So here is how it went down:   

I show up at the producer’s house 5 minutes early, hoping there isn’t some “casting couch” dilemma to be faced.  Yes, I know…my mind is a little dark & creepy sometimes, but I’ve watched too many episodes of Law & Order SVU.  Thankfully what REALLY happened was not an inappropriate invitation but rather that the producer’s house was ideal for a mock staging because he (let’s call him Jim) & his wife had been there for 20+ years and it was “well lived in”…definitely not in any shape to put on the market.  The plan was for us to tape me & him walking through the main living space with me as the Stager (duh) and Jim as the Seller who was reluctant to make any changes to his home.  But I’m getting ahead of myself….

Upon arrival, he introduced me to the cameraman, James, and we all visited off camera while they did some technical stuff with the microphones, and whatnot.  As we visited, we discovered that Jim & I had gone to the same yoga studio, albeit at different times, and we agreed that YogaSport Dallas absolutely rocks and had set the bar extremely high for either of us to find a comparable studio that was located closer to either of our homes.  (So there is a little shout out if any of y’all are looking for a great yoga studio.)  After we agreed that Angela (the owner of the aforementioned yoga studio) and her team of yogis were the best in Dallas, we got down to business and the lights & the camera were turned ON.  

By this point, I was feeling comfortable with Jim.  After all, I had just visualized him all bendy & stretchy at the yoga studio and he wasn’t nearly as scary in that frame of reference as he was when I thought of him as a PRODUCER FOR HGTV.  Jim asked me a series of questions, such as how I got into staging, and some other softballs I don’t even remember…that moment was so surreal.  I do recall that somewhere in this conversation he said they were looking for a staging character similar to the character on “Super Nanny”.  I’m sure that is when my face went completely blank because I had never seen an episode…all I could think of were those screaming kids on the previews and her British accent.  My mind raced and wondered is Super Nanny mean?  Maybe she’s sarcastic?  Is she demeaning to the parents for being so non-parental they had to call her in to get their little snotty booger children in line?  Sigh.  I was clueless.  But I WAS sure that if Super Nanny was anything like this drama that I was imagining in my head, I had no desire to portray myself or my company as mean, sarcastic or demeaning.  So I shrugged my shoulders, told Jim I’d never seen an episode and that he was stuck with me as me.  I think I used those exact words.  Poor Jim….

Once I took the pressure off of myself to be a character I wasn’t, then everything went great if I do say so myself:  I was witty, firm, knowledgeable, told a personal story that was applicable to a point I was making about staging, diplomatic and all while just telling it like it is.  In a nutshell, I was myself.  Oh, AND I was wearing some smoking hot platform wedges that I had bought just for this audition – so I had a little extra ‘tude that I’m hopeful came across on camera.  (Confidence is key on television, or so I’m told.)  Jim even said he liked some of my suggestions enough that he may give them a try even though they aren’t selling their house.  But I’ll bet he said that to all the stagers….

Overall, it was a great experience and I’m grateful for having been considered.  They auditioned 8-10 stagers over the course of 2 days and I know one of them (she would be totally awesome in this role) but I don’t know who any of the others were.  So I figure that if this is the direction God has for me & my company, then you may see me on HGTV soon…I’m kicking it up a notch at boot camp, and cutting down on the carb intake – just in case.  Jim said that they will have a decision made in about a month and the next step would be to produce a Pilot episode.  So regardless of the outcome, I’ll hopefully lose some of this weight I’ve been trying to shed AND I have a cool story to tell.   And I may have to suck it up and watch some bratty kids on television to figure out who this Super Nanny is…really, what IS her character like?

It wasn’t actually HGTV directly, but a local production firm representing them and they were scheduling casting calls for a show they’re producing on real estate staging here in the Dallas area to be shown on HGTV…and yes, they called me.  Which really shouldn’t be too surprising since we are Dallas’ Premier Resource for Home Staging (yes, that was intentionally & sarcastically tauntingly pompous) but it’s not every day you get a casting call out of the blue for HGTV.  Here is how it went down:

It was just another ordinary day  (actually I was in the office and not on a project so I was at least sitting down) when I answered my phone and spoke with Stephanie, the local producer.  It turns out that a client of mine had mentioned me to a real estate agent, who in turn shared my contact information with this production company (who also produces Donna Decorates Dallas and Interiors, INC).  Stephanie told me that this client described me to the agent as “smart, fearless and attractive” so they gave me a call.  (Now really, who was I to argue about that description?)  According to Stephanie, whom by now I’m referring to as if she is my BFF, they are looking for a stager with “style & authority”.  I didn’t tell her that I could definitely mange the authority portion, since I have been called bossy on multiple occasions, as  I wouldn’t want her to think that I was going to bring DRAMA (or maybe I should have?  after all it would be a reality show).  As for style, well I may need to break out the high heels that I ditched for my flats, and coordinate some accessories that look good on camera….  Hmmm.  I may need to go shopping.  I wonder if I can expense it?  

