Turning a Smelly Cat Property into a Cash Cow

You all know that I am always proud of our Certified Members and my current class is no exception.  Yesterday, one of our projects for training was to turn a smelly cat property into a cash cow for the seller.

Currently a single guy has been living in the property as a renter.  The seller needed to sell in a big way but the house was disgusting! 

When I presented the home to my new team– they all groaned and told me there was no way they could do it– they put their own blocks up before they even gave themselves a chance to succeed– but being the “pusher” that I am– I encouraged them to move forward and they did.

OK– can I tell you that not only did they TRANSFORM the property in less than 2 hours– they did not use one single staging item–not one–that was brought in from anywhere else–only what was in the house– they overcame the needed repair, dirty housekeeping and lackluster appeal–to create something extraordinary– they were amazed and impressed with themselves.

We left the property with each of them in a state of awe at what they were able to create (I will post pics in the next few days)– I mean they were truly astounded–they kept saying “And we only used his stuff! (which was NOT pretty!)–

But the best part came when Tina– the real estate agent called us over lunch about an hour and a half later and said– I don’t know how you turned that house into what it looks like now– but we just SOLD it at Full Market Value!  

She was screaming– we were screaming– 90 minutes after we left– it had already been viewed, negotiated and SOLD!

The selling agent wanted our contact info– wants us to speak at her office– do all of her listings– and needless to say– the buyers agent wants exactly the same!

When you know how to do it effectivly– it works everytime!  Congratulations Tina, Terri, Toni, Shilaie, Shirley and Sharleen!  You all rock!

To your continued success!

Karen Schaefer
www.SimpleAppeal.com/HomeStager
www.TheStagerPro.com

Wow – Last Night was Incredible

Wow– last night was an incredible night for me as our newly launched- APSD Online Home Stager Certification Program was introduced.  The response was amazing!  We decided to bring it in as a regular program because of all your feedback–so thank you!

You can check out the info at www.SimpleAppeal.com/HomeStager  or watch for an invite to a  future webinar–but jump on early because our lines were full!

If anyone on the call has any feedback–please feel free to share it here!

OK– Well I am off to teach our next On-Location Stager Pro group–they are going to Rock!

To your growth and success,
Karen Schaefer
www.SimpleAppeal.com/HomeStager

Attitude of Gratitude

You know how somedays you wake up and really want to just stay in a bad mood?

Then you turn on your computer and read about the wreckage of Air France being found and the 2 women sentenced in N. Korea (one of them has a 4 year old daughter, Hannah, in the US–waiting for her) to 12 years in a Labor camp?

It makes you realize that life can be short and you must always live in a state of gratitude.

This week is a hectic week for me.  I have an expert call with Terry Wygal (The Google Expert) on Tuesday night at 7pm –then a Private Property Scene Designer Marketing Call on Wednesday morning and a brand new webinar on Careers in Home Staging on Wednesday evening (you are welcome to join us for Terry’s expert call or the Careers in Staging call just email Amanda@SimpleAppeal.com and ask her for the access code)— then I start my live, on-location STager Pro training on Thursday and go thru Saturday night– Sunday– we film all day.

On top of it all–I am still in the midst of putting many final touches on our new — IT’s a SECRET program (promise to reveal it all soon)– and it has to be completed this week as well so it can go to print.

Needless to say when the alarm went off at 5am I was not happy about getting up— oh– PLEASE FORGIVE ME for my lack of gratitude! How lucky are we each and every day?  We have people around us that we love, we work in an industry we love– and the opportunities are abundant!

Please join me today as I celebrate– an Attitude of Gratitude!

To your growth and Success!
Karen Schaefer

Off and Running

I am off and running to Denver this morning to host my GKIC Marketing and Networking Chapter Meeting as well as my Master Mind group.

It is amazing what happens when like-minded entrepreneurs get together and discuss business– usually it means their busines double and triple within a year.

If you are in the Denver area– please join me today at the Burnsley Hotel on Grant Street from 11am-1pm– Lunch is on me!

Have a great day everyone!
To your growth and success,

Karen Schaefer
–
Karen Schaefer
Founder Simple Appeal & APSD
www.twitter.com/karenschaefer

Congratulations Sharlene!

I hope you all read Sharlene’s post about selling her property within 12 days of “doing it right.”

Sharlene is one of the APSD newly certified Property Scene Designers–so she will go on to run her own, very successful Home Staging Business.  She is not going to run a tiny one person staging company, although there is nothing wrong with that– but Sharlene’s intention is to run an effecitive, highly profitable staging company–just like my own, Simple Appeal.  After her PD training, now she has my blueprint for success.

I remember during her course, for which she paid a great deal of money, and in the end, I said, “oK– now what are you going to do?”  and Sharlene’s repsonse was “exactly what you tell me to do.”

I appreciated her vote of confidence,but the truth is, she was right.  She just paid in order to short cut her learning curve–why on earth should she try to reinvent the wheel when I already showed her how to make it spin?

there are 2 lessons here:
1)  Doing it right– there are so many home staging training companies that are still teaching “bake cookies and set candles everywhere.”  The fact of the matter is that is antiquated training.  People have changed and your training must keep up with that.  The reason that Sharlene “did it right” was that she was willing to be coached, willing to change the way she was thinking, and willing to take a deep breath try something new. 

2) “Do what I say”–Why?  Because I am out there in the field staging too.  I don’t just sit in my office all day and talk about what works– I know what works and what doesn’t because I am in the field doing it.  Sharlene saw that and trusted me- and the results bit her right on the nose– only 12 days on market vs. 140 in her area!  Way to go!!!

So, when you decide to stage a property whether it is for yourself or a client, make sure you are always asking yourself if you are “doing it right” and  “am I doing it the way that Karen would do it.”  

I am not saying that others are not better than me– there are many more talented stagers– I always tell all of my students, that I want them to be better than me!  But, the difference is that I know what works and doesn’t and what will ultimately make them a success!–and I am willing to share it!

Hope you are all having staging and selling success!

Karen Schaefer

PS– Join me on June 10th for an ALL NEW–never before presented “Careers in Staging” Webinar.  It is Free, but I only have 150 lines reserved, so register early.  www.SimpleAppeal.com/HomeStager

Come into a Scene

Yes– I went with Pete and saw Star Trek, much to the amusement of our 24 year old assistant, Amanda who can’t think of a reason to go see it.

As a matter of fact, we saw Angels and Demons last night…I am such a movie junkie!

But, as most of you already know, I am a professional actor, still a member of The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and AFTRA for radio and TV.  Having been an actor and privvy to what happens on the set and behind the scene, I was able to see and experience true movie magic.  It is the foundation of my staging business.

Think about it.  In movies you always come into a “scene”– that is what makes it real and believeable.

In a home– you should be doing the same thing.

When you enter a movie scene, you always know 3 things;
1) Where you are
2) How you feel about where you are
3) Who the characters are

In a home, you should have the same experience when you enter a room, if in fact, it has been staged effectively;
1) You should know where you are– which room you are in
2) Who the characters are…who does this room belong to
3) How you feel about the room– does it evoke the correct feeling?

If your customer can answer all those questions—then you have created the RIGHT scene for the RIGHT customer!

Congratulations!

Don’t forget– we have ONE seat left– just ONE for our next Stager Pro Training here in Colorado on June 11, 12 and 13!  One seat– just go to www.TheStagerPro.com– fill out the application and I will give you a call! Just one seat– stop reading and start surfing!!!
–
Karen Schaefer
Founder Simple Appeal & APSD
www.twitter.com/karenschaefer

Invested in Success

I am just about to set out for the next few days to teach a new group of Certified APSD Property Scene Designers.  They are ready to learn to run their very own staging companies and I am looking forward to making sure they succeed!  It will be a long weekend, but I know they will all leave with the right contracts, pricing sheets,all the marketing tools for the first year, connections, staging skills…etc.– now you know I am invested in their success!

Give them some encouragement everyone–they are choosing to change their careers and their lives starting today!

All my best,
Karen Schaefer
www.TheStagerPro.com

Live Long and Prosper

Good Morning Everyone.  I went to see Star Trek last night with my husband Pete…oh, good ole’ Spock–he reminded me to “Live long and Prosper.”  I think that is really great advice and probably why I love Home Staging. It is so fun and creative that it takes away some of the stress from my life…and “prosper” well–we all know that is a huge possiblity and reality if you run a successful staging business.

I am putting the final touches on my APSD Certified Property Scene Designer Program this morning.  It is one of my favorite things– to teach others to run their own staging and design business.  This group will get a bit extra though, as I have added 2 additional income streams as well as rehabs and occupied homes to their training. 

Well– I am off to complete that course.  Have a great day everyone!

Kind regards,
Karen Schaefer
www.TheStagerPro.com“

New Weekly Staging Tips Videos now up!

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted you to watch for the new Wednesday videos that I will be posting starting this wednesday. I will also add a small hot sheet with them, defining the key features and strategies. If you have some great strategies you would like to share–post them here!

Have an awesome day!

Karen Schaefer
http://www.simpleappeal.com/stagingtips/baby1.html

Learning to run…a staging business

Yes, the title has a double meaning–is that called a double entendre?  I am learning to run.  Yikes–signed up for Boulder Boulder which is a 6 mile run.  Okay, I can barely put one foot in front of the other, but I agreed to run..Truth is I feel like I need more exercise and want to combine that with a sense of accomplishment.  So–there you have it…

Here is when the double meaning comes into play… so many existing stagers lately have asked me how to successfully run a staging business.  I guess I assumed that you learned that with your training certification– but apparently not.  Of course, this is not your fault–what the heck. But, wouldn’t you like to make as much as you possibly can in staging? 

Recently I started to host a free webinar/on line seminar on “Careers in Staging” as well as created a 5 part video e-course on building your business and a CD on mulitple streams of income.

To me, if I am going to work, it just makes sense to make as much as possible.  If that makes sense to you too, join me on my next FREE online seminar at  www.SimpleAppeal.com/webinar  of course, you can always email me if you have a question.  Karen@simpleappeal.com

Look forward to watching you make more money faster!
Karen