Design Principle: Aspirational and Obtainable - Bridging the Gap

If you’re looking to purchase a home, you're probably daydreaming about the possibilities of what it'll look like. You imagine, perhaps if you're in Seattle, an incredible view of the Puget Sound through a large picture window at the end of a handsome living room outfitted with a masterful fireplace, or maybe in Los Angeles you're imagining something with a huge outdoor deck off of your well-appointed kitchen with sleek dining and living spaces. Perhaps, though,  you're downsizing in Portland, and you can't wait to only have that one grand master bedroom as the hero of your soon-to-be condo. Beautiful to envision, right? We all love thoughtful features that enhance our lives and show off the environment around us, but what about the items that we use to fill our houses? How will those things help to make it a home? 

You know that mid-century house you sulk over every time you drive by it? (Just go with me here.) It's probably not filled with all the mid-century specific furniture you think would go along with it. It's an extremely unobtainable achievement to do such a thing. If that were the case, it'd probably be a superhost listing on Airbnb's luxury experience list of places to stay in Palm Springs. That is 100% an aspirational achievement in decor. Would we love that and feel like a celebrity featured on a movie or magazine set? Definitely. Would we would go crazy with zillions of selfie posts on our profile page? Very likely. (No judgement here.) Again, it reflects a look that is completely and solely aspirational.

When you think about the homes of the average person, though, we all live with an often eclectic assortment of furnishings that have some sort of meaning or history to them. Most commonly, such furnishings are inherited or purchased second-hand. No one's home is furnished purely with all new things. Whether it's your grandmother's dining table that you were lucky enough to inherit, the desk that you used in grad school that now acts as a gaming station in your son's bedroom, or the vintage bench you scored at that random garage sale and couldn't dream of leaving behind. Real houses have furnishings with real stories and real purpose.

So why are we here writing about this for a home staging blog? Because it's a super important detail to recognize, and it goes a long way when it comes to setting a stage for home buyers. By using a mixture of furnishing styles, you create an obtainable look that is relatable. It's a sure-fire way to make a buyer feel more comfortable in a staged home. With this strategy, there is at least one piece in every room that the viewer can identify with, and it may even draw up a conversation because they like it so much! (And yes, we can sell it to you if you so desire.)

Our Creative Principle, Chad Hinke, took this rule of "Aspirational and Obtainable" that was set as a Spade and Archer standard and found a great way to expand upon it for today's generation of buyers. If you have something old, give it a fresh spin by mixing it with something new. The contrast will give it a bit more character in a good way. One common thing you'll find in our home stagings at Spade and Archer is an older dining table with a new set of dining chairs, or visa versa. This way you avoid presenting what looks like grandma's dining room and create an interesting contrast worth gabbing over. Don't get us wrong, new furnishings are spectacular and can be a great investment, but when selling a home, you never know who exactly is going to be considering making the big purchase. You want to appeal to the masses, and the mixed use of furniture styles or ages can help to attract in a bigger audience and have them lingering a bit longer. 

With home buying being such an emotional process, it's best to avoid triggers or turn offs that could turn a potential buyer away. There are all sorts of do's and don't's to accomplish that. This notion of finding a happy medium between aspirational and obtainable is not one that most may recognize. Just remember, you want to tell a story with each listing that will inspire and not overwhelm or intimidate. Hopefully, your home stager knows just how to accomplish that.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

BEHIND THE YARD SIGN: THE POWER OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH WINDERMERE'S WILLIAM GILLILAND

We recently caught up with our good friend and longtime Portland home staging client William Gilliland of Windermere Realty Trust to learn about his process through listing in COVID-times. It's always great conversation with William. We knew he would offer some reassuring insight of translating people's needs during the pandemic, but we found ourselves discussing the deeper truth of building strong relationships and how they serve a time-tested bigger picture.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 4 WITH WILLIAM HERE

William grew up around real estate as his father was a commercial agent, but before following his father's footsteps, he actually began working in luxury car sales. That experience was great training for being a real estate agent. "A good car guy sells around 15 cars a month," he told us, and he was successfully doing that and then some! William recognized later on when making the career switch, that car sales entailed essentially fast transactions but that, for him, it related so much to real estate. That's because, with every account, he treated clients like he'd see them again and built a connection which catered well to referrals and creating loyal relationships.

In episode 4 of Behind the Yard Sign Justin M. Riordan and Kelly Hanahan of Spade and Archer interview Windermere’s William Gilliland about the power of relationships in real estate.

