Can We Achieve The Focus of A Dog?

What is it about a Dog and his ball ?

Our dog, Copper, showed me something last night that made me really think about the word FOCUS.

At about 9 PM last night, my children began to panic as Copper was no where to be found. "When was the last time you saw him?" I asked - as I had been dutifully working upstairs. "I saw him run out in the backyard," my son Steven told me, "and he never came back."

I called his name out in the darkness - no response. Normally he will come running or at least let me know where he is. Nothing. No sounds. No response. My mind immediately went to the "dark side" of fear thinking, "Oh my gosh - he has been eaten by a wild animal." Yes - a wild animal that could scale our iron fence and make off with my 22 pound cockapoo. A wild anumal that lives in the midst of suburbia (although we do back to an open space with a creek, trees, and well - it could happen).

Well - anyway, the mind was leading me astray and I got a flashlight and headed to the back corner. I was sure I would find his little body - either passed out or injured, too weak to get up or respond to my calls.

No - a totally unexpected sight greeted me. There was my dog at the edge of our pool. He was frozen in one position. He was focused. He was not moving. He was not barking. He would not even turn his head. What was he looking at? His tennis ball that had somehow fallen in the water.

The ball had somehow ended up in the water and he would not leave without it (nevermind that he had 5 others inside - he wanted THIS one). I noticed then that the area around the pool was wet with his paw prints - and I deduced that he had actually been trying for some time to get his ball OUT of the water. But lacking long limbs and a tool to scoop the ball up - he was not successful. But he had tried - he had made the effort, and when that did not work, he did the only thing he could think of - stay focused and get someone to help him.

It made me pause. It made me laugh. It made me think. He remained fixated on his ball until I got my husband to get the pool scooper thing (don't ask me what the technical name is) and get the ball. Copper finally came to the house - wet paws and all - and happy because he got what he wanted. He stayed until he achieved his goal with the help of another - but the goal was achieved.

What if we had that type of single-minded focus of a dog in our work? That we would stick to it until we achieved what we wanted - worked for - and expected? I think too many times we get distracted or disbelief creeps in and we give up.

When we can channel our focus to a goal - and stick to it - that is when we succeed. Whether we eventually have to enlist the support of other people or other tools - staying focused until the goal is achieved is the key.

What is your tennis ball? Focus on it - and wait to achieve it.

What Hat Are You Wearing?

With all the shows and media coverage on Staging, it is natural for people to believe that "anyone" can stage. The fact is, that is not true. Anyone can learn to copy basic tips and maybe some ideas, but for true Staging to happen, a trained Stager needs to be involved.

When less than 10% of the population has the ability to picture a room in a different way, it is not possible for "every" homeowner or realtor (or friend) to manifest that ability. Staging is not just about putting table cloths out (which actually is a no-no) and adding some greenery. It is about strategic placement that occurs after a house has been depersonalized.

I want to make sure that anyone that is looking to prepare a house for sale actually uses someone that is trained to know what that means. We have had friends, neighbors, even appraisers poke their noses into what we do best and what we've been trained to do - and I am amazed at some of the "advice" our clients hear.

Case in point - a family I know just put their house on the market using a Realtor that is not an area specialist. House is not "professionally" Staged - and I can tell because they have a narrow front window by their door where jumbles of jackets hang, greeting a buyer with a messy display of home familiarity - familiarity that should be removed, packed or put away. The photos of the house show cleaned surfaces and pleasant arrangements, so someone put on their "Stager hat" to get rooms ready for buyers, but I still see too many personal items, and odd arrangements of furniture.

When I teach classes I have Realtors and Stagers in the classroom. I make sure the Realtors that like to "dabble" in Staging know that their job is really to sell a house - and if they really enjoy the Staging side, they need to ask themselves if taking all that time to Stage a house is really what pays them money, or is it getting a new buyer or listing? The analogy I gave is that their "staging" would be like me getting my real estate license and listing houses at .5% because it's "fun." How would that honor my relationships with my Realtors, nor allow me to actually serve my "clients" - because my true joy is in Staging.

So - what hat are you wearing?

• If you are a seller, let an expert give you objective advice on the sale of your house.


