The Home Staging Show

I'm super excited to be interviewing Pam for today's episode! Pam started staging around the same time I did and we met through the ASP world in the beginning. Over the years, Pam has been an amazing colleague and supports us every step of the way, including with our EcoJoe products. She is one sharp business lady, which you will hear a lot about her business operations on the show today.

Pam also had a radio show interviewing real estate professionals for many years and she is incredibly knowledgeable about the in's and out's of the real estate business. We talked a lot on today's episode about workflow, system building and everything about inventory: how to buy, move, store and keep track of the inventory.

I'm incredibly impressed by Pam's business and the scale of operations that she has. Her organization and strong business sense really show through her interviews. What I really love about Pam is that she knows her numbers extremely well. This is very, very important. As business owners, you have to understand and check how the numbers are working in your business to determine how healthy your business is financially and on the operational side as well. And what's most impressive and very difficult and rare to accomplish is that she was able to create an in-house system for inventory organization, which is now public to the world as The Staging Assistant. 

The Staging Assistant is also the show sponsor this season. It was because of support like this, we have the means to keep the podcast going. The Staging Assistant is more than an inventory system.  Manage your leads, your proposals, your clients and your staged houses on your desktop, tablet or phone.  With the staging assistant, you will know what you own, where it is and when it's returning quickly and easily.  Create your designs and packing lists from the comfort of your home so you can hit the ground running when you go into your warehouse.  Created by stagers, specifically for stagers it’s the only tool you will need to manage your growing staging business. For more information, visit stagingassistant.com

On today's episode, I have the fortune to interview Nicole Hamilton, the founder of homeownering.com, a company dedicated to helping homeowners have great financial outcomes. On today's show, we talked quite a lot about ways homeowners can maximize the profits and value of their homes. Nicole also brings a unique perspective since she is a serial home buyer and seller. She is also the author of Avoid the Money Pit, Turn Your Home into a Financial Powerhouse, which I had the opportunity to read before the interview. The book is easy to read and digest and I highly recommend it.

Today's Sponsor

The Staging Assistant, it's more than an inventory system.  Manage your leads, your proposals, your clients and your staged houses on your desktop, tablet or phone.  With the staging assistant, you will know what you own, where it is and when it's returning quickly and easily.  Create your designs and packing lists from the comfort of your home so you can hit the ground running when you go into your warehouse.  Created by stagers, specifically for stagers it’s the only tool you will need to manage your growing staging business. For more information, visit stagingassistant.com

Welcome back to season 7 episode 1!

I am really excited to start this new season of the year with something new. If you had missed our newsletter or blog announcement, I'm trying a new format in the new year where I'm live broadcasting the interviews with our guest experts online. You can now watch the podcast interviews online while we are recording. We've recorded four episodes so far and there is one coming up with Bobbie McGrath this Sunday on home staging business models, occupied homes and consultations. Check out the guest line up here and sign up for the live webcasts. New information will be updated as I am in the process of booking more guests for the show. I'll be updating that blog post as I finalize interview schedules. I'll also announce it on the podcasts and emails as well. If you want to sign up for our newsletter, you can do so by going to our website and access the show notes.

This week, I'm also holding a free master class on marketing and booking clients.

In this free online class, I'll go over strategies on how to map out your marketing plan and I'll also talk about how to build your marketing funnel and stand out from a crowded marketplace. The free class runs this Wednesday through Saturday. Check out the show notes for the sign up link.

I'll include the sign up in the show notes as well. The last free class is scheduled for Saturday morning at your local time. And there will be two live office hours this weekend to answer your questions this weekend. So make sure you check our show notes by going to our website. You can always access the show notes by going to our website www.staged4more.com/podcast and click on the episode you're looking for. 

Lastly, the live business incubator course 6-Figure Floor Plan is starting up again next Monday.

In this jam-packed online course, we'll go over systems, contracts, pricing, proposals, inventory, marketing, technology and everything you'll need to start getting clients. I’m going to show you the behind the scenes of how I had built my home staging business from the ground up, including worksheets, systems, scripts and workflow that I’ve developed to build a booked solid home staging business. You will be able to see my pricing proposal, contracts and basically every template I’ve created and used in my 6-figure home staging business.

