors.

During this year, many Stagers will give up because they get discouraged at how difficult it might be to overcome objections and get a client to say, “Yes” to Staging.  They have no idea what Marketing is and how to use it to get business.  The fantasy of having a significant income producing company in the first year vanishes as they realize that the first year is really all about laying the groundwork for a growing business, Marketing like a maniac and cultivating relationships.

Year 2:  Your business is established and you have clients calling you when you have been out marketing consistently.  You are able to manage the existing relationships you have and continue to cultivate new ones – and now you can actually ask for referrals from existing clients because you have a track record. 

During this year, there are still hurdles to overcome as mistakes can be made with business set up and strategies.  Achieving a nice 5 figure income is definitely achievable and being able to reinvest some of the proceeds back into the business is happening.  You are still marketing because that never stops.

Year 3:  Your business is established and you are maintaining your client base.  You should be getting enough consistent calls that your calendar is full.  This is the year that you might have to add a team member to help you keep up with demand whether it is a part time assistant or other Staging colleague to whom you can refer business.    You either go the employee route or have independent contractors. Marketing continues – to keep your name and brand in the forefront of the Realtors and sellers in your market.

Years 4 and 5:  You are growing your business and handling your established client base.  You probably have a team in place to help you including movers, assistants and other Staging colleagues that help on projects as needed.  You might be turning away business because you cannot handle the volume.  You might have diversified and acquired inventory and have set up a storage facility or warehouse to house your items.

 
Give yourself enough time to really see your business mature – and keep your passion fully engaged and you will be in business for many years to come!

Home Staging Marketing Made Simple - The Key To Succeeding in Business - NEW BOOK by Barb Schwarz and Jennie Norris

I am honored (and excited) to co-author this book with Barb Schwarz - and it's for any ASP or ASPM that wants to continue to succeed and capture market share or for someone that is just getting started and has no idea what to do for marketi...ng. Over 100 pages of useful info and specific ideas! These were unveiled at our ASP-IAHSP Conference and orders are being taken now. Only $29 (reg $39) through the end of the year - you can place an order with me, with Kirk (kirk@stagedhomes.com) or with any SHC Trainer. As the cover jacket says - we offer 70 years of collective marketing experience and know that the difference between an ASP that is super successful and one that flails - struggles (or fails) - is marketing. We can never stop marketing either - it's a book for ANYONE - whether new or a seasoned ASP.


Order your copy today:  https://picasaweb.google.com/108905468916034140102/MarketingMadeSimpleTheBESTBookOnHowToSuccessfullyMarketYourASPBusiness?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCO62_PGul7WpmgE&feat=directlink

IAHSP 2012 CONFERENCE

The wonderful IAHSP-ASP Conference - ASPs and IAHSP Members from ALL OVER THE WORLD joined us for a time of learning, and getting to meet new friends!  We earned 3 new prestigious designations to serve the REO-Investor Market, Senior-Mature Adult Market, and our clients in any market even better!

ASP Class - Herndon VA - Staged for Sale

Look at this fabulous transformation using only what the seller had in their house - to create an inviting feeling in each room.  ASP Students are the BEST - and these Sellers were THRILLED with how their house looked! 

Home Staging Accreditation - BOSTON & Northern VA/DC REGIONS - JANUARY 2012

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to BOSTON - JAN 17-19 AND NORTHERN VA/DC JAN 31-FEB 2, 2012.

This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging. An ACCREDITATION is the highest form of Training in the Staging industry!

Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education. No other association has educational standards prior to joining - this sets IAHSP apart with our standards of quality, ethics and excellence. For over 12 years IAHSP has set the standards of excellence in the real estate and Staging industry and no other group has the longevity, integrity and history that IAHSP provides.

Realtors licensed in Virginia receive 8 Continuing Education credits for this class.

Professional Stagers attend for 3 days and learn about the real estate industry and how to work with Sellers and Realtors for business, as well as how to establish, manage, market and maintain a successful Home Staging business. They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP) the only professional association founded in education and excellence standards, for the Home Staging industry.

