10 MUST HAVE Designer Apps

Dear Friends and Family, 

As some of you know, my sweet, 92 year-old Dad fell asleep on January 26th and woke up in heaven. He was not sick or uncomfortable. It was his time. I am thankful all of us could be there with him. Thank you all for the notes, cards and phone calls.

For my message to the funeral attendees... click on Family News page above.

*Last week, we got the notification that we won the Best of Houzz for 2013 through 2014. The official badge will be up on the website by this week-end. We are so pleased to be chosen from the 16 million profiles on Houzz in the design and staging industries. 

* I promised a short commentary/report on new staging and design apps for your smart phone or iPad.

        

          1. Trip Log - This app is my favorite, so far. It logs your mileage and puts in the beginning and ending addresses for you. It uses a GPS system. LOVE it!!

          2. Dragon Dictation App - You speak into the phone and it types your message. This is the best way to record notes for your staging reports, which can be lengthy. I use it for my newsletters and for recording notes on the go. Indispensible tool for our industry.

          3. i Handy Level - This is the most accurate picture hanging level I have ever used. Try it.

          4. Scanner Pro - I was just getting ready to buy an expensive scanner, mainly for receipts. Then I found this handy app that does everything that I need for recording my many receipts. 

          5. Pages - This allows me to e-mail large documents without my computer. Now, I don't need to travel with my laptop anymore. I can do it all from my iPad.

          6. Register Square - Now my clients can pay with a credit card from my iPhone. It comes in handy if you sell books or CDs at a conference.

          7. i Measure - This is a great substitute for an actual tape measure. 

          9. Audible - This app allows you to upload books to listen to while traveling. Since I added it to my phone last year, I've listened to an additional 20 business books.

          10. Keynote - This app allows you to create and show power point presentations from your iPad. Great for before and after pictures on consultations.

These are my top ten favorites. I'm sure there are many more that are useful. What are your favorites? I'll add them to the list for next month. E-mail App Suggestions

Award from HOUZZ for 2014 and other news...

We are happy to announce that we have just received the HOUZZ 2014 award for customer satisfaction. Yay!!! Thank you to all our wonderful clients and student grads who made this possible.

Also, this Power Point includes the pictures from several of our most recent Vacant Staging Projects.

Vacant Staging Pictures

Vacant Home Staging Pictures

Here are some pictures from a recent vacant home staging. The home is in Marsh Landing, a luxury beach and golf community. This is the breakfast room. Just two rooms were furnished to keep the price down. Accessories, art and plants were placed in 8 rooms. It's really beautiful. I want to move in. Master Bath Shells, starfish, sea grass are natural touches. Kitchen The accessories are strategically placed for lifestyle staging. Fireplace area Tray of starfish and fish pictures...coastal but not cutesy. Kitchen A biking community... subliminal staging. These coordinate with the biking pictures in the breakfast room.   Living Room Contemporary leather and a great rug. For more info on vacant home staging, call 904-945-0093. Watch for news on a webinar coming soon. It will show all 25 of the pictures and describe the process.   Thank you for reading the blog. I appreciate you and encourage you to contact me anytime if I can help you in any way. May you and your loved ones have a wonderful Christmas season.

Elevator Speeches and the Wow-Factor Lifestyle

~One of the reasons for the November/December blog is to inspire you to create a memorable elevator speech. I participated in a lengthy Linked-In discussion recently about this topic. In case you don't know, an elevator speech is a short 15 to 30 second introduction to a new person or group. It's an opportunity to stand out in the crowd or put people to sleep.

I felt that my old introduction seemed too long. This is my new one: "Home staging and interior redesign are both new industries poised for significant growth in the 21st-century. We use cutting-edge strategies to create the Wow-factor in your home so you or a potential buyer will fall madly in love with it." 

Here's the second elevator speech which describes the training opportunity that we offer: "Many people dream about having a home-based business? Staging and Redesign are in the top ten for low cost/high return opportunities according to Entrepreneur Magazine. Transformations offers fun, informative classes to launch you into a new career as a certified professional. We help you to create the wow-factor in your business and your lifestyle.

