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COURSE Section 1 ASP Course Outline Written & Developed by Barb Schwarz The Creator of Home Staging ®

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Page 1: ASP Staging Bookcourses.learninglibrary.com/tllflash/HomeStaging/resources/Realtor... · The Creator of Home Staging® “Knowledge gives you strength, but implementation gives you

COURSE

Section 1ASP Course Outline

Written & Developed by Barb Schwarz

The Creator of Home Staging®

Page 2: ASP Staging Bookcourses.learninglibrary.com/tllflash/HomeStaging/resources/Realtor... · The Creator of Home Staging® “Knowledge gives you strength, but implementation gives you

Welcome to our ASP Course!I am so pleased that you have made the positive business decision to become an Accredited StagingProfessional.® You will find that our ASP Course is filled with countless ideas for you to build your businesswith and materials, tools, and ideas so that you may serve your clients with the highest level of service possible.

At Stagedhomes.com we honor all clients and we honor their homes and possessions. Through the ASP Courseyou will learn how to teach your clients the benefits of Staging their home through the system and skills thecourse gives you. You will also learn the process of how to carry out the work necessary to accomplish theclient’s goals and your goals at the same time.

This course is more than a Staging Course. It is a course showing how to conduct your business, how tocommunicate with your clients, and even ideas about how to live a more productive life. This is because formost of us our business is a way of life. When you have passion about what you do, you are on the right trackthat leads to success for you as you give value to others through your passion, skills, and talents.

Just as when you read a book, the book involves not just the author, but the reader as well. It involves the attitudewith which the book was written and the attitude and the openness of the reader who reads the book. This too, istrue of our ASP Course. I ask you to stay open, to bring a spirit and attitude of willingness to learn, knowing thatjust as life is a process and it takes time and effort to learn through the lessons of life. So too, is the process andjourney of learning how to Stage® Homes. It is the journey, not just the destination that makes the difference inthe end.

I encourage you to join the International Association of Home Staging Professionals as soon as you receive yourASP Designation. Through the IAHSP organization you will receive support from other ASP’S/ASPM’S eachmonth and all year long. Please accept my personal invitation to you to attend the annual IAHSP convention.This event is the truly the highlight of the year. We have many wonderful individuals in our association whovolunteer their time and talent to speak at the convention as they share their Staging and Marketing Ideas withall of us who attend.

Our Passion at Stagedhomes.com is: In every industry there is a group of people distinguished by a passionfor excellence and an eagerness for new ideas. In the Staging Industry we are those people.

Our Stagedhomes.com Mission is: Training One Person at a Time, Staging one Home at a Time, and EmpoweringOne Family At a Time Through the Magic of Home Staging. We are dedicated to change what worked yesterday forwhat now excels today, and that which opens the way to tomorrow through the world of Home Staging and Training atStagedhomes.com!

I wish you a wonderful experience in our ASP Course and a successful journey in your career.

Barb Schwarz, ASPM, IAHSPThe Creator of Home Staging®

COURSE

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Start the Journey

When you know that you can do it, you can do it.But how do you get to that point?

How do you know, without a doubt, that you can achieve whatyou set out to achieve? The only way to truly know is by doing it.

The first step of any journey is always taken on faith.The next step, though, is taken with more certainty andconfidence, knowing that the first step has succeeded.

So take that first step, small though it may be.Once you’ve started moving, you’ll know you can keep going.

Once you know you can do it, success is a matter of taking the time and making the effort. Once you know you can do it,you’ll have access to what you need to complete the journey.

The smallest, most seemingly insignificant success can infact be quite significant. For it will start you on your wayto the best you can imagine.

– Ralph Marston

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StagedHomes.com Presents:

The Accredited Staging Professional Course

Developed by Barb SchwarzThe Creator of Home Staging®

“Knowledge gives you strength, but implementation gives you the POWER!”

Staging Works! Homes that are Staged sell faster in a slow market and sell for more money in a hotmarket. The skills you learn in this course will provide you with a new level of knowledge and service.Staging will help you help your future clients in a very dramatic and positive way that few other marketing tools can match. As an Accredited Staging Professional your new ASP credentials will set you apart and ahead of your competition.

Home Staging From the Beginning!The History of Home Staging

We are all in the REAL ESTATE business.

1. ASP REAL ESTATE AGENTS 2. ASP STAGERS

Some of the many benefits of working together as an agent and Stager team:

1. REFERRALS

2. SECOND OPINION and BACKUP

3. MUTUAL SUPPORT

4. SYNERGY

5. GREATER SERVICE FOR SELLER

6. MAKE MORE MONEY

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.1

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What is the Number One Objective for all of us?

ASP Real Estate Agent Objectives ASP Stager Objectives

1. GET HOUSE SOLD 1. GET HOUSE SOLD

2. SELL FASTER and/or MORE MONEY 2. SELL FASTER and/or MORE MONEY

“ THE QUALITY OF MY COMMUNICATION DETERMINES THE

QUALITY OF MY BUSINESS AND MY LIFE____________________.”

Objectives of this Course:

ASP Real Estate Agent

1. BETTER EDUCATE THE SELLER AND THE ASP STAGER

2. IMPROVE MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS

3. IMPROVE MY PRESENTATION SKILLS

4. LEARN BARB’S STAGING SAYINGS

5. LEARN QUICK STAGING TIPS AND IDEAS

6. LEARN HOW TO WORK WITH ASP STAGERS

7. MAKE MORE MONEY IN REAL ESTATE

Objectives of this Course:

ASP Stager

1. BETTER EDUCATE THE RE AGENT AND THE SELLER

2. IMPROVE MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS

3. IMPROVE MY PRESENTATION SKILLS

4. LEARN BARB’S STAGING SAYINGS

5. LEARN HOW TO CREATE AND PRESENT BIDS AND CONSULTATIONS

6. LEARN HOW TO WORK WITH ASP REAL ESTATE AGENTS

7. BUILD A SUCCESSFUL ASP STAGING BUSINESS OF GREAT VALUE

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.2

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The Foundation of ASP Home Staging

Every program, course, plan or business that is built on strong principles will in the end be centered on the best quality and service for all of the clients it serves. This too is the foundation of our Accredited Staging Professional Course:

1. HONOR THE CLIENT AND THEIR POSSESSIONS

2. TELL THE TRUTH

3. TIMING

4. WORK IN STEPS

5. SHARE MY INTEGRITY

6. DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL POLICIES

7. USE THE ASP STAGING CRITERIA

8. USE BARB’S STAGING SAYINGS

9. STAGE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY---INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

10. COMMUNICATE WITH CARE AND SINCERITY

11. ACKNOWLEDGE AND USE MY CREATIVITY WITHIN

12. CHOOSE MY ISSUES WITH CARE

13. COMPROMISE

14. I UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THAT I SEE

15. DO MY BEST AND RELEASE THE OUTCOME

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1.3

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III. Always!

A. Determine the MOTIVATION of the Sellers.

Qualify the Sellers. Where are they moving? Why do they want to move?

B.. Educate Your Sellers!

EDUCATION = CONTROL (Professional)

C. Invest more TIME up front educating the Seller about

Staging and your job will be so much easier throughout the entire listing and

marketing process.

D. Handle objections (address concerns) BEFORE they come up by EDUCATING

your Sellers about the BENEFITS of Staging.

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© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved

--

IV. ASP Real Estate Agent: Educate the Client

“ LET ME TELL YOU HOW I WORK ”

The Steps of Quality Service as an ASP Real Estate Agent

Step I

Meet the Sellers and establish rapport

SEE THE HOUSE

MEET THE SELLERS

TAKE NOTES

TAKE PICTURES

LEAVE YOUR ASP CAREER BOOK

LEAVE BARB’S PRICING DVD

LOOK INSIDE & OUTSIDE

MAKE APPT FOR STEP TWO

MENTALLY BEGIN TO STAGE EACH

ROOM

MAKE COMPLIMENTS IN EVERY

ROOM

MAKE A BIG DEAL OF OWNER’S

COLLECTIONS

USE THE TERM “TEAM” AS

YOU TALK TO SELLER

Step II

Exclusive Detailed eport

Part One: MARKETING

A. Introduce HOME STAGING

B. Use Examples to show:

LR, DR, FR, KIT, MBB, EXTERIOR,

PICTURES OF UNSTAGED ROOMS

C. Introduce

ASP STAGER

D. Get the Sellers’ verbal

COMMITMENT

to allow you to Stage® theirhome with them as soon as you go to work together!

Part Two: PRICING

A. When you discuss price, use the words“ STAGED LIST PRICE _”.

B. “AS SOON AS WE ARE READY TO GO TO WORK

TOGETHER AS A TEAM ”.

C.“ PROFESSIONAL POLICIES_”.

D. Show

STAGED COMPARABLE HOMES

Step III

Listing the property and preparing the home for sale

A. Complete PAPERWORK

B. “DETAIL YOUR HOUSE LIKE

YOU WOULD DETAIL YOUR CAR”_

1. Set DEADLINE

a. SELLER

b. STAGER & DVD

C. CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE

SELLERS’ WORK IS DONE

D. Begin MARKETING

only when the STAGING

is complete.

