Summary

According to Staging Diva Debra Gould, attending open houses is an effective way for home stagers to market their home staging businesses to real estate agents.

Home Staging Expert Provides Tips for Attending Open Houses

(UNITED STATES) February 6, 2012 – There are a number of ways that home stagers can market their services to real estate agents, but home staging expert Debra Gould believes that attending open houses is one of the most effective. On the Home Staging Business Report blog, Gould provides tips to home stagers for approaching real estate agents at open houses.

“It’s important to be clear in your own mind about what you’re there for and what you want to accomplish,” says Gould. “This will keep you focused and channel your energies in the right direction. Otherwise, you can say the wrong thing and end up with an angry REALTOR®.”

Gould, who founded the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, also suggests that home stagers ensure that they are not taking time away from an agent’s potential clients who are touring the home: “While showing up at an open house gives you a captive audience, you don’t want to appear that you’re taking advantage of that or interfering with what the agent is really there for,” she says.

According to Gould, one of the objectives in attending an open house is to begin building a relationship with the real estate agent. Since this is typically the first face-to-face meeting, Gould emphasizes the importance of making the right first impression.

“You should have a professional, conversational-sounding way of introducing yourself,” recommends Gould. “Practice this in advance so you sound confident when you say it, even if you’re brand new to home staging.”

In addition, Gould says it is important not to assume that the agent knows what home staging is or has ever worked with a home stager before. While the term home staging has existed for more than a decade, many agents are simply not familiar with it. Gould believes it is each home stager’s responsibility to explain who they are and what they do in a clear and compelling way.

Gould also recommends exchanging business cards and requesting the real estate agent’s permission to follow up with an email newsletter containing home staging tips.

Gould explains further: “This is only the start of your relationship, so you need permission to build on that relationship and familiarity in the future. With ongoing communication, when they need your staging services in the future, you’ll still be ‘top of mind.’ If there isn’t any ongoing communication, the next time a project opportunity arises, it may go to your competition who has contacted them more recently.”

Gould finds that having a monthly newsletter is the easiest way to keep this communication open: “It’s much less scary or intrusive than calling an agent to say ‘Remember me?’ A newsletter lets you market to them without being pushy,” says Gould.

For more home staging business tips, home stagers are encouraged to 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 7 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

###

Summary

Graduates of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program compare stories about decorating their homes as children.

Home Staging Expert Believes Stagers Exhibit Creativity Early in Life

(UNITED STATES) January 30, 2012 – On her blog, the Home Staging Business Report, expert home stager Debra Gould describes how she has been interested in home decorating ever since she was a child. Many of her readers also wrote in about their creative ventures as children, many believing that they were born to be home stagers all along.

“I’ve been addicted to decorating since I was a kid,” says Gould, who founded the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. “I remember insisting that my room be painted a deep turquoise and my rattan headboard white, because I could totally picture how one would stand out against the other and compliment the pale creamy-yellow duvet. As a teen, I painted murals on my bedroom wall and also the high school cafeteria. I even managed to convince the vice principal of the high school to exempt me from swimming as reward for decorating the cafeteria!”

Gould has heard similar stories from many Staging Diva students and graduates. Some of them rarely played with dolls because they were too busy decorating and redecorating their doll houses.

“I was the oldest of four children in our family and I convinced my mom to let me have my own bedroom so I could ‘study,’” writes Stacy Goade of Alaska Premier Home Staging. “But what I really wanted to do was decorate my own space and surround myself with the energy that suited me. I chose hot pink and lime green for bedding and curtains. I wanted white walls because the room was south facing and lit up so amazing like when the sun poured in through the windows. I talked my mom into ordering me ‘French provincial’ furnishings from the Sears catalog and I got a canopy bed. I felt like a goddess in my own space! I kept my room neat and liked everything in just the right place—a detail oriented kid and a blooming home stager!”