You may notice that the word "wow-factor" is in both elevator speeches. That term is a popular buzzword right now. Use it and people will pay attention. We can all create the wow-factor in our lives. Just get up in the morning and make every decision as you go through your day with this thought in mind... "Is there a better way to do this?" or "How can I make this person/client happier?"  

Look for ways to improve every little detail of your life and business, such as... 

1. Rise early, eat a healthy breakfast and exercise instead of just sleeping late and dashing out with a donut. 

2. Use beautiful stationery to correspond with your clients and friends. 

3. Bring some goodies from Panera Bread to a meeting you are attending. 

I have a number of friends and business associates who live and breathe excellence. I know they will always be on time and prepared for a meeting. I can count on them to bring something extra or unexpected to the table. 

In the picture at the top of the page, the homeowner and stager added some fall decorations... pumpkins, crotons, mums... to the front door area. This picture was used as the MLS main shot of the house. It brought 4 buyers the first day and 2 of them made offers, one 99% of full price. The wow-factor in action.

ELEVATOR SPEECHES and the WOW-FACTOR

My hubby and I visited a cute mountain getaway outside of Ashville a few years ago. It was the peak of the leaf-change season and the Amethyst Creek Cottage was more than perfect. Everything about this place excited us... the view, the sheets and towels, the flowers growing near the red front door. The one thing that brought it over the top was a gift basket with pumpkin bread and Ghiradelli chocolates. A real amethyst stone was our keepsake from the cottage owner. I keep it in a prominent location in my office to remind me on a daily basis to live the Wow-Factor life. 

In the next post, we will talk about Design Apps. Thank you all for reading the blog. We appreciate you. 

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas

Listed Sunday, 4 Showings Monday, 2 Offers Tuesday

HAPPY FALL, YOU ALL

 

I was in my October class a few days ago talking about the 3 different staging jobs from the week before. This e-mail came in from one of the homeowners:

 

"Becky,

I put the house on the MLS on Sunday afternoon, had 4 showings on Monday got two contracts on Tuesday signed one today for $780,000.
Thanks for all your help.  People thought the house was beautiful!"

To tell you the truth, I was almost as happy as he was. It was 99% of asking price. I love it.
Here are some of the pics...

 

 

 

 

 

This was the dining room. The walls are faux finished with a hint of gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dreamy living room with a view of the marsh.

 

                                                                           Another shot of the living room. 

 

 

There are panoramic water views beyond the patio.

 

 

The front photos of the house were not that impressive. We had the homeowner put pumpkins, mums and crotons around the entrance. We took a gamble and used that photo on the MLS instead of the usual curb shot. Obviously, it worked to get 4 showings on the first day. Take a look.

 

 

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Quote that I love: "There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire that lies dormant in the broad light of prosperity; but which kindles up, beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity." Washington Irving

 

I sent this quote to my daughter-in-law, Beth, yesterday. She is visiting one of her best friends whose Mom, Lynn, had just passed away that day. Lynn was also Beth's mom's best friend. It's never easy to lose your mom.

 

Last night the full moon made a spectacular illumination in the October sky. It was like daylight in my front yard. That enormous moon shone like a spark of heavenly fire. I told my daughter-in-law that it was like a sign from God that Lynn's spirit is beaming and blazing through the moon.

 

I think God is speaking to us all the time. Most people never tune into His frequency. In times like this, He turns up the volume. You can hear Him if you listen with your heart.

 

Thank you so much, for reading the blog. You are appreciated.

 

It's 11 O'Clock! Do you know where your clients are tonight?

In case you don't know this already, your clients are on Pinterest, Houzz and yes, even Linked In... oftentimes till the wee hours of the morning. They are also hooked on blogs that talk about decorating and how to style your home. If you don't have a profile on each of these three social media giants, you need to do it right now. They will all drive traffic to your website... big time.

Right now, I am participating in several Linked In group discussions. These are staging and redesign groups, for the most part. About 10% of my monthly traffic comes from those groups. I always get lots of clicks from Houzz and Pinterest. It is free traffic people!!

