Home Stagers Across the U.S. Attract Media Attention

by Debra Gould on January 23, 2012

Summary

Three home stagers, all graduates of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, were recently featured by the media.

Home Stagers Across the U.S. Attract Media Attention

home stagers get media attention(UNITED STATES) January 23, 2012 – Three graduates of the Staging Diva Training Program were recently featured by various media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune. They had previously completed a training program for home stagers, which was founded by Debra Gould, The Staging Diva.

“Being featured in the media provides a significant boost to your credibility as a home staging expert in your market,” says Gould. “Do not underestimate the value of this. If you ensure that potential clients know you were featured, it will influence their decision to hire you.”

Staging Diva Graduate Gary Baugher of An Eye 4 Change in Nashville was featured in the home improvement section of the Hendersonville Star News. Baugher was the only home stager quoted in the spread, which included large photos of one of his home staging projects and a full article on how staging a house gives home sellers an edge in today’s market.

“Aside from my own talents and ambition, I attribute my success to the Staging Diva home staging courses and your continued support,” Baugher wrote to his trainer, Debra Gould. “Most of all, you helped me gain the confidence to put myself out there and follow my dream. Debra, you truly are an inspiration to us all.”

Staging Diva Graduate Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal in New York is frequently quoted in the media, and her latest story is in the Chicago Tribune. Dazzo came to home staging after a layoff from her 25-year career in financial services. Many others have also reinvented themselves as home stagers when faced with similar circumstances.

Staging Diva Graduate Leah Fritz of Perfect Place Home Staging in Wisconsin was featured in a full-page spread in the Kenosha News. The article included three sets of before and after shots from her staging projects.

“I’m a big advocate of free marketing for home stagers, and the media will always get you in front of a larger audience than you can reach yourself,” says Gould. “Imagine what it would have cost me to buy an ad on the front page of the home section in the Wall Street Journal. Yet there I was in a feature article about how I stage my own homes for sale.”

Gould believes this front page story raised awareness of home staging in addition to promoting her services as a home stager.

“I’ve always had the media seek me out, which is why a strong online presence is so critical,” advises Gould. “You need to be easy to find and have a professional web presence that positions you as an expert. When a CNN reporter found me, it was because of my home staging website, SixElements.com.”

Gould provides free marketing tips for home stagers on her blog, the Home Staging Business Report. Advanced marketing techniques are discussed in Course 4 of the Staging Diva Training Program, Staging Diva Sales & Marketing Secrets to Boost Your Home Staging Business.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of Voice of Possibility Group Inc. which operates a home staging division, SixElements.com, in addition to StagingDiva.com which has trained over 7,000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
Voice of Possibility Group Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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Home Stagers Advised to Establish Niche Market

by Debra Gould on January 4, 2012

Summary

Home staging expert Debra Gould explains to home stagers the benefits of focusing their efforts on a particular target market.

Home Stagers Advised to Establish Niche Market

home staging niche(UNITED STATES) January 4, 2012 – Home stagers who live in competitive markets should consider carving out a niche as an effective way of boosting their businesses and differentiating from their competitors. Debra Gould, The Staging Diva, offers this advice to readers of her blog, the Home Staging Business Report.

“With the appropriate target audience, a specialty product or service will always sell better than a general one,” Gould explains. “If you as a home stager were searching for an accountant and came across someone who specialized in preparing books and tax returns for small business owners, wouldn’t you choose that accountant over one who catered to large companies?”

According to Gould, who founded the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, there are many specialties for home stagers to explore. Gould believes that when home stagers market themselves the right way to the right niche, they can boost their income by becoming the go-to professionals for their specialty services.

“When you set yourself up as an expert by choosing a specialty, referrals naturally come your way and your business thrives,” says Gould.

There are other benefits to specializing as well: “By consciously choosing your niche, you are in a better position to build the kind of business you’ll be happy with,” says Gould, “As someone who has personally walked away from a successful business because the money wasn’t enough to keep me happy, I can assure you that thinking about the types of customers you want to deal with and the kind of work you want to do is really important.”

Some home stagers specialize in vacant homes while others focus on owner-occupied houses. There are several important factors to evaluate when making this decision; for example, home stagers will need to consider whether they have access to quality furniture rentals in their market, and if not, whether they are able to invest in their own home staging inventory.

“Home stagers can also specialize in helping elderly homeowners who are downsizing or moving to a nursing home,” Gould suggests.

Gould emphasizes the importance of identifying all the decision makers in a particular sale. In the example above, the clients would not only be the actual home sellers (or their agents), but also their baby boomer children. While the baby boomer “kids” might be reached with online marketing, the aged home sellers might be easier to target by speaking at “golden age” type events.