We are also doing a self-study version of that. It's the same course content, you just don't get the support and the community. If you are interested in either courses, go to : https://www.staged4more.com/6-figure-floor-plan

 

Some of the Qs I asked Fred on Today's Show:

• How did you get started coaching home design professionals?

• In your experiences in coaching designers, what are some of the biggest mistakes design professionals often make when it comes to selling themselves and their services?

• How can they change their mindset and behavior to sell themselves better?

• In your opinion, what makes good marketing?

• A mental block that I often see when it comes to self-promotion, a lot of people feel a bit funny about it. Maybe they are shy or they feel like selling can come across sleazy. What do you recommend your clients do when they feel this way about self-promotion?

• What are some of the ways that stagers and other design professionals can effectively promote themselves?

• In my experiences, a lot of stagers, especially new ones, are afraid or don’t know how to reach out to their potential clients. How can a design professional reach out to their clients?

• What online platforms do you recommend nowadays?

• How about face to face? What can stagers do to get themselves out there and meet potential clients?

• And if they want to reach a higher end, higher caliber client base, how can they do that?

• The other biggest hurdle, even for seasoned stagers, I’ve seen is that people are afraid to ask their price. What are you recommendations for pricing your services correctly and get the design fees that you want?

• And how do you know if you are pricing correctly in the marketplace? Or do you ignore that and ask for what you want?

• What if the client has pricing objections? What are some of the effective ways that you recommend for stagers to deal with that?

• What is the one top tip you will give to stagers when it comes to self-promotion and selling themselves?

• What is the most effective self-promotion tool for stagers?

• You have identified a “million dollar marketing word” for stagers. What is it?

• You give a program entitled “Methods of the Masters.”  What are the top sales and marketing strategies of the most successful stagers?

• What do you mean when you say stagers need to “re-introduce themselves” to the marketplace?

On the last episode of this season, I have one of our 30-day home staging challengers and home seller Agnes on the show. She is absolutely amazing. She has shared many amazing before and after photos, all done by her, on her own. During our show, she will tell how no one had believed her that staging would work, she already had a nice house and she shouldn’t be wasting time on staging. I cannot tell you how incredible it is for me personally to interview sellers like Agnes and Lisa from the last episode. I was blown away by both of them and how determined they were to get their homes staged and ready for sale. Both of these women had limited budget, they didn’t have immediate access to home stagers in their areas, so they did a lot of homework and research. They both did our 30-day home staging challenge, they put in a lot of effort to get their homes ready for sale. Both of their homes are just going on the market now. I’ll keep you posted on their progress in our later season. Agnes especially has a very difficult reason as to why they had decided to sell their dream home, where they put in a lot of custom upgrades. Her hard work really has paid off, as you can see from the before and after photos on the show notes. I had you had enjoyed both of these episodes and hear these sellers’ stories and experiences and advice on what to and not to do when you are getting your home ready for sale. If you are curious about the 30-day home staging challenge online course, check it out here >> www.staged4more.com/30dayhomestaging.