E. Showing INSTRUCTIONS

F. Place House ____ON__

__WEBSITES TO MARKET___

1.5

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1.6

Iwanted to take a minute to tell you a little about me and how I work so that you understand what I do as areal estate agent and how I can help you get top dollar for your home in the shortest amount of time possible.

First of all, I work entirely differently than any other real estate agent you’ve probably met. I work in steps because I

know that that is the way I can provide you with the best service possible.

The first thing that I want to do is to come and meet you and see your home. That way we’ll get to know each other

better and I’ll be able to find out all about your home. I will take detailed notes and with your permission I’ll take

digital photos of your home as well.

I will also be bringing something with me for you to review when I’m gone. I call it my CAREERbook®. It is like a

professional scrapbook that I’ll leave with you so that you can learn more about me, what I’ve done in real estate and

the service I provide. My past sellers have told me how much they appreciated seeing it. I will also be leaving a very

powerful 20 minute DVD on pricing your home so it will sell for top dollar. If you will look through my

CAREERbook® and watch the DVD while I’m gone I’ll pick them up at our next appointment.

While you do that I’ll go back to my office and prepare an exclusive detailed report for you and when we get together

again, I’ll be going through that with you. My detailed report is in two parts. The first part is about all the marketing

that I will do to sell your home (and I do have some real secrets to share!), and the second part will be pricing–how your

home fits into today’s market in price and terms. Some agents will tell you only what you want to hear, but you can

count on me to be honest with you.

The final step is to fill out the paperwork to bring your home on the market and then I have an extra special, free

service that I provide, that very few agents know or understand, and that is I will help you Stage®, or prepare your home

for sale. You see, Staged homes sell faster and/or for more money and it usually doesn’t cost any (much) money, mainly

a little time and energy on your part to create space for Buyers to mentally move their own things in. I have a saying,

“The way you live in your home and the way we market and sell your house are two different things!” When you sell

you’re going to have to move and when you move you’re going to have to pack, so we’re just going to pack up a few things

early! I can show you simple things to do, loan you the staging DVD by the creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz,

and/or refer you to my ASP Stager on my team who will show you all the ins and outs of Staging. It’s fun, it’s easy, and

it is the biggest secret of my success as an agent. Once we get the Staging done we’ll be ready to get your home on the

market and get it SOLD for top dollar!!

COURSE

Let Me Tell You How I Work! For ASP Real Estate Agents

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved

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V. Barb’s Staging Sayings

1. LET ME TELL YOU HOW I WORK

2. THE WAY YOU LIVE IN YOUR HOME AND THE WAY WE MARKET AND SELL YOUR HOUSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

3. STAGED LIST PRICE

4. YOU CAN’T SELL IT IF YOU CAN’T SEE IT

5. IF YOU CAN SMELL IT, WE CAN’T SELL IT

6. STAGING IS NOT CONDITION

7. BUYERS ONLY KNOW WHAT THEY SEE, NOT THE WAY ITS GOING TO BE

8. PLANTS ARE LIKE CHILDREN...THEY GROW UP

9. WITH YOUR PERMISSION

10. TELL ME ABOUT THAT

11. ERASE THAT

12. INFORM BEFORE I PERFORM

13. CLUTTER EATS EQUITY

14. DETAIL YOUR HOUSE LIKE YOU DETAIL YOUR CAR

15. KEEPING THE INVENTORY IN PLACE IS LIKE STAGING INSURANCE

16. THE INVESTMENT OF STAGING IS ALWAYS LESS THAN YOUR

FIRST PRICE REDUCTION

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved

1.7

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Barb’s Staging Philosophy for Staging in all Roomsand Outside too!

• Less is more• Use odd numbered items • 3 is the magic Staging number • Use high, medium, and low levels together when Staging items • Give all items 'breathing space'• Keep Barb’s “Titanic Principle” from happening in any room• Let the light in• Use nature as we Stage®... Bring in the outside!• Add greenery to each room... use the color green for abundance • Use your creativity in every situation to solve anything• Repurpose things and invent new uses for items• Always use The 3 C’s of Staging: Clean, Clutter Free, and Color • Take out the clutter• Keep the walls & floors neutral to create the most spacious feeling throughout house• For interest use color for accent pieces and accessories. Barb calls it ‘Moveable Color’

such things as bedspreads, towels, art work, area rugs, etc. • Paint all areas where needed • Paint back and sides of bookcases to increase depth• Hang pictures at the average women's eye level• If a picture is too high, lower it or add an item underneath to make it a unit together• Reduce too much furniture• Rearrange furniture and items to make the room feel bigger• Have a combination of padded and stick type furniture in each room• Have a combination of hard and soft surfaces in rooms• Use Barb’s “Steps to Stage a Room”• Stage with Barb’s Smoke Theory

Barb’s Staging Theory of Materials to Use:

1. Fabrics of all kinds: drapes, sheets, scarves, shirts, blouses, linen napkins, neckties, pillowcases and more

2. Paper of all kinds: wrapping paper, grocery sacks, fans, contact paper, wallpaper in unusual ways, typing paper, and the list goes on...

3. Nature: metal, greenery, rocks, water, wood, seashells….sticks…all nature 4. Sports Equipment: golf, fishing, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, etc., etc.

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.8

Page 12: ASP Staging Bookcourses.learninglibrary.com/tllflash/HomeStaging/resources/Realtor... · The Creator of Home Staging® “Knowledge gives you strength, but implementation gives you

The Seven C’s of Staging

1. CLEAN

2. CLUTTER FREE

3. COLOR

4. CREATIVITY

5. COMPROMISE

6. COMMUNICATION

7. COMMITMENT

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.9

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• Staging is a communicationtool.

• We’re selling your house, notyour possessions.

• Staging is a marketing tool.• Appeal to their equity.• A paradigm shift will occur.• When I think I can, I can. If Ithink I can’t, I can’t.

•I usually receive what I believe. • ROSI = Return On Staging Investment• Take action and release the outcome.• The world is full of money.• Think globally, act locally.• It is all about the love.• Home is where the heart is and when the heart aches, socan the home.

• Instead of striving to be successful, strive to be of value. Success comes automatically when you are of value to others.

• The quality of my communication determines the qualityof my business and life.

• You’d want to talk to your Real Estate agent about that.• Decorating is personalizing, Staging is depersonalizing.Staging is not decorating.

• Staging is not about decorating your home, it’s aboutselling your house.

• Sometimes people may not know how to ask for help.They may get mad, act like a victim or shut down.

• Coming from fear is like living in a box—get out of theFear Box.

• FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real• Seek first to understand, then to be understood.• I work in steps.• Black is a color, white is a color and green is the healingcolor in the middle.

• The seven C’s of staging: Clean, Clutter Free, Color,Compromise, Creativity, Communication & Commitment

• That’s Incredible.• Choose my issues with care.• I won’t be able to do my part successfully until you do yourpart first.

• Can I speak truthfully with you?

• I’m a professional and as we work together as a team, I’ll share my secrets with you.

• Tell me about that. • Is there anything else?• You are a creative genius. So am I.• I create wealth for my clients and I deserve to be paid and on time.

• You can’t sell it if you can’t see it.• Trim trees from the bottom up and the plants from thetop down.

• Trim the plants to below the window.• Buyers and agents only know what they see, not the way itis going to be.

• Whether or not there is a budget, we can do a lot.We needto be creative first, last and always.

• Green is the healing color.• Condition is not Staging.• Let me tell you how I work.• Remove the “if’s” from your life and replace them with “assoon as”.

• We are going to do this together as a team.• Staging is a feeling.• Stand at the doorway to each room and say what you feelabout what you see.

• Staging is creating a feeling in the room that makes buyerswant to come in.

• Staging each room begins at each room’s doorway • We need to get the buyers to mentally move into eachroom before the house will sell.

• Paint a ROSI picture.• Remember the power of 3.• We don’t want you to spend money. But rather,we ask youto make an investment of your time, energy and dollarsfor the highest rate of return in the sale of your home.

• It is unwise to pay too much. But it is far worse to pay toolittle. The common law of business balance prohibitspaying a little and getting a lot. It simply cannot be done.So if you thought about going with the lowest bidder it iswell advised to add something for the great risk you wouldrun, and when you do that you have enought to invest insomething better from the beginning.

Barb’s Staging Sayings

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Home Staging Myth Busters

Myth 1: Staging is Decorating...FACT: Staging is NOT Decorating or Design! Decorating or Design is personalizing and Staging is De-Personalizing and preparing a house for the un-known Buyer. That is why it’s KEY that you hire someonewith training specifically on how to prepare a house for sale.

The Accredited Staging Professional Designation (ASP) is the ONLY nationally recognized professionaldesignation for Home Staging. Make sure to hire someone with this professional designation when selecting aqualified Home Stager.