• If you are a Realtor, your income comes from listing and selling houses, not Staging.
  
• As a Stager, bring me in to help you both achieve your goals.

Home Staging WORKS even in a "down market"

Another Staging SUCCESS Story to share with our readers - Staging is working to help houses SELL even in our "down" market. We just Staged a $1.495 Million house and it SOLD the first week!

We have all heard about the terrible foreclosure market - and how that is having a huge impact on normal sellers. They are trying to compete with houses that are flooding the market - some in decent shape, with others have been trashed.

How does a Seller compete in these times? PRESENTATION MATTERS now more than ever! Buying a house is still an EMOTIONAL decision. Buyers will either connect with a house or not. Making the investment to prepare a house for sale can be the difference between sitting and selling.

The average investment to Stage an occupied house using what the homeowner has in new, creative ways - is about $500.00. The process starts with a Staging Plan telling the seller what to do to get their house ready - they can pack up their personal things and clutter according to the Plan - and then have some help on the back end to add the "Wow" factor with their things or with some limited inventory rental.

The result - a house that is ready for a BUYER to BUY!

For vacant houses - we provide a FREE preview of the house and a Pricing Proposal that includes pricing for time and inventory to best present the house for sale. Once we all agree to pricing and terms, the house is Staged right away. The difference between a vacant and Staged house is amazing - putting furnishings in key areas of the house allows a buyer to emotionally connect.

Our last two vacant high-end properties SOLD in less than a week - in our "down" market! That is virtually unheard of for "normal" listings - but when they are Staged and priced right - the buyers will buy.

Staging also costs less than most people think - for a vacant house - Staging starts at about $1,200 and can be as much as $5,000 for a higher end house. The fee includes installation and first 30 days of rental, and then there would be ongoing rental investment until the house sold.

Even with ongoing rental, the Investment in Staging is always less than a price reduction! When the house is priced right and Staged - it should sell - and this means it will not have to experienced a price-reduction.

When you want Staging done right - contact the experts at We Stage Sacramento - the region's first and premier Home Staging Company. We stage it all - from big to small! Give us a call at 888-WE-STAGE or go to http://www.westagesacramento.com/ to view our background, testimonials, and examples of our work.

Home Exteriors - Curb Appeal & Landscaping

LANDSCAPING AND CURB APPEAL

“The art of enhancing the exterior of a house or dwelling

so it is pleasing to the viewer and homeowner.”

LANDSCAPING and CURB APPEAL – are critical elements needed for the sale of a house - because if we can’t get a buyer in the front door – they will never see all the great features about a house. The 3 second rule applies to the outside of the house – in just 3 seconds, a person looking at the house will form an opinion, and if they don’t like what they see or feel about the house, they will keep on driving.

Landscaping and Curb Appeal are not the same thing - a house can be professionally landscaped and still lack curb appeal. They are also not just about selling – and hopefully you and your clients that are not moving can use some of the tips and ideas in this month’s issue for your own houses too!

This process does not have to be expensive either – and a lot of attention on HGTV shows has been paid to remodeling the exterior of a house for the pleasure of the homeowner or the attraction of a buyer. The exterior of a house is important as it is the first impression a person has of the house – but the good news is even if you don’t have a lot of money to do major renovations on the outside, there is hope! There is a lot that can be done with good old-fashioned common sense and some sweat equity.

EXTERIOR APPEAL: It all starts with CURB APPEAL and curb appeal is about color, texture, foliage and how it all blends to feature the house.

Ask yourself this question and be willing to answer it honestly: How appealing is YOUR home’s exterior? How much color should you have for selling or living? What about exterior painting? If you house needs a “face lift” what colors should you paint? We will answer that question coming up.

How about your Landscaping? Did the winter storms wreak havoc with your landscaping? Has the warmer weather that has brought out our blooms (and allergies) en force also caused you to wonder just where all the weeds came from that now dot or cluster your landscaping?

Let’s Get Started!

First – in order to truly assess a home’s curb appeal – we need to get a proper perspective. When was the last time you stood across the street or cul-de-sac and actually looked back at your house? This is a common practice when we Stage for our clients – but we often forget to do this with our own houses.