We talked about selling an equestrian property for the first time on this show. Being a city girl myself, I have no idea what that all entails. We discussed what buyers are looking for and what the biggest factors are for buyers in search of this type of home and why they are so important in grabbing buyers’ attention. The equestrian market is one that most home stagers have not tapped into, therefore, creating a demand for that niche as it increasingly becomes more popular, surprisingly, with buyers of a younger demographic. Young families are moving from the suburbs to raise their children in a more country environment without being too far from the city. Living on a property for sale with horses while trying to stage it yourself can be challenging. Do your research on other properties in your area and see what the competition is doing. Research online, go to the open houses and compare your property to theirs then go back home to make adjustments. For example, you may want to simplify your home staging based on what you see in the market. As with everything else, there is a learning curve and we grow as we go. If you are just starting out in DIY equestrian home staging it is important to set realistic expectations for yourself with what you can accomplish in a small timeframe. You will be tempted to make long lists and expect to get it all done in one weekend but don’t fret - embrace the process. When it comes to preparing to sell your home, it is important to be emotionally unattached. Start going from room to room and downsizing. If you have not seen or touched an item in a year, it can go! Often times we feel guilty going through the downsizing and decluttering process, however, once you have, the sense of accomplishment will be well worth it. You will be motivated to maintain it and be more intentional and purposeful with any new purchases for the home. The 30-Day Home Staging Challenge is a great tool for undertaking this task and staying on track. The most challenging aspect of home staging can be trying to make the home look perfect without making it look staged. Staging properly will increase the return on your investment. You never want to leave money on the table! An added bonus in going through the home staging process yourself is that you can take your new found skills and experience into setting up your new home. Before and after shots are great for keeping record and for future inspiration. Seeing each room in pictures is different than seeing them with the naked eye. Remember that buyers always look at pictures of homes online and you never know where potential buyers are coming from so make time to take photos and make tweaks as needed. Final thoughts and tips that Lisa Goodwin recommends are Take the 30-Day Home Staging Challenge (she said that on her own!) Do not take others’ opinions of your home staging style personally, and Take it one day at a time, one step at a time. You can do this and you can get through it!

On the show today, I have Portland Relator Laurne Goche. I really love the conversations today because we started off talking about real estate transaction and then we really got into emotional triggers buyers have and how to attract buyers to love your house. In the beginning, it may sound a tiny bit dry since we are talking about the logistics of the real estate transaction, but I love the juicy conversations we got into later on about emotional triggers, generation selling, and even Twilight, yes that vampire Twilight. On today’s show, we discussed: What real estate agents does behind the scene in a transaction Having the hard conversations with the sellers CMA: Comparative Market Analysis Being the hub for everything to hold the deal together How real estate transactions are like dinner parties The process for seller from beginning to end The process of research to see if the potential buyers’ offers are good The importance of a timeline in a real estate sale The amount of communication exchanged during a real estate transaction Why inspections can be a deal breaker and a major source of stress How Lauren prices the house What if the appraisal comes back with a low number for the pricing? How easily the sale can fall apart Adapting and problem solving quickly to every situation How Lauren got started in real estate What you should and shouldn’t focus your energy on when getting the home ready for sale How to get the most ROI back from your home purchase Why you don’t need to be the best house on the block Why you don’t necessary get your remodel ROI back and some may not even get enough return The best investment you can put into your home Why you should think about your home as an investment, and not treat it as a forever home How to make buyers emotionally fall in love with your home Emotional selling Why appealing to the buyers is like the Twilight novel Why buyers have no imaginations, especially long-time renters What today’s buyers are looking for How different generations impact buying behaviors The number one reason why the house doesn’t sell The danger of pricing your house on the internet Lauren’s number 1 advice for home owners who want to sell their houses

Hey guys, welcome back to season 6 episode 7. On today’s show, I have real estate agent Emily Bevean. Emily is an agent here in San Francisco, which is a very interesting market on its own. Our market is very seller driven because there is not enough housing to meet the demand. So even in a down market, we are still up. The other thing that is interesting is that despite the market being a seller’s market, more than 80% of houses here are staged. Because how competitive it is here, the pricing strategies and approach are different than most markets in the rest of the country. On today’s show we talked a lot about marketing, pricing strategies, timing, communication and what happens in a competitive market. On today’s show, we discussed: How Emily convinced her parents to buy a house when she was 16 How Emily transitioned from the food and wine industry into real estate The importance of understanding marketing in real estate The real estate market in San Francisco Working with out-of-town buyers As of June 2017, $1.5M is the medium home price in the city of San Francisco What drives most real estate market The summer real estate market How supply and demand affects the market The unique pricing strategy in San Francisco Buyers and sellers trying to time the market What Emily does for her clients as their real estate agent Common misconceptions home sellers have Having emotional attachment to the home How your precious collection or collectible can derail the sale Timing the process for the sale Setting an offer date The danger of buyers getting used to very high property prices How buyers and sellers are using technology for their sales nowadays How tech companies have changed the way we work Sellers using Zillow How to really know how much your home is worth Budget for updating the home for the sale Why you shouldn’t paint your own house (for selling) Should you remodel before you sell? Hardwood floor vs. carpet The biggest mistake sellers can make when they sell the house What happens when your property sits on the market for more than 30 days in the Bay Area Dealing with selling with tenants in the home How Emily incorporates home staging in her business model Communicate with sellers in dollars and cents How to appeal to the buyers Do today’s buyers want a turnkey home? Different generations of buyers behaving differently The mystical 3-bedroom Biggest lessons Emily has learned as a real estate agent Emotional attachement to money Helping clients through difficult times Does Emily always use the same stager? What makes a really good stager How communication can make or break a home stager Trends in the market place right now Emily’s #1 tip for homeowners putting their homes on the market The challenges for sellers to live in a staged home