Take some time and establish yourself as a professional in the staging and redesign world by putting your profile, including your best pictures, on these popular social media sites.

I'm sure you are already on Facebook, right?

Also, you need a blog where you can post ongoing updates and info about you and your business. Frequently add tips and tricks about staging or redesign and people will enjoy hearing from you. Your competitors are doing this. It's easy and It's FREE.

It's called TOMA... Top of Mind Awareness. When your name is consistently in front of your existing clients and future clients, they will call you when the need for your services arises.

Ask for an e-mail address on your comment postcard that you leave with the homeowner after you finish a job. Be sure to place a stamp on it.Stay in touch with your clients!!! It's 5 X more expensive to acquire a new client vs. keeping an existing client. Nurture those relationships.

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We are partnering with the University of North Florida to offer:

* A no-frills, condensed 2-day certification staging class for agents only

* November 8th & 9th, 9:00AM to 4:00PM

* 70% off the regular price and very limited space

* $299 includes hands-on training, an extensive manual, and much more. 

E-mail for more info: becky@beckyharmon.com.

The Staging Report

So many of you have asked about the Staging Report, I decided to publish my notes from this segment of our certification class. This is a combination of my policies and the best from the RESA Convention session on this topic. Karen Otto taught the convention class. 70% of her business comes from this service alone. She is a RESA Regional VP.

A staging "Walk and Talk" report usually lasts about 2 hours and costs $150. It begins at the curb and ends at the back fence. It covers all the major prep a homeowner can do to optimize the odds of selling the home. It's great for a Do-It-Yourself option for your homeowner. It is also a great way to offer an affordable service that often leads to the actual staging job.

It doesn't have to be a written report. It is a comprehensive verbal report. The homeowner can save money by writing all the tips and suggestions on a clipboard sheet provided by you. You can provide the written report, if requested, for a small up charge.

Before the appointment, talk to the agent to see if there are any issues they want to see addressed. Be sure to ask the reason for the sale... divorce or job loss.

After your arrival, ask for a place to sit to ask some questions before you begin. This will cover basic questions about the house history and previous listing numbers, if this is not the first effort to sell the house. It is a pre-consultation questionnaire.

This is a good time to show compassion and concern for the challenge of preparing a home for sale. Be their advocate, their friend. It can be done with or without the realtor present. Tell them what will happen so they know what to expect.

It is not a harsh report or a guarantee that the house will sell by a certain time. It isn’t certain that the homeowner will do all the suggestions. Give them priorities so they will know what's most important. Tell them they can do some or all of the recommendations.

Don't hold anything back. You should reveal everything that may help the sale, even though they may never have you back to do the Wow-Factor decorative staging. That's okay. Many stagers make a living doing verbal staging reports.

This is also a good time to prequalify them. Get the price and size. Don't question the price. You are there to support the choices the agent has made on the home selling strategy. Be their backup.

Do the walk thru then sit down again for the post consult wrap up. This is a good time to give stats on the value of staging. Show portfolio pictures, etc. Tell them that the first markdown can be 5%. But a markdown still doesn't fix the problem. Spell out how much money 5% is for them. Use key phrases: architectural details, sweat equity, and price erosion.

If they decide to do a significant staging job, the report can be free. This is also a good time to mention, painters, handymen, pressure cleaners, etc.

Start out side and look at everything starting at the curb. Look through a camera lens to evaluate the balance of greenery. Are the windows covered by shrubbery? Are there stains on the driveway or the house? Look everywhere around the entire house outside. Notate the cosmetic blemishes. This is not to replace the actual home inspection.

Inside, go from room to room and look for problems. Make paint color suggestions. Look for dated wallpaper and fixtures. Bring post it notes in various colors. Mark things that need attention or need to be removed. Look inside all closets, doors and drawers attached to the house.

As far as marketing this service, target realtors. Many people expect staging services to be more expensive. Invite the realtor to the first staging report so they know what to expect and that you are there to help and support them. You are there to help strengthen their relationship with the homeowners.