TIP: When the focus of the Staging becomes about things and not your house, then you are working with adecorator and not a trained Stager. An ASP Stager can use existing items in a house and their creativity toproperly Stage a house for sale.

Myth 2: Staging Costs Too Much...FACT: Staging is an INVESTMENT in getting a house sold and the investment in Staging is always less thana price reduction. An ASP Stager has been trained to work with a Sellers’ budget and time frame to properlyStage a house. We like to ask our clients, “Can you afford NOT to Stage?” When compared with the othercosts associated with the sale or purchase of a home, Staging is very reasonable. In most markets, a Stagingreport detailing what needs to be done to Stage the house for sale is less than the appraisal or HomeInspection reports.

Myth 3: All I Need Are Lights, Flowers & Music...FACT: Lights, Flowers and Music are great for Showing a house, but that is not Staging. Staging requires anobjective and professional assessment of a house’s strengths and challenge areas, and solutions to help Buyersfall in love with what they see. This requires more than just flowers and music to achieve - it requires anAction Plan! Your ASP can help you and your clients with a Success Plan for getting their house STAGEDand SOLD!

Myth 4: I Can Just Watch One of Those Shows...FACT: The shows on HGTV and similar channels give Sellers the idea that they need to do something totheir house to prepare it for sale, but Sellers cannot truly be objective in a house they have been living in andneed a 3rd party independent opinion to get it properly Staged. ASPs have the experience and ideas to helpSellers get their houses ready and we honor our client, and work closely with Realtors to help get a house sold.

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Barb’s Steps to Stage® a Roomand the whole house too!

After Staging over 2000 homes I have found that Staging a home can be broken into simple, easy steps.These steps should be used in every room in the house. These steps work!

1. STAND IN THE DOORWAY

2. PICK A STAGING POINT (purpose of room)

3. MAKE A PLAN

4. DE-ACCESSORIZE THE ROOM

5. DIVIDE INTO TWO PILES (one that stays and one that goes)

6. DECIDE WHAT FURNITURE GETS REMOVED

7. ARRANGE THE FURNITURE THAT STAYS

8. RE-ACCESSORIZE THE ROOM

9. FINE TUNE

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1.12

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VII. Staging Criteria

“The Way You Live In Your Home and the Way We Sell Your House are Two Different Things!”

– Barb Schwarz

When you get ready to place a home on the market for sale it becomes a product, and just like anyproduct on the shelves at your local store it has features and benefits, pluses and minuses, and there are other products to compete with. To gain an edge in your marketplace you must be priced right and look better than the competition. Sometimes it’s difficult to think of a home as a mere product, but it helps to think that way in order to get top dollar for the home and sell it in a reasonable amount of time.

When you sell your home you’re going to have to move. When you move you’re going to have to pack.Most of the principles of Staging‚ just mean that you’re just going to pack up some of your things early. It’s a little bit of work, but you’re going to have to do it anyway, so let’s do it now so you can get topdollar for your home in your marketplace.

General Comments:

In every ROOM stand in the doorway and look at the room through the eyes of a buyer. What do you see? Ask, “What can you live without while your home is on the market?”

Most CARPETS need to be cleaned. Have them professionally cleaned before coming on the market.

“Buyers only know what they SEE, not the way it’s going TO BE!” Unless the home is a “fixer,” badlyworn or very out-of-date carpets should be replaced before coming on the market. Offering a buyera credit to pick their own new carpet or discounting the price is far less effective and will always end up costing the seller more money and slow the selling process. Pick a light colored short plush or Berber carpet. REAL ESTATE BEIGE is the safest color.

Check all LIGHTS. Are they working properly? Replace all burned out light bulbs. Look for dark hallways and corners and increase the wattage of bulbs in those areas.

Make sure there are LAMPS in dark corners that are turned on for all showings.

Repair and repaint CRACKS on all walls and ceilings.

Repair or replace broken light switches and switch plates. Clean any dirty areas around them.Keep all CURTAINS and BLINDS open during the day to let in light and views. The extra cost of additional heating or air conditioning is a necessary cost of selling.

Reduce the number of PILLOWS on couches to zero or two. Remove all AFGHANS and BLANKETS.

Pack up all VALUABLE ITEMS to protect them. If necessary, take them to a safe deposit box.

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VII. Staging Criteria

Take a hard look at those beloved HOUSE PLANTS. In most cases they need to be pruned and/orthe number reduced to create more space. If they don’t look healthy or are just barely clinging to life then give them away.

FIREPLACES need to be cleaned out. Glass doors should be cleaned. Mantels and hearths need to be cleared off except for a very few necessary items.

To create more space you may want to REMOVE a chair, loveseat or other pieces of furniture.(Remember the model home!)

Pack up all COLLECTIONS. (You’re going to need to pack them up sooner or later anyway). They become a distraction for buyers from the desired focal point... your home.

Reduce the number of BOOKS on bookshelves. Pack up extra books early!

Reduce the number of FAMILY PICTURES on shelves, pianos, and tables.

Reduce the number of WALL HUNG photos and paintings in every room to one large piece on a wall or a small group of three. Make sure they are hung at eye level.

Keep soft MUSIC playing at all times for showings. Easy listening, light rock or light jazz are great…. not hard rock or funeral music.

Be sensitive to ODORS, because buyers are! Excessive cooking or smoking odors, dog or cat odors,baby, laundry and mildew odors will turn off buyers. If there is a challenge in your home, use room deodorants or disinfectant sprays and keep windows cracked open even in very hot or cold weather for ventilation. (There are great products in pet stores for pet odors, and many professional carpet cleaners have special ozone machines that can really help with difficult odors) You can’t sell it if you can SMELL IT!

Wash allWINDOWS and make sure they OPERATE freely. If the SEAL is broken on adouble pane window replace it now.

REPAIR items that are broken. This will show that your home is well taken care of. In many cases buyers will ask for them to repaired anyway, so do it now.

Don’t be afraid to MOVE FURNITURE from room to room. That extra chair from the livingroom or dining room may just look great in the master bedroom.

In general, PACK UP THE LITTLE THINGS. Little things create clutter and they will need to be packed up anyway, so pack them up now.

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Inside of HomeLiving Room

If you go into model homes that are newly constructed you will see that they are usually SPARSELY DECORATED. In a resale home you need to create space for buyers to mentally move in to the room by reducing clutter and the overall number of items.

CLEAR OFF all COFFEE TABLES and END TABLES to just 2 or 3 magazinesand one nice vase or a statue. REMOVE ALL ASHTRAYS.

Family Room, Den, Bonus Room or Rec Room

Same as Living Room

Dining Room

CLEAR OFF the Dining Room TABLE except for one nice centerpiece.

Remove TABLECLOTH from table.

Remove EXTRA LEAVES from the table to make the room LOOK BIGGER.

REMOVE EXTRA DINING ROOM CHAIRS if they crowd the table or fill up the corners of the room. Four or six chairs are plenty. It will make the room look bigger and you can put the extra chairs in the garage or a storage unit.

See the Living Room section above concerning removing or reducing the number of items, valuable items, and collections. It all applies here too, especially in a buffet.

Kitchen

The main question in the kitchen is WHAT CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT?Clear off counters leaving only a very few items that you have to use on a daily basis. EVERYTHING else should be kept OFF the COUNTERS to create space. Most homes have far too many appliances and other items out that should be stored out of sight. Leave a few large items on the counters like a bowl of fruit or a basket with bread in it.

REPAIR any tile or Formica countertops and edges that have been damaged or come unglued.

CLEAN TILE GROUT with bleach if it is stained.

REMOVE all magnets, photos, children’s drawings etc from the REFRIGERATOR FRONT.If there are a couple of truly necessary items, put them on the side of the refrigerator.

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After ASP Staging

Before ASP Staging

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Before ASP Staging

After ASP Staging

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After ASP Staging

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Before ASP Staging

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After ASP Staging

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Before ASP Staging

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Inside of Home (continued)Kitchen

CLEAN the STOVETOP AND OVEN. Replace old burner pans if they are badly stained.Clean all exhaust fans, filters, and hoods.

CLEAN the KITCHEN FLOOR and keep it clean for showings.

Make sure kitchen faucet is working smoothly without drips and is clean.

Remember to PACK up the COLLECTIONS in the kitchen too. Pack up their antique platecollection or whatever will distract buyers and take up space.

Keep all soaps, towels, scouring pads and cleaning supplies out of sight UNDERNEATHthe sink.

Some kitchens have too many SCATTER RUGS in them. Too many rugs make a room looksmaller. If space allows, one large rug in middle of kitchen looks great.

EMPTY GARBAGE regularly to prevent kitchen odors.

MOVE PET DISHES so that they don’t interfere with buyers walking around the room.

Master Bedroom

Make the bed every day.

INVEST in a new BEDSPREAD if necessary.

CLEAR OFF BEDSIDE TABLES and CHEST OF DRAWERS except for a very few necessary items (see Living Room coffee and end tables).

STORE EXTRA BOOKS and MAGAZINES underneath the bed.

Keep closet doors CLOSED. If you have a walk-in closet keep the floor clean and free of laundry and clutter.