So – walk across the street and look back. What do you see?

Do your trees need trimming? Are your windows dirty? Is there debris on your room – or even forgotten toys? What condition are your gutters in and are they working properly? Do you like the colors on the exterior of you house – does the paint look faded? Is it chipping or peeling off?

You have begun your exterior improvement “to do list.” Paint is the lowest investment with the highest rate of return. Depending on the requirements where you live (Home Owners Association or not) – you may be able to change the paint color of your house and get it more in line with today’s trends, or at least refresh the current color with a fresh coat of paint. If painting the whole house is not in the budget, then consider painting your trim and freshening any painted shutters and your front door.

STAGING RECOMMENDATION: Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging™ says that no more than 3 colors on the outside of the house are needed. This means that between the body, trim, door, and shutters – we should only use 3 colors. This helps the house not to look too hodgepodge and chopped up. We have seen some real painting nightmares out there – and it looks like the owner or builder could not make up his or her mind!

Next – take a look at your plants. Are they neatly trimmed or have they a little out of control? Are the trees in good shape or are they too bushy? If you have a tree in the front yard, does it hide the house, preventing a buyer from easily viewing the house from the street as they drive up or by the house?

If there are lots of weeds, get rid of them by spraying weed killer that does not harm the plants or make quicker impacts by pulling the weeds from the roots. Then re-bark the flower and planting beds with a fresh layer of small sized bark.

We Stage Sacramento Staging TIP: LIMB & TRIM!
Limb trees up from the ground – if their branches have grown too low – cut them back or off and this allows the tree to grow taller and healthier without all that extra baggage to support. Trim shrubs down – shape them according to what looks best and keep them manageable. The BEST time to Limb & Trim is in the dormant season – or winter. But, if you are selling your house – and need to create some visual curb appeal, go ahead and Limb and Trim. A mature tree will not be impacted greatly by having a few limbs removed or cleaned up. Make sure to remove any “suckers” too – those are the little shoots that sprout up from the ground by the tree’s base – and are actually really bad for a tree.

Adding COLOR: For landscaping, the ideal yard has trees, shrubs and flowers blooming year round. Many gardens though seem to focus on the spring – and have a riot of color, only to be replaced with a sea of green for the rest of the year. There are many perennial trees, shrubs and groundcovers that bloom throughout the summer and into the fall. Even in the winter, we have some plants that will survive in the cold temperatures and give us some color to enjoy.

We Stage Sacramento Staging TIP: For selling – add color splashes – and cluster annuals or perennials together in like color categories. In other words, if you need some color on the outside, it’s better to purchase a flat of mums in all the same color and plant them together to get a big impact splash, than it is to spread them all out, or buy a flat of mixed colors.

With ONE color to focus on, the eye of the buyer will have an easier time focusing on the focal point of color, versus seeing it all scattered about and in small little increments. White and yellow in particular are good colors for landscape Staging as they are bold and bright – and show up day or night. Stay away from planting flowers that attract bees, and find ones that are nicely fragrant.

Add some additional interest with YARD ACCENTS:

We are not talking about pink flamingos or pin wheels or a lot of small collections of things in the yard or on fences. Those are fine for someone living in the house that really likes those items, but for selling, items that are too cutesy or distractions for the buyers need to go. What CAN stay are things like accent pots, urns, and wrought iron grilles. Place an accent pot in a flower bed, hang a wrought iron grille on the wall, and place urns by patios or doors to “frame” the entrance. You don’t have to plant anything inside them – many times they can act as a “stand alone” accent piece. Remember that our policy of “less is more” still applies and so just a few accent pieces to add appeal is what we want – not a lot of visual clutter on the walls and in the yard.

If you have un-used pots that housed annuals, get rid of them if you know you will not have time to plant anything new or maintain annuals while your house is for sale. Half-dead plants send a message to a buyer that the homeowner does not care about their plants – and therefore may not have cared for the inside either. So store unused pots in the garage or toss them out if they will not be used in the new house.

If you DO have time to plant some nice colorful annuals – add a splash of color by the front door, and in the patio on the table or by the door.

