WHAT IS A HOME MANAGER?

A Showhomes Home Manager is a person or family with beautiful home furnishings who lives in a vacant home for sale. In exchange for keeping it clean and letting Realtors show the home, Home Managers get dramatically reduced monthly fees, far below the market rate.

Home Managers are professionals who are:

- Relocating

- Building a New Home

- Seeking Temporary Housing

- Going Through Family Changes Such As Divorce

- An Individual or Family Looking To Reduce Expenses

- An Individual or Family Looking to Maintain Their Currently Level of Living or Lifestyle

- Looking To Get Familiar With An Area Before Purchasing

- Looking For Flexibility As There Are No Long Term Lease Requirements

WHY stage?

Competition. With 9 out of 10 buyers previewing or finding their homes online, presentation has never been more important. Staging your homes gives you a competitive edge over your competition. It also reduces low ball offers that buyers associate with vacant properties.

"Price Gets you Interest, Staging Gets you Offers." (Gary Keller, Keller Williams)

Owner Occupied Homes

Known for our success in staging vacant homes, we also help sellers with owner occupied homes. Whether it's a home on the market for sale or a new home, we can provide staging expertise to showcase your home. For occupied homes on the market for sale, we can re-design and re-purpose the existing furniture and decor of the home, and using your furnishings, create a "model home" look that buyers respond to. Staging enhances the presentation of your home and makes it more competitive in the market place, helping to capture a faster sale at a premium price (vs. a non-staged home). A professional stager can also provide useful information and often resources to help with packing, moving, de-cluttering and organizing, making your move easier and preparing the home for staging. Staged homes sell faster and for premium prices, bringing a greater net gain to the table for sellers.

Paint

While that favorite shade of purple was perfect for you, it may be a turn-off for that potential buyer. With a Showhomes Update we can provide the perfect changes with our Exclusive Color Palettes which are on-trend neutrals that will not distract from the outstanding features of your home and will provide mass appeal. Your Showhomes staging professional will help select the perfect palette for the look and feel that will place your home above the competition of similar homes for sale.

Home Managers are professionals who are:

- Relocating

- Building a New Home

- Seeking Temporary Housing

- Going Through Family Changes Such As Divorce

- An Individual or Family Looking To Reduce Expenses

- An Individual or Family Looking to Maintain Their Currently Level of Living or Lifestyle

- Looking To Get Familiar With An Area Before Purchasing

- Looking For Flexibility As There Are No Long Term Lease Requirements

WHY SHOWHOMES?

Showhomes is America's Leader in the Home Staging Industry. With over 30 years of experience, and a network from coast to coast, the Showhomes network has helped sell over 30,000 homes worth over $10 billion. We're proud to have partnered with many local and national real estate brands such as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, Berkshire Hathaway, Re/Max, Century 21 and more. We've successfully helped thousands of realtors, homeowners, investors, banks and builders market and showcase their listings for a faster sale and higher price. Our service speaks for itself. Our results pay for the service.

NEW HOMES

But we don't just do homes for sale, we're happy to help you with your new home too! If you're craving a new look, hungry for some new ideas or inkling to have a "makeover" of your own, we can help. Showhomes staging experts can design, re-design and provide DIY information or a full service "makeover", transforming your home in as little as 1 day. Showhomes is the leader in decorating and staging; we can help you create the home you'll fall in love with which suits your lifestyle and personal preferences.

REPLACE OLD CARPET

Worn or dated carpeting is the #1 turn-off for home buyers. The thoughts of selecting, purchasing and dealing with installation will have a potential buyer quickly check the home off their list. With a general 3 to 1 return on investment, fresh and new carpeting can be the key to a faster home sale. Coordinating with our Exclusive Showhomes Color Palettes, our light neutral warm and cool tones of carpeting will not only be pleasing to your budget but will give your home a true designer look. All home sellers want multiple offers and a quick, profitable sale. A Showhomes Update can be the answer to what you've been dreading. From palette selections through job completion and installations, we not only provide staging design but bring in qualified contractors to quickly and painlessly prepare your home for sale. The value Showhomes brings and the return on investment is why Showhomes is the nation's leader in Home Staging and Design.

PRIVACY POLICY

This Showhomes Franchise Corporation Privacy Policy (this or the "Privacy Policy") explains our practices, defines our users' ("you" or "your") privacy options and describes how your information is collected and used by Showhomes Franchise Corporation ("we," "us," "our," or "Showhomes").

By using the Showhomes website or any of our features or resources you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

We reserve the right to modify this policy from time to time and will mark new versions with a corresponding effective date. We recommend you visit the Showhomes website to review any changes in our practices.

This Privacy Policy governs your use of the Showhomes® website at www.showhomes.com, www.showhomesfranchise.com ("Sites").

Our Sites may contain links to other websites. These links are not endorsements of any products or services on such websites. These websites may have privacy policies different than our Privacy Policy.

What Information is Collected?
We may collect personal information from you on our Sites or through any other digital or personal communication with you. Information collected by us is voluntarily provided by you and may include information such as your name, email address, and physical address. Our Sites may also collect general information about your technology interface or preferences (such as the type of browser used or the files requested).

The information we may collect includes, but may not be limited to:

• Your contact information, such as your first name, last name, phone number, and email address, to allow us to respond to submitted inquiries;
• For potential franchisees, your contact and financial information, such as your first name, last name, email address, physical address, cash/liquid capital to invest, and net worth, to allow Showhomes to respond to submitted inquiries;
• Information regarding your browser and other technical specifications required to use our Sites;
• Computer data or files, often called "cookies," which may be sent by your web browser and stored on an individual computer to allow our server to "recognize" you through the navigation of the Sites;
• Computer data files, often called "web beacons" that are collected from emails or links on third-party sites that allow our server to evaluate the popularity of those links or the information contained in emails or on third-party sites; and
• Your IP address to measure our website traffic and to help provide a more personalized experience.

Children Under the Age of 13
Our Sites are not designed for children and we do not knowingly collect information from any person we know is under the age of 13.