If you have a clock radio keep it playing soft music during showings.

Reduce the number of photos on tables and chest of drawers to a minimum.

Hallways

Remove plastic runners on carpet or hardwood floors.

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Before ASP Staging

After ASP Staging

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After ASP Staging

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Before ASP Staging

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Additional Bedrooms

See Master Bedroom guidelines.

In children’s rooms TAKE DOWN all the POSTERS except for one favorite Roomover the bed; repair nail holes and paint walls.

Laundry Room

Put all SOAPS AND CLEANERS in a cupboard or reduce the number and organize neatly on one shelf.

Just like the kitchen, keep counters and sinks CLEAN AND EMPTY.

GET RID OF EXCESS HANGERS and hanging laundry. If you have a drying area replace all those miscellaneous hangers with one style of white plastic hangers.

Make sure that LIGHT BULBS ARE WORKING and have adequate wattage. Many laundry rooms are too dark and need to be brighter.

Bathrooms

CLEAR OFF COUNTERS. REDUCE toiletries down to a decorative few (3-6) and consolidate them on a tray or decorative basket. Put everything else in drawers or cabinets.

REPLACE that ugly dirty HAND SOAP with a NEAT bottle of LIQUID SOAP.

Coordinate all towels with ONE OR TWO COLORS. Fold in thirds and hang neatly every day. New towels can be purchased very inexpensively if the ones you have don’t match.

CLEAR EVERYTHING OUT of shower and tub except for one soap and one shampoo.

CLEAN OR REPLACE the SHOWER CURTAIN. Keep shower curtains drawn at all times.

One common problem in a lot of bathrooms is cracking or peeling just above the top of the shower tile or tub enclosure where it meets the dry wall or ceiling. REPAIR using caulking and paint or install wood trim coated in POLYURETHANE.

GET RID of MOLD and stains throughout bathroom, especially in the shower and bathtub area.

Most TUBS AND SHOWERS need a fresh NEW bead of SILICONE CAULKING around the edges to make them look neat and clean.

Take all cloth toilet lid covers and water closet covers off. Keep TOILET LIDS DOWN every day.

SCATTER RUGS in front of sink and toilet and shower make the room look small. USE ONE larger rug in the middle of the room or NONE AT ALL.

HIDE all CLEANING SUPPLIES and GARBAGE under sink or out of the line of sight.

Closets

Make sure you can open the door freely without something falling out on a prospective buyer.

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Basements

BE AWARE OF SMELLS, musty odors, and dampness. Do your best to alleviate problems by repairing and cleaning problem areas. Use room deodorants and disinfectant sprays to help with any odors.

If you use the basement for storage, condense the piles to ONE CORNER of one area of the basement.

REPAIR cracks in ceilings and walls.

Clear DRAINS.

Garage or Carport

Carports have to be completely CLEANED OUT. Everything!

Garages should be SWEPT OUT and organized. If you have to use part or the entire garage for storagethat’s fine, just keep it neat.

Always keep GARAGE DOORS DOWN while your home is on the market.

If you’re not using the garage for storage keep ALL CARS in the garage and NOT IN THE DRIVEWAY.

MOVE BOATS AND RV’s to a storage facility or a neighbor’s home several homes away until your home sells.

Where do they store all the stuff they took out?1. Rent a storage unit

2. Have a garage sale

3. Give it to charity

4. Put it in the attic

5. Store it in the crawl space

6. Use a portion or corner of the basement

7. Use part or all of the garage

8. As a last resort, sacrifice a 3rd or 4th bedroom

Outside of Home

The first impression when a buyer drives up to a home is critical. Take your sellers ACROSS THESTREET from the property. Ask them to THINK like a BUYER.What do they see?

Trim & House Paint

Take a hard look at the FRONT DOOR AND TRIM. Give special attention to this because this is where buyers will get their first opportunity to make a close inspection of your home. Does it need repainting or staining? Repainting doors and trim to help make the house look crisp and in good condition is one of the least expensive things you can do to dress up a home.

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Decks, Porches & Patios

SWEEP all decks, walks, porches and patios and keep them swept.

REMOVE any MOSS or MOLD from all decks, walks and patios.

Decks should be PRESSURE WASHED & STAINED OR PAINTED if they are in need of it.

REDUCE CLUTTER on decks, porches and patios so that they look bigger. Get rid of old flowerpots,barbeques, charcoal, planters, toys, construction materials and excess furniture.

If you have OUTDOOR FURNITURE create one simple “room setting” of clean furniture that will remind buyers of the usefulness of the space.

Roof

Clean all DEBRIS AND MOSS from roof and gutters.

Fences

Repair broken fences and paint if necessary.

RV ’s, Boats, Trailers & Neighbors

PLANTS ARE LIKE CHILDREN– they grow up so fast! First they are LITTLE and cute, then they seem just right, and all of a sudden they’re so BIG we hardly know how to take care of them! You can’t trim the kids, but you can trim your plants. If they need it, do it now.

RAKE AND WEED FLOWER BEDS. If possible spread new mulch such as beauty bark, pine needles, gravel, or lava rock to put a finishing touch on the landscaping.

REMOVE and if needed REPLACE all DEAD PLANTS.

Mow lawn and keep it mowed on a weekly basis during the growing season.

TRIM BRANCHES around ROOFLINE to prevent animals, insects & foliage from getting on roof.

Front Yard

CURB APPEAL is important. Has your landscaping overgrown the house? Remember ”You can’t sell it if you can’t see it!” Cut back all shrubs to window height that block light or view from windows. (If your sellers are afraid they won’t bloom next year remind them that they won’t be here, so don’t worry!)

Move all CHILDREN'S TOYS to the BACK YARD.

Clean and sweep paved driveways. Rack, weed or re-gravel gravel driveways.

Back Yard

REMOVE any extra items from the yard, such as TOOLS, PILES OF LUMBER, OR AUTO PARTS.

All CHILDREN'S TOYS should go in one area of the back yard.

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Additional Notes:

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Special Needs and People:

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Get the Sellers’ commitment on completing the “To Do” list!

Set a DEADLINE COMMITMENT and follow through by CHECKING IN WITH the Seller to see if the list is done!

Agents: Start your marketing only when your Sellers COMPLETELY FINISH THEIR LIST OF THINGS TO DO AND THE HOME IS COMPLETELY STAGED!

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Staging Case Studies

Case 1: Older Single PersonMary Moore is 82 years young and lives alone in the same home she has owned for 42 years. Her husband passed away 10 years ago and she has two sons. One son lives in a neighboring state and the other son lives across the country. She has numerous doll collections and they are displayed in every main room of the house. The front deck is in bad condition and the entire home is badly in need of paint on the outside. Mary suffers from arthritis and worries how she will Stage® her home. Newspapers and magazines are piled in every corner of the one story house along with 42 years of memorabilia. The garage and a garden shed are also filled to overflowing. As an Accredited Staging Professional how do you help Mary Stage® this home?

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Case 2: Family with 3 ChildrenHouse: 2 Story, 4 bedroom, 1 den, 3 bathroom, 2900 sq. ft., view, 25 years old.

Owners: Married couple with children ages 10, 14, 16, & 18.

Staging Challenge: This home is lived in. Carpets are worn and outdated. Foil wallpaper abounds in all 3 bathrooms. Each child’s bedroom is decorated wall to wall with posters. Orange formica graces thekitchen counters. The husband’s hobby is woodcarving and his work is displayed throughout the house. The wife has painted over 30 pictures which adorn the walls in almost every room. The children do notwant to move, yet Mom & Dad do. Identify problems and create solutions to get this home Staged.

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Staging Case Studies

Case 3: TenantThis property has been rented for years. The owner lives in the same town. The tenant has more furniture and possessions than will fit comfortably in the house (every room is full to the brim). The walls need painting and the carpet is worn. What would you have the owner and the tenant do to Stage® the home and how do you get the tenant to cooperate?

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Case 4: Single Business Person...works 7days a week 12 hours a day

A beautiful contemporary high-end home. The owner works in the high tech industry. The house is furnished in gorgeous antiques, paintings, statues, large ivory carvings, and photographs signed by celebrities. Although the home is spacious, it is very hard to appreciate the house with all the many possessions on display. The owner believes in Staging, but says he doesn’t have time to do it. What doyou say and do to educate the owner to get him to Stage® his home? How does he do it when heworks so many hours?

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Staging Case Studies

Case 5: Long Distance OwnersThe owner lives in another country. The house is vacant and cold with dated drapes, floors, and colors. The owner has never heard of Staging a house. How do you educate the owners and have them Stage® the house when they live so far away?

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Case 6: Young Family with BabyThe owners are a young working couple with a 10-month-old baby who goes to day care every day. This two-story home in the suburbs has baby toys and equipment all over the house. The owners admit they have not kept the house as well as they should have since the baby was born. They also have a large dog named Ralph that stays in the house when the owners are away. Ralph fancies stuffed animals and he carries them all over the house. The challenge is...Where do you have them put all the baby and dog stuff and keep the house neat and clean? What do you do with Ralph? What are your policies, guidelines and ideas for Staging this home?