There are a number of agents who pay for the staging report, which helps them get the listing. You can offer the service to your agent for less.

If you do 8 two hour consults a week, you will make $50,000 annually doing just this one service. If you have perhaps 5 to 10 agents who do a staging report for most their clients, you will have your career laid out for you.

 I hope you enjoyed our teaching on this wonderful service. It's not often that we share from our actual training. I hope you incorporate the staging report into your business. Your customers will love it. 

HAPPY SUMMER

HGTV Smart House in Jacksonville Beach

 

This is part of the kitchen in the HGTV Smart House in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It will be open for viewing for the next 2 weeks. It is located at the old Florida style neighborhood called Paradise Key. The builder is Glen Layton and the whole development is laidback and casual.

 

The understated master bedroom and bath make use of natural, organic materials and colors found in nature. Greens and browns created a soothing atmosphere for the lucky winner of the house.

The main color theme is spa blue, actually Watery from Sherwin Williams, and orange. Lots of glass tile and island accessories. The art, mainly from local artists, added more pops of color. Large black and white photographs from the area's past beach history covered the entry hallway.

 

 

 

 



If you go, bring your camera. They allow picture taking. It's $20 and the parking is free. It's just around the corner from A1A and Jacksonville Dr. You will love it.

 

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Our 2013 Advanced Class is moving to the fall. A number of people who wanted to join us had graduations, and end-of-the-year parties, etc. and a few had to cancel because of conflicts. One of our main speakers also had something come up at the last minute. Sigh!! We will announce the date as soon as possible. Deposits will go back on your Credit Cards.

Flying off the Shelves... Have you heard? Homes are selling like hot cakes. Consequently, we should all be busier, right? The answer is ... yes... if you have positioned yourself as the "go-to" person for home staging for your area. What strategies can place you at the top of your industry? At the Real Estate Staging Association convention in San Francisco this February, several of the best speakers mentioned the same book. It was the short, but powerful Purple Cow. The essence of the book instructs us to do one thing... "Be Remarkable." Just being the best, the biggest, the smartest isn't enough anymore. Yes, you should be those things but also be outrageously unique. Southwest Airlines is an example of being remarkable. They go out of their way to make air travel fun... hilarious preflight instructions, for example, and their antics at the airport check-in counter are noteworthy. The SW employees recently took part in a huge April Fool's joke on all the travelers at the Dallas terminal on April 1st. It's hard not to notice them. Steve Jobs is the best example of this concept. Everything he presented to the world was not only remarkable, it changed the way we communicate. He created a demand for things we didn't know we needed. We all became "raving fans." He truly was one of the most remarkable people in the last decade in the world of innovation. Cirque do Soleil reinvented the circus. They took a fading industry and transformed it. They eliminated the costly animal acts and then added a sense of theater... outlandish, beautiful costumes and drama... to the best of the standard circus acts. They created demand for something unknown to us 15 years ago. If you have ever been to a performance, you will agree that they are remarkable. Home staging as a relatively new industry is in the process of becoming a permanent part the real estate process. Its value is becoming more evident as time passes. The demand is increasing as the word gets out. How can you stand out as a competitor in the marketplace? What do you need to do to have your own "raving fans?" The answer to these and other questions will be discussed at the "There's No Place Like Home Staging" Advanced Staging Class in Jacksonville, Florida coming in June. Read about it below...