Home stagers can learn very specific niche marketing strategies in Gould’s monthly Staging Diva Dialog calls where she covers advanced marketing techniques and takes questions from the audience. For more marketing information, home stagers are encouraged to enroll in Course 4 of the Staging Diva Training Program, Staging Diva Sales & Marketing Secrets to Boost Your Home Staging Business.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of home staging firm SixElements.com and has trained over 4000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
Six Elements Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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Home Stagers Report That Houses Speak to Them

by Debra Gould on December 12, 2011

Summary

A group of home stagers claim that houses “speak” to them during their home staging projects, indicating the changes that need to be made for better resale potential.

Home Stagers Report That Houses Speak to Them

home stagers listen to houses(UNITED STATES) December 12, 2011 – In a recent discussion on the Home Staging Business Report, Staging Diva Debra Gould queried her readers as to whether houses “speak” to them during their home staging projects. A number of home stagers posted replies, recounting their own experiences with this phenomenon.

Gould, who is president of her home staging company Six Elements Inc. and founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, has “listened” to hundreds of homes during her career as a home stager.

She explains: “The majority of my home staging projects have been in resale homes. In those cases, I work primarily with what the client already has—adding, subtracting or modifying the furnishings as needed. Often when I first walk into a home, I don’t care for it because the architecture or the decor is really not my taste.”

According to Gould, this is the difficult part of the home staging consultation because she hasn’t yet “bonded” with the house. However, she claims that if she really pays attention, there is always a point where the property speaks to her and tells her how it should look.

“When that happens, I am able to see the beauty in almost every home, even when it’s filled with items that I’d never personally choose in a million years!” Gould says. “At that moment, something switches inside of me and I can see what needs to be done. I begin to notice details in the home that the owner isn’t even aware of. I find hidden ‘treasures’ just waiting to be revealed, or discover new ways to look at the same space. This is part of the magic that makes home staging such an awesome career, filled with creative challenge and variety every single week.”

Home stager Fabia MacNair of Ontario agrees with Gould:

“Houses absolutely speak to me! I believe spaces live; they have energy. I see a few eyebrows rise when I say that, but I do believe a home is a barometer of your well-being. It hurts my heart to see a home that is not living up to its potential.”

Staging Diva Graduate Leah Fritz of Wisconsin has a similar perspective:

“The occupied furnished homes really get me. It’s like some of them are crying out as soon as I step inside. I hear, ‘Help me! I’m beautiful under all this stuff! Save me please!’ I see some places as being depressed and sad when I first arrive, and finally free and happy when I’m done. Sometimes I don’t want to leave! That’s when I know my work is done and the home is exactly how it wanted to be.”

To read about similar experiences from other home stagers, visit the Home Staging Business Report on the Staging Diva website.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of home staging firm SixElements.com and has trained over 4000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
Six Elements Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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Home Stagers Receive Tips for Staging the Dining Room

by Debra Gould on December 7, 2011

Summary

Home staging expert Debra Gould provides advice to home stagers for setting the dining room table as part of their home staging projects.

Home Stagers Receive Tips for Staging the Dining Room

staging dining room(UNITED STATES) December 7, 2011 – Many home stagers make the mistake of “over staging” a home, which can be distracting and may even insult the buyer’s intelligence. One of the areas where this occurs most often is the dining room table. On the Home Staging Business Report blog, home staging expert Debra Gould discusses various options for staging this tricky spot.

“Silly home staging tricks can often backfire when a home stager is decorating a house to sell on the real estate market,” explains Gould. “The trick is to maintain the right balance between romancing the home buyer while not being over the top. After all, we want people focused on the house itself, not just the finishing touches.”

According to Gould, founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, there are times when it is appropriate to set the dining room table while staging a house, but it must be done properly.

For illustrative purposes, Gould describes a home stager who posted a portfolio photo where the dining room table had been set. The table was featured in the foreground of the photo, so it was very prominent. However, the setting included inexpensive-looking plates set on placemats with a few artificial flowers in a vase. Both the cutlery and glassware were missing from table.

“To my eye, this really detracted from the stager’s home staging portfolio photo,” says Gould. “The rest of the room in the background actually looked great. But if you’re going to set a table, then set it. Don’t leave it looking like a distracted 5-year-old was helping mom before running off to watch TV until dinner was served.”

On the opposite extreme, Gould also recommends against setting the table in such a “creative” way that it becomes the focal point and no one notices the room surrounding it. Gould explains that elaborately set tables look nice in magazine spreads and recipe books, but they can be too much when the goal is decorating a home to sell on the real estate market.

“You want to draw in the buyer, showing them how they can live in the home,” Gould says. “But if you go too far, it can have the opposite effect. The buyer may have unconscious thoughts that the house is too fancy to live in, which can stir up negative emotions. As a home stager, you don’t want potential buyers associating negative emotions with the house you’re trying to sell them!”

