Looking for something to do with the kids during the summer break, but don't want to spend it in the broiling sun?
Head over the IMAX Theater in Portage, Indiana. 

This theater offers more than you average movie house, such as kids birthday parties, frequent movie goer cards,  a coffee bar, the ability to rent an entire theater for private parties and more.

Along with their regularly scheduled showings, the theater has added a new summer attraction - $1 a seat kids movies starting on Jun 16th.  Running at 10:30 each morning, the shows are all family friendly features, chosen to interest the kids and the kid in you.

Looking for something a little more adventurous?  Check out the Imax screenings that include both current releases and mini-features, some in 3D.

Love popcorn, but don't want to spend a lot of cash to enjoy it each week?  The Goodrich Theaters now have a $10 bucket deal that allows you to keep your bucket and bring it back with you for free refills until December 2008.  Another great advantage to this deal?  It cuts down on the number of paper popcorn bags the theater uses annually, therefore its a pretty green way to go to the movies.

Looking to make a dinner and movie date?  Surrounding restaurants include: Buffalo Wild Wings, Cappo's, Applebee's, Aurelio's Pizza, and many more.

Portage Imax is a great place to relax and enjoy a movie with the kids, your friends, or even that special someone.  Head on over today and see for yourself.

In today's market, it is important for sellers and RE agents alike to realize that standard marketing techniques are no longer sufficient when selling any property. In days past, an MLS listing and a few marketing avenues would do the trick to get buyers in the door.  However, with so much competition on the market, that just isn't enough anymore.

Today's buyer is much more savvy than in days past.  With the onslaught of staging and real estate shows on television, buyers are learning they should have certain expectations when searching for a future home.  Should those expectations not be met, they will move on to the next property until they find one that satisfies them. With that reality, sellers and their agents need to become even more savvy in the ways of marketing their homes effectively.

They must take the step of emotionally divesting themselves from the property and see it only as a house.  When they are able to view it in this way, then the non-emotional objectivity will help them to develop the property as a product - available for sale to the mases.

To illustrate this point, I have taken the definition of these words from the dictionary:

HOME
1 a: one's place of residence : domicile b: house2: the social unit formed by a family living together a: a familiar or usual setting : congenial environment; also : the focus of one's domestic attention <home is where the heart is> b: habitat 

- at home 1: relaxed and comfortable : at ease <felt completely at home on the stage>2: in harmony with the surroundings.

With this definition, it would stand to reason that a HOME would be a place of emotional attachment. The place where memories are made and kept, a place of safety and joy, a place of security. 

In this case, the home bears a significant meaning for the family and usually has been customized in decor and function to meet the specific needs therein. Understandably, when a home is in this condition, it will hold great appeal for the seller but may not hold the same for someone who is viewing it for the first time and is not privy to the memories that have created such a great attachment.  It can actually prevent them from visualizing themselves living there.

 

HOUSE
1: a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families

When a seller has has achieved some level of detachment from their home and can view it as others may see it, it becomes easier for them to make the necessary changes that will present it as a HOUSE - a place where anyone can live, not just the current residents. Once this emotional change occurs, they are one step closer to taking advantage of what staging can do for them - market their house as a product.

It also gives them a marked advantage to appealing to today's fickle buyer.

 

 

PRODUCT
(1): something produced; especially : commodity 1 (2): something (as a service) that is marketed or sold as a commodity b: something resulting from or necessarily following from a set of conditions <a product of his environment>

Staging is the process of preparing your home for the real estate market in a way that will appeal to the widest range of potential buyers by creating a universally acceptable package which draws attention to the best of the property while making the most of its flaws.  In other words, it packages it as a product.  One that photographs well and shows well in person.

A home is transformed into a house that people can not only envision themselves living in, but will also want to buy.  It is not intended to trick them into buying something that is not right for them, but to show them that with the proper usage, it can work for them. 

Staging will not make a property mortgage worthy to EVERY buyer, but it can make it worthy to MORE buyers. That is the basic premise of staging - to assist sellers in turning their home into their house so that it becomes a marketable product that their agent can sell!  It is a win-win-win proposition for all involved.

In the midwest, new concepts and services are slow to catch on.  We are a 'watch and wait' breed, preferring to watch things crash and burn - or succeed as it may - in other parts of the country while we plod along in the tried and true until something else tried and true comes along.

This is definitely true in the world of staging, as I am still told by resistant agents that it is not necessary stage in NW Indiana.  They still think it will not make any difference and that buyers do not care what a house looks like.  Many agents are still convinced that if a buyer likes the layout, price, and location of a home they are willing to do whatever they need to do to bring it up to their personal tastes. Really?,I ask.  Because my experience tells me otherwise. 

