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

Successful Living with Bill Knapick - On location with WInfrey Design Build

view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XfdzcUCay8

Showhomes Houston's Shelley Barndollar voted one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging

Local Business Woman Voted Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging Atlanta, GA, June 13, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Shelley Barndollar is a professional real estate stager and an industry influencer, as well as the Houston Chapter RESA President. 

The Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®) is pleased to announce, Shelley Barndollar, Showhomes Houston has been voted by her peers and colleagues, as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging. 

3 Reasons Home Staging in Houston is Crucial to Selling a Home Quickly and at Asking Price

65-70 days. According to Zillow, that's about how long it takes to sell the average home. And while factors like market temperature, price, location, and home condition all play an important role in how long it takes to sell a home, there are strategies that can help you speed up the process. One such strategy is home staging in Houston. Let's take a deeper look at why home staging is crucial to selling a home quickly.

 

1. Home Selling is More Digital Based Than Ever

 

According to data from the National Association of Realtors, 58% of all buyers use a mobile device to find homes online before contacting a real estate agent. 89% of those potential buyers found that the photos on online listings were very useful. What this tells us is that the new generation of buyers want and need to see photos online before they even make an attempt to reach out to an agent. And how do you make those photos appealing enough that potential buyers reach out to an agent for a showing? By investing in home staging in Houston.

 

2. Creates Competition and Encourages Multiple Offers

 

Every seller's main objective is to sell the home at or above the asking price. And, as has been proven in a survey by Home Staging Resource, sellers that invest in home staging receive anywhere from 6-25% more for their homes than those that are unstaged. The reason for this is simple. With home staging in Houston, you create the opportunity for more potential buyers to reach out to the agent in charge of selling the home. And not only does this increase the likelihood of multiple offers being placed on the home, but it opens up the possibility that those offers will actually exceed the asking price.

 

3. Prevents the Need for Price Dropping

 

In most cases, when there is little to no interest in a home after 2-4 weeks, a price adjustment of around $5,000 is applied to entice more potential buyers. If lack of interest continues, so too do the price drops applied to the home. By investing a few hundred dollars in home staging in Houston from day one of selling your home, you can often avoid this price drop. In the end, the small investment that you make in home staging can often end up saving you thousands of dollars.

 

Investing in Home Staging from Day One

 

When you're selling a home, selling it quickly and at or above the asking price is always the ultimate goal. Home staging plays a crucial role in helping you achieve that goal. In some cases, it may even help you exceed your goal and get up to 6-25% more than your asking price. With the small initial investment, and the many advantages it provides, it's easy to see why home staging from day one plays a crucial role in helping you sell your home quickly and at the price you deserve. 

Home Managers Improve Buyer Experience in Houston

Finding the perfect home is just the first step for people looking to move out of their old space. Selling a home in Houston may not only be a stressful process, but it can take an emotional toll on the owners. Sellers who have already moved out of their property have to worry about pipes breaking in the winter, the heat going out before a showing, vandals, and animal infestation, to name a few. The homeowners, having started a life in their new home, may not have the time or ability to travel back and ensure their old property is in the right shape to catch the eye of a potential buyer. Showhomes Houston is working to match high-end vacant homes with Home Managers to ensure that these homes remain full of life and are taken care of.

Statistically, empty houses take much longer to sell and grab lower offers than furnished homes. An empty home tends to draw the eye immediately to its flaws, and there is something about seeing food in the pantry that really tugs on the emotions of potential home buyers. In a staged home, buyers can actually picture themselves living in the space as is. Home Managers in the Houston area are recruited, vetted and trained by Showhomes professionals to add a personalized touch, making a home look immaculate yet feel lived in for each showing (and for a fraction of normal staging costs!). They bring with them their own beautiful furniture, artwork and accessories, which Showhomes Houston Home Designers will use to redesign the entire house to make it appeal to all types of buyers.

Home Managers are:

• Executives who have moved jobs

• Families who are building their new home or exploring an area before committing to a move

• Retirees ready to start their lives in a new, fantastic place

• Someone going through family changes, such as a divorce

• Anyone in a transitional phase of life looking for flexibility in living situation

With Home Managers, there are no lease requirements, Home Managers just have to agree to be ready for a showing between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM. During these hours, the house must be kept in show condition, and the manager must be prepared to disappear from the home at anytime, as a showing could occur with no warning. In return, Home Managers pay one-third to half the value of traditional rent in the home's market plus utilities. The homeowners pay all taxes and take care of all landscaping and maintenance costs.