ASP graduates also receive access to the Staging University, the largest online resource for Home Staging success and is a private resource available only to ASP graduates.

This class is taught in a LIVE classroom setting with a Trainer that has actual success and knowledge related to Home Staging and real estate. All questions are answered and you have ongoing support from a real person that cares about your success after you graduate. The hours you receive are the equivalent of a college semester course with 24 hours of Stager education and 16 hours of Realtor education.

Only Stagedhomes.com has over 12 years of training history, and is based in nearly 40 years of experience by the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz.

If you would like to become trained as a professional Home Stager, enroll now to receive the only legitimate Accreditation available for Home Staging in a live classroom forum. An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the Home Staging industry.

If you are a Military Spouse - you can enroll in this course under the MyCAA Program. Click here to find out more: http://www.stagedhomes.com/public/MyCAA.php

Go to www.Stagedhomes.com for information including a course comparison spreadsheet that will give you an entire summary of the most imporant things to consider when getting training, and how our ASP Course stacks up to others that are offered. https://www.stagedhomes.com/PDF/COURSE%20COMPARISON%20SPREADSHEET-SHC%20ONLY.pdf

to Register for BOSTON: http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/massachusetts/reading/?id=58

to Register for HERNDON, VA: http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/virginia/herndon/?id=69

If you have any questions you can contact Stagedhomes.com at 800-392-7161 Save $$ off your tuition as an ASP Home Stager or ASP Real Estate Agent by using code "HOLIDAYSALE" when registering.

Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP, Owner & Principal Stager, Sensational Home Staging serving the Greater Denver region

•International Staging Expert, Blogger, and Media Personality
•Member of International Assoc of Home Staging Professionals since 2003
•Why Trust Your House or Listing to Anyone Else?
•Over 2,700 Houses Staged and Thousands of Satisfied Realtor and Seller Clients
•303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE

Home Staging for Realtors & Stagers - ASP Course - Littleton, CO Nov 15-17

Join over 25,000 other Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Graduates that have learned the secrets and processes of successful Home Staging and attend the ASP Course - Littleton, CO on November 15-17.

Realtors attend 2 days (Tues & Wed - Nov 15-16) and learn how to get Sellers to say, "YES," to Staging their houses BEFORE listing. Stagers attend 3 days (Nov 15-17) and learn how to own and operate a successful and profitable Staging business.

For over 12 years Stagedhomes.com has been the industry and world leader for Home Staging training and education. The ASP Accreditation is the highest form of training in the industry and testimonials from graduates prove that the ASP Accreditation and Designation help create more income for Realtors, help houses sell faster and make Sellers happy, and help Stagers know how to run a profitable business.

Go to the link below to register and use code "BACKTOSCHOOL" to save $$ off your tuition.

http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/colorado/littleton/?id=46

Gain an EDGE in your Business! Colorado - Home Staging Training - November 15-17

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com is coming to Littleton, CO November 15-17, 2011. Now is your chance to earn the industry's top rated accreditation and designation for Home Staging.

If you are a Realtor - you need to know how to get your Sellers on board with making the necessary changes to their house BEFORE listing. The ASP Designation will give you the knowledge and tools to help you gain an edge in your business. Staging is a key financial, marketing and listing tool for you - and will help you work smarter, not harder - to earn your income.

If you are someone that wants to start a Staging business, the ASP Stager Accreditation is the top in the industry and ASP Stagers around the world earn 5-7 figures from the Staging busineses. Learn how to set up a professional business with performance standards, and proper pricing for your creative skills and ideas. Staging is a key tool for Sellers that want to sell their house in the shortest time and for the most money.

Stagedhomes.com has graduated more students than any other training organization. For over 12 years Stagedhomes.com has been educating Realtors. Stagers, and the public about Home Staging - and continues to be the only nationally recognized designation for Staging.