How is User Information Used and Shared?
We collect information about you in order to provide you with services and also collect information that is necessary for our Sites to work properly. We use personal information about our users for a variety of purposes related to our business, including but not limited to:

• Allowing you to receive information from us regarding Showhomes services;
• Adding information from social media platforms to our Sites where you discuss our services or use a hashtag related to our services;
• Sharing information with our local franchisees regarding your request to become a Home Manager or other request on the site;
• Tracking information about your visits to our Sites to allow us to provide better service;
• Sending or initiating direct marketing programs, such as newsletters or information about new products or services we (or any of our affiliated companies) are offering;
• Contacting you regarding an inquiry on our Sites that you have initiated; and
• Providing information about your usage or preferences to our third-party vendors and providers.

We may share information, in the aggregate, regarding your online browsing preferences to evaluate our services or allow third parties with whom we work to better serve our users. We will not share personally identifiable information in these instances, other than described in this Privacy Policy. We may, however, share personally identifiable information with franchisees or our local business partners regarding inquires you have made for a specific Showhomes® market. All financial information submitted in connection with a franchise inquiry will be kept confidential and will not be shared with third-party vendors.

We may provide user information to third-party service providers or vendors for purposes of, including without limitation, initiating direct marketing programs on our behalf, data tracking, maintenance or development of our Sites, development of online services or customer service, or other contracted promotional opportunities provided to our users. We will not share your information with third parties to directly market their products to you. We may share this information with any subsidiaries, licensees, suppliers, distributors, affiliates, assigns, successors, or other related entities and their respective owners. We may also share your personal information in connection with law enforcement requests or in response to investigations, subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims or as otherwise required by law.

Business Transfers
We may also disclose your information to a third party as part of the reorganization or a sale of the assets of Showhomes, or its subsidiaries, divisions or franchisees. Any third party to which Showhomes transfers or sells the Sites or related assets will have the right to continue to use the personal and other information that you provide to us.

Behavioral Advertising
We may also use third-party vendors, such as Google Analytics, to advertise to our users online. These third-party vendors may display Showhomes advertisements on other websites based on your internet usage. More specifically, these vendors use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytic cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on your past visits to the Site or another site affiliated with Showhomes. Any information that these third parties collect via cookies is not linked to any personally identifiable information (name, address, email address, or phone number) we collect or you provide on the website. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising by using Google's Ads Settings.

How is User Information Protected?
We maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for all user information collected on our Sites.

How Can Users Limit Information Collected?
By providing information to us or browsing our or our franchisees' Sites, you are consenting to our use of your data as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

While we work hard to use and disclose our users' personal information only for the purposes identified above, you can choose not to provide personal information or limit the personal information obtained by us as follows:

• You may have your contact information removed from our marketing lists that are used to inform users of new or relevant products, services, and special offers by clicking on the unsubscribe link in any communication received from us or by emailing us at [ADD EMAIL ADDRESS]; and
• You may limit the collection of "cookies" from your Site usage through your browser settings. However, this may disable our ability to provide you with the most relevant information regarding the Sites.

Your California Privacy Rights
California Civil Code Section § 1798.83 permits users of our Sites that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please contact us via the Sites.

Contacting Us
For additional information pertaining to our Privacy Policy, please contact:

Showhomes Franchise Corp
2110 Blair Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212

Their job? To temporarily live in suburban mansions

Mike and Janine Callahan might have the coolest job ever.

The husband and wife work as "home managers," and their job is furnishing and living in multimillion-dollar mansions for sale around the St. Charles area.

The 7,800-square-foot home where the couple currently live, at 1334 Fox Glen Drive in St. Charles, is on the market for $1.5 million. It has a six-car garage with a "motor court" driveway (the owner's Porsche 718 Boxster is still parked inside), six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a tennis court, and 2 acres of land. It's four times the size of the Callahans' townhouse in Geneva.

"Sometimes I walk in and think, 'Really? I get to live here?' It's like a fairytale land," Janine said, while standing in a stunning living room with giant windows that overlook a backyard koi pond and waterfall. "It's a privilege for us to do this. ... It's like we're living someone else's life for a while."

The home manager service is offered through the Callahans' home staging business, Showhomes Fox Valley. They employ eight other home managers.

Realtors hire home managers to live in vacant luxury homes that they're trying to sell because it saves the seller money, Mike Callahan says. It lowers their staging costs, since home managers bring their own furniture.

The live-ins also keep a watchful eye on things. The Callahans said they've discovered gas leaks and frozen pipes in homes they've lived in, helping avoid damage and pricey repairs.

Home managers also help keep the homeowners insurance bill down. Insuring an empty house is more expensive than a lived-in house, and insurance companies keep a close eye on this detail, Mike said. He recalled a recent 9:30 a.m. Sunday visit from an insurance inspector who looked in the refrigerator and closets before determining they actually lived there.

"Afterward, the homeowner said to us, 'You just saved me $10,000,' " Mike said.

The nomadic home manager lifestyle works for the Callahans, empty-nesters who have been married 41 years and have four grandchildren. Mike's a former mortgage broker and Janine's an interior decorator.

They bought the Showhomes franchise in 2009 and began staging luxury homes, amassing a warehouse full of neutral-colored modern furniture -- the style that is most appealing to buyers.

"Some friends buy shoes. I buy sofas," Janine says, laughing.

They've lived in 12 houses over the past eight years in Batavia, Wayne, Geneva, Elburn and St. Charles. They've stayed as few as 45 days and as long as 16 months. Every time they move in, Mike carries Janine across the threshold. "It's just our thing," he says.

They've seen some really unique, high-end features, including beautiful swimming pools, a spiral staircase to a bedroom hidden behind a mirrored wall, a kids' playroom with a secret bookshelf door, and a castle-like home that had hallways with flickering candelabras.

"Each house has its own adventures," Janine said.

Friends, and especially their grandchildren, love to come over and explore each home they stay at. They host dinners and holidays just like they would if it were their own house.

Janine can set up her craft room and have a playroom for her grandchildren. It's where their one visible personal item exists -- a framed picture of her mother, who recently died.