Home managers especially make a difference when high price homes sit on the market for long periods of time, but can help out homeowners at all price points. Showhomes has placed Home Managers in homes ranging from a price point of $200,000 to $12 million. Home Managers must be prepared to move out of a residence when a home is sold, but Showhomes may help offset moving costs if the manager is moving to another home in the franchise's care.

Showhomes Houston specializes in consulting with homeowners, advising them how to sell their home for the best price in the shortest amount of time. In addition to providing Home Managers, Showhomes can offer advice on minor ways to fix up a home, such as paint color or other aesthetic details, and will also aid in decluttering and staging a home. If you are interested in learning about how a Home Manager can help you sell your home in Houston, or if you're interested in becoming a home manager personally, call us today to hear about how the program can benefit you! 832-289-7513

The Benefits of Home Staging in Houston

When it comes time to sell your home, whether you are upgrading, downsizing, or making a cross country move, you probably desire it sell quickly and for a higher price than you paid. Home Staging in the Houston market is a great way to help buyers picture themselves in your home and, if you are lucky, encourage quick, generous offers.

 

The National Association of Realtors completed a study in 2017 to pinpoint the advantages of home staging and to find just how beneficial it is to sellers. Some of the report's findings include:

 

●       38% of sellers' agents stage all their sellers' homes before putting them up for sale.

●       29% of sellers' agents reported an increase of 1-5% of the dollar value offered by buyers in comparison to similar homes; 21% of sellers' agents reported an increase of 6-10% of the dollar value offered by buyers in comparison to similar homes.

●       39% of sellers' agents stated staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time the home is on the market.

●       77% of buyers' agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.

●       Staging the living room for buyers was found to be the most important, followed by the master bedroom and then the kitchen.

 

Home Staging in Houston will make your house more attractive to buyers and can result in a great payoff in exchange for the initial investment sellers put into the project.

 

How Exactly Does Home Staging Work?

 

Home Staging is more than just cleaning, decluttering, and making other purely aesthetic changes to the bones of your house. Home Staging requires expertise and access to quality furniture and accessories that will appeal to a broad range of buyers who will view your home. The goal of the Home Stager in Houston is to set a mood that will influence and evoke buyers emotions as they tour your home.

 

The cost of Home Staging depends on many different factors. If the home is vacant, a seller should expect to pay more for furniture rentals and upkeep. Not every room in your house must be staged. The living room, master bedroom and kitchen will have the greatest impact on buyers. Research shows that the average cost of Home Staging in Houston varies from $500-$5000 depending on the square footage of the house and how aggressive the seller desires to be. Common costs associated with Home Staging include an initial consultation fee and monthly fee for each month your home is on the market.

 

In addition to less time on the market and higher selling price, there are several other benefits to staging your home:

 

●       Standing out from competitors in the Houston market. Making your house look better than others for sale in your neighborhood will grab a higher price, and may steer potential buys toward your property instead of new construction.

●       Staged homes are easier to market: 40% of buyers say that they are more willing to walk through a home they saw online if it is staged. Staged homes look better in pictures and will stand out from other houses online or in newspapers.

●       A ready-to-move-in home is appealing to buyers. Staged homes make it easier for buyers to visualize themselves there. Staging reduces the need for a buyer to have an imagination of how their lives will function in your space.

 

Can I Stage My Home Myself?

 

Of course! But you must have the time and patience to craft a unique look using your existing furniture that will appeal to different types of buyers. If you already own quality furniture and have a knack for interior design, staging your home yourself is a great option.

 

If you are on a budget, another great option is to seek out a professional stager who will stage you home with the furniture you already own at a reduced cost.

 

No matter your needs, Showhomes Houston is here to help you decide what will best get your home sold and off the market so you can begin your life in your new home. Our team has broad experience in real estate, design, customer service and we are dedicated to bringing you unparalleled expertise, responsiveness, professionalism and results.