To read opinions from fellow home stagers on this topic, visit the Home Staging Business Report on the Staging Diva website.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of home staging firm SixElements.com and has trained over 4000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
Six Elements Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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Staging Diva Explains How Home Staging Can Benefit Short Sales

by Debra Gould on November 28, 2011

Summary

Expert home stager Debra Gould explains the role that home staging can play in short sales.

Staging Diva Explains How Home Staging Can Benefit Short Sales

home staging and short sales(UNITED STATES) November 28, 2011 – With home values down significantly in many areas of North America, “short sales” have become much more common. Expert home stager and entrepreneur Debra Gould illustrates how home sellers can get better results from their short sale with the help of a home stager, but timing is key.

“A short sale occurs when a lender agrees to allow a homeowner to sell a home for less than what is owed on the property,” Gould explains. “This typically happens because the seller has a hardship or because the mortgage is more than the home is worth. A short sale allows both parties to avoid the lengthy and expensive foreclosure process, and while a short sale often has a negative effect on a homeowner’s credit, the impact is typically less than that of a bankruptcy or foreclosure.”

According to Gould, home staging can play an important role in short sales, but timing is a critical factor. She explains that lenders often require that a buyer submit an offer at the same time the seller submits the short sale paperwork to the bank. In these situations, Gould believes that it may not be in the seller’s best interest to stage the property since the lender will likely require an appraisal before approving the short sale.

“Home staging has been proven to raise the value of a home, so it could work against a seller who is counting on a low appraisal in order to obtain short sale approval from the bank,” says Gould.

Gould, who founded the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, explains that in other cases, a lender might approve a short sale before the home is put on the market. A home might also be considered an “approved short sale” if it has already gone through the required process but the buyer chooses to cancel the contract.

“In situations like these, home staging can be beneficial for the seller in order to better compete with other properties on the market,” Gould says. “While the seller will not benefit directly from an increased sales price since the bank receives all proceeds of the sale, there is still an important reason for homeowners to put their best foot forward. The short sale process can take a long time with many frustrated buyers dropping out along the way, so it’s important to create a scenario where a serious buyer falls in love with the home and is willing to see the process through from beginning to end.”

As an example of how home staging can improve short sale results, Gould tells the story of Staging Diva student Peggy Harrington of Wow Factor Home Staging. Harrington staged her property after it was approved for a short sale, and she received four offers within one day.

Harrington says, “We did not get anything at closing nor did we bring anything to the table. We did, however, get out from under the financial burden and were able to move on with our lives very quickly. To us, that was priceless!”

Gould covers the topic of short sales in her free report: “Ask Staging Diva: Should I start a home staging business in this economy?” which can be downloaded from the Staging Diva website.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of home staging firm SixElements.com and has trained over 4000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
Six Elements Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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Home Stagers Learn Tips for Boosting Confidence

by Debra Gould on November 15, 2011

Summary

Staging Diva Debra Gould discusses methods that home stagers can use to boost their confidence while building their home staging businesses.

Home Stagers Learn Tips for Boosting Confidence

(UNITED STATES) November 15, 2011 – New business owners, including home stagers, often hold themselves back due to lack of confidence. On the Home Staging Business Report, expert home stager Debra Gould recently provided her readers with steps they could take to boost their confidence as home stagers.

“Take control of your home staging business by organizing your marketing efforts,” writes Debra Gould. “If you’re spinning in circles and not sure what to do first, you’ll stay stuck and your confidence will continue to erode. With a clear marketing plan, you’ll know what to do each and every day to move your business forward.”

Gould also encourages home stagers to visit open houses and walk through each room imagining what they would do to improve the homes if they had been hired for staging. In Gould’s opinion, practicing a home staging consultation in this way helps home stagers become more confident as they realize that their talents don’t come naturally to everyone.

In fact, Gould suggests that home stagers use these talents to help people in need: “If decorating your first client’s home feels too scary, practice on a friend, neighbor or charitable cause. Maybe there’s a woman’s shelter that needs your help. Maybe you know someone with an elderly parent who is moving to a nursing home, or a friend in financial trouble who needs to sell quickly. All you need is one opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life and I guarantee your confidence will soar!”

In addition, Gould recommends to home stagers that they find ways to exercise their courage, starting small by striking up a conversation with a stranger about home staging. She also feels that it is important for home stagers to reflect on their past successes in life and business.

As founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Gould provides a number of training products and services for aspiring and experienced home stagers. For more information, visit the Staging Diva website.

About Staging Diva

The creator of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, Debra Gould has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate, including seven of her own homes. She is the president of home staging firm SixElements.com and has trained over 4000 home stagers to start and grow their own businesses.

Debra has gained international recognition through features in major media in the US and Canada including: This Old House, HGTV, CNN Money, CBC National News, CBS Radio, Global TV, City TV, The Wall Street Journal, Women’s Day, Reader’s Digest and more.

Contact

Debra Gould, The Staging Diva
Six Elements Inc.
416-691-6615
debragould@stagingdiva.com
http://www.stagingdiva.com

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