This article is from a real estate column I am running in my June 2010 newsletter, “Wizard’z Wordz”.

An Interview with Elayne Wooding of Showhomes, St. Petersburg

Considering that many of the readers of “Wizard’z Wordz” are real estate professionals, I thought to dedicate this month’s feature interview column to a real estate professional.

If you are not in the real estate industry, perhaps you are selling or buying a home or know someone who is…you may find this interview still rather interesting. Most small business owners are typically interested in learning about how others ‘think outside the box’.

This would be one such story.

Earlier this year, I came across an interesting article in Realtor.org entitled, “Consider Live-In Stagers for Vacant Homes” and was intrigued by the live-in concept. The article featured a company called Showhomes; a Nashville, Tenn.-based company, which has eight offices located in the state of Florida, (where I am located). Showhomes provides live-in stagers for vacant homes that are for sale.

I probed further and discovered a Showhomes office located in St. Petersburg which is managed by franchise owner Elayne Wooding.

Thank you, Elayne for so generously donating your time to answer a few interview questions for our readers.

Q – Please explain how you got into the staging industry and why you opened Showhomes St. Petersburg.

EW – I decided to become a home staging entrepreneur after working my way up the ladder in the real estate and finance fields. We’ve had so much negativity when it comes to real estate. I’m thrilled to be a part of a solution that helps everyone – the homeowners, Realtors, builders and top notch home managers that we find to live in the homes while they are on the market. It’s extremely rewarding to help people in distressed situations and homeowners who feel overwhelmed by all they are up against because of the market for high-end homes.

Q – Who is your ideal customer?
EW – The sagging real estate market has created ideal market conditions for Showhomes’ services, which help local realtors sell properties by transforming high-end vacant entities into valuable, staged homes.

Q – Why would a seller wish to use your services?
EW – If you present a vacant house, buyers are often unable to visualize the empty space as a home. Even if the empty house sells, it is often for a price far below the list price. Because the home is vacant, buyers expect a bargain – hoping to take advantage of an owner they think is desperate to sell. If you present a Showhome, buyers are able to visualize the fully furnished and decorated space as their home. This personal connection leads to a premium sale price. Buyers make higher offers because they have already bought a home in their mind – they can see it as theirs, and will offer a premium price to make sure it becomes theirs.

Q – If I were a seller, explain the steps involved in contracting with Showhomes.
EW – Contact us directly www.showhomesstpetersburg.com for a no obligation proposal.

Q – What is the cost of your services?
EW – Nominal Set-Up fee when Home Manager occupies the property, No monthly fees. Staging fees are paid at closing when the home sells.

Q – What types of homes do you accept into the Showhomes St. Petersburg program?
EW – Vacant homes generally starting from 300K to 8,000,000k.

Q – What are the benefits of staging a home using the services of Showhomes St. Petersburg?
EW – Transforming vacant houses into valuable, cared-for homes that buyers respond to.

Q – Do you have any statistics to back-up the benefits of your services? [Does a home sell faster? Receive more offers? Gain more traffic?]
EW - According to a survey from National Association of Realtors Showhomes sell 10%-20% faster and an average of 93% of list price.

Q – Besides staging a home, what role does the Home Manager play in the sale of a home?
EW – Keeping each home in show-to-sell condition seven days a week.

Q – With the Home Manager living at my home, do I have any guarantee that nothing will happen to the property?
EW – Showhomes contractually indemnifies the homeowner and backs this with property damage insurance on every home, plus $2,000,000 general commercial liability insurance. We also require each Home Manager to carry a minimum of $500,000 personal liability insurance.

Q – Are Home Managers’ backgrounds screened?
EW – All Home Managers undergo detailed credit and strict background checks.

Q – Can a Showhomes staged home be viewed 7 days a week?
EW – Homes will be accessible for showings seven days a week. Our Home Managers will open blinds and curtains and turn on lights to ensure that your home is in perfect condition when a buyer arrives. Buyers will see a perfectly maintained, tidy and clutter-free home.