The downside is they must constantly clean up after themselves -- like wiping out the sink each time they use it, keeping beds made and not leaving clothes lying around. They can't display personal photos, and personal items must be kept hidden from sight.

"You can't be spontaneous because it always has to be clean. The home must always be ready to show. You have to be ready to turn all the lights on and get out (for a showing)," Janine said, noting that it's not unusual for a Realtor to call at random times and say, "We're sitting in the driveway, can we come in?"

Even though they're devout Christians, she chooses neutral holiday decorations, like nutcrackers and snow villages, to create a feeling of home that appeals to any potential buyers.

"We're such a visual society that if someone is looking through listings and sees a vacant property, or something they don't like, here's what they do," Janine said, mimicking scrolling on an iPad. "We'll help the home win a beauty contest."

Couple overcomes hearing barrier in building business

 As owners of a Showhomes home staging franchise, Elisa and Brandon Macomber of Santa Fe make a living off their eyes.

Their business depends on their ability to redecorate private residences to make them more appealing to potential buyers. Their revenue has grown each year since they started the franchise in 2016, according to Brandon, and they now employ two individuals in addition to themselves. At a recent Showhomes conference, the couple won several awards including "Fastest Average Sale Time."

But it is her hearing, not her vision, that Elisa said has colored much of her professional journey. A bout of meningitis as a baby left her with profound hearing loss. Brandon, too, is hearing-impaired, the result of a premature birth and an episode of pneumonia.

"Not being able to talk on the phone has been a huge hindrance in my career, and that drove me to start my own business," said Elisa in an email (the Macombers provided written responses to questions). "I knew I could help people in so many ways via text and email, and in person, of course."

Now Elisa, who can lip-read, takes Brandon or another employee with her to meet clients to ensure she doesn't miss out on conversations while taking pictures and walking around the home.

"It can be a challenge, because I need to be able to look at the people while they're talking, but at the same time, I need to look at the house and take everything in visually," said Elisa, who handles most of the staging while Brandon handles the business side.

Brandon said their answering service has been invaluable for collecting names, addresses, emails and phone numbers of the people they interact with.

Asked about their top home-staging tips, Brandon said it's important to "remove yourself and your personal preferences from the process, and neutralize the property."

"By putting yourself on the market, you are trying to sell the house, not your style or your things," said Brandon. "Buyers need to envision themselves living there."

Elisa suggested removing all pictures and sentimentals from the home before it is photographed in order to protect the privacy of the homeowner.

"With (real estate listing) pictures being online all the time now, you want to protect your privacy," she said.

The couple said their work is filled with surprises. Elisa said she once found a black widow spider hiding beneath a client's rug. Brandon mentioned an even stranger experience.

"We found one of our faux apples with a bite mark in it," said Brandon. "That was pretty funny."

Hendersonville Times-News: Cindi Stringer Finds Success with Home Staging Business in Hendersonville

As a nurse for 30 years, Cindi Stringer's joy of helping others has always been evident. Once retiring from her nursing career, Cindi still wanted a way to make a difference in the lives of others while being able to showcase her love for art and decorating.

After much research, Cindi discovered the home-staging franchise, Showhomes. Founded in 1986, the Showhomes franchise system has helped realtors and homeowners sell more than 25,000 residential properties worth more than $8.5 billion, by transforming high-end vacant houses into fully-furnished, inviting valued Showhomes homes.

"What really sold me is when I went to Nashville to visit with the corporate team eight years ago," Stringer said in a news release. "They shared very similar values that I was looking for in a business, had great integrity and showed that they support the franchisees."

Stringer's Showhomes franchise in Western Carolina University has been in business for eight years and covers communities such as Hendersonville, Asheville, Waynesville and Black Mountain. Despite being in one of the smaller markets in the Showhomes franchise system, Stringer has seen tremendous success in the area.

"I think what helps us is that we operate in these small communities and it allows word of mouth to spread much quicker," Stringer said. "After all, we are in the relationship business and thrive off creating successful relationships."

Stringer won Showhomes' Franchise of the Year Award in 2017 which is the top honor a franchisee can receive reflecting their consistent business and overall operations excellence in the region they service. In addition, Cindi has also won the circle of excellence award eight years in-a-row highlighting her superior customer service and customer's satisfaction.

"Awards like these are always an honor to receive," Stringer said. "I know how dedicated and driven all the franchisees are at Showhomes and I am lucky to call them colleagues and friends. At the end of the day, this award reflects how great the Western Carolina community is and I am so grateful to be part of this community."

Moving into the fall home staging season, Stringer noted many trends that she has observed from season to season but says the fall is her favorite season with warm colors and tones displayed throughout homes.

"Grey has been the color of the decade but we see that moving towards beige," Stringer said. "Warmer tones are key and less is always better for staging. By having less scattered throughout the home, it gives space for the owner to see their house and what they envision it becoming."

Along with mixing metals such as silver and gold, creating more spa-like master bathrooms is also becoming more popular as consumers are becoming intrigued with minimalist style.

"There are seven seconds from the moment the buyer walks in the house to when the buyer falls in love with the house," Stringer said. "You have to speak to the buyer's emotions because being in the real estate industry is an emotional process for buyers and sellers."

Looking ahead, Stringer is on the way to capping off a strong 2018 and is ready for all of 2019's challenges. "We have proved ourselves one house at a time and our customers have been thrilled with the work we have done," she said.

How Elisa and Brandon Macombers Became Model Showhomes Franchisees

Three years ago, Brandon Macomber was feeling burnt out. After years in the banking industry, he was sick of the traveling his job required, and he wanted to spend more time with his wife, Elisa. At the same time, Elisa also found herself ready for a change. The career visual-merchandiser had started her own home-staging business, and she felt had reached the limit of how far she could grow on her own. So the couple began looking for new business options. That's when they discovered the home-staging franchiseShowhomes.

Between Brandon's business acumen and Elisa's passion for home staging, it didn't take long for the Macombers to decide that Showhomes was what they were searching for. "We knew when we found Showhomes that it was the perfect fit for both of us," Elisa said.