Showhomes Houston on "Successful Living with Bill Knapik"

See the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTi83X8Rsos

The Process for Vacant Home Staging in Houston

Home staging is more than just pulling together pieces of furniture to fill an empty space. Vacant home staging in Houston requires a thorough process in order to style and compose a welcoming, comfortable space. These eight steps for setting up a staged home can help sellers attract offers more quickly and remain competitive with other sellers at similar price points.

1. Plan a design that will be most appealing to your target buyer.

Research must be conducted to determine what kind of people are buying homes in your area. For neighborhoods made up of primarily young families, you may want to have one bedroom set up as a child's room. If your neighborhood is mostly older, more established couples, focus more on investing in the entertaining spaces. Sketch a plan with this target buyer in mind. Compile a list of all of the different pieces of furniture and decor needed for each room.

2. Price the primary and secondary furniture rentals, and put together a project proposal.

Once a list of all of the primary furniture (beds, couches, bookcases, etc.) and secondary furniture pieces (artwork, rugs, lighting, accessories, etc.) has been completed, the rentals must be priced and ordered from vendors. High quality furniture and decor items are the best way to increase the overall value of your staging investment. Timelines, cost, and payment terms, must also be taken into account during this stage.

3. Schedule the deliveries with vendors and coordinate schedules of movers.

All furniture and decor must be delivered to the property and moved into the house in the planned time period. Start by setting a completion date before your home's first showing. Coordination can be tricky. Be sure to follow up with vendors to ensure deliveries arrive on time, and that the appropriate manpower is available to move the items into the home quickly and efficiently.

4. Develop a plan for the design of each room.

Once a date of delivery is set, create a specific plan for each room. This includes the placement of every piece of furniture, rug, artwork and decor items. Items must be placed in order to highlight architectural focal points and features of the home, while also keeping traffic flow in mind. The items should support each rooms purpose, make the room feel open and uncluttered, and maximize its spaciousness.

5. Clean the home.

Make sure all surfaces are clean and sparkling. Floors should be vacuumed and mopped. The house should appear bright and smell fresh and crisp. Be sure to keep cleaning supplies on hand during the entire selling process so that the home can be cleaned daily during the showing period.

6. Stage and style the vacant home.

Once the deliveries have been made and furniture has been moved into the home, there is no room for imperfection. Pictures must be hung straight, furniture must be centered, bedding and curtains have to be steamed, and pillows must be fluffed just right. All decor pieces should match the style and purpose of the room.

7. Professional Photography.

Most people will decide whether they even step foot inside your door based on the pictures they see in advertisements for your home. Before a photographer arrives, a final inspection of the staged home should be completed, and the angles that give the best view and overall picture of the size of each room should be pinpointed.

8. Destage the home.

Once the home sells, all of the hard work put into staging a home must be undone before the closing date. Use the original list created in step one to ensure all of the furniture and decor items are packaged, picked up, or returned to the correct vendor. Be careful to ensure no pieces are damaged during the moving process. Extra manpower may also be needed during the destaging process to ensure the move out is completed in a timely manner.

As you can see, vacant home staging in Houston is no small task. The home staging process requires that many pieces fall correctly into place. As an expert in the field, Showhomes has nailed the vacant home staging process down to a science. Let us take the stress of the vacant home staging process off your hands, and have your home sold and off the market in no time at all. Contact Showhomes Houston today and let our team of experts in the Houston, TX area work their magic for you!

Successful Living with Bill Knapik: Hear about Home staging and more....

View youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCoe0HFhWMw

Showhomes Houston's "Urban Oasis" District Magazine Spring 2018 by Laura Furr Mericas

For full article: http://online.fliphtml5.com/nxcu/brbs/#p=33

Meet The Barndollars of Showhomes Houston

VoyageHouston posted this story about the Barndollars: Meet Pratt and Shelley Barndollar of Showhomes Houston

Today we'd like to introduce you to Pratt and Shelley Barndollar.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Pratt and Shelley. So, let's start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Pratt and I have been married for 32 years and have moved over 10 times. In that time, we've purchased and sold numerous homes... which we either renovated or updated all of them. I have a certification in Interior Design and am also a certified Kitchen and Bath Designer....now I'm a certified Real Estate Stager.

So, when Showhomