Ana's Blog: November 2009

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

Sir Winston Churchill

AN EXERCISE IN COURAGE

I am a history buff and have always loved that quote. Listening seems sometimes to be a lost art.  Think of how many people in your everyday encounters really listen to what is being said to them.  Truthfully, every now and then I find myself zoning out while thinking ahead to other things on the horizon when I am in conversation with someone. It's a really horrible thing born of always being in a rush and trying to be a step ahead.  I find I do this way more than I should, kick myself a few times and get back on track.  I do this a lot with my kids.  I get really impatient for them to get to the point.  But guess what?  If I'm not really listening I miss the point!

  I hate to admit that I have done this with a client or two in the past. In business this can be a real killer.  What is your client really saying to you?  Are you so jazzed in presenting yourself and your service that you run over them with a steamroller of facts and statistics?  I think this was my biggest mistake when I first began talking with potential clients.  I was so eager to sell my service that I didn't really listen, I mean really listen. I reviewed the conversation in my head, thought of things I should have said and then stopped dead cold.  I realized what I missed and should have said because I wasn't really listening.  Has this happened to you before?

Listening to things we may not want to hear falls into this category also.  How does service improve or business grow if one is not open to listening to constructive criticism or alternative ideas?  I have gotten some great input for my business by listening to clients and mentors.  Sometimes listening to things not so pleasant but none the less valuable.

I am not saying anything new here.  Listening is first and foremost the most important part of any business arsenal.  Unfortunately it can seem rare in today's hurry up world.  How many times have you felt rushed at a visit with your doctor?  How about the clerk that is speaking on the phone while trying to wait on customers? Do I want someone having that recollection of my business or service?  Would you?

Reminding myself to listen effectively is an exercise I must do on a daily basis.  An exercise that brings great rewards to me, my business and most importantly my clients.  Who knows who will be listening to them after I have long left the scene.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire area of Southern California. Call 951 833-8529.

THE PRICE OF IDEAS

Madison avenue makes tons of money for ideas in advertising.  Donatella Versace makes money for her fashion ideas.  Ideas and creativity are a commodity that many pay top dollar for.  If creativity, innovation and problem solving were so easy, everyone would do it and there would be no Madison Avenue or Versace.

How do you put a price on creativity and the ability to envision a plan before it even is put on paper? How do you put a price on problem solving and the ability to improvise?

One of the most common complaints and misconceptions about Staging is the cost.  Staging is too expensive and not worthy of the fees being charged.  Why should Stagers be paid at time of service instead of when the property closes?  After all, how hard is it pick colors, pare down floor plans or pick out "knick knacks".

Staging is advertising; very cost effective advertising when you consider the potential returns. Think about it.  Staging is live advertising that people can reach out and touch.  How much is that worth?  Especially when it doesn't come across as high gloss and contrived.

If it involves little skill or creativity, why has the industry emerged?  Anyone can do it, right? Why denigrate the worth of this service?

As a seller, I have listened to agents we interviewed brag about how much they spent in advertising and getting the word out about their listings.  "Nobody does more."  I have heard this common theme from homeowner clients who have not seen the results of all this marketing and advertising. Well how much did all that advertising cost?  Advertising a listing that shows poorly for a typical listing period is way more expensive than Staging. 

A simple Consultation, depending on the company, can range from $500 on the high end to about $150 on the low end.  This many times alone is all that is required to get a home ready to show and shorten time on the market.  How much was that print spread that just shows the outside of a listing and not always in a flattering light?  What will generate more interest, that or photos taken of a ready to show listing loaded on multiple Internet websites for all to see.

Consider the price of ideas and then take your pick.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.  Call 951 833 8529.

HANGING POT RACKS: ART OR EYESORE

Hanging pot racks are a common fixture in many "gourmet" kitchens.  You see them in many style homes where they may not even belong.  They can make run of the mill kitchens look a little more upscale, adding contrast and interest to an otherwise boring space.

Hanging such a fixture must be thought out carefully as much for style as function.  The most common mistake made when hanging these is the location.  They will most often close in a kitchen with low ceilings and outdated lighting.  Another common error is hanging racks in spots that actually block overhead lighting and so low that heads hit the pots.

Placement should make sense, like over an island prep area or next to a cooking surface, again not blocking lighting or chopping up walking around space.  It's not fun hitting your head on a pot when walking around the room getting to things.

When hanging a rack, consider how it will be used and how often.  Some like hanging racks as decor, others like the function aspect.  When staging a home for sale that thought process will tell you if you should take it down.  In small homes, where kitchen storage is at a premium, it can be an attractive selling feature if presented neatly and in a location that makes sense. 

It must be totally spotless with the minimum number of clean, colorful items hanging from them. The items should appear functional and complement the kitchen and it's surroundings. No fake chili peppers or garlic bulbs please! 

It should look sturdy and stylish.  There is nothing uglier than a homemade rack that looks homemade. I have seen many that are barely hanging on by a thread.  It must be securely mounted or a nice smack in the head could be on the horizon. 

Probably the above left could be considered art, but what about below?                                                          

An exaggerated example? Yes but as a Stager, the most common problem I see is that many who have hanging pot racks use them as a catch all for everything that won't fit in cabinet or drawer storage.  They gather dust and grease if not cleaned on a regular basis and so do the items hanging from them. 

Nothing says yuk! better than greasy dusty pots hanging from the ceiling.  It most certainly gets potential buyers thinking there is not enough storage in the kitchen.

If you have a pot rack hanging in your kitchen, step back and really look hard.  If you use it and can't do without it, pare it down and spiff it up.  Many buyers like them.

If you are not sure about it, take it down.  You can always take it with you to the next place!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.  Call 951 833 8529.

ODE TO SEINFELD

"I am so busy doing nothing, that the idea of doing anything..which as you know always leads to something...cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything."  Jerry Seinfeld

Those of you who were fans knew that Jerry always said his show's premise was a show about nothing.  That's right, he and his cast could turn 30 minutes of nothing into a whole lotta funny.  Whether it was Kramer eating Jerry's cereal or Newman and a look, it was funny and entertaining.

I often wonder if the same principle could hold true for blogging.  I have found the well run dry recently.  Just not into it as much.  I haven't been feeling well.  Sucking up too much dirt on the softball fields of socal.

Could I too write a blog about a whole lotta nothing? I have seen them on AR. 

I feel the pressure to blog about a topic, any topic.  I have thought of none interesting to ME lately.  How rude of me to not consider what others may find interesting, I know. 

I try to keep my blog subjects tight, you know, somehow related to Real Estate.  I do stray here and there into the political or bitchy but not too much. 

I know you people out there don't want to read a blog by me bragging about how Staging works, those never get many comments, for me anyway. I don't do many of those. 

My keyboard stares back at me in silence lately.  It screams, write somthing you dummy....anything....it will make you feel better. 

I say...why clog the blog with nothing?  Is "nothing" going to inform anyone, make them laugh or cry?  Shoot, I can't even think of any good realtor jokes lately, that's something my best friend loves.  Did you hear the one about the realtor who......aghh you've already heard that one.

So if you've stuck to reading down this far you obviously have realized that this blog really is about a whole lotta nothing!  Thanks for reading it!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.  Call 951 833 8529