Graduates earn their ASP Real Estate Agent or ASP Stager Accreditations - and have a full-year membership in the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, as well as in the Staging University - the only online resource of its kind to support ASP graduates.

ASP Graduates also are featured on the Stagedhomes.com site with a profile and links to websites and other information that help the public find them to work with, gain exposure on a top-rated Staging site, and feature properties that are Staged.

To register go to www.Stagedhomes.com - http://www.stagedhomes.com/training/registration/colorado/littleton/?id=46

Use CODE "BACKTOSCHOOL" to save $$ off your tuition as a Realtor or as a Stager.

Home Staging Training - Navigating the Plethora of Options and Knowing What to Look For and What to Avoid by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, Owner Sensational Home Staging

Home Staging Training - Navigating the Plethora of Options

and Knowing What to Look For and What to Avoid

Nearly 40 years ago the industry of Home Staging was created by Barb Schwarz, and 12 years ago it went to the next step with the creation of the first professional designation and course offered for a much needed service.

Flash forward to where we are today and there are many "courses" (and I use that word lightly) that offer some sort of education for Home Staging.

If I were looking for a class today it would be confusing.

I don't envy those that are researching to find a place to be trained. Did you know there are over 30 "classes" found online you can take to get educated in Staging?

Did you know the Staging industry is not regulated . . . Yet?

It's true. No one is regulating who can teach or offer a course or call themselves a Home Stager.

Fact is, some courses are reputable and others are scams.

There are those in the industry that claim you don't need a professional designation to Stage® and some say that there is no such thing as an Accreditation for Home Staging. The first part is true and the second part is false.

Anyone can claim to have been in business or have all this experience and unfortunately there is no way to stop someone from making false claims. Personally, I am frustrated at how some people even explain their credentials in this industry - falsely stating experience and impact when there are those that know what is shared is not true.
So how can you tell the difference when no one really regulates what is shared?

You have to do your homework.

A. Do the research: Ask the questions . . .

1. How long has this course been around?

2. Is the course content about Home Staging only or does it cross over into other industries, diluting the focus of my business?

3. Do the real estate agents know about this class and recognize the designation?

4. Is my Trainer someone that actually has built their own Home Staging business successfully?

5. Will the company be there 5 years from now when I need help?

6. What ongoing support will I have from my Trainer and the Company?

7. What kind of exposure will I receive online to help me succeed?

8. Do they have a professional Association for me to join?

9. Does this Association have standards for joining like requiring education first?

10. Are there local chapters of this Association that I can be part of for ongoing success?

11. What kind of ongoing education is there?

12. Is there a code of ethics and professional standards that are upheld?

13. What national and regional industry company partnerships do I have to help me add value to what I bring to my client?

14. Ask for references of others that have taken the class and find out what they though and how successful they have been.

B. ASK WHAT the course is about.
If you want to be a professional Home Stager - take a Home Staging Course.

For those reading this post that is a key distinction. Staging is a stand-alone industry that falls under the auspices of the Real Estate industry.

It is not decorating or design or redesign - they are stand alone industries and provide valuable services for people in need of professional decorating or design work.

In other words, if you want to be a professional Home Stager, take a professional Home Staging course that sticks to the fundamentals of what it takes to own and operate a successful Home Staging business.

If you want to be a designer, decorator, redesigner, feng shui expert, color expert, etc. - then take a course specifically catering to that service and industry.

They are all unique industries and services and should not lumped under the auspices of "Home Staging."

I believe in not putting all your eggs in one basket and to diversify, but I also do not believe in diluting.

Diluting is trying to cover too much in one course so that the student doesn't really learn what it takes to be successful in any one industry.

Diversifying is adding knowledge about other services you would like to offer such as color, feng shui, redesign, interior design, interior decorating and so on - and you can do that at a later time so you can offer added services to your clients.

Are there cross over elements with these various industries and services? Sure - but it's important to note that the goals of these industries are not the same.