Q – Where does the staging furniture and accessories come from? How is the staging-style determined, i.e., modern, eclectic, country, Florida-style, etc.?
EW – Home Managers who have contracted to keep your property looking like a model home. Furnishings and accessories that are appropriate for the property are owned and provided by the Home Manager and Showhomes supplements these as needed to make the property look its best.

Q – What happens if I do not like the way my home is staged?
EW – We inspect and arrange every detail to ensure that your home is shown at its best.

Q – Is there a ‘best’ time of the year to stage a home?
EW – Every time a home is on the market is the best time to state a home.

Q – Do you stage a home for holidays if requested by the seller? Do your stagers take requests for specific styles/designs if the homeowner requests this?
EW – We will use furniture and accessories that appeal to the demographic group most likely to be searching for a home in this area. We will create a warm and inviting environment.

Q – Are you specifically a staging company or do you have realtors on-site/staff selling my home in addition to staging it? Or do I use my own realtor?
EW – We are specifically a staging company. Many of our staff are licensed agents, but we work with agents as an extension of their marketing efforts and not competition.

Q – Showhomes is a franchise. Please tell us about the St. Petersburg franchise. Is your seller unique to other areas where Showhomes franchises are located? If so, explain why.
EW – Showhomes – known as America’s largest home staging company – began its operations in 1986 and started franchising in 1994. It currently has 67 franchises in 24 states. Showhomes has helped realtors and homeowners sell more than 25,000 homes worth more than $8 billion across the United States by transforming high-end vacant houses into valuable, staged homes.

Q – Is there anything else you would like people to know about your company?
EW - When your home sells, we prefer a 30-day notice to give us time to relocate our Home Manager; a minimum of 21 days notice is required. We will have your home cleaned and returned to you in the same or better condition than when we received it. We will work with you to make sure your closing goes off quickly and smoothly.

Thank you, Elayne.

Contact Elayne Wooding:
Elayne S. Wooding CMP, MIRM
Franchise Owner
Showhomes St. Petersburg
111 2nd Ave. N.E. Suite 919
St. Petersburg, Fl. 33701
ewooding@showhomes.com
866-797-7426 ext. 706
www.showhomes.com
www.showhomesstpetersburg.com
Learn about Showhomes on our You Tube channel
Visit and subscribe to our Showhomes St. Pete Blog

Last evening I was watching an HGTV homebuyer’s show and I noticed that the agent was using what I term as ‘dubious’ language to show the home.

In search of new real estate, the buyers desired a large master bedroom and the option to build a swimming pool. During a tour of one particular home, the buyer turned into the hallway between the bedrooms and poked her head into a random room. She said to the agent, “This must be the office” and the agent said, “This is only the master bedroom.”

This struck me as strange because using the word ‘only’ denoted something ‘unimportant’. Of course when the buyer walked into that bedroom, which she thought was an office, she was predestined to be disappointed. I believe the agent set the stage for that disappointment. The agent might have said, “This is the master bedroom” and then proceeded to bring up the positive points about the room.

As they walked to the back of the home and looked outside in the wide but short-lengthened yard, the buyer said, “Where can I install a pool?” The agent replied, “Oh, you can stick one over there” as she pointed to a far corner of the yard away from the sliding back doors where many people prefer to situate a pool.

I could not get the word ‘stick’ out of my mind. I just do not think that ‘stick’ was the right word to use. Again, it created a doubtful visual in the buyer’s mind and set the stage for lowering expectations.

Another time, [different program], an agent was showing bedrooms and said to the buyer, “This is just a small bedroom.” Again, the word ‘just’ shot out at me because it pigeonholed the minute value of the space. I believe it would have been better to simply state,“This bedroom can be used for an office or a nursery.” Using positive descriptions gives the buyer a better vision of what the space could be and not that it was ‘just’ a small room.

Words like ‘just’, ‘only’ and ‘stick’ can create a negative visual for a buyer. They create upfront doubt. When showing a home, I believe it better to eliminate these words all together.

I was in the supermarket the other day and avocados were on sale for one dollar each.  Deep in thought as to what I could make with this delightful fruit, I saw a woman lurking from the corner of my eye who was pressing several avocados for firmness and then bagged or discarded as needed. I looked up and then moved over to make room so we both could share in the bounty without stretching across each other.

She seemed to appreciate that gesture and then said to me, “It is hard to tell which ones are too ripe just by pinching them.” So I said, “The lighter ones seem to be less ripe.” I continued, “Sometimes I get them home and in less than a day they are too ripe to use.”  She smiled and said, “Yes, that’s why I buy the light greens ones.  If you put them in a brown bag with a banana they will ripen when you need them.”

I knew about that ripening tip but acted as if I didn’t know so as not to be rude. She seemed delighted to share that tidbit with me so I didn’t want to ruin a sweet moment amongst strangers.

So from there we struck up a conversation. She asked me what I did for a living and I said I was a virtual assistant helping small businesses promote their products and services through online marketing methods such as newsletters, articles and email.

She told me about her line of work and as it turned out, the woman owned a real estate agency and contracted me (on the spot) to work on her email marketing campaign.

When I got home, I thought about what could have happened. I might not have stopped to buy the avocados if they hadn’t been on sale.  If I hadn’t showed courtesy in ‘sharing’ the space in front of the avocado display, she might not have said anything to me.  If I hadn’t acted appreciative of her banana-in-the-paper-bag tip (even though I knew about that tip), she might not have continued to chat with me.  We both might have just moved on and continued our shopping.

So I never dismiss small talk. I’m much more aware of my surroundings in public places. I smile more often and look approachable.  And when the stars align, I’m ready with a business card and a quick elevator speech should someone ask.  You never know who you will meet. Now that’s really what I define to be true social networking!

I celebrated that night with the best guacamole ever!

Hello Readers,

Please take this short survey? Looking forward to hearing what agents
like best about their jobs.

Janine Gregor

 

I came across an interesting article  in the Realty Times today explaining what many city officials from Washington D.C. to California are doing to combat the spread of the West Nile virus due to unattended swimming pools in foreclosed homes.  As mosquitoes can lay eggs in only a few inches of stagnant water, abandoned swimming pools with large surface areas have become a big health problem for many cities.

[caption id="attachment_245" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Mosquito"][/caption]

The answer is rather logical…release mosquito-eating minnows in vacated swimming pools to consume mosquito larvae.  

 

Cities such as Phoenix, AZ have seen an increase in foreclosed homes with abandoned pools rise from 6,000 in 2007 to 14,000 this year. And, as many warm weather foreclosed homes often have swimming pools the mosquito population has increased congruently.

 It seems that many swimming pools cannot be drained as the weight of the water is what keeps the pool shells in the ground.

The article states, “Some cities are pulling old swim pool construction permits and checking the addresses against foreclosure records to get a better handle on the number of abandoned pools.”

Using minnows is an interesting and clever solution.  (I would not want to be the owner, though, who has to clean the dead minnows out of the pool!)

I am often amazed at how really far this foreclosure disaster has permeated so many areas of our daily lives.

 

 

Janine Gregor

 

There is a lovely home in my neighborhood which recently went on the market ‘For Sale’. The problem is that one cannot read any of the details in the sign. I had my camera with me this morning, so I snapped a quick video to give folks a view of what it is that drive-bys can actually see from across the street. 

 

 

This home is poorly signed by the homeowner, no doubt. Further, the second sign located at the entrance to the home indicates, “Open House” which I find to be quite odd.  It seems that the Open House is perpetually OPEN.  Is someone there all the time to take knocks on the door from looky-loos?  I wonder.

[caption id="attachment_148" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Open House Sign"][/caption]

 

There are several other homes available in this neighborhood and my guess is that this one will just be a drive-by…in other words…buyers will just continue to drive-by.

Even though the home is a FSBO (for sale by owner), there is so much more an owner can do to advertise simply from the front lawn.

If you have not signed on with a real estate agent (recommended by this virtual assistant!) to take advantage of all of the benefits, such as good signage, I would suggest to FSBOs to at least do this much:

1)  Place the signs closer to the street and sidewalk where people can actually view them without straining their eyes. This may mean using two signs:  one at the far end of the lawn at the property line to gain attention from folks driving one way and using a second sign in the front of the property reasonably close to the sidewalk to stand out to drive-bys who do stop.