The Macomber's Showhomes franchise in Santa Fe, New Mexico has been in business for a little more than two years now, and Elisa says both she and Brandon have found a lot to love in the operation.

"We get to work with so many great people, and it's rewarding for us to help homeowners beautify their homes and sell them faster," she said. "There's a real pride in seeing our work pay off."

Elisa says the Showhomes franchise system has been the crucial piece of the puzzle in her efforts to grow her home-staging business. "It's like a garden, if you put your time, effort and heart into it, it will grow."

"There are so many benefits of being a franchise owner," she said. "We have a strong support network, both from the corporate team and other franchisees, who have all sorts of backgrounds and experiences that we can draw from. It's also great to have our work recognized by the system."

That's not to say the business hasn't come without any challenges. Elisa and Brandon are both  hearing impaired, and they've had to adjust Showhome's operational model slightly to effectively communicate with customers.

"It can be a challenge with the phone sometimes," said Elisa, who suffered a profound bilateral hearing loss at 15 months old and now wears a cochlear implant and processor. "We make it work with texting, email and the answering service that Showhomes provides for franchisees."

The Macombers also employ two part-time team members who help run the day-to-day operations. For in-home appointments, Elisa says she and Brandon use each other to fill in anything they might miss in conversation.

"We both read lips, but it can be difficult keeping up with a conversation that involves more than two people," she said. "Now and then, one of us will miss something and look at the other for help, and that always makes us laugh. We also have to remind people to look at us while talking, which can be difficult when you are walking through a house while trying to look at the house's features and layout."

Those challenges have not stopped Elisa and Brandon from effectively growing their business, and according to Showhomes COO Matt Kelton, the pair represents everything the brand is looking for in franchisees.

"Elisa and Brandon are truly model franchisees in just about every way," he said. "They are positive, they work extremely hard, they have a wonderful creative flair for design, and they support other franchisees. They also know exactly how to follow the Showhomes system and are great about suggesting ways for us to improve the model. Honestly, I wish we had 30 more of them."

As the Macombers look toward their third year with Showhomes, Elisa says they are still focused on growth.

"We are in the process of acquiring a box truck with a wrap of our logo to increase brand awareness, and we're always looking to take on more clients," she said. "Showhomes has given us some amazing tools to work with, and we're excited to make the most of them and keep growing our business.

5 Tips For Updating Your Kitchen On A Budget

We spend a lot of time in our kitchens, whether we're cooking, eating, sharing a cocktail or enjoying family time, so it's no wonder we get bored with its design. However, updating your kitchen every few months or even once a year can be a time-consuming and costly project.

ESTATENVY sat down with Showhomes Chicago Owner Janine Callahan who shared inspiration on how to freshen up different elements of your kitchen without breaking the bank.

Paint the Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are one of the first things to become most damaged in the room, and Callahan said you don't have to completely switch out drawers for a new look. "Painting your cabinets is a great way to make an impactful design change in the kitchen without having to spend a lot of money," said Callahan. "Dove white adds a pretty, classic finish, and replacing a few of your doors with glass panels can add an extra layer of spark."

Switch Up Your Lighting Fixtures

Adjusting the lights in your kitchen easily transforms the tone or atmosphere of the room. Callahan suggests adding pivot lights over your countertop or island. "Pivot lighting is an inexpensive option for updating the lighting in your kitchen and the style looks great with Edison bulbs, which are very much on-trend right now," said Callahan.

Affordable Change for Countertops

While renovating your countertops seems like a pricey, long-term project, installing a backsplash of granite or tile in your kitchen is much less grueling and adds a layer of dimension. "Remnants of granite can be found for the price of a slab, and either a shop can cut and install it as a backsplash for you or you can make it a DIY project for yourself," said Callahan. "Tile also looks great for a more straight-lined style. You really can create your own look in this process."

Personalize Your Kitchen Sink & Faucet

When it comes to switching up your kitchen sink and faucet, Callahan suggests choosing a layout that is practical to your meal preparation and cooking habits. "Think practical when updating your kitchen sink or faucet," said Callahan. "If you spend a lot of time cooking from scratch, for example, consider installing a double bowl sink so you have more room to cook and clean after meals." Sink and faucet updates tend to be relatively cheap with the right material and installation.

Get Funky with Decor

Freshening up any area of your home can be quick and cost-efficient by adding unique pieces of decor and furniture. However, Callahan warns that if you're looking to sell your home, make sure not to distract potential buyers with large, eccentric furniture from the interior parts of your home. "You can find really pretty, interesting stools, kitchen tables and other decor at consignment shops or even garage sales," said Callahan. "If your house is up for sale, make sure the furniture is rather plain so that it doesn't take away from the interesting parts of your home, like a beautiful kitchen countertop or sink." Janine also suggests utilizing cooking products like olive oils and salt shakers and arranging them on top of a tray so that they look intentionally decorative and organized.

Finding the time and effort to revamp your kitchen might seem like an effort, but with these helpful, affordable tips from Callahan, your kitchen can be effortlessly transformed.

Showhomes Aims to Expand in Phoenix

Showhomes Franchisees Share Regional Home Staging Trends

Interior and exterior home design trends change every season, and vary depending on what part of the country you are in. Because it is important for home staging professionals across the country to keep up with the latest trends, 1851 Franchise Magazine connected with Showhomes franchisees from Charlotte, North Carolina; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Coral Gables, Florida; and Pasadena, California, to learn more about what is resonating with home buyers and sellers in their areas.

Ann Jensen, Showhomes of Minneapolis

Fueled by an interest in home design and decorating, Jensen started working with Showhomes as a Home Manager in 2003, and she recently assumed ownership of the Minneapolis franchise in April 2018. Since becoming a franchisee, Ann has observed that many home buyers in Minneapolis are interested in casual dining areas and flexible work spaces.

"A number of years ago, many homes had a formal dining room, but I've recently noticed that home owners like to have an open concept space that flows into the kitchen and the living room," Jensen said. "People want to live both comfortably and richly in their homes, and this desire comes into play when they envision entertaining their guests."

Jensen said technology has also impacted home designs and layouts. Because people use cell phones and laptops to do business in their houses, there are fewer homes with designated office spaces.

"Technology has allowed us to become more mobile within our own homes, so people do not have as much of a need for formal work spaces," Jensen said.

Ginny Hawkins, Showhomes of Pasadena

After moving away from the Midwest and opening Showhomes in Pasadena, Hawkins noticed that homes in California have unique designs and layouts.

"Due to Southern California's large population, there are a lot of smaller homes on the market, which means using space efficiently is very important here," Hawkins said. "When staging, we try not to clutter the space by using basic pieces of furniture, and we use accessories and artwork sparingly."

According to Hawkins, the weather in Pasadena also plays a role in the way homes are designed and staged.

"Outdoor living is a part of the lifestyle here, so landscaping is key," Hawkins said. "Due to water shortages, we have a lot of desert landscapes and plants that are drought tolerant. We are also blessed with flowers year-round, so people have a lot of fruit trees and roses in their yards."

Marisa Salas, Showhomes of Coral Gables

Home buyers in her market are looking for open floor plans that allow for flexibility, so Salas appeals to them by creating floating rooms where furniture is placed away from the walls.

"Home buyers often have a tough time visualizing how to use a space efficiently, so we help them with furniture placement," Salas said. "In the past, furniture has been pushed up against the walls, but floating rooms are becoming more popular because they make a space look and feel larger."

When choosing the colors and patterns of furniture, artwork and accessories, Salas takes her surroundings into consideration.

"Many of the homes I stage have pools, so I tend to use a lot of blues, greens and teals," Salas said. "Those colors also complement the beautiful blue sky that we have most of the year."

Carol Apa, Showhomes of North Charlotte

According to Apa, people frequently shop for new houses online, which impacts the way she stages her homes.

"Over 90 percent of buyers are looking on the Internet to shop for their new home, so houses that look clean, fresh and new appeal to them," Apa said. "The use of professional photography to show what the homes look like is important as well."

When staging her homes, Apa also tries to achieve balance with color, texture and accents.

"From what I am seeing, the neutral colors such as grey and beige are popular with one or two colors as accents," Apa said. "The accent pieces have texture, design and a bit of color.  We staged a home that had a grey exterior with a teal front door.  We were able to incorporate these colors in the interior of the home, so we brought the outdoors inside."

For franchising opportunities with Showhomes, visit https://showhomesfranchise.com.

Top Trends in Home Staging During Peak Selling Season

With the most competitive home-selling season of the year underway, many homeowners are leaning on home-staging experts to ensure their property stands out among the rest.

Showhomes franchise system has helped realtors and homeowners sell more than 30,000 residential properties worth more than $10 billion in total by transforming high-end vacant houses into fully-furnished, inviting homes.

Shelly and Pratt Barndollar, owners at the Houston Showhomes, were recently recognized with the "Best Makeover Design" award at the brand's annual conference for a home they staged in their territory. Feeding off of this momentum, the Barndollars are gearing up for the busy home-selling season in the next coming months.

"The summer months are a competitive time for homes on the market, and it's our job as the home staging experts to help expedite this process by taking a vacant house and transforming it into a liveable, comforting home," said Shelly.

While interior design trends are ever-changing, Pratt and Shelly have noticed several develop in the past several months that have continued to stick, including changes in flooring and outdoor spaces.

"Hardwood floors will always be a staple, but we've noticed a lot more grey and porcelain tile flooring throughout homes," said Shelly. "Tile floors match well with a lot of different wallpaper and paints and can be a lot easier to maintain than hardwood."

Aside from flooring, Shelly and Pratt have also noticed a lot of innovation with outdoor spaces. Rather than using decks and patios for gatherings and cookouts, Shelly said many homeowners are turning outdoor amenities multi-seasonal rooms that families are able to regularly enjoy.

"In a market like Houston where the weather is mild year-round, we've seen homeowners putting kitchen units and nice furniture in their outdoor porches and patios, turing these spaces into year-round family rooms rather than areas used mainly for entertainment," said Shelly.

Another entertainment-focused piece of the home that the Barndollars have seen become more of a staple is the bar or wet bar area. Shelly and Pratt said the open bar layout is very popular and often showcased in the dining or family room.

"Many bars now have added shelving so that if they're apart of a bigger room like the family or living area, they can store additional items and add back lighting that can highlight certain art or design pieces," said Shelly.

Home-staging continues to grow more popular in the United States, as staging a house can increase its sale price by up to 15 percent. To accommodate for more homeowners looking to utilize home-staging services, Showhomes is looking to expand into areas of the country where its franchise units would be most helpful, with a specific interest in the Bay Area and the Washington DC-Northern Virginia market.

"We've noticed a more prominent need for our services in territories with growing real estate markets, and many regions on both the East and West Coast fall under this category," said Showhomes COO Matt Kelton.

To read more on the services offered by Showhomes or view open franchising territories, visit https://showhomesfranchise.com/

Showhomes Explores Expansion Opportunities in Northern California

On April 22nd, Showhomes' entire franchise system gathered together in Santa Cruz, California for the brand's annual conference. This was a time when the brand was able to celebrate some incredible milestones and shine a light on franchisees that have found success in the system, whether in their first year or business or their fifth year. Celebrating the brand in California was also an opportunity for the corporate staff to explore development opportunity in nearby markets, specifically the Bay Area.

"Staging is already incredibly popular in the Bay Area," explains Matt Kelton, CEO of Showhomes, "A large percentage of homes are staged within the area, which means there is awareness and opportunity for that type of product. As the market continues to develop, there is so much growth potential for new staging companies to move in and take their share."

While Showhomes was started over 30 years ago their California expansion began over 20 years ago, and has since grown two twelve locations throughout the state.

"Our California presence is currently concentrated on the Southern California region, along with a franchise in the Folsom Lake area of Sacramento," said Kelton, who believes the brand has the potential to mirror the success seen at the Sacramento location throughout the rest of the Northern California and Bay Area region. "I lived in East Bay for a few years and understand the area has huge potential. It's a market where people have a deep understanding of staging and design, and will appreciate our product and services."