Ideas: Notes and Implementation

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Homework

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Questions

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Questions Frequently Asked...

Q: Do you have any statistics on Staged Homes and how fast they sell?A: We sure do. Go to the Home Page of StagedHomes.com and click on the button that says

Statistical, data Graphs and more.Q: How do I renew my membership?A: We send out an email notification thirty days prior to your expiration date. You can either fill

out the renewal form and fax it back to 925.686.6386 or you can log onto the StagingUniversity and click on the ASP Renewal button and renew online.

Q: How do I join IAHSP?A: You may call the office at 1.800.392.7161 and ask that we email you a registration formor you can go to www.IAHSP.com and click on How to Join and get the form there.

Q: How do I give a presentation on Staging to a Real Estate Office?A: Start out by explaining the benefits of Staging. Then give some examples of thingsyou may do to Stage each room, inside and outside. Just give a few tips to help them outthen tell them how you can help on bigger jobs. You may want to give awaya free Staging or a Free Consultation.

Q: My photo is black. How do I fix this?A: Your photo is black because you accidentally hit the update button near the photo.Just hit browse and find your photo on your computer and re-upload it.You can change your photo as well, any time you like.

Q: How do I do my ASP Feature Page?A: Log onto the Staging University, clock on the ASP Edit page from the menu, findthe red button that says create and edit my feature page. Then you fill in the blanks.with information about yourself and your services. Look at some other feature pages toget an idea of how it works. You will also find instructions in your Stager Notebook andyou can email [email protected] and she can email you directions.

Q: How do I add Staged properties?A: Log onto the Staging University and click on the ASP Edit page from the menu.Find the button that says Add and Edit my Staged Properties.

Q: My website link doesn't work. How do I fix that?A: Log onto the Staging University and click on the ASP Edit page. Where you see the boxthat says Website, you enter your website address, be sure to look under the box as itreminds you that you need to put http:// before the website address.

Q: How come I don't come up in a city in the search directory?A: If you don't come up in a search this means that city or zip code in not in yoursearch criteria. You may add cities and zip codes to your criteria in your ASP Edit page.

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Guidelines for Newspaper and Magazine Interviews for ASPs

As our ASP Designation grows in prominence and importance in every market, many of you will havethe opportunity to be interviewed by publications and media in your markets. Here are some simpleguidelines to keep in mind when interacting with reporters.

1. You need to make sure the reporter uses your designation – ASP® or ASPM®. Thatdesignation is what sets you apart from others – and it is the key ingredient of why the reporter iscalling you. We need to educate them as to what it means as many are not yet familiar with thedefinition and how it is the only nationally recognized designation for Home Staging.

2. Mention Stagedhomes.com – you received your Training and designation from this company, somake sure the reporter understands the relationship you have with Stagedhomes.com. Your individualcompany may be the one featured, but it’s great when in the body of the article or in the televisionfeature, the public is made aware of Stagedhomes.com.

3. Include IAHSP® – many of you will be found from the IAHSP site, and it’s good for the public tounderstand there is an International Association for our industry.

4. Use Barb’s Staging Sayings – and give her credit for them. It’s OK to give a one-liner to thereporter, but make sure he/she knows you learned it from your training, and that Barb Schwarz coinedthe phrase. Better yet, get them to contact Barb directly! Give them Barb’s number to call for apersonal interview – and know with 100% assurance that Barb will totally elevate your exposure bybeing included. After all she is the Creator of Home Staging – and what publication or media outletwould not want to have her as part of their article or segment on Home Staging? Think big picture –and know that including Barb is a good thing, and something that gives huge credibility to us all. Nomatter how big or small the publication or news room is that is contacting you, Barb will take the timeto talk to them.

5. Give the history of Home Staging – started in 1972 in Bellevue, Washington – we have beenaround for 34 years as an industry. Barb was a Realtor who had challenges getting her clients to makenecessary changes to sell their homes, and when the light-bulb went on in her head and she uttered thewords “Stage your house” with one of her clients – an entire industry was born. She is also a Realtor,and understood that Staging is part of the Real Estate industry – not the decorating industry! That is akey distinction that sets us all apart from design facets that state they also Stage.

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6. Make sure the reporters know about our sites – in addition to your own personal site – tell themabout Stagedhomes.com, iahsp.com and the Staged Properties for Sale search feature. This gives hugecredibility to what we are doing as ASPs as it reveals a very BIG picture to a reporter who may havethought what you are doing is a regional thing.

7. Talk about our ASP Courses – you were trained as an ASP, and what often happens from articlesand television exposure is that people want to do what you do – and be a “Stager.” It’s best when theyhave the right information on where to be trained, otherwise you could end up with people without thesame benchmark of excellence that you have as an ASP, and that hurts the market. Remember, wecannot prevent competition from entering any market, but we CAN educate and make sure they havethe same training so that the industry as a whole is quality through and through.

8. Share the opportunity with others! Be willing to include other ASPs in the exposure whenappropriate – this again helps the whole market. When Barb was approached by 20/20 – she couldhave just done the interview herself and not have opened the door for over 30 ASPs to join her in thisexclusive Prime Time exposure. Instead, she shared and invited ASP’s to join her – and when youwatch the feature, as the Creator of Home Staging, she is the one it illuminates, but there are manyother ASPs that had their ‘15 seconds of fame’ too on national ABC television as a result! Howwonderful this is!

Your IAHSP Chapters are a key resource for fellow ASPs – and when you are asked to transform ahouse for a segment on TV, do you really want to do it alone or could you use the help of some of yourfellow friends and ASP Stagers? It’s so much more rewarding and fun! Know that the exposure is aboutbranding Home Staging and our Designation more than giving the spotlight to one person. Most of theviewing public will not even remember your name – but they WILL remember Home Staging, andhopefully our ASP Designation as well.

9. Take time to do it right. If you are part of a group, make sure to take a breath and take the timeneeded to get the key players in place so that your exposure does get the biggest impact. Some reporterscan pressure you for a time-frame, and so it’s up to you to be responsive, but also responsible, and makesure that whatever exposure is out there, you make it best represent not only you, but your fellow ASPsas well.

10. Use the Statistics that are on our Site. Use the stats from the home page of Stagedhomes.com –they are current and an accurate reflection of what is happening in the market as a result of Staging.Make sure to send in your stats too – that helps strengthen our numbers.

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11. Send in your Feature to Stagedhomes.com. Last but not least, do send ALL articles andtelevision segments to Stagedhomes.com to be posted online! We feature our ASPs and this gives all ofus credibility in all markets!

Any exposure that one of us gets reflects on us all – even if we were not included in the article ortelevision report. Home Staging is in the news, and on occasion we may have the privilege of being theperson that gets featured. Also know that you can be misquoted, key phrases get left out, as the reporteredits the content to what he or she thinks is important. That is why it’s crucial that you educate yourreporter on our designation and our industry so that they can best select what to include, but do not beupset if your words are misquoted, or if the reporter chooses to leave out some key bit of information.

Know that in all interviews, Barb puts our ASP Designation right up front, and so should we – andwhen it does not get printed, it’s not because we did not educate and make it important. Exposure isgreat – and we are making headway in every media realm from top notch national magazines to home-town papers – education is the key and it begins with us.

If you are not selected for an article in your area, do not be upset or feel jealous of a fellow ASP. Thatis going into the fear-box – and there is no creativity in the fear box. Instead, be happy for yourcolleague, and be even happier that your region had some good exposure. Remember, it’s about theindustry and the designation – as 5 minutes after a segment airs or the day after an article comes out,the audience is hard-pressed to remember exactly who was featured, but they will remember theimportance of the topic – get your House ASP Staged for Sale!

Happy Staging!!

Jennie Norris, ASPMASP TrainerVice President, IAHSPInternational Chapter Coordinator, IAHSP

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.35

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STAGEDHOMES.COM Trademark Usage Guidelines

These trademark usage guidelines govern the use and reproduction of all Stagedhomes.com trademarks. Alltrademarks and logos under which Stagedhomes.com markets and promotes its products and services are theexclusive property of Stagedhomes.com. ASPs and others with permission may use Stagedhomes.com’strademarks and logos strictly in accordance with these guidelines. Use of Stagedhomes.com’s trademarks andlogos other than in accordance with these guidelines is strictly prohibited and may violate Stagedhomes.com’srights and will result in a revocation of your license to use the marks.

IMPORTANCE OF THE TRADEMARKSThese trademarks are among Stagedhomes.com’s most valuable assets and to ensure their strength and longevity,they must be used properly. In addition to identifying Stagedhomes.com’s services and distinguishing themfrom other providers of similar services, the trademarks serve as a promise to consumers of the quality andsuperiority of our services and strengthen the protection and promotion of our services.

If there is any doubt as to whether your particular usage of a Stagedhomes.com trademark is proper, pleasecontact us for clarification prior to any use.