~ADVANCED STAGING CLASS Yes, our popular There's No Place Like Home Staging Advanced Class, here in Jacksonville, Fl., will be Friday and Saturday, June 7th and 8th. The location is the newly renovated Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Jacksonville, Fl. An optional dinner out at a popular Jax. Beach locale will be Friday evening. We have great new speakers joining us and many new demos and workshops. $150 for the two days includes gourmet buffet lunches and lots of extras. Our space is extremely limited and many of last years attendees are returning, so get your reservations in ASAP. The March blog post has a Pay Pal deposit option. $50 deposit saves your seat. http://stagehappy.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html Two new guest speakers: Juliet Johnson, a rock star national figure in Social Media, will guide us to better visibility on the web. My traffic has doubled since November with Juliet's help. That is a small miracle since my traffic growth has been pretty static and gradual for 6+ years. www.vizzitopia.com David Josephson, who is a business coach specializing in Real Estate, will guide us to better productivity and increased revenue. www.thegrowthcoachofjax.com Returning this year is Cyndi Rice who wowed our attendees in 2012. She made us laugh and cry and believe in ourselves. Have you practiced your elevator speech? Remember when she asked us all... not "What do you do?" but "Why do you do what you do?" We will also have speakers who can help us improve our photography skills and SEO Search Engine Optimization. TBA Sherwin Williams and Aaron's Rentals will be our sponsors again. I will be presenting a class with lots of new information on "Contracts" and also "Creating and Sustaining a Wow-Factor Life." Get your ruby-red slippers on over to the blog to reserve your seat now. See the link above. Part of the 2012 Sold-Out Advanced Class The RESAJax May meeting will be at the Floor Club on Beach Blvd. near FSC of Jax entrance. Details will be announced later. It will be a late afternoon meeting. 5:00 to 6:30 on May 2nd.

This Girl is on FIRE, March Post

Sandringham Dr. – Sold in 12 days
Shipwatch Dr. Waterfront house – Sold in 5 days
Admirals Bend, ICW Waterfront house – Sold in 17 days

I suppose everyone has heard Alicia Keys new hit and award-winning single, Girl on Fire.  After a record 2012 for us and many of our class grads and a fabulous Real Estate Staging Association convention in San Francisco this February, that song seems to fit my enthusiasm level.

Where are you on the Girl on Fire scale? (or Guys on Fire for our many excellent gentlemen stagers)

What can we do to raise your level of success??  After conversations with several staging colleagues, it seems that continuing education tips the scale for all of us when it comes to staying motivated and getting more business.
 

Yes, the industry is constantly evolving. Yes, homes are selling faster. New strategies must be implemented. We are offering several amazing opportunities to stay ahead of the curve. See BACKSTAGE for tele-seminar, webinar and Advanced Class details.

One of the classes at the RESA convention that really confirmed my philosophy but sparked my imagination with new ideas was the Staging Report. Some call it the “Walk and Talk” Report.

Karen Otto, from the Dallas area, said that 70% of her business was from the Staging Report, $150 service.  Karen is a regional VP with RESA national and a convention speaker. Shouldn’t we all be listening to what she has to say?!

I took pages and pages of notes and condensed it down to a short but thorough report. I’ve also added my thoughts. If you are interested, send an e-mail request and I will share the document.

Better yet, attend the complimentary tele-seminar scheduled for next week. 3-12-13, at 8:00PM EDT. See BACKSTAGE below for details...

 

 

BACKSTAGE Events

~The TELE-SEMINAR will be held Tuesday, discussing the Staging Report and how you can make $50,000 a year with this service alone. No reservations needed but if you wish to get an invitation to our next webinar, e-mail your request. becky@beckyharmon.com

Tuesday night, 3-12-13, 8:00 to 9:00PM EDT

Call-in number, 1-213-3000, access code, 884624. Your normal long distance charges will apply.

Those who attend this event will be invited to the webinar with pictures on Vacant Staging.

 

~ADVANCED STAGING CLASS

Yes, our popular "There's No Place Like Home" Advanced Staging Class, held here in Jacksonville, will be Friday and Saturday, October 4th & 5th. The location is the newly renovated Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Jaclsonville, Fl.

We have great new speakers joining us and many new demos and workshops. $150 for the two days includes gourmet buffet lunches and lots of extras.

Our space is extremely limited and many of last years attendees are returning, so get your reservations in ASAP. Below you have a Pay Pal deposit option. $50 deposit saves your seat.