Building on the positive momentum in California post-conference, Showhomes is now looking for ideal franchisee candidates in the Bay Area to spearhead the brand's growth. This typically falls in line with someone who is extremely passionate about the home design and staging industry. Those who explore open houses as a hobby and leave their channel tuned into HGTV already have the interest in the product, and simply need to learn operations through the proven franchise model.

"Originally, we catered to an older demographic of husband and wife teams, but nowadays, we have been targeting millennials as well," Kelton said, further explaining how the opportunity to be your own boss paired with the flexible lifestyle and schedule resonates deeply with the millennial generation.  

Potential franchisees can look to Sacramento franchisee Bob Kohlruss as a forecast of how the concept is expected to perform in the Bay Area, with noteworthy market similarities between the two cities including population density and median age of population.

"We are the Nordstrom of the home staging industry, with an elevated and well-respected brand presence in the market," said Kohlruss of the Sacramento franchise.

Showhomes currently stages the top 20 percent of homes being sold across the nation. This noteworthy success paired with the strong residential real estate growth in the Bay Area in lieu of the technology industry growth in the market positions an unparalleled opportunity for Showhomes.

Currently, Showhomes has six available territories within the Northern California area. With many homes within the $750,000-1,000,000 range, the available markets include some of the most affluent residential areas in the country, positioning Showhomes for incredible growth in the Northern California market. For more information and franchise inquiries, please visit https://www.showhomesfranchise.com/.

Even in a seller's market, staging a home can help sell it faster, staging pro says

April is Florida's prime selling month, so if you're putting your home on the market consider this: Cleaning and decluttering can improve the looks of a house but sometimes it takes more than that to really wow buyers.

That's where Liliana Warr comes in.

Warr is a professional home stager who helps transform blah-looking houses into ones that stand out and, ideally, sell faster.

"Even if it's a seller's market, there's still competition," she says. "Buyers walk in and compare that house with similar ones in the same price range, size and location. The only thing that makes it different is how they feel in the house."

After 20 years in the fashion industry in Italy, the Romanian-born Warr moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2008, married a real estate investor and got a real estate license. Then, embarrassed by the condition of some houses she showed, she decided to get into the staging business. In 2015, she bought the Hillsborough County franchise of Showhomes, the nation's largest home staging company, and she recently acquired the Pinellas-Pasco franchise.

Warr says about 90 percent of the Hillsborough homes she has staged went under contact within two weeks of prepping. She does about 200 homes a year, ranging from $500 for a "deep cleaning'' and furniture rearrangement, to around $15,000 for staging all rooms in a vacant house with furniture and accessories. She recently spoke with the Tampa Bay Times

Q. What's the first step?

A. We send out a qualified designer who goes to the house with a buyer's eye and sees whatever a buyer's objection is going to be. That way we know before the buyers show up why they would not like the house.

Q. What is the first thing the designer looks for?

A. Curb appeal, that sets up the expectation of the buyer. If the house doesn't look good on the outside, oh my gosh, what's inside? Even if the owner is spending a lot of money on the inside, they started with a disadvantage. A lot of times this can be fixed by just a nice pressure washing and painting the front door a nice color. It's an easy fix.

Q. Does it help to paint inside, too?

A. Buyers go in the house thinking that repainting is not only a major expense but also the trouble to find a good painter that doesn't leave a mess all around. That house goes to the bottom of the list. We have a painting crew. We have worked with Sherwin Williams to create for us a certain palette. We choose the exact color combination that's going to sell that house - neutral, light because we need the house to be light and airy.

Q. What do you do if the seller is going to stay in the house while it's on the market?

A. We may rearrange their furniture and sometimes they may need some piece of art or accessories or a rug or lamp to give that house a new life. Sometimes when it's a lot of furniture, we ask them to remove it because we need to have an open flow. We can get everything ready in half a day.

Q. Are all homes staged the same?

A. Every single staging is catered to the style of the house and the price point and what is the target market. So if I'm doing a house in downtown Tampa and it's a single professional, I'm not going to do a kid's room or very traditional furniture. If I have a modern light fixture and everything is tile and gray walls I will not bring in brown colors - but if the house has a traditional chandelier I will go more for traditional staging and bring in heavier colors. We have two warehouses full of furniture but we do not sell the furniture; we want to sell the house. Every piece of furniture and accessory has to complement the house's features.

Q. How do you market your business?

A. We market to Realtors. Our goal is to create this long-term partnership with Realtors who are movers and shakers that want to be successful. They know they have to stay on top of trends. We have taught classes (on staging) at GTAR (Greater Tampa Realtors), Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, Berkshire Hathaway University. I'm doing this on a volunteer basis; I do not charge.

Q. Showhomes has a program called "home management." How does that work?

A. That is the best program we ever had. A lot of times these big homes need staging, and traditional staging means a monthly fee upfront for the furniture and the seller has other costs. Let's say it stays on the market six months. They have to pay electricity, insurance, security. So what we do is not only stage the house, but we have somebody live in the house called the house manager who pays the utilities, the lawn. The seller has peace of mind because the house is not vacant. And the seller pays on the back end (when house sells), not upfront.

Q. Do many people really want to live in somebody else's house temporarily?

A. We have at least 12 home managers active. We can help them move in. We can set up the house in 12 hours. The home manager is going to live in this beautiful home and have a very high living (standard). We interview them; we meet all the family members; we do criminal background checks. They are part of our team.

Five Tips to Prepare for Home Selling Season

The highly anticipated 2018 home selling season is almost here and for the many homeowners that are planning on selling their home this year, there are certain steps to take to ensure they are fully prepared for a successful season.

Marisa Salas, the Showhomes franchisee in Coral Gables, Pinecrest and Key Biscayne provided five helpful tips for homeowners who are looking to get their homes ready of the busy home selling season. Showhomes is America's largest home staging franchise, and its franchisees across the county help homeowners sell their home significantly faster by staging their home once it goes on the market.