For the next 3 episodes, we have 3 top producing real estate agents on the show. I am really thrilled to have Gina Piper on the show today. Since 2003, Gina’s been ranked in the top 1% of Realtors in the nation. That is an incredible accomplishment! She has served her community in the Tri-Valley area of San Francisco Bay Area for more than 20 years. She is incredibly experienced and passionate about real estate and it comes through through her interview. She was able to squeeze us in during a very busy sales season, and I hope you enjoy today’s show! On today’s show, we discussed: How Gina got started in real estate Real estate market in the tri-valley area in San Francisco Bay Area Gina’s process for selling homes Marketing for selling homes How Gina sells lifestyle in her listings The importance of online marketing today How real estate buying behaviors have changed The real first impression buyers get How Gina works with sellers to get their homes ready for staging and sale How Gina works with resistance when the sellers are reluctant to stage the home How to deal with emotions during the sale How to work with children when you are putting your home on the market What significant impact home staging has made on her real estate business and her sellers Do buyers want turn key homes? How to communicate with clients Current market trend in the San Francisco Bay Area Why houses don’t sell Gina’s #1 tip on what to do when you are thinking about putting your home on the market If you enjoy the show, please leave a review & rating on iTunes! Every rating and review help someone finds our show, helps us grow our show and get more awesome guests. So that’s it for today’s show. Happy staging! You are listening to the Home Staging Show podcast, I’m your host, Cindy Lin. This is the show is where we talk about all things real estate, home staging and styling your home to live and to sell. Welcome back to Season 6. This is episode 6. Our show is brought to you by our in-house product, EcoJoe, the eco-friendly St Joseph statue home selling kit. In real estate, there’s a tradition to bury St Joseph statues for good luck. But because the existing products on the market were made with plastic, we made an eco-friendly named EcoJoe. He’s all natural, won’t harm the earth. We are currently having a 50% off sale. For more information, visit www.ecojoekits.com Our signature course, the 6-Figure Floor Plan is designed to be a business in a box, where I help you take out the kinks and guesswork out of building a profitable home staging business. We have one module a week for 6 weeks, you will also have opportunities to ask questions and get support in our weekly office hours and private community. You can also upgrade the program by adding on a coaching package where you will have additional support for your business after our course finishes. In this jam-packed online course, we'll go over systems, contracts, pricing, proposals, inventory, marketing, technology and everything you'll need to start getting clients. I’m going to show you the behind the scenes of how I had built my home staging business from the ground up, including worksheets, systems, scripts and workflow that I’ve developed to build a booked solid home staging business. You will be able to see my pricing proposal, contracts and basically every template I’ve created and used in my 6-figure home staging business. The course goes live on August 6 and the seats are limited, especially the coaching package. You can find out more information about course by going to our website staged4more.com/6-figure-floor-plan