2)  Buy a double-sided For Sale Sign or make your own and take into account that folks might be coming toward the property from more than one direction.

3)  Use a thick black Sharpie marker to write your home’s stats.  This homeowner used a thin Sharpie that one would need a magnifying glass to view.  People will not want to get out of their car to run over to see how much the home is priced or how many bedrooms it contains. 

 

 

 

 

4)  Create a website and post photos of the home.  Microsoft Office Live is a free hosting site with templates that can be used to create a site in just a few minutes.  Buy a domain at GoDaddy featuring the site’s address (about $7.00) and connect that address to the site. By all means, advertise that website address on the sign in a clear fashion.

5)  Make a few flyers and buy a tube at a local hardware store.  Microsoft Publisher and Word feature easy-to-use templates for making flyers.  Go to Kinkos to have them printed in quantity. 

 Janine

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In 2008, Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice area ranked 11 in the country for lawsuit foreclosures. Due to the excess in the courts, 12th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Lee Haworth put a new rule into place.  The lenders’ law firms must meet with the homeowners to discuss alternatives to foreclosing. The attorneys must appear, physically, in court. But even with this requirement, of the 79 foreclosure cases set for hearings last week, only 5 attorneys showed up in court representing the lenders. 

Foreclosures In Manatee County – BayNews9 Report 4/9/2009 from Your Virtual Wizard on Vimeo.

[caption id="attachment_22" align="alignleft" width="224" caption="Flame"][/caption]

So basically, this law was ignored. So now the Judge is clamping down and is fining lenders’ attorneys who do not show up in court.  Beginning in March, they must appear in person; and not just on the phone as was the usual practice.  

 

Interestingly, only a few law firms actually represent lenders in the state of Florida.  They are not located in Sarasota and Manatee counties, so they usually appear in local courts via telephone to save money.

I really do believe Judge Haworth might have something here.

Law firms will now have to hire local attorneys (stimulate the local economy) to attend the foreclosure hearings. But this also means that the lenders have to spend more time making sure the “checklist of requirements are met”; which, according to the Judge, includes abiding by “…the requirement to meet with homeowners within 45 days after the foreclosure is filed.”

Most homeowners who face foreclosure usually want lower payments or lower rates in order to save their homes. However, lenders are so backed-up with foreclosures that homeowners have to wait months to receive a call from the lenders to work out any negotiations.  And in some cases homeowners never receive a call from the lender until the case is actually in front of a judge. The Herald-Tribune reporter ads, “The lack of communication makes it impossible for a homeowner to question a debt, or to work out an arrangement other than a foreclosure until the case is in front of a judge.”  By then, the homeowner is out and has moved on.
 
Judge Haworth’s newest penalty requires the lenders’ attorneys to appear in court AND forces the lenders to communicate earlier in the foreclosure process with the homeowner.  Judge Haworth says, “I just think it’s important homeowners have an intelligent conversation with guys from the other side to see if there’s a way they can save their home.  It’s too important an issue to ignore.”

I learned that the law firms who represent the lenders contract the foreclosure cases in “bulk at a flat rate”.  There is an enticement to get these cases through the court system rather quickly so they can be paid.  However, as the article indicates the ‘line attorneys’ do not have the authority to make negotiations with homeowners to avoid foreclosures so it is inevitable that the foreclosure will occur any way.  This also means communication between lender and homeowner is further stalled.

Another interesting fact from this article is that two-thirds of all the mortgages in the past eight years have essentially turned into bonds.  This means that a mortgage might be split between four different trusts that oversee the bonds.  Apparently, these bonds then have different criteria for when to negotiate and when to foreclose.  Hillard, a former investment banker is quoted, “They would have to get authority from four different entities to settle these cases.”  

With more than a 600 percent increase in mortgage foreclosures since 2006, forecasts in this area seem rather bleak but I applaud Judge Haworth’s plan to financially force lenders’ attorneys to show up in court.  This is definitely a step in the right direction to at least open up negotiations between homeowners and lenders. If anything, it will get homeowners the opportunity to work with lenders’ earlier in the foreclosure process and possibly prevent cases from even getting in front of the Judge.

You can read the full article here .

 
Janine