Susan Atwell of AtWell Staged Home in New York has a similar story: “My biggest memory with regard to my bedroom is rearranging the furniture. I was always trying to make the room feel as big as it could. My mom loved decorating, so we did a lot of that together. She also sewed and I remember making quilts for my bed. Window treatments, bedspread, skirt, pillows were all made by us. My dad was extremely handy too. He was a great painter and even built a few pieces of furniture for me—to my specifications. Even then, I knew the value of using vertical space! As I got older, I planned my college dorm rooms all summer, and they always felt like home. Looking back now, I realize that I’ve been decorating, space planning, and organizing as far back as I can remember.”

Stock trader and home stager Red Barrinuevo of Redesign4more in Ontario also wrote in: “As a kid, home decorating has always been fascinating to me. While my sister was excited about going to Sunday mass, I was excited about the fact that I had the whole morning to redesign our living room while they were out.”

About the Staging Diva Training Program, Barrinuevo says, “After taking the course, it is just non-stop for me. In one year, I’ve already staged four homes, I have two big redesigning projects scheduled before the end of the year, and I was recently invited to Alberta to do another redesigning project for a newly renovated house, all expenses paid! Now I realize that when you start doing what you truly love, it will translate and the feeling of happiness is unbelievable. The best years of my life has finally begun!”

Kathi Howland of Nicole Interiors Home Staging feels the same way about her new home staging career: “Right now I’m repainting and re-staging my home office. I love it and can’t imagine doing anything else. In fact, the only regret I have is not recognizing this was my career path a long time ago instead of wasting time in a soul sucking office job.”

To this, Gould replied: “The good news is you found your dream and took action before it was too late! This reminds me of a great proverb—‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the next best time is today.’”

Aspiring home stagers can find additional information about Debra Gould and the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program at StagingDiva.com.

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 7 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

###

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

(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

###

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

(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

###

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

(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

###

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

(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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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

###

Summary

Staging Diva Graduate Lori Fischer left a decade-long career in pharmaceutical sales to become a home stager. She gives credit to Debra Gould, The Staging Diva, for her early success.

Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Finds Success as Home Stager

(UNITED STATES) November 7, 2011 – Before becoming a home stager, Lori Fischer of Pennsylvania-based Rethink Interiors worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative. Despite her background in an unrelated industry, she has experienced early success as a home stager, and she attributes this to the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program founded by Debra Gould.

“I had my first staging job before I finished my home staging courses, and I had to listen to the recordings to coach me through many aspects of it,” Fischer says. “I successfully staged the home with the help of my trainer, Debra Gould, and that of my Staging Diva Network colleagues. Not only were the homeowners thrilled, they said that working with me was transformational. I couldn’t have received a higher compliment.”

From her first project, Lori generated four new leads, which brought in at least one additional home staging project.

“Each morning I wake up and am energized by what I am doing and what the future is going to bring. I honestly could not and most likely would not have made this leap to fulfill my dream had I not found The Staging Diva. Debra not only provides the nuts and bolts, she also provides an incredible amount of support with coaching. She is that voice of confidence in the moments when doubt creeps in that keeps me focused and moving forward.”

Fischer is involved in a number of activities that have influenced her success. Besides staying active in the online discussion group, Staging Diva Network, she also has a listing on the Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers so that local homeowners and real estate agents can find her. She also takes time to comment on industry blogs and uses Twitter to market her business.

“The Staging Diva Program has given me the roadmap to fulfill a dream that I have had for years but was too afraid to make happen,” explains Fischer. “Staging Diva training has given me tools to make this passion a lucrative career and at the same time provides outstanding follow-up coaching to achieve the personal growth that needed to happen for me to take this big step. Thanks to Debra, I have been able to leave a decade-long career that never fit and have replaced it with a passion, joy and zeal that I had craved for so long.”

Many Staging Diva Graduates have found success as home stagers after making the switch from unrelated careers. For more information about the Staging Diva Training Program, 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

###

Summary

Home staging expert Debra Gould, The Staging Diva, inspires her readers to become their own bosses by starting their own home staging businesses.