1. Declutter, declutter, declutter!

While this should be done year-round, the months before putting your home on the market is a great time to go through your old items and get rid of anything you don't need anymore. I always recommend people getting a hamper to put old items in throughout the year. If your son grew out of his shoes in December, put them in the hamper. If you don't use your old VCR, put it in the hamper. This will decrease the buildup and make spring cleaning easier.  

When you put your home on the market, whether you use a home staging company or not, you should be putting everything that is on your counters and tables away. Proactively doing this before putting your home on that market is a great idea. I also tell my clients that this is pre-packing, so it will help you be proactive in the packing process.

2. Deep Clean Everything

No matter how bad your winter season is, it is always necessary to do a deep clean inside and outside your home. In Florida, I notice a lot of people don't wash their screens and windows as thoroughly as they should. This causes less light to shine into the home, which looks bad when people are touring. In addition, it is important to do a cleanse of your outside areas. Having an outside living area is a huge plus no matter what part of the country you live in. Being able to show this to potential sellers can really make a difference. Finally, if you have pet, it is important to get rid of all their hair. Aside from people's preferences about animals, many people are allergic to animals, which could be a huge issue if someone is touring your home.

3. Freshen your Accessories

As we get into the spring season, the popular colors are changing from warm muted colors to bring and vibrant colors. It is important to invest in bringing accent colors into your home with pillows, vases and artwork. I always recommend people to accessorize with matching colors to the artwork to tie the whole room together. Right now, in Florida, blues, light greens and whites are super popular.

Another accessory that many people overthink is using fresh flowers. During the spring season this is a great idea to brighten the inside of a home, especially if potential buyers are touring on a dreary day. I recommend people putting flowers on their coffee table, kitchen island or counter and in the master bathroom.  

4. Increase Curb Appeal

The phrase, 'you only get once chance at a first impression', holds true also with homes. It is important to put a lot of effort into increasing your curb appeal. This means to touch up your lawn and garden. After the winter season, there can be old leaves, dead grass and flowers or trash on your lawn. It is worthwhile to invest in cleaning up your lawn and planting new grass or flowers to make the first impression of your home the best possible.

5. Find a Hidden Place for Personal Items

As you are decluttering your home, keep in mind to take away any personal items. This doesn't just mean to hide personal information like your checkbook or passport but also anything that personalizes your home like beauty products, vacation souvenirs or an abundance of family photos. Buyers want to be able to visualize themselves living in your home so providing a clean slate is a great way to create this possibility.

4 Reasons Showhomes is an Emerging Franchisor to Watch

Just as homeowners were getting used to a hot housing market, USA Today released news that it may cool off in 2018. That means that homeowners getting ready to put their houses on the market need to get creative to make them sell quickly. That's when home staging comes into play. While home stagers exist in markets across the U.S., one company stands out as one to watch that allows entrepreneurs to build a business with multiple revenue streams centered around home staging - Showhomes. Here are four reasons why.

Always in Demand

No matter the time of the year, homes will always be for sale. Whether in a competitive market or a slow market, one thing will help a home wow its audience - a great staging job. During a sale, this could be what tips the buyer into putting in an offer. Furthermore, home staging has a steady stream of clients. That benefit, paired with a proven business model, gives aspiring entrepreneurs an unparalleled opportunity to become their own boss.

"Staging will always be a huge part of the home selling process - that is not expected to change anytime soon," said Showhomes COO Matt Kelton. "In a slow market homeowners need it to get their house off the market, in a fast market homeowners use staging to differentiate their house from one down the block. The product will always be in demand."

The Tried and Tested Model

Since its founding, Showhomes corporate and existing franchisees have worked together to continue to fine-tune the business model. By taking input from owners in markets across North America, the model is continuously evolving with new programs and initiatives to increase the business offering. Instead of taking on the burden of becoming a business owner like most other home stagers do when getting into the business, Showhomes provides each franchisee with a step by step process of how to make the model work for them. Each Showhomes owner is able to get into business for themselves, without taking 100 percent of the burden on themselves.

Multiple Revenue Streams

Because of the support that Showhomes franchisees receive from corporate, they aren't burdened with coming up with processes and marketing materials. Instead, they are able to put their focus elsewhere. What makes Showhomes different from other home staging businesses is the multiple revenue streams available.

"We can do anything from the front curb to the back alley to help sell a home," said Showhomes Franchisee Mike Callahan. "As a home stager, we make it look like someone is living there when the home is completely vacant, and as a home manager, we will actually live there so the home doesn't sit vacant. We take care of the house and make sure it shows well covering anything from playing music during a showing to shoveling the sidewalks."

Growth Opportunity

As business owners prepare to get into business for themselves, the market they open in is a big component to whether or not they want to move forward. With Showhomes, each market is researched thoroughly before a new unit is put in the market. The corporate team works with the franchisee to make sure there are enough homeowners in the market to make the business successful. And with Showhomes specifically, there are key growth markets available for a business owner looking to get into a hot market.

"Both the Southeast Florida and Bay Area markets have fluid real estate markets, creating a high demand for our services. We're excited to partner with strong franchisees to bring the brand into untapped markets and spearhead our growth," said Kelton. "Letting someone into your home is a very personal thing, and each franchisee will be able to become engrained in a community and work with local homeowners to make sure the selling process goes as smooth as possible."

Hiring a Home Stager Without Workers' Comp Insurance Can Cost You More than $250,000

It is common for home stagers and other small residential services to refuse to carry workers' comp. In most states, business owners or those without a minimum number of employees are not required to carry workers' comp under state law. So if they are not required to have coverage, isn't it fine to hire them anyway? NO!

Hiring them creates unlimited financial exposure for you! This is because, under workers' comp law, you are liable for anyone who is injured while working for you. Period. It does not matter if they are your employee or not. It does not matter whether they were at fault or not (they could fall off their own rickety ladder). You become liable for their medical care and their lost earnings because it happened while they were working for you.

Won't my homeowners' general liability coverage protect me? Probably not. Insurance policy forms typically exclude coverage for any loss that should have been covered under workers' comp.