STAGEDHOMES.COM WORDMARKS AND LOGOS

ASP®

ASPM®

ASP MASTER®

STAGE®

IAHSP®

CAREER BOOK®

CAREERBOOK®

STAGED HOMES®

STAGEDHOMES.COM®

STAGING UNIVERSITY®

STAGED FOR LIFE®

THE CREATOR OF HOME STAGING®

ACCREDITED STAGING PROFESSIONAL®

ACCREDITED STAGING PROFESSIONAL MASTER®

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME STAGING PROFESSIONALS®

STAGING LIFE WITH BARB®

STAGING SHOPPING CENTER®

STAGE IT NOW AND PAY LATER®

THE WORLD STANDARD IN STAGING EDUCATION®

WORLD WIDE STAGING SERVICE WEEK®

WWSSW®

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PROPER USE OF THE STAGEDHOMES.COM TRADEMARKS AND LOGOS

1. Use the trademarks as adjectives to modify the generic name/noun, never as a noun or verb. For example:Correct: “We will send an ASP® certified Stager out to your location…”Incorrect: “We will send an ASP® out to your location…”

2. Do not use the trademarks in the plural or possessive form and never hyphenate or abbreviate. Correct: “The superior Staging professionals belonging to the IAHSP®…”Incorrect: “IAHSP’s® superior Staging professionals…”

3. Always set the trademark apart from the rest of the text by using bold, underlining, “Quotes”,ALLCAPS or a different font.

4. Always use appropriate trademark marking for all Federally Registered Trademarks as shown above.The ® symbol should be used with the WORLD WIDE STAGING SERVICE WEEK® and WWSSW®trademarks.

5. Never use Stagedhomes.com trademark as part of your company name, product or service name, oras part of your domain name.

6. Do not incorporate a Stagedhomes.com trademark or logo into your company’s logo or design.

7. Do not use trademarks that do not appear on the list of Stagedhomes.com’s trademarks above. Evena seemingly small change can create a new or different trademark. Do not shorten, abbreviate, alter thespelling of, or create acronyms out of the Stagedhomes.com trademarks other than those already listedabove (ASP®, IAHSP®, etc.).

8. Use the following footnote to designate ownership of any Stagedhomes.com trademark yourcompany uses: [Mark] is a [registered] trademark of Stagedhomes.com in the United States and othercountries.

MISUSE BY OTHERSIf you learn of any uses of Stagedhomes.com’s trademarks that appear to violate these guidelines or you learn ofuses of other trademarks that are confusingly similar to Stagedhomes.com’s marks, please notify us immediately.

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Packing Guidelines for Staging

1. Make sure that the homeowner knows that you WILL be moving large items

from room to room and/or into a garage or other designated storage area.

2. Make sure that you know from the homeowner where all excess furniture and

boxes are to be stored…the designated storage area.

3. When packing: Mark boxes with a dark felt tip pen with the room it came from

and the general contents

4. Mark boxes on top and two sides

5. Pack books and other heavy objects in small boxes.

6. Use newsprint packing paper and/or bubble wrap to protect fragile items

7. Fill every box full…no half filled boxes

8. Pay close attention to how boxes, discarded furniture and accessories are

stacked and organized in the designated storage area so that the owner knows

where things are and it all takes up less space.

9. Make sure that boxes placed in the designated storage area are consolidated by

the room they came from…i.e. All LR boxes together in one place and all DR

boxes together, etc.

10. Always use the Golden rule: “How would you want it packed if it was your house?”

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IAHSPThe International Association of Home Staging ProfessionalsMembership Application

Name:___________________________________________________________________ Date ______________________________________

Company Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________ State: __________________________ Zip:____________________________

Home Phone: _________________________________________ Work Phone: _____________________________________________

Other Phone Numbers: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Designations you currently hold: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Other Associations you currently belong to: ___________________________________________________________________

Currently Conducting Business as: (circle one) Designer, Decorator, Real Estate Agent, Home Staging Professional, Other

Professional areas you would like to receive more training in: _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you be interested in being on the Board of Directors of the IAHSP? _____________________________

Would you be interested in helping the Association with convention committee, email newsletters, being featured on a conference call for the association, writing an article for the email newsletter, etc.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Membership: US $150 a yearMembership paid by: (Circle One) Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover

Bank card #: ____________________________________________________________________ Exp Date: _______________________

Signature ______________________________________________ _________________________ Date: ______________________________

The International Association of Home Staging Professionals2420 Sand Creek Road; Suite C-1 #263; Brentwood, CA 94513www.iahsp.com

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A Brief History of Staging andthe Stage® Trademark:

Barb Schwarz entered the world of residential real estate as an agent inBellevue, Washington. Prior to real estate Barb had owned her owninterior design business, so she quickly recognized the challenge thatexisted for all agents of how to help Sellers prepare their homes forsale without upsetting or offending the owner. She started educatingher Sellers on how to set the scene and how to set the “Stage” in orderto get their properties sold for top dollar. She created the phrase“Staging homes for sale”. This was the first time the word Staging hadbeen used in the real estate industry and at that time she had to explain the meaning of the word over andover to both agents and Sellers. Since 1985 Barb has taught over 1,000,000 agents about Staging all overthe United States and Canada. Barb’s term is now accepted and understood internationally and homes thatare Staged have an immediate advantage in any market. Homes that are Staged sell faster and/or for money.Barb Schwarz federally registered the Stage® trademark in 1990 in the US and in 2004 in Canada. Shehas developed the Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course and the ASP® designation for Stagers andreal estate agents. Accredited Staging Professionals have the training and the skills to effectively Stage®homes for their clients and give them the Staged Home advantage.The StagedHomes.com website was developed to provide information and support for sellers on the benefits of Staging. It has many valuable ideas, suggestions, and before & after photos to help sellers understand what needs to be done to effectively Stage® their homes. The Staging University portion of the website was developed to provide information & support for all active Accredited Staging Professionals. In addition to the many ideas and instructions to help educateASP’s, the site has an extensive download center with professionally designed materials that ASP’s can access, download, print & use with their sellers.Barb founded IAHSP, The International Association of Home Staging Professionals in 1999 to further theprofessionalism of ASPs in the communities where they live and work.

Simply put, Barb Schwarz is...

AN EDUCATOR teaching clearly and effectively a program of proven keys to success

A PERFORMER fascinating, lively, aware, and powerful on stage

A MOTIVATOR infusing those around her with renewed energy and enthusiasm

AN INNOVATOR using her creativity and finely tuned perceptions to design elegant andeasy to use ideas and tools to solve everyday problems

CREATOR OF STAGING Barb created the concept of Home Staging in 1972 and created the Home Staging industry as it exists today.

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Professional SpeakerAs a seasoned speaker, Barb Schwarz has logged over 18,000 hours on the platform in over 2,000 full & half day seminars. More than 1,000,000 people have attended her programs. Her wonderful gift for speaking and her ability to educate, motivate, and entertain was recognized by the National SpeakersAssociation in 1990 when they awarded her the coveted designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP),earned by less than 300 speakers worldwide.

Barb Schwarz, ASPM, IAHSP, AB, RLS is a leader, an innovator, and a truly gifted speaker who shares the

wisdom of her personal triumphs. Those who experience Barb are always struck by her incredible energy as

well as the valuable substance of her programs.

Author, Radio & TV PersonalityBarb Schwarz is internationally known as the creator of Staging. Recently Barb has been featured on:

ABC’s 20/20 NBC’s The Today ShowPBS Fox NewsCBS’s The Early Show CBS’s Evening News

She is the author of the best seller “How To List And Sell Residential Real Estate Successfully”,

and her new book “Home Staging: The Winning Way to Sell Your House For More Money”

has received rave reviews nationwide. Barb’s DVD “How To Prepare Your Home For Sale...

So It Sells” won the Consumer Education Product of the Year Award from the Real Estate Educators

of America, and her newest DVDs “How To Price Your Home To Sell For Top Dollar” and

“How To Stage® Your Home To Sell For Top Dollar” are winning rave reviews.

Barb also has been featured in a variety of Magazines including:

The Seattle Times New York Home MagazineSmart Money Magazine Fortune MagazineCNN Online Magazine Realtor MagazineThe New York Times Time MagazineBusiness Week CosmopolitanWashington Post US News & World ReportMoney Magazine Wall Street JournalNew York Magazine The Home MagazineSouthwest Airlines Spirit Magazine

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Congratulations on Becoming an ASP!

Your designation is highly respected in the Staging and Real Estatecommunities and the staff at Stagedhomes.com is committed to helping yougrow your business by offering a variety of ongoing support options for you.

THE STAGING UNIVERSITYFirst, The Staging University is a valuable resource full of the latest Staging ideas and techniques. You will want to refer to this website on a weekly basis as it is constantly changing and being updated with new ideas and information designed to help ASP & ASPM Stagers grow their businesses. Make sure to get your Feature Page information on the site so prospective clients can locate you. Stagedhomes.com has worked very hard to provide an excellent website that is both informative and interactive, with #1 searchengine placement. You have the unique ability to control the content for your business Feature Page, and can upload information on your Staged properties making this a powerful marketing tool for your business.