Debra Gould Encourages Aspiring Home Stagers to Strike Out on Their Own

(UNITED STATES) November 1, 2011 – While working for three different companies early in her career, Debra Gould realized that working for someone else was not for her. Gould faced a number of challenges from her bosses, including sexual harassment, anger issues, and alcoholism. She set a goal to become her own boss by the time she was 30—a goal she can proudly say she achieved. She tells her story in the Home Staging Business Report so that aspiring home stagers can learn from her experiences.

“When you work for yourself, you don’t have to put up with difficult or abusive bosses,” explains Gould. “Plus, if you’re the kind of person who works as long as it takes to get something done right, you actually make more money because you’re the one reaping the rewards for your efforts instead of your employer.”

Gould has supported her family as an entrepreneur since 1989 when she started her own marketing consulting company. Ten years later, she risked it all again to pursue more creative endeavors. After a four-year journey of personal and professional reinvention, she launched her home staging company, Six Elements Inc. Within her second year, Gould was making up to $10,000 per month staging homes.

Gould, who is also the founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program, readily admits that home stagers are not safe from dealing with difficult people. She explains that home staging clients range from “nasty to wonderful,” but that home stagers typically work with clients on a temporary basis.

“I’ve found that the wonderful clients stick around,” says Gould. “They’re the ones that come back years later to stage the next house they’re selling, or refer me to their friends and relatives.”

It is Gould’s mission to inspire others and give them the knowledge and training they need to become their own bosses and earn a living. “I followed my dreams and want to teach others to do the same,” she says.

Aspiring home stagers can find additional information about Debra Gould and the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program at StagingDiva.com.

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

###

Summary

Debra Gould, also known as The Staging Diva, discusses the details of a home staging project and explains why tradeoffs were required for practical reasons.

Staging Diva Explains Why Home Staging Projects Require Compromise

(UNITED STATES) October 25, 2011 – It is very rare that a home stager has the opportunity to work with a blank canvas or a blank check. Instead, home stagers are asked to work within certain constraints, such as the client’s budget, the listing date, and the price point and target market for the house. It is also common for homeowners to put a house on the market while they are still living in it, which makes certain staging recommendations impractical.

“There is really no end to the ideas we can dream up when staging a real estate property, but there are many factors that will limit us as stagers,” says Debra Gould, founder of the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. In fact, I’ve often found it makes my own home staging projects more creatively challenging because not only do I have to find visually appealing solutions, I also have to find solutions that work for everyone concerned.”

In a recent post on her blog, the Home Staging Business Report, Gould shared photos of a specific client’s home staging project and explained how home stagers are often required to make tradeoffs when providing home staging recommendations. Gould described how the basement in her client’s house was painted a dark color, and while she would have preferred to repaint the entire basement, there were many factors indicating that it would be best to work with the existing paint color.

“In this particular case, the client’s house had to be listed on the market very quickly, so the time constraint was uppermost in my mind as I went through every room during the home staging consultation,” Gould says “There’s a delicate balance we have to walk as home stagers. We need to recommend the most important things while also not overwhelming the client to the point where they think it’s hopeless and decide not to implement our suggestions at all.”

Gould explained that the homeowners also had two small children, and she felt there were limits to what she could expect from the busy family just days before the first open house. Changing the dark wall color would have required priming and several coats of paint, making the children’s play space unusable during this time. In addition, the paint odor likely would have lingered since the basement had no windows for ventilation.

“While the wall color in the basement wasn’t optimal, it was a pleasing color and had been well maintained. With the other changes I had recommended, I was able to work with it,” says Gould. “This allowed for a safe and out-of-the-way place for the children to play while other changes were being made to the rest of the house. I made a tradeoff: I gave up a new wall color in the basement in order to implement more important changes in other parts of the home.”

Gould provides detailed information about how she conducts home staging consultations in Course 3 of the Staging Diva Program, “Taking the Mystery Out of Home Staging Consultations.” The course also includes a free consultation checklist with client planning forms.

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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