There were other things, too, relevant to car sales and real estate. In car sales, you often think of mainly working with buyers, when in fact, as William explained, it's much more varied than that. Similar to real estate where sellers are needing to sell their current home to buy a new one, a car sale often involves a trade-in where there are still concerns of updates, maintenance, and getting the best value. You have to take something that's used and make it shiny and new again for the next buyer. The two fields translate almost seamlessly. 

When asked about his talent in networking and relationships William said, "I think it's a skillset and a gift. A lot of the time you have to figure out -- how do I talk to this person? You have to figure out who they are, how they are, and what they like. I've always been able to do that." How might you ask? He thanks his grandmother. "She taught me a whole bunch of things that I still use everyday. She always found something that she could talk to you about, even if she had no idea what it was, and I think a lot of times you have to just do that."

As we recognize all the challenges that we've had to face with Covid-19 and the level of alterations we've made in the way we operate and sell in real estate, William reflected briefly, pointing out that he was actually really busy through it all, and he has his relationships to thank for that. "I'm really lucky ...I think it's just because I've been really consistent in talking to my 368 person sphere and 1448 agent network that I regularly reach out to, and I've done that from the beginning." 

William also truly understands the investment that his clients are making with these large property transactions. "It's their real money. If they're crazy enough to hire you, then you need to be respectful of the fact that... That is their real money, that's their budget... They deserve the same treatment, consideration and diligence that anybody does." For every ounce of care an agent might have over a property detail, you can bet that the client cares ten times over. We as professionals in this field, cannot overlook the concerns of the client, because the price is huge, and even more important -- it's emotional.”

William has no problem staying realistic when it comes to people liking you or not as an agent. "This is a really easy business to get your feelings hurt in ...you're not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's why there are so many agents out there!" He noted that with all the little nuances and needs for each buyer or seller, every agent will help accomplish those goals differently, and he realizes that he's not always going to be that person. William noted that he doesn't trust anyone without the courage of their convictions which is so motivating in this world of many. 

"We've had many downs and big ups in the last ten years, but it looks so easy right? It's really not, and you do have to have some skills in this business to do it well," William reiterated. He's not suggesting that you start off in car sales, of course. There are plenty of ways to learn and understand the power of relationships, so it's just a matter of how you look and listen beyond yourself to grow that skill and make it your own. 

William and Spade and Archer’s most recent home staging partnership in Portland.

Want a chance to learn a bit about our skills in home staging and how we can cater to your needs? Start with your free Instant Pricing for home staging in Portland, Seattle or Los Angeles and let's get started!

Design Principle: Why We Stage Outdoor Living

Ah, summer! It’s coming and it’s a time when all of us think of getting away.  If you’ve been sheltering in place this spring you are probably itching to get out of the house.  While it may not be possible yet to go on vacations, we can take advantage of the outdoor spaces we have in our homes.  

Patios, balconies, even front porches are additional usable square footage to our homes and we can take advantage of every inch. In home staging, we want to show off the promise of every space.  We want the potential buyer to envision themselves in that space, take in the scenery, heck, even sit down and contemplate life for a moment.  That’s why staging an outdoor space is just as important as staging an indoor one.  

People, in general, can figure out what size a sofa is and mentally imprint it on a space.  It’s a lot trickier with outdoor spaces, though.  Outdoor furniture comes in all different sizes, styles and uses. It’s difficult to envision what a bench or bistro set might look like on a challenging outdoor space. In home staging, we want to give the home buyer an idea of how that space can be used. Seeing a lovely lounge scene on a master bedroom patio gives the buyer a real clue as to what that space can be.  Maybe they never thought of having morning coffee off of their bedroom.  Maybe their current patio is used for bike storage.  Maybe they are so busy thinking of kitchens and bathrooms they neglect to think about themselves. But setting a scene for them to imagine their future there may just be what seals the deal on this particular home.

We want the buyer to consider the entirety of the house and so the outside must be a continuation of the incredible work done inside. When staging inside, we have walls on which to hang art or furniture that can hold lamps and accessories. Outdoor spaces have less to work with and therefore need careful consideration.  We don’t hang art on exterior walls (don’t even ask) so we have to use the view as our visual accessory.  Setting an elaborate tablescape outdoors is often impractical and unnecessary, so thoughtful accessorizing needs to be used to give the idea of future uses. Our job as home stagers is to give the buyer just enough of a lead to begin their fantasy and let them fill in the blanks with the particulars. 