This house sat on the market for 6 months with no offers.

 It has a the sought after layout of a main floor master suite, open plan kitchen and living area and second floor guest rooms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After staging, an offer was presented in less than 45 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This scenario plays out over and over again - not just on the west coast, but in Northwest Indiana.  Staging does make a difference, no matter what prior experience may tell you.  The face of real estate of changing even in the midwest.

Buyers and sellers alike are realizing the value that staging brings when the marketing of a house is so crucial in such a tough market.  Nothing makes a house more marketable than staging.

Not only will your listings show well, they will more importantly photograph well which is so important for online listings.  With 80% of buyers starting their search online you must have great photos.  Without them you are wasting any other marketing dollars you may invest in your listings.

Just this morning, I received an email from Shane Leady of Table Talk with Apella.  He informed me that he had been graced with his first MeMe request and TAG!!!!  I'm was now it.

If you are not aware of what a MeMe is, check out the explanation here.  Basically, the idea is that I tell you 7 things you did not know about me, then I tag 7 new people to do the same.  

Having been tagged on Activerain previously, I already have a MeMe posted there, but I thought it would post some new and interesting things here for you (and Shane) to enjoy.

1. I, like Shane, was born born in 1970 - the Chinese Year of the Dog - though I was born a Virgo.  Other than revealing that I am 37 years old, I have no idea what any of that means.

2. I was not born alone.  I have a twin sister named Tracy who was born 10 minutes behind me and with Spina Bifida.  Though my parents were told repeatedly that she would not survive, we are both now 37 years old and she continues to survive very well. 

3.  Because Tracy was born with this birth defect and required special medical attention, I spent a large part of my childhood in Indianapolis at Riley Childrens Hospital.  It was an experience that shaped who I am today and I am very thankful to have insight into a world that most do not have.

4. I was married at the ripe old age of 19 and have been happily married now for almost 18 years. Michael is my biggest supporter and best friend. And an excellent father to our 2 girls.

5. Before opening my business, I was a stay at home mom for 10 years and a Dental Office manager/Expanded Functions Dental Assistant for the 6 years prior.  I loved both jobs, but do not desire to go back to either of them.  No one likes the dentist no matter how kind you are to them and once your kids go to school, staying at home is mind numbingly dull - for me, anyway.

6. I am a very active volunteer in the school system that my girls attend.  I serve on the PTO at the elementary school, in the theater department at the High School/Middle School and in the library system as a whole.

7.  I am an avid reader and have managed to pass that down to my girls.  All of us can be found the last half hour of our day with a book in our hands.  I am currently finishing 'Anna Karenina' by Tolstoy and starting 'Age of Opportunity' by Paul David Tripp.  After that, I need to read the last installment of the Harry Potter series (I am probably the only one that hasn't read it yet).  I try to be diverse in my reading materials - obviously.

So, there you have it - 7 things you didn't know about me.  I hope it was worth the read.

Now, I would like to take the time to tag the following people who all have Activerain profiles and blogs, though I am linking only to their outside sites or blogs:

Cindy Lin of Staged4More Home Staging and Redesign - San Francisco, CA

Steve Dalton of Greenpointe Development - Valparaiso, In

Paula Henry of RE/MAX Connection - Indianapolis, IN

Nicole Nicolay  of Effektive Solutions - Livermore, CA

Diane Agnesi  of Same Day Decor - Wadsworth, OH

Calie Waterhouse of Decorated to Sell - Chandler, AZ

Wes Wyatt of Word of Mouth Works - New Bremen, OH



Thanks to Shane Leady for the tag and I look forward to what the rest of you have to share!

I was recently featured in an articlein one of our local newspapers.  It is not the first time this has occurred, so I kind of knew what to expect once it was printed.  Not a flood of calls from RE agents and home sellers, or even builders looking to hire me for my expertise.  Not more media looking to feature me in their outlet. Not even an old friend who saw me in the paper and wanted to reconnect.

I got exactly what I expected - a whole lot of staging wannabes calling and emailing to find out either how to get into the business or wanting to shadow me on the job because it 'looks like fun'.  Of the emails I received a few were honest and admitted that this is not something they want to do as their own business - they want to work for me, or with me, 'just for fun'.  Yes, it is a fun job, but here are a five reasons why no one should ever stage just for fun.