Hey guys, welcome back to season 6 episode 5. I’m super excited to have Tracey back on the show to talk about color psychology. Tracey is an internationally recognised Australian Home Stager, Founder of Presentation Sells and former President of the Queensland Interior Decorators Association. Drawing on her extensive experience in interior decorating, home staging and property styling, Tracey has helped hundreds of home sellers maximise their sale price from $20,000 extra on occupied home styling, and up to $360,000 for vacant home presentation across her local areas of Brisbane and on Australia’s Gold Coast. She’s incredibly knowledgable about staging, color psychology and running a very successful home staging business. We originally had a whole interview planned on color psychology, but we actually spent a lot of time talking about building home staging businesses, so we are going to have a two-part episode. This particular one, most of it is on business building, real estate and a lot of business side of things, especially for those of you who are new to the home staging industry. On today’s show, we discussed: Why color psychology is so important when it comes to selling the house What is color psychology and how it impacts people Color is a universal language but we have different responses to colors, especially influenced by cultures Why red is a celebrated color in a lot of eastern cultures Differences between eastern and western decorative tastes How real estate professionals can misunderstand buyers’ decor preferences because of stereotypes How to stage your home to appeal to multiple cultures and still be on target for your demographics How to do research and understand who are you staging for Why it is so important to understand what the buyers want today Why following trends when you remodel the home can be dangerous and decrease your return on investment How colors can transcend language and culture barriers How people always pick the wrong white paint color Why 70% of Australians pick white for the wall colors How to pick colors to stage your colors for sale “The human factor” How Tracey picks colors for the house The psychology behind buying behaviors and how that impacts color selections How we leverage and create fall in love factor by using colors during home sales Colors for historical home How lights can influence the way colors look How to tell the undertone of a paint color How colors can be different for different generations and genders Universal colors that appeal to both males and females How to use red in your staging How to use green in the home for staging Neutral tones in colors How can homeowners avoid making mistakes in color selections Incorporating warm colors in staging Color psychology on Instagram How to balance the space through colors What’s warmer tones and what’s cooler tone The source of colors The scale of colors Using color wheels in staging Trusting your own instincts when you are putting the room together Colors can trigger emotions Color palettes of cities and neighborhoods When you are staging your own home with very little or no budget Remembers, it always comes down to the buyers when you are staging for sale Tracey’s one tip when you approach staging the home yourself The job of color palette www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com If you enjoy the show, please leave a review & rating on iTunes! Every rating and review helps someone finds our show, helps us grow our show and get more awesome guests. So that’s it for today’s show. Happy staging!

I’m so excited to interview Tracey McLeod, an internationally recognized Australian Home Stager, Founder of Presentation Sells and former President of the Queensland Interior Decorators Association. Drawing on her extensive experience in interior decorating, home staging and property styling, Tracey has helped hundreds of home sellers maximize their sale price from $20,000 extra on occupied home styling and up to $360,000 for vacant home presentation across her local areas of Brisbane and on Australia’s Gold Coast. She’s incredibly knowledgable about staging, color psychology and running a very successful home staging business. We originally had a whole interview planned on color psychology, but we actually spent a lot of time talking about building home staging businesses, so we are going to have a two-part episode. This particular one, most of it is on business building, real estate and a lot of business side of things, especially for those of you who are new to the home staging industry. Later on, in the interview, we start talking about color psychology. We will be airing the second part of the interview next week. On today’s show, we discussed: Tracey’s background before real estate Working in real estate markets in Australia  Educating real estate agents about home staging Marketing trends emerging in the Australia markets How real estate agents adjust to market trends How lifestyle programs are changing marketing trends and sellers’ perceptions How starter home market perceive staging differently than luxury market How home staging fits into the different markets How home staging is often misunderstood Issues in the current home staging education landscape Pricing for home staging services Mentorship for home stagers Photo styling vs. property styling Common misconceptions home sellers have when it comes to selling their house What home sellers can do when there’s no budget Having animals on the property while you are selling the home Tracey’s system of preparing and staging the home for sale How home sellers can research the market Why empathy is very important for a real estate professional As a business owner, what you need to know and understand about you and your business The liability issue for home seller, home stager and real estate agent How new home stagers can differentiate themselves in the market place How new home stagers can work with real estate agents Why it’s crucial for new home stagers to maintain and develop great working relationships with real estate agents Growth strategies for new home stagers Preparing for lean times as real estate home staging business owners Key hiring mistakes for home stagers The importance of color psychology The energetic characteristics of colors Color temperatures What is warm white The meaning of colors and how it impacts our perceptions