In this new era of virtual tours and online home shopping, it’s paramount to take advantage of every asset you have.  Someone looking through real estate photos on their tiny apartment kitchen may see a tasteful outdoor dining table for six on a rooftop deck and dream of the dinner parties with friends they can have there. A little bench at the front entryway stirs up ideas of putting on your sneakers before a long run with the dog.  A cozy lounge tucked away inspires thoughts of long conversations over wine with your partner.  Setting that outdoor space with furniture and a few accessories is the home stagers’ way of inciting that fantasy in a new home buyer’s mind. 

We all need a getaway - someplace to refresh and unwind.  Our current situation may not make that a possibility, but if we are creative and inventive, we can find those little retreats in our very homes.  As home stagers, we can use our craft to inspire people; give them options they may not see for themselves. Making full use of all spaces in and around a house sets it apart, makes it a winner and makes it a place you want to come home to.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

Reopening Safely with Touchless Home Staging

Everyone is looking forward to “reopening” and getting on with life as before.  Realistically speaking, that doesn’t seem logical to anticipate.  Nothing will be exactly the same — maybe ever again. Everyone going into this uncertain future will have to change, adapt, evolve, pivot, zig-zag and maybe even wing it while the world figures out what it wants to look like.  Humans are adaptable and with education and humility, we will all survive and even thrive. Business is no different.  The changes in the past few months have shaken up the last 100 years of complacency about “how we do business.” And maybe it’s about time.

If you are a small business right now you’re probably freaking out wondering how to continue.  Some of the greatest techniques are coming from people who are genuinely just doing whatever they know how to do naturally.  For example, the local dry cleaner merely called the company to ask how we were doing.  He didn’t ask us to bring anything in or beg for business.  He reached out to show real concern for our family and our safety.  It was much appreciated.  In that call, too, he let us know that he was still open, still doing his same phenomenal job and still there if we should need him. 

Business operations must inevitably change, but if you are still able to provide a recognizable service, people will feel comfortable and this will make them feel “normal.” That normalizing of people’s lives will encourage them to spend money.  If they feel like the world is ending, they are less likely to spend cash.  But as a business, if you can provide stability and reassurance, they will feel comfortable spending as they used to.

If your business is still open, your greatest asset is communication.  Let people know you are still around and still alive.  Shout it to everyone who will listen.  Let people know you are safe and operating with their best interests at heart.   Phone calls are a great personal touch, but social media is the loudest megaphone you can have right now.  Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter - if you’re not on them, do it now!  Show people you are open.  Show them the safety protocols you have in place. Remind them of the great service you once provided and let them know you are there for them now.  Reassurance is valuable asset in a time of uncertainty. 

Make yourself accessible. Make it really easy for people to Google you. Tell your followers how you are operating. If it’s a drop-off/pick-up situation, let them know how to easily do it.  If you have “curbside” or “touchless” let people know.  Whatever your service is, find a way to get your customers informed and flowing smoothly with your new operating standards.

No one is leaving their house right now. No one is driving around looking for your sign. No one cares to deep-dive into the ether looking for you. You have to come to them. If you have access to an email list or if you're on Facebook or if you can pay for Google ads, this is a really good way to promote your business. Everyone is home now and tuned into even the tiniest screen - and if business owners can communicate through those screens, that is how you are going to talk to your public.

Smart people know what they don’t know. Surround yourself with knowledgeable folks whose advice you respect. Listen to webinars, podcasts, and consultants every day - you have the time - and take their words to heart. You may hear something and completely reject it as it doesn’t speak to you.  Yet, you may also find that something stands out, makes total sense and is something you can implement immediately in your business. The more information you get, the more you can decipher what works.  Listen to entrepreneurs in your industry and outside of it.  Good ideas come from all sources.

In this time of upheaval, disinformation can run rampant.  People aren’t trying to purposely mislead you (at least you hope not) but maybe they jump to conclusions that don’t make the most sense.  Information is one of those commodities where it never hurts to diversify.  Gather as much information as you can from as many sources as you can.  Then you can sift through it and find what works best for you.  You were savvy enough to start your own business in the first place, you are smart enough to listen to the right people as well. 

Information is awesome and it’s the solid foundation you need to grow your business.  But knowledge without action can be masturbatory.  Take these great ideas you’ve spent hours cultivating and put them into use.  They may work, they may fail, but the only way to know for sure is to do it. And, in the interest of transparency, tell your customers what you’re doing.  Let them know it’s for their benefit and include them in the review of the procedure.  Their feedback will help you, keep them interested and possibly streamline your operations.