Staging is about depersonalizing and preparing a house for sale for an unknown Buyer and to make a property appeal to a particular and distinct audience. The likes and dislikes of the homeowner really do not come into play as the house is being prepared for the Buyer so it must be very broadly appealing.

Decorating, Design, Redesign, Feng Shui, and Color Trends are about customizing and personalizing a home and in the process, the likes and dislikes of the property owner are the main consideration. It does not have to be broadly appealing, and in most cases is not simply because the work is being done to please the property owner.

C. You need to ask yourself, "Who is behind this course?"

It seems these days that everyone wants to teach a class or course on Home Staging - and I can't blame them - when you are successful and want to share with others, it's a natural path to take in the industry.

But as a person considering launching a career in Home Staging you have to dig deeper and ask yourself if the class you are considering has any recognition in the Real Estate industry?

Because as a professional Home Stager - you don't want to pay money for a class and just get knowledge - you want to take a course that is actually going to help you succeed in your own business.

Fact is, a new course and designation that has not been around is not going to have the brand recognition of one that has been established and has integrity in the industry.

The only way to get that is longevity. You can either be part of the movement to help brand a new course and set of initials or go with one that is already established - and your participation will be about branding YOU with the muscles of the already established course and designation behind you.

D. Online Exposure:

One of the best ways to determine if a class is reputable or not is how you are represented online and how you are marketed to the public and Realtors that want to hire you.

Yes, you may have your own website, but...

Your training company should have a way of promoting and marketing you online and a way to drive business to you - and they must invest the right amount of money on your behalf to ensure that when the public does search for people to work with, you have a fighting chance to be found.

To do that successfully takes a LOT of money and this is where the smaller training camps clearly fall short. You don't want to go with a training company that lacks capital to fund site optimization and site design that will help build your business and give you proper exposure.

E. Who is Successful?
Next you want to evaluate what Stagers have business in your region - and find out how successful they are.

Find out where their training roots are - I know those that took a reputable class and launched their business successfully, and then may have branched into something else - even training their own course - but you need to go back to that core training as that is what created their success initially.

Ask the people that are successful TODAY - don't ask those that tried and failed or quit. Find someone that is where you want to be and ask them HOW they did it - and then do your own research so that you can be launched on the right path for success and have a business that will serve your clients and you as long as you want to be in business.

Do your homework. Ask questions. Make an informed decision so that when you launch your Home Staging business you have the resources to help you grow for the long term.

F. WHAT TO AVOID:

1.  Avoid courses that cannot point you to real life graduates that have actual success.

2.  Avoid courses that have not been around long - they have no history of success or graduate they can point you to that have been successful.

3.  Check the BBB rating of the course - and if they don't have one that should be a red flag. These are companies taking your money and should be rated online and pay the fees to be part of the BBB network.

4.  Avoid any course that guarantees you any sort of income post graduation. That is impossible to provide to graduates as you are not employees of their company and are an independent business owner so your success is truly up to you.

5.  Avoid online courses that have no access to a real person that you can ask question of during your training.

6.  Avoid courses that cannot tell you how to price yourself for where you live - specifically - as the range of pricing for Staging varies greatly depending on geography and you don't want to "guess" at how to price yourself in business. You could end up leaving a LOT of money on the table or price yourself out of your market which would be a big mistake too.

7.  Avoid anything that sounds too good to be true - it probably is.

8.  Avoid a course that has no ongoing support for YOU - an Association, exposure online, and ways to market you for success.

9.  Avoid Associations that allow anyone to join. You will have made an investment in your training and business - do you really want to be part of a group that allows ANYONE to join - therefore diluting what you paid for and the standards you set for your business?

I hope this article has been helpful to you - and as a professional Home Stager that has owned and operated a successful Staging business for nearly 10 years and is a professional Trainer for 6 years, let me know how I can help YOU make a choice. Just email me at SensationalHomeStaging@q.com or go to www.SensationalHome.com to contact me.