IAHSP... The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®Second, IAHSP - the International Association of Home Staging Professionals is an organization that was founded to support and grow the business of Staging throughout the world. We have conference calls wherewe share ideas on what is working in business, and you will be able to network with peers from throughout thecountry and world on this exciting call. Annually, we come together for our IAHSP Convention where weoffer the best teaching and training of any design organization. The support found in the IAHSP family isunique and is why so many of our Stagers thrive in business because we place camaraderie over competition.Memberships applications are available online at the IAHSP website at www.iahsp.com. You can join IAHSPby faxing the application to Stagedhomes.com or by emailing us at [email protected].

REGIONAL IAHSP CHAPTERSThird, you have the opportunity to join a Regional IAHSP Chapter in many areas. There are chapters inexistence or in formation in many states throughout the United States, and in Canada. For a current listing of the chapters and cities they serve, please log onto www.iahsp.com or email our Director of operations forIAHSP at [email protected]. If you live in an area that is not currently served by a Chapter,and would like to serve as a Founder for an IAHSP Chapter, please let us know. We have already done most ofthe work involved in launching a chapter and will assist you in getting a chapter successfully growing in yourarea. You must first belong to IAHSP to join a Regional

THE IAHSP FOUNDATIONFourth, The IAHSP Foundation, Inc. is a fully qualified 501(c3) charitable foundation that you can support inyour local community and provide community service through Staging for those in need.

Once again, welcome to the Stagedhomes.com family!

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“The Home Staging Cheat Sheet6 Easy Ways To Make Your Property More Appealing To Buyers”

By Luke Mullins

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORTPosted July 3, 2008

Faced with a massive glut of unsold homes, many would-be sellers are struggling to make theirproperties stand out in today's downtrodden real estate market. But while the economic headwinds are beyond property owners' control, author Barb Schwarz says they can dramaticallyimprove their chances of making a sale by devoting attention to an often-overlooked corner of realestate marketing: home staging.

Schwarz, the CEO of StagedHomes.com, was a pioneer in home staging back in the early 1970sand has used the techniques to sell properties ever since. "The goal [of home staging] is for thebuyer to mentally move in," Schwarz says. "If they cannot mentally feel and see themselves livinghere, you've lost them." Schwarz offers six simple tips to help home sellers better positionthemselves in a sluggish market.

Get them inside. The first thing a prospective buyer notices about a home is not the living room butthe front yard. "A lot of people think staging is the inside only," Schwarz says. "[But] we've got tostage the outside to get them inside." So cut the grass, trim the hedges, rake those leaves, sweepthe sidewalks, and power-wash the driveway. And make sure you don't have too many pottedplants scattered around the property. "Nothing dead," Schwarz says. "You'd be amazed howmany people have dead plants in their yards."

Pretend you're camping. Schwarz says a cluttered room will appear too small to buyers. "Cluttereats equity," she says. Schwarz tells homeowners to go through each room of the house and dividetheir belongings into two piles: "keep" and "give up." Items in the "keep" pile will be used tostage the room, while those in the "give up" pile should be stored elsewhere. "Pretend you arecamping," she says. "When you go camping, you are not taking all those books, right?"

The decluttered rooms may appear bare to the seller, but the buyer won't think so. "We are notselling your things.... We are selling the space," Schwarz says. "And buyers cannot visualize whenthere is too much [stuff] in the room." Decluttering a home's outdoor spaces is important, too, shesays.

Balance hard and soft surfaces. When staging a particular room, it's essential to have a goodbalance of hard surfaces, such as a coffee-table top, and soft surfaces, like a carpet, Schwarzsays. For example, a room with a cushy, 7-foot-long sofa, a love seat, and four La-Z-Boy reclinershas too many soft surfaces and not enough hard surfaces. "The room is sinking," she says. "It's alltoo heavy." Instead, consider getting rid of the La-Z-Boys and the love seat, replacing them withtwo wingback chairs. "If you have hardwood floors but no rugs, it's too hard," Schwarz says. "Soyou want to add a rug."

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Work in ones or threes. Schwarz recommends arranging items on top of hard surfaces in onesor threes.

You would place three items—say, a lamp, a plant, and a book—on top of a larger hardsurface, like an end table. "You take away the plant and the book, it's too bare," she says."[But if] you put 10 things on it, it's overdone." The three items should be closely groupedtogether in a triangle shape. "I draw a triangle for my clients," Schwarz says. "I say, 'Here isthe end table—let's superimpose a triangle on top of it.' " For hard surfaces with less area,however, a single item will do.

Decide from the doorway. Since would-be buyers will get their first impression of each roomfrom the doorway, homeowners should use that perspective to judge their staging work. "Doyour work, go back to the doorway. Do some more, go back to the doorway," Schwarz says.That way, you'll be better able to ensure that each room appeals to buyers.

Make your place "Q-Tip clean." A properly staged home should be immaculate—"Q-Tipclean," as Schwarz puts it. "I mean Q-Tips getting dead flies out of your windowsill [and] goingaround the bottom of your toilet on the floor," she says. The purpose of ensuring the house isspotless is more than simply making it presentable. If a home is unkempt, a buyer will wonderwhat other, less visible problems may come with the property, Schwarz says. "They'll say,'Gosh, if they live like this, what don't they take care of that I can't see?'"

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORTPosted July 3, 2008

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ASP Featured Page Instructions

The StagedHomes.com website has an extensive search option so that the public, sellers, real estate agents,Stagers etc. can search for ASP’s/ASPM’s in their areas. With over 10,000,000 internet hits each month onour website you need to be there!! It is one of your best sources of new business, but you have to look good to thosethat search.

When visitors find a listing of several ASP’s, people will tend to choose an ASP/ASPM with a photo and afeature page completed. If you are next to someone who has theirs done with a photo and yours does not,you are missing out on potential business! People will view you as not being as “professional” or“experienced” and they will choose someone who has a feature page and a photo. So this is extremelyimportant to get completed immediately. Here is what you need to do to complete your Feature Page withphoto:

1. Go to www.stagedhomes.com

2. Log into MEMBERS LOGIN, then click on ASP EDIT PAGE. This is the page where you can edit all of your information.

Be sure all of your address fields are filled out correctly. This is very important for the system to work correctly. Address, City, State, Zip, Postal Code, Province

Upload your personal photo (Image Display Size: 150 pixels wide - 200 pixels tall @ 72DPI) All photos must be optimized at this specification. If you do not know how to do this email [email protected] for help.

Click on Edit Feature page. This is where you build the feature page. You will find a simple template where you in the blanks. You have subject headers then text and photos. Fill this page with all of your information regarding your services.

We recommend that you do one section at a time then hit the update button. Open a 2nd internet browserof Stagedhomes.com and find yourself in the ASP directory and click on feature page and you can seehow your page is looking as you go. If you have any questions or problems please call or email us, we’ll be glad to help.

Add your before and after photos Image Display Size: 225 pixels wide - 175 pixels tall @ 72DPI.Again if you need help please email the Help Desk.

Once your Feature Page is done, add your Staged Properties. As an ASP real estate agent you can list the properties you have Staged that are for sale. As an ASP Stager you can show the homes that you haveStaged for real estate agents and/or showcase homes that you have Staged to act as an online portfolio ofyour work. Visitors to our site now have the ability to look for homes to purchase, but this powerful feature won’t work well unless we have lots of homes listed. So get your properties on the site as soon as possibleand keep adding to them! Because this is a new service your listings are FREE for the next 6 to 9 months,and there will only be a very small charge to showcase properties in the future.

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Upload pictures for your Featured Properties. Image size: 400 pixels wide – 300 pixels tall @ 72 DPI.

The first time you do this you will click on Add Staged Properties purple button in the EDIT ASPPAGE (the same place where you clicked to create your Feature Page). You simply input all of the information, click update, and then you go back in to add a photo. It’s a good idea to have the real estateagent’s name and contact information in one of the descriptions so buyers can contact them directly. This is a great marketing tool for you to use in your presentations with real estate agents.

Keep updating your bio, Feature Page, and Staged Properties so that you always look sharp and fresh with any new information as you get it.

Graphic Services:

We also have help available for those of you that do not have time or need help completing your FeaturePage. We will do a basic Feature Page for you for only $50, which would include text, formatting and 4standard pictures. For a more complex page, which may include creating graphics, adding extra graphics,more complex programming, and more than the usual 4 photos, the price is just $100. Extensive customprojects would be billed on a case by case basis depending on the complexity involved.

To sign up for a graphic service please contact [email protected] to set it up and then we will do your page for you quickly and professionally.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to get your picture on the site, to complete yourFeatured Page and to input your Staged Properties. These tools will definitely help you generatebusiness, so please take advantage of them as soon as possible.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

StagedHomes.com

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Exclusive Search Engine Marketing for ASP’sCongratulations New ASP!As a proud ASP you likely have or will have your own web site. Often a lot of hard work is put into creating a great web site and unfortunately it is all for naught if no one can FIND your site on the majorsearch engines. Enter StepForth Placement Inc. a search engine marketing company that can help your website achieve the visibility it needs to deliver results.