Seriously though, I know they are meeting with multiple stagers in the area, one of whom is a good friend of mine via the Real Estate Staging Association chapter here in Dallas, so I’m keeping my expectations realistic.  But nonetheless, I am pretty humbled and excited to have even been invited.  I’ll let you know how it goes, but weren’t we just talking Street Cred in yesterdays blog post?  I think that regardless of the outcome, this is definitely some Staging to SELL Street Cred, don’t you?

Next post:  See what happened at the audition by clicking HERE.

So, street cred (as defined above):  We got it.  And today I’ll show you how we got it for our Staging to DWELL service:

Y’all know the little ol’ Texas baseball team, the Texas Rangers, right?  Yeah, that’s right, the 2 time defending American League Champions….

So I’m sure you’re wondering “how in the world does Staging to DWELL correlate with baseball??”   Well, I’ll tell ya.  We had the privilege of staging two of their town homes to DWELL for their new players relocating to Dallas.  Yeah, it’s only temporary housing and not a big mansion that they’ve purchased for their permanent residence, but if our staging is good enough for the Texas Rangers, shouldn’t it be good enough for you?  

Here are some photos and if you want to see more of these spaces, as well as our other work, you can click HERE for our You Tube channel or visit our website at bymichellelynne.com.

Texas Ranger Townhome #1 Living, Dining, Kitchen View

Texas Ranger Townhome #1 Living Room Close Up

Texas Ranger Townhome #1 Dining

Texas Ranger Townhome #2 Living Room

Texas Ranger Townhome #2 Dining & Kitchen

Texas Ranger Townhome #2 Dining Close Up

Texas Ranger Townhome #2 Master Bedroom

Here is the short video from the National Association of Realtors with more details:

• Problem solving skills
• High level of integrity
• Mid-level computer skills
• Organized
• Sales skills (or at least not a fear of talking to strangers)
• A little OCD wouldn’t hurt 
• Willing to work hard – this job isn’t as glamorous as HGTV makes it seem
• Ability to improvise

If you’re an over-achiever, you would also send photos of some of your work (even if it’s just around your own home) with your resume or inquiry…just sayin’.  :)

• Packing / donating / selling the items you don’t want to take with you NOW will alleviate stress when you’re moving because a lot of the work will already be done.  And a de-cluttered, expansive looking house will provide your potential buyers with more room to see their own stuff in the space instead of trying to peer around your excess.
• The faster the home sells, the fewer mortgage payments the homeowner will have to make – especially if you’ve already purchased your new home.  Check out a home staging calculator HERE and do the math for yourself.
• The internet is the new “first impression”.  Your listing will look better than the competition and will move your home up in the list of “must see” properties.  

Here is an example of a real MLS photo before and after staging…which would get YOUR attention better?

1. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the averaging staging investment is 1-3% of a home’s selling price, and generates a return of 8 – 10%.  Do the math:  $350,000 listing would cost roughly between $3500 – $10,500 and yields $28,000 – $35,000.  Now, I’m not a math whiz, but that makes pretty good sense to me.
2. Did you know the cost of staging may be a tax deduction?  Of course, check with your tax professional but you can point them to IRS Publication 523 to determine if you qualify. 
3. The more organized & attractive the home shows, the more desirable people will perceive it to be.  For example, a well organized pantry isn’t going to sell the house alone, but it does contribute to the confidence level the potential buyers will have in the care & maintenance of the house while you owned it (“gee, if their pantry is THIS organized, I’ll be they really maintained the HVAC system, watered the foundation regularly, blah blah blah).  

Here are some easy pointers that you can implement without having to spend any money in the preparation of your home.  Is this list all inclusive of the free things you can do?  Absolutely not, but they definitely have some good impact on your goal!

10.  Excess Furniture:

• Dated, out of style or shabby looking pieces should be removed.
• Furniture should sync with price point,
• Fewer furnishings actually make rooms feel more spacious.

9.  Kitchen Cabinets and Pantry:

• The psychological impact on a buyer is as such, “Gee, if they are this organized, their HVAC system, foundation, and preventative maintenance must all be in great condition too.”

8.  Two Thirds Rule:

• Store seasonal clothes and clean out the closets to approximately 2/3 full. 
• This showcases the space. The seller is going to have to pack the stuff anyway…start sooner than later!

7.  Windows:

• Take down worn out or out-dated window coverings. Bare is better than ugly. Sunshine sells.

6.  Start at the Street Curb:

• Clean up the yard.
• Edge the walkway, plant seasonal florals and add dark mulch.

5.  Entry:

• Scrub / repaint the front door.
• Remove cobwebs around the entry
• Clean the porch light glass.

4.  Clean clean clean.  Dust dust dust. 

3.  Personal Effects:

• Pack up SOME personal effects. Don’t remove all photos, a house still has to have heart. 
• Keep the “good life” photos on display.

2.  Clutter:

• Remove all clutter including stacks of magazines, mail, toys, collections, and such.

 1. Freshen Up:

• Air your home out. Make sure it smells good, but avoid synthetic air fresheners that may bother buyers with allergies or make them wonder what you’re trying to cover up.