1. Staging is a time and labor intensive career.  It is not enough to like to 'redecorate' other peoples houses.  You must keep up with the latest market and decor trends for your area and nationally,  be able to speak knowledgeably about the area a home is located in - whether it be neighborhood or rural area, be able to manage your time and inventory in a way that maximizes your business growth and profit margin.  Most of these things are not fun.  A lot of times they are not even interesting.

2.  Real Estate is serious business.  It is the single largest investment most people with ever make in their lives. A very large number of those people have their life savings wrapped up in their homes and may be facing financial ruin should they be unable to sell their homes or turn a profit once they do.  Why would they hire someone who stages just for their own amusement and does not take it seriously enough to invest in the continuing education required to do it effectively?  That is a big risk for them to take so that you can have a little fun. 

3.  You must be able to separate your personal taste and preferences from your work.  No two staging projects are the same.  Each house and seller has its own unique set of needs and requirements and you must be able to work within those requirements to be successful.  Trying to put your personal stamp on each project will doom the sale to failure as the objective of staging is not to 'decorate' a house in the way that YOU like, but to present it in a way that it will appeal to the largest number of buyers.  Personal preference - the sellers or yours - can have the opposite effect. 

4. Doing things for fun is all about you and this is a service industry, meaning it cannot be about you but must be about your client.  That about covers that.

5. You can ruin the market for those who do take staging seriously and are working very hard to make it a viable business for themselves.  When people stage as a hobby there can often be awful results.  Dabbling in such a serious endeavor can have devastating results for a home seller, builder, or real estate investor that will in turn give stagers a bad name.  Would it be fun to know that you gave professional stagers a bad reputation and adversely affected their businesses?  Yes, it is a business and should be treated as such.

Yes, staging can be fun.  However, staging is a very small amount of what is required of you.  You must have insurance and legal contracts.  You must be able to bill your clients and collect the fees.  You must be able to complete projects in a  timely manner and on budget - or prepare to deal with the consequences of angry clients and loss of profit.  You must be prepared to educate RE agents and sellers about the importance of staging as not every one is receptive or 'gets it' like you do. 

It is a long road to becoming a successful real estate stager.  Many new businesses fail within the first year and stagers are no exception.  It takes hard work and commitment if you really want to be successful.  If this is still something you want to do, then roll up your sleeves and get to work because you have a lot to learn. Now doesn't that sound like fun?

                                  

I was recently informed that I have been nominated for the Real Estate Staging Association's Professional Stager of the year award.  According to RESA, the nominees have demonstrated outstanding skills in the following areas: Staging Design Skills, Business Skills and Ethics. 

I am extremely flattered and thrilled to be recognized by the staging community that I love so much! 

If you are interested in voting for me - or anyone else - submit your vote here:

http://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=304550&module_id=33063


Thanks to RESA for the nomination and thanks to anyone who votes for me.  All of the nominees are hard working and talented individuals and I am honored to be included in their ranks.  Good Luck to all of you - you all deserve to win!

It's quite obvious that I have once again changed to look of this blog.  Why?  Well, mostly because I can, but because there are many changes underway at Details Staging and Redesign and I want to get everyone's attention by totally changing the theme of my blog and website.  Just like in staging, people will pay closer attention to the content of things if they see an attractive overall package.

Other changes you can expect:

• A new fee structure for consultations - formally we charged a flat fee for all of our consultations, but with the market shift we have decided to shift accordingly and make our consulting packages more accessible in this difficult market.  Sellers need every advantage they can get and we want to give it to them.  Fees are now based on square footage, with adjustments for houses currently on the market.
• New Program for Referring Partners - We are now offering a discount to Realtors, builders and other professionals who exclusively refer to Details Staging and Redesign by offering our consulting services as part of their list of services.
• No Third Party Rentals (unless to meet a specific need) - Details now carries a wide range of large furniture pieces available for your property merchandising needs.  In working with furniture rental companies, we found that it was counter productive to the needs of our clients for two reasons, one being the limited range of furnishings available and second being the necessity of a 3 month rental agreement.  To properly merchandise a home you must use furnishings that suit its style and price point which is not always possible with local rental companies.  The point of staging is to sell a house quickly, so a 3 month binding contract seems counterproductive. We have eliminated these obstacles and many more by carrying our own inventory.

Though there are more service options to come, these are the ones that will most benefit our current loyal client base - along with those to be gained in the new year - and I am so excited to share them with you that I could not wait for the relaunch of the website. 

I will send out announcements by email as soon as the new site is ready for the public.  A few of you may get a preview of the new price structure, so keep an eye on your inboxes!