Who is StepForth?StepForth provides search engine placement services for a wide variety of local and international clientele. Since 1997 StepForth’s services have successfully increased the traffic to hundreds of web sites. More importantly, StepForth is the exclusive search engine marketing provider for Barb Schwarz and the StagedHomes.com group of web sites. As a result, they are proud to provide a special service for Barb’s valued ASP’s.

What is Search Engine Optimization and Placement?Search engine optimization and placement is the technical term for StepForth’s professional services.Basically this can be explained as the process of improving the position of your web site on a search engine. For example, if you are planning on focusing on Seattle as your primary staging location our goal might be to tweak your site so that you attain a first page ranking (position 1-10) for “Seattle staging” on Google. The first page of Google is the best place for getting more attention for your web site!

The ASP Service For You!In consultation with Barb Schwarz, StepForth has created a service designed specifically for ASP’s. The service has been designed to provide you or your webmaster with simple instructions on how to implement our recommendations. These instructions will be custom-tailored to meet your needs.

Here is what we offer you:One of our experts will review your home page for any issues that may be hindering search engines

and ultimately hurting sales. The actual programming of the home page will be reviewed to ensure that it is presenting the right focus and image to the search engines. After all, your site will not fare well if the search engine thinks it is about an entirely different subject… this happens more often than you might imagine!

The content on your home page will be checked and enhanced by a search engine expert to present the ultimate conditions for top search engine rankings. StepForth will provide you with recommendationsin a very simple fashion with checklists designed to allow you or your webmaster to enhance the other pages within your web site without incurring more expenses from StepForth.

Total time: 4 hoursRegular Price: $600.00 ASP Price: Only $300.00!

For more information please contact StepForth Placement toll-free at 1-877-385-5526and make sure to tell them that you are an ASP to ensure you benefit from this hefty initial discount!

50% OFF!

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© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved

What’s In a Name?Someone wrote recently and asked why we have an “Accreditation” and nota “Certification”, concerned that the certification was somehow seen asbetter or more “official” than just an Accreditation. Good question and it’sone you want to be able to answer and address up front because when youfully understand the information, you will have an epiphany of sorts andappreciate even more fully the foresight Barb had for us andStagedHomes.com.

In our branding of our ASP designation, it's important for us as ASPs and StagedHomes.com as thetraining entity to make sure we know and understand WHY we are called what we are called. Believe mewhen I tell you that after being in life with Barb for the past few years, I know she is a woman who does notjust happen across a definition—I know a lot of research went into the right phrasing and wording for ourtraining, and what I researched in response to the email confirms that for me—and should help you tobetter understand how you are already AHEAD of the game as an ASP.

When you look at the definitions of the words “Accredited Staging Professional Designation” and what theyreally mean, you see that StagedHomes.com is right on track with how we define our training.

Designation refers to a name — a noun that describes a person. We have used it in Staging to distinguishourselves from those that are not trained as an ASP.

Designation—identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from othersdesignation—the act of designating or identifying something

Certification refers to Training...we are trained as an ASP by StagedHomes.coma. The act of certifying.b. The state of being certified.c. A certified statement.

Accreditation“The act of accrediting or the state of being accredited, especially the granting of approval to aninstitution of learning by an official review board after the school has met specific requirements.”

Noun: the act of granting credit or recognition (especially with respect to educational institution thatmaintains suitable standards)

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That last part is important—an “educational institution”—Stagedhomes.com is an educational institutionfor the Home Staging Industry—and as such we grant the Accreditation of the ASP Designation, and tomy knowledge are the only ones offering a true Accreditation in this field. We are the only ones with theStaging University, and as the Creator of Home Staging, Barb has developed the industry and basis for allother types of "training" groups out there. Another way to position it is this: The ASP Designation is acertification by Stagedhomes.com. Barb Schwarz is the inventor of Home Staging and the founder andleader of Stagedhomes.com—a Home Staging school where we educate, lead, and teach our ASP Course.Students earn their ASP Designation and they are Certified as ASP Stagers and Realtors with thecertification from Stagedhomes.com

We are the leaders, and that is why no one else states they are offering an Accreditation. This is animportant distinction—and one that once ASPs fully grasp—will not know the POWER and importancewe have as ASPs. We are the industry leaders and we have the ONLY Accreditation recognized in theindustry.

We are certified with the Accredited Staging Professional Designation.

What does this mean?

Certification vs. Accreditation – look at the definitions of each word, Accreditation is actually higher inimportance—in academia and in professional circles—than a Certification. A certification refers to an actof training—which we are as ASPs. But it does not stop there for us—as we are Accredited by a specificinstitution (SHC) after meeting specific requirements. It takes a certification a notch higher—so others canbe "certified" as a Stager, but only we are Accredited—so it is more prestigious. The Designation—at the end of our title gives us even more credibility—it sets us apart from the other shadowcertifications, as it distinguishes us even more from other groups that may offer training.

Think about what is going on in the world of media with the ASP Designation. It shows we are leading theway for other sister professions. Expect that other similar groups will do the same—and this is good for usall. If our quality training and designation means that we are forcing others to be more professional in orderto stay in business, that's good.

The fact that we are not just certified, we are Accredited—puts us in a league of our own—and this is apositive marketing aspect you can use in your own business to continue to set you apart from competition.

Now you know WHAT’S IN OUR ASP DESIGNATION! Share the news!

© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 1.49

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© 2000-10 StagedHomes.com No Unauthorized Reproduction Allowed. Stage®, Accredited Staging Professional® and ASP® are Federally Registered Trademarks of StagedHomes.com, all rights reserved 5.13

Barb’s Tools for SuccessThe CAREERbook®Proclaimed by agents across North America to be one of the hottest ideas in marketing, the CAREERbook® isyour Personal Marketing System.™ It sells you and does it dynamically, whether you are a brand new agent or aveteran of many years. It quickly allows you to build a “like and trust” relationship with the customers andclients you want to serve. The CAREERbook® is an expanded resume about you. It will get you more buyersand sellers because it helps you establish rapport, gain credibility, and show off your expertise and experience.

Each CAREERbook is made with a custom-sized, top-of-the-line binder that will last for years. It representsyou professionally with custom divider pages files with multiple choices and colors to organize and highlightyour work and border pages, sheet pro tectors, and supplemental sheets to make it easy to put together. It haseverything you need, including detailed directions and an 80-min DVD in a professional “do-it-yourself kit”.

The Marketing Portfolio™The Marketing Portfolio® is a listing presentation book that you personalize. It will make your listingpresentations more powerful and professional. It will get you every listing you really want! Sellers will say yourMarketing Portfolio is the best presentation they have ever seen!

Studies show that any sales presentation that uses visual demonstration, instead of just verbal, is 3 to 4 timesmore effective due to increased comprehension. Personalize your Marketing Portfolio with information andsamples about the marketing process you and your company use to sell homes. Use it to educate your sellersthoroughly for more professional control, better service, and much more powerful and effective listingpresentations. The Marketing Portfolio comes with everything you need to make assembly and use very easy.

The Home Buyers Guide™The Home Buyers Guide™ is a powerful Buyers presentation book that will help you educate your Buyers and gaincontrol before you start showing property, by demonstrating the things you do to help Buyers find the right newhome. The Home Buyers Guide is effective whether you are a veteran or a brand new agent, because it helps buyersthoroughly understand the process of how you will help them find and purchase their new home.GREAT for educating Buyers on agency, and a MUST for Buyer representation.

The Staging DVD “How To Stage Your Home To Sell For Top Dollar”This DVD is a must for all listing agents! It has literally changed the vocabulary and practices of the Real EstateIndustry! Designed to show to your sellers, Barb’s exciting tool is undeniably the best way to teach your sellers howto get their homes into top showing condition. The fact is, homes that are Staged using Barb’s concepts sell fasterand/or for more money! Barb is recognized as the creator of Staging and the nation’s number one expert onpreparing homes for sale, so let her show your sellers what to look for, what to do, and how to get their homeslooking better than the competition.

The Pricing DVD “How To Price Your Home To Sell For Top Dollar”This DVD is designed to educate your sellers on the importance of pricing their homes correctly when they firstbring their home on the market. Leave it with your potential sellers before you give them your CMA so they will beeducated and receptive to the list price you recommend. Barb professionally deals with all the standard objectionsthat you hear about pricing and diffuses them with common sense answers that support you and your knowledge ofthe market conditions that dictate an effective price. You’ll never hear “let’s just try it at a higher price” from yoursellers again. This powerful 25-minute DVD is winning rave reviews from agents, Stagers and sellers nationwide.

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Tools For Success

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____The RE Career Book® System (w/DVD) Navy Burg

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CALL 800-392-7161Rev: 04/10 All prices are subject to change. Please note: Returns must be made within 30 days and are subject to a restocking charge.

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800-392-7161

www.stagingshoppingcenter.com

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