What kind of claims might occur? A worker slips on your stairs and has a major fracture, or worse yet a traumatic brain injury. A worker moving heavy furniture suffers a career-ending back injury. The possibilities range from minor to disastrous.   Workers for one of us have made three such claims; a broken ankle from stepping in a hole cost over $100,000. A severe knee injury from slipping on a wet porch cost $50,000.   More recently, a ruptured disc from carrying tools upstairs has cost around $50,000. Some workers' comp judgments for those without insurance have been in the millions.

How do you protect yourself?  Demand a Certificate of Insurance showing coverage for both General Liability and Workers' Compensation before you hire them.

Bert Lyles is CEO of Showhomes Franchise Corp., America's largest home staging provider.

Judy Fobes has been a commercial insurance agent for over 30 years and since 2001 has owned PenEx Insurance Agency. PenEx focuses on Interior Design, Architects, Engineers, and Real Estate Stagers.  To date, PenEx insures thousands of Real Estate Stagers.  PenEx is nationally licensed.

The Risks of Moving from Your House Without Updating Your Insurance

When homeowners move out of their house before selling it, most think they have no real risk of loss, since they are keeping their homeowners' insurance policy in force. There are two major traps created that can catch the unwary. If homeowners worry at all, it may be that vacant properties are at more risk of vandalism, as well as damage from an undiscovered leak from a loose plumbing fitting or a frozen pipe.

Insurance companies know those risks are real, which is why (trap one) they usually require a change to a more expensive policy to cover vacant properties. By asking for a change in policy form, the homeowners may face a bigger bill, but avoid the horrible pitfalls described below.

The disturbing truth, however, is that most homeowners in this situation do not realize that their unoccupied house may not be insured at all if a major loss such as a fire happens!

How can this be? Most homeowner insurance forms exclude coverage for a house which has been unoccupied for as few as 30 days.  Having furniture in it does not count- someone must be living there! Many homeowner insurance forms use policy definitions that result in the home being insured (trap two) only as long as that named homeowners are living there as their primary residence. Even moving to a new house and letting a family member move into your prior home can leave you without coverage.

Will the insurance company be sure to warn you of this? The unfortunate answer is no. It is hidden in the fine print. Insurance companies won't bother to check up on whether you have moved out or not. They will simply continue to collect your premiums payments until you report a major loss. Then an insurance adjuster will investigate whether the insurance company is legally bound to provide coverage to you. If you fall into one of these unrecognized traps, it is then too late to fix the problem.

Bert Lyles is CEO of Showhomes Franchise Corp., America's largest home staging provider.

Judy Fobes has been a commercial insurance agent for over 30 years and since 2001 has owned PenEx Insurance Agency. PenEx focuses on Interior Design, Architects and Engineers and Real Estate Staging.  To date, PenEx insures thousands of Real Estate Stagers.  PenEx is nationally licensed.

5 Tips for Selling Your Home in the Winter Season

Selling your home is one of the most stressful stages of homeownership. Pair that with gloomy days and below freezing weather and the feat seems nearly impossible. For homeowners who need to sell their homes during the winter, who can't rely on the healthy spring selling market and increased Vitamin D boosting everyone's moods, they may have to get a little creative. Showhomes Chicago Franchisee Michael Callahan and Showhomes Charleston Franchisee Lorelie Brown admit that winter selling may be a little tougher, but definitely not impossible. By following five simple tips homeowners will be head of the game with their home sale.

Start with the driveway

Slipping and sliding your way to the front door of a house will definitely not leave a good first impression. For those lucky to be living in areas of the country where temperatures hover the below 30-degree Fahrenheit mark, ice and snow are inevitable. This should be the first place the home seller starts when prepping their home for a winter sale.

"The last thing you want is for the realtor and buyer to show up with a bunch of snow and ice between them and the front door," said Callahan. "This could result in them moving on to the next house. They should be able to pull into your driveway and not have to worry about slipping on their way up."

Callahan also suggests putting footies at the front door, as with the salt and sand, prospective buyers are likely to leave a trail from dirty shoes. Save yourself time between showings and avoid the need to vacuum every time a new buyer comes through the door.

Then put focus on the heart of the home

The wintertime brings fewer buyers to the market. With that said, it's important to make the big focus rooms and spaces really count.

"Prospects will spend most of their time in the family room, kitchen and master bedroom," said Brown. "Be sure that these rooms receive your utmost care in ensuring a clean, clutter-free experience."

Brown recommends addressing any problems with these rooms first, and once fixed, put extra attention towards these areas to make sure they are staged to perfection.

Bring on the color

What better time than when everything, from the sky to the snow on the sidewalk, is gray to introduce color into the home. Find colorful landscaping that is able to endure some chilly weather for the outside of the home. It will give it the curb appeal it needs to wow a prospective buyer. Then, on the inside of the home, do the same with accents.

"Use pops of color like yellow, blue, and green in pillows, bedding, and art so that the buyers can engage with your spaces," said Brown. "Color effects emotion, and these colors can create a feeling of peace, calm and happiness."

Make sure the temperature is right

A benefit to selling in the winter season is that prospective buyers are focused on finding a home where they can cozy up and relax. Temperature is a big factor in helping a buyer get to this point and feel comfortable in the space.

"The heat should be a comfortable temperature," said Callahan. "Although, comfortable or one might be different for another so settle somewhere between 65 to 67-degrees. This is sufficient to immediately warm up your guest when the outdoor temperatures are freezing."

To build on the cozy ambience, make sure all of the lights are turned all the way up.

"In the winter with long dark days and earlier sunsets, lighting becomes crucial," said Callahan.

Separate yourself from the competition

When the buyer market is a bit sparse because it's not the peak of selling season, standing out amongst the competition is more important than ever. There are less people coming through the home, so it's important to leave a lasting impression.

"Educate yourself on the other listings in your area which may be competing with yours," said Brown. "Highlight the differentiators of your home. For example, if your home has a large master suite, ensure that your master feels larger and is well-decorated."

Selling your home in the winter does not have to be all gloom and doom. In fact, there are definitely advantages to being on the market at a time when there is less competition. Just because of the chill in the air, homeowners should not second guess putting their homes on the market. With some proper attention to detail and efficient staging, the home will be sold in no time.