“New normal” is more “old school” than some would believe.  It’s about customer interaction.  It’s about feedback.  It’s about using all the tools available.  We all have to improve our customer service through constant, open communication.  We have to adapt operations to meet the new safety standards (which should have been improved eons ago). We have to think innovatively and act smartly to stay relevant. Reach out to your customers, not to just solicit business, but to make a genuine connection.  Ask them how they are doing.  Tell them how you are doing. In isolation, a phone call from the dry cleaner, a text update from your favorite restaurant, or a clever email newsletter from your home stager, serves as a point of connection.  Using new tech to make old-fashioned connections is a great way to keep your business in the forefront of people’s minds and, more importantly, their hearts.

As we accommodate all the needs of our real estate partners, know that as you reopen we’ll be keeping all of our COVID safety practices in place — starting with our Instant Pricing tool to get you a quote for your next listing.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

Behind the Yard Sign: Steps to Promote Property Listings Post-COVID with Windermere's Nancy Chapin

There are a lot of things that a real estate agent can do to promote a listing. While we continue the awkward yet necessary social distancing amidst COVID-19, everyone (no matter what type of business you’re in) is having to figure out which strategies and services, new or old, will help them succeed in this new normal and beyond. For those of us trying to sell homes now and in the future, it’s going take a lot of recognition of our strengths and weaknesses and a lot more practice behind the camera.

People are all so different, and we all respond differently to the various forms of media and marketing that are thrown our way… but what is for certain, however, is that to get someone’s attention, those visuals must stand out. They have to pop! (It was referred to as Pop Art for a reason, y’all.) A listing isn’t anything worthwhile unless it can really get your attention. Compare it to online dating! Would you swipe right to a photo of someone who just rolled out of bed and clearly isn’t trying? Umm, no thanks! Buyers are more likely to spend time with and give attention to the light, bright, thoughtful imagery of their next potential crush! Funny enough, this mentality is the same for housing. Give walls a fresh coat of light neutral paint! Brighten things up with lighting and show off those windows! Stage the home, inside and out! Give it that much needed makeover that enhances its natural beauty. Set the stage for the next homeowner to make it their own. If you put your best foot forward and make the listing shine, there’s a higher chance of getting buyers to consider moving to the next step – the 360 walk-through.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 3 WITH WINDERMERE’S NANCY CHAPIN

Behind the Yard Sign co-hosts Justin M. Riordan and Kelly Hanahan from Spade and Archer welcome Nancy Chapin from Windermere to talk about listing during COVID times.

Since open houses are a no-no these days, what better way to get a potential buyer closer than to do a customized 360 degree video walk-through for them! Our dear friend Nancy Chapin of Windermere Real Estate in Seattle, WA shared a few tips with us about her experience using such marketing tactics saying that she makes sure to show off the home’s floorplan in addition to its key features because she knows that’s a huge aspect in the decision-making process. “Neighborhood and configuration are the top. Everything else – finishes, countertop – they can change that out over time. If the configuration is quirky, that is really what people want to know.” And you don’t even have to be the seller’s representative to make one! Agents visit and tour homes so that buyers don’t have to right away, so why not record a video for your buyers and share it with them to review when they can really take it in? Hopefully they’ll want to watch it more than once, and if so, then they can.

But wait, there’s Matterport! Is it worth it? Maybe! Our owner & founder Justin Riordan shared his insight mentioning that he finds Matterport tours choppy and harder to navigate leaving him frustrated, but when his son gives it a whirl, he’s all about it! It’s purely a matter of your audience when it comes to this high-tech home tour, so yes, it could definitely be worth the investment.

And here’s another big listing suggestion – just say no to virtual staging. It may get you some great listing photos online, but it leaves your buyers high and dry when it comes to the videos, Matterport, and ultimately their in-person visit. Nancy reinforced this notion. “The goal is always to get somebody to leave their house, go across town, and come experience that home within those walls because I personally think, all those homes kinda have a soul, and you kinda feel it.” Nancy is an avid fan of staging for listings -- especially now because without staging, it’s much harder to drum up those warm, fuzzy feelings from a potential buyer when you have a lifeless, empty home.

If you want to cater to the broadest range in demographics, we say do it all! A quick coat of paint, thoughtful homestaging, professional photography, video tours, Matterport walkthrough, social media posts… all of it helps right now while we wait to even see if we begin frequenting open houses again. You might as well invest all the funds you’d be spending on printed flyers and tasty lunch offerings on those virtual marketing tools. You’ll find yourself not only with a new adaptive skillset, but also a very likely chance of a house sold! 

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.