Two new guest speakers:

Juliet Johnson, a rock star in Social Media, will guide us to better visibility on the web. My traffic has doubled since November with Juliet’s help. That is a small miracle since my traffic growth has been pretty static and gradual for 6+ years. www.vizzitopia.com

David Josephson, who is a business coach specializing in Real Estate, will guide us to better productivity and increased revenue. www.thegrowthcoachofjax.com

Returning this year is Cyndi Rice who wowed our attendees in 2012. She made us laugh and cry and believe in ourselves. Have you practiced your elevator speech? Remember when she asked us all… not “What do you do?” but “Why do you do what you do?”

We will also have speakers who can help us improve our photography skills and SEO Search Engine Optimization. TBA

I will be presenting a class with lots of new information on “Contracts” and also “Creating and Sustaining a Wow-Factor Life.” I will also be sharing the "nitty-gritty" nuggets from the San Francisco Convention.

Get your ruby-red slippers over to the 2013 Advanced Class.

 

Reserve your spot now. Limited space.
E-mail  to reserve. becky@beckyharmon.com

Three Questions I Get Asked Frequently...

Three questions I get asked frequently:

What kind of people are taking the staging /redesign class?

How are some of the graduates doing now?

What are some of their websites?

1. Let me profile some of the unique and exceptional people who have decided to get certified by Transformations.

*Amy Maynor is mainly a wife and mom but also a property manager who has a lot of experience rehabbing and flipping luxury homes. She produced two successful shows for HGTV in the early years of that network.

*Jaima Brown Emmert is an international fabric and wallpaper designer from Chicago and Naples. Her blog is a favorite in the design world. Jaime Brown Home is the name of her company.

*Angelia Savage, a former Miss Florida, flipped luxury homes in New York City and the Cayman Islands. She worked for Donald Trump.

*Fran Gunner of San Diego is in the process of starring in her own HGTV reality show. She is an artist and stager/redesigner.

*Three people from different Pottery Barn's design teams have joined us for classes.

 2. Some of the students are making great strides in the staging/redesign world.

*Kim Osborne is the owner of VIP Staging and Home Management in Jacksonville. She employs a team of four who coordinate all her projects. Her business is growing rapidly. Her lead designer, Becky Quaid, is also a graduate of Transformations.

*Royce Koury is a stager and interior designer in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also has clients in Florida and Las Vegas.

*Randa Clark is an interior designer and stager from Chicago who specializes in design for those with chemical sensitivities.

*Sandra Millis of Southern Comfort Redesign does a lot of staging for property managers and furnishes models for one of our top builders here in Jacksonville.

*Yvonne McClure in Pennsylvania broke our record for the highest paying staging job, so far... $10,000 for labor alone.

First impressions are crucial not just with homes but also websites. Your website can make or break a staging career. Here are a few student grads websites. Compare them to the average stager's site:

Www.firstimpressionsbyelizabeth.com  
Www.coastal-designs.com
Www.eastelmdesign.com
Www.homestagingbysuzette.com
Www.signatureredesigns.com

Of course, most of our students are SAH moms, retired teachers, nurses, agents, artists... you name it. Anyone can tap into their creative side and learn to be a stager or redesigner. It's a wonderful way to make a living. So long, for now...

It's a Wonderful Life Anyway and Teleseminar News and new Power Point

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you are enjoying your friends family as we wrap up the last days of 2012. I feel such a sense of anticipation and, yes, JOY, as I plan for 2013.

No, not everything is perfect in this stager's life and business, but so much is going well that I'm a bit beside myself.

 Many of you know that I am a person of faith. My son is the pastor of a new Jacksonville Beach church. It's a cross between a coffee bar and a contemporary music club. Huge black & white pictures of beaches landmarks grace the walls. www.OceanCityChurch.org. The last few services have been off-the-charts, goose-bump good. Sigh!! I'm happy!

What a "Wonderful Life" we are witnessing all around!

 I see miracles happening in the lives of family and friends in crises. I celebrate the markers of progress with those in successful cancer treatment and grieve with those who did not have good news. Farewell Bonnie, my dear friend. I will miss you. I look forward to seeing you on the other side of the rainbow someday.

It's a Wonderful Life, anyway, in spite of struggles and challenges. We have entered the world of luxury vacation rentals. It's not easy but a great opportunity to help property owners, mostly from out-of-town, to update and beautify their investments. I'll share more later as we work through gradually evaluating the problem units.