Yard Debris:
If you have old pieces of lumber, pipes, or other cast aside items that were once part of some home improvement project, get rid of them now.

Call up 800-GOT-JUNK and for a fee, they will come and haul away large piles of just about anything. If you have the time and energy to do this yourself, make sure it happens BEFORE anyone comes to see the house. A Buyer does not want to have to navigate around fencing, lumber, old pots, frames, or any other item in the yard as they walk along the side yards or in the backyard – plus those items could pose a potential hazard. Many homeowners casually toss things in their yards with the goal of “some day” taking it to the dump. Someday is TODAY. Make it happen. Even if you are not moving – remove these unused items from your yard – you will be amazed at how much bigger the yard seems and how much you appreciate being able to access previously blocked areas. This same rule applies to the garage – if you have not used it or thought about it in over a year, get rid of it! Free up your storage, rafters, and shelving in your garage. Donate items that can be used by others, have a garage sale, or just purge!

When you use We Stage Sacramento Staging Team – we can pass along our discount with 800-GOT-JUNK to you!

OUTDOOR FURNITURE:

Nice groupings of yard furniture can help create an “outdoor room” that is so popular these days. Many local stores have great collections of inexpensive yet sturdy furniture that is perfect for “setting the stage” outside. We recommend a table with 4 chairs and a clean, colorful umbrella in your back patio. Small bistro sets that look like wrought iron but are actually made of plastic are also a good trick. Lightweight and weatherproof, they make a nice addition to a smaller patio, front patio or garden niche. If you have a larger yard, consider getting a settee or a set of all-weather wicker chairs and create a “destination grouping” for the buyer. Put some colorful cushions and pillows on the chairs – and voila! Instant appeal! You can “stage” your tables with a colorful pitcher and acrylic glasses, or a pot of flowers. If you have an existing outdoor bar or barbeque, add some light décor to help “stage” the surfaces.

Don’t forget the pool area – if you have a pool make sure to add lounges by your pool area – just a couple will do – and this helps buyers to envision themselves enjoying the pool area on a warm afternoon. Keep pool toys put away, and make sure anyone looking at your house for sale is pool-safe or under strict supervision.

If you are living in the house and not selling – treat yourself to some new furniture and get rid of pieces that are falling apart. With the inexpensive collections offered by places like Target and Walmart, homeowners can easily furnish the outside and not be as concerned about weather wear-and-tear because the pieces did not cost a fortune – for between $300-$400 you can get an entire set of 5 pieces! You can even sometimes find some good bargains at Big Lots, Longs, and other smaller outfits. If you want to make an investment in furniture that will last longer, go to Pottery World or Outdoor Furniture in Roseville, Costco & Sam’s Club – or local stores near you - or shop online. The pieces are costly, but will have a longer lifespan.

Lastly – CLEAN UP!

There are many nice houses with appealing yards that are dirty on the outside! One of Barb Schwarz’s 7 C’s of Staging is “Clean” – and this applies not just to the inside of a house. Some houses could benefit from a nice power washing, and the windows that are the “eyes of the house” are often so smeary or dirty, it detracts from the view. Screens get dusty and dirty and then don’t allow a buyer to see clearly from the inside of the house – and we don’t want to detract from a potential sale.

Window Cleaners are very reasonably priced for the work they do – which is essentially climbing up on skinny ladders and retrieving our screens, washing windows so they sparkle, and then having to reinstall now clean screens. As an example, a 4,000 square foot 2-story house would be about $200 to clean. To me THAT is a bargain! Even without selling it is a good idea to have your windows and screens cleaned twice a year.

Walkways and driveways can also benefit from being washed down to eliminate dust, pollen and other droppings from birds or trees.

We Stage Sacramento Staging TIP: When photographing your house for brochures or online images, consider wetting down your driveway and walkways before taking the picture. This is a common “trick” professionals use and it works as it reflects the light and adds extra dimension and appeal to the photos.

Consider taking photos at night – of the house all lit up – and use those photos to promote the house in marketing materials.

We hope you have found the information shared here of value to you and your clients. Feel free to share our newsletter with others in your office or with your clients in order to give them an “expert opinion” on what works for presenting a house – for market or for living!