Exterior Staging: the Business Opportunity

Defining Your One Shot Wonder Service

Assessment and/or Execution

Assessment Checklist

Design Considerations

Flawless Execution

Promoting Your Specific Service

Finding OSW Opportunities

One Shot Wonders

Exterior Staging The Business Opportunity

What has changed?

Not enough to clean up the yard and make certain the house is clean and tidy to sell your house

Dramatic Change to the art of selling houses over the past five years

House must be Staged; inside and out

Selling Factor for Staged Houses

One Shot Wonders Define the type of service you want to

provide

Targeting other than your regular clients…one shot wonders!

As for any of your services, accurately define the expected client outcome

One Shot Wonders

Expected client outcome

…a service that gives home sellers an edge in fierce competition

…increased curb appeal for a more profitable, quicker sale

Goal is to sell the house quickly at the highest possible price

One Shot Wonders Help current Homeowners assess with a critical eye

Improve the aesthetics and selling factors of their curb appeal

What is this elusive Curb Appeal?

One Shot Wonders Curb Appeal is the Property’s “Sex Appeal”

The goal of your Exterior Staging service is to help create a scene

The “scene” allows potential homeowners to imagine themselves living there

One Shot Wonders Do not underestimate the importance of

Exterior Staging

You must postively grab the buyer’s attention almost immediately

Data Shows Potential Clients Usually Drive By First

First impression is made within 10 to 17 seconds

One Shot Wonders Then the first positive impression must be

confirmed during the rest of the tour

Consequently, the exterior is critical

And the Front Garden is key!

One Shot Wonders How involved will you get to create this

ideal scene?

How far do you take this Exterior Staging business opportunity?

Will you take on All exterior aspects of the Home???

One Shot Wonders What to Include in Your Version of the One Shot Wonder Service?

The expected…

Weeding, Pruning, Edges and Mulch

Lawn Reno

Hardscape & Walkways

Containers and….

One Shot Wonders Cleaning, Sweeping, Hosing Down

Clutterbusting: Decluttering, Divesting & Organizing

Repairing and Sprucing Up Outdoor Décor

Addressing Safety Concerns?

Feng Shui?

One Shot Wonders Trim, Shutters, Fresh Coat of Paint?

Powerwashed Siding and Decks?

Mail Box Makeover?

Distinct House Numbers in Good Repair?

Areas that need Camouflage? Views to be eliminated or obscured?

One Shot Wonders Repair and Painting of Gates and Fences?

Transitions to Private Areas of the Garden?

New Welcome Mat? Welcoming Wreath?

Greeting Seating at the Front Door?

Holiday Decorating? Holiday Lighting?

One Shot Wonders Exterior Lighting: Walkway, Porch, Garage,

Spot

Removing Old Trash Cans or any Jarring Notes

Washed Windows and Clean Eavestroughs

The extent of the taking advantage of the business opportunity is yours?

One Shot Wonders Stick to the knitting?

Stick to your niche?

Or meet the needs of your time strapped client by offering a wider service personally or through referral, sub-contract or project management

Assessment & Execution Naïve about One Shot Wonders? Don’t give it away for free

Your Reselling Challenge is that the Client us … Usually Compressed Time for Delivery

Has High Expectations for Dramatic Change

Has Concerns about Cost to Recoup

Assessment & Execution Clients try to balance the improvement

dollars on how much they can recoup

They are juggling needed kitchen, bathroom facelifts with the exterior needs

Extent of willingness to spend often depends on the selling season

Assessment & Execution Assess the opportunity from a Budget & Timing

perspective

Charge a Premium for Time Compression, Evening or Extended Weekend Work

Know your Local Real Estate Time Deadlines:

Photos for MLS Listing

Local Real Estate Caravan Week Day

Usual First Open House or First Showing Day

Assessment & Execution

Avoid the “Free Estimate” Trap

Charge an Assessment or Consultation Fee to avoid the Idea Stealling DIYers

You are selling a sought-after-service to time-strapped clients based on your expertise and experience

If necessary, put the Assessment Fee towards cost of Execution

Assessment Checklist Skirting Pruning – Six Inches

Mature Plants still in Scale?

Overgrown Foundation Shrubs?

Prune for Needs of the Shrubs and Trees

Avoid the Big Chop

Prune to increase light into the house

Prune away from the House – Twelve Inches – Especially Important for Home Inspection

Assessment Checklist Less is More with Containers

One or Two Colour Planting Scheme

Style of Containers that Suit the Style of the House

Assessment Checklist Greeting Seating, Greeting Urn & Wreath

Wreath…the international symbol of welcome…and a welcome mat

Outdoor Seating should echo the interior style

Assessment Checklist Clean Edges? Definition of a Well- Maintained House

Mulch…especially important during the selling process to keep weeds at bay

Mask Unwanted Traffic Patterns?

Assessment Checklist Remove all personalization – create a neutral atmosphere to allow the buy to picture themselves

Removing Any Jarring Notes

Remove Visible Trash Cans. Replace Old Trash Cans.

Design Considerations Keep it Simple

In this era of simplification, gardens that read “High Maintenance” can often scare potential clients away

Easy Care Plantings in Order: Evergreen to Deciduous Trees, Evergreen Shrubs to Flowering Shrubs, Perennials, Annuals, Containers

Design Considerations Beds and Borders with Sweeping Curves with

a Scale in Proportion to the Size of the House

Simplified, easy care planting scheme with pleasing shapes on the mature size…go big enough…

Design Considerations Bigger question: Does the style of both the

soft and hardscape match the Architectural Style of the Home?

Victorian needs evergreens

Federal style needs symmetry

Cape Cod needs cottage style

Design Considerations Simplified Colour Palette: Transition from Outside to In

Decorated Exterior “Walls”?

To what Extent do you Decorate the “Walls”?

Flawless Execution Premium for compressed timeframe?

Assessment Fee

You and your team only

Sub it Out…but review the work

Project Management and Charge a Fee

Promoting Your Specific Service Find the Operative Words to sell the Expected

Outcome

Finding the selling adjectives…

Curb Appeal vs. “Overasking” Curb Appeal

Finding OSW Opportunities Targeting the Specific OSW Offerings

Select, Trusted Real Estate Agents

Desired Exclusivity

Finding OSW Opportunities Targeting Clutterbusters, Stagers and

Professional Organizers

Usual Marketing & Advertising Channels: Print, Website, Constant Contact, Word of Mouth

Conclusion Good addition to your service offerings

Quick additions to Cash Flow

Improves the Bottom Line