Ask Cindy

I’m wondering what your day is like?
My day to day is very different. It’s like snowflakes, no 2 days are alike. On days when I am doing installations, my call time starts at 7am to pull inventory, or the night before to pack everything up. With bigger jobs I tend to rent a box truck, which means it’s extra hours to pick up and return vehicle. Typically I spend 5-8 hours on job site with 1-2 assistants. That does NOT include prep time and clean up time after we return to warehouse.

On days when I don’t have installations, I have things range from appointments to visit home owners for consultations, meeting with potential vendors, meeting realtors, networking events, to admin work like invoicing, billing, writing, researching, working on expanding my business, marketing, continue education, cleaning inventory, cataloging inventory, moving furniture, shopping for new inventory, working on current trends, reading, LOTS of things to do.

I typically work 6-7 days a week, ranging from 6-12 hours per day.

And how you feel the market is doing?
Market is market, there will be hot times and cold times, busy times and slow times. It’s cyclical, just like any business. Like ice cream truck does better in summer than winter, or coats are more popular in winter. We have ups and downs as well in real estate. The market timing depends on where you are in the country. In San Francisco bay area, the market continue

I was browsing the internet today and found The Home Staging Cheat Sheet by US News & World Report that was an interview with one of my staging teacher, Barb Schwarz.

Barb listed out 6 points for sellers that can help them in a sluggish market:

1. Get them inside (curb appeal)
2. Pretend you are camping (clutter)
3. Balance hard & soft surfaces
4. Work in Ones or Threes
5. Decide from the doorway
6. Make your place Q-tip Clean

I want to especially highlight #1, 2, and 6. You only have ONE chance to make a great impression for your buyers, and Curb Appeal is very important. You want to give people a great impression that you have been taking care of your house. So if you see paint peeling off your exterior walls or unruly trees, it’s time to do something about it.

Do: Show a nicely maintained exterior. It gives people a great impression that you have been taking care of it and it’s nice to live in. (photo credit notnek)

Don’t: Show a haunted house (it’s only cool 1 day out of 365 days a year). A house that is ill-maintained on the outside gives people a bad feeling and impression when they first see the house. (photo credit mar52laine)

With #2, we are in the business of SELLING REAL ESTATE and that is your square continue

I know, I write mean emails. But if you are not serious about making a career change into something you are not familiar with and you are easily intimidated, think again.

(photo by oberazzi)

—–Original Message—–
From: Aspiring Stager
To:cindy@staged4more.com
Subject: Re: Business of Staging homes

Thank you Cindy for your prompt response. Basically I want to know how
to go about getting into the home staging business. Do you need a
background in interior design or can it be something you pick up by being
in the industry. I have a background in Advertising and art, so I was
wondering if that could benefit me in any way or I need more.

If you have any suggestions and/or advice, I would greatly appreciate
it.

Aspiring Stager

————————————————————————-

First of all staging is very different from interior design. If you
can’t see the differences between the 2, you will be in trouble when you
get in the business. I would recommend to do some research and see if
this is something that you want to do.

I would recommend you to figure out first: continue

photo: DoBeRaGi
From: Ms. D

Subject: Advice for budding stager

Hi Cindy,

My name is [Ms. D] and I am what you would call a budding stager who has a flair for design and is passionate about interior design.
I’ve been reading your blogs and have been inspired by your beliefs and accomplishments. I wonder if you can share some of your wisdom with this newbie. Which home staging course would you recommend? There are so many! Did the course have practical training? Would you recommend specific videos or book?
I am not interested in pursuing a home staging business right now. Instead I would like to work with a group of home stagers and learn by experience. I really believe you learn by doing.
Thank you in advance for your time and help! I sincerely appreciate your advice.Sincerely,
[Ms. D]*** *** ***

Hi Ms. D

I would recommend a nationally recognized staging course, because the bigger the company is, the more liability and responsibility they must have to answer to their students and consumers. I am about to take CSP as continue education this weekend, and so far I have heard wonderful things about it.

I also think it’s all depending on what you want your niche to be and how strong you are in terms of business skills. A lot of staging courses really focus more on the business side, which ASP was when I took it in early 2006. I think they have since added more design elements into their course, but frankly you learn best from working in the fields. I personally took continue

As part of my ASPM (Accredited Staging Professional MASTER) training with the Creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz, my Final was to make over part of my hotel room with $100 budget using the existing furnishing from the hotel. I had a great time shopping at Home Goods (my favorite stores hands down!). It was quite a rush to do everything in a short time frame and a small budget. It turned out to be quite difficult to shop when I was only allowed to use $100!

Here is the Before:

Here is the After: continue

Starting on next Friday, I will start a “column” if you will on anything about staging. So feel free to ask your burning staging questions. Whether you are a new home stager, seller, agent, other real estate professionals, or someone who is just interested about it, feel free to write in! Just email me at hello@staged4more.com with “Staging Q!” in the title.

Cheers,

Cindy*Staged4more

Cindy,

I recently started hiring a professional to dry clean carpets before the house gets listed. I also go around the home with a pack a post-its and mark what should stay in the room. Everything else must be packed away for the move or sold at a garage sale. What other ideas do you have?

Thanks.

Kathy

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Kathy has asked a very valid question. Here are a few things that I would recommend for Listing Agents to go over before staging the home:

   continue