If you have not been on the newsletter list, you've missed some great posts on business tips and news about the industry. Archives link: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs001/1101601434862/archive/1102799026125.html

Join the list at the top of any website page. http://www.transform-us.com/

The RESA Showhouse was so much fun. We will have more pictures later but here are a few now.

There will be a vacant-home teleseminar on the 9th of January at 8:00PM EST. E-mail for a spot in the class. becky@beckyharmon.com The first RESA meeting will be the 11th of January at the San Pablo branch of the library, Beach Blvd. at 10:15AM to 11:45AM. Anyone interested in staging or redesign is welcome. $5. RE agents are free.

Notice to all student grads. The Student Presentation has been updated with many new pictures and great, new statistics from RESA and Zillow. It's powerful! It's not available to the public.

You can get a new copy for $12 plus $4
shipping.

Real Estate Staging Association Christmas Showhouse

Join us for a tour of the first annual RESA Christmas Showhouse on Sat., December 8th from 11:00AM to 4:00PM, Queens Harbour on Atlantic Blvd. $10 with a ticket or $15 at the door. Park at the Queens Harbour Sports Complex for a quick shuttle to the house.

This low-country style home on the intra-coastal waterway looks like it belongs in the movie, Prince of Tides. The casual styling makes this home less like the typical over-decorated designer showhouse and more like a comfortable southern retreat. The Safari Club homeowners have wonderful treasures and photos from travel to places like Africa and South America. The contemporary holiday decorations will surprise you. One chandelier has real jewelry on it. Lots of ideas and inspiration await your visit.

A very limited number of tickets are available. Get yours today at Cottage by the Sea, 3rd St. and 4th Ave. in Jax Beach or Design Elements at the Town Center.

*The RESA national Convention is the end of January 31st - February 2nd in San Francisco. I will be going. Please join me for a trip to remember. Details on the RESA site.

Lifestyle Staging Tips

You asked for it... You got it! Here is my secret list of favorite lifestyle staging tips. Don't tell anyone.

1. Create a theme and play up a focal point. For a coastal theme, use a framed navigational chart over the fireplace, for instance. The charts can also be rolled up and placed in a tall basket. Put some Coastal Living magazines in a tray with a starfish for the cocktail table.

2. Streamline the colors. Use no more than 2 primary colors and 1 accent color... like a spa blue color with khaki and a touch of kiwi green.

3. Add a great accessory or picture... a fabulous piece of driftwood on the coffee table with 3" pillar candles in white. Some fish netting would add drama.

4. Create a cozy conversation area. Bring the furniture into the middle of the room. No "wallflowers."

5. If the space allows, angle the dining room table and remove any tall, traditional florals. Instead use a low accessory, such as, a collection of wood-carved sea turtles or an oblong dish of unique shells.

6. Place some wine corks in a container on the bar area. Add some wine glasses and a pretty wine bottle on a tray. If you don't have a tray, use a mirror. Remove any hooks that might scratch the table.

7. Place a telescope or binoculars on the table near a lake or waterfront view. Place a display of sharks teeth on the coffee table in an oceanfront home. This is subliminal staging.

 

 

8. Create a party atmosphere with a tray of iced tea glasses and a pitcher on a tray. Add some colorful napkins and a few lemons.

9. Use greenery from the backyard to create a natural setting and add dimension. My favorites are philodendron leaves and palmetto branches. Bamboo cuttings in a tall vase add a Zen-like atmosphere to a room, for instance. Use bamboo tomato stakes in a container to add height.

!0. Yes, we do decorate for the various seasons. In the fall, place a few pumpkins and some mums outside the front door, for instance. For the holidays, keep it subtle and use natural items. Real cranberries in a hurricane candleholder with a white pillar candle on top can be lovely. Evergreen cuttings from the woods smell great and can be combined with clippings of natural berries for a beautiful display.

There you have it! My favorite tricks-of-the-trade designer tips for you. Enjoy!

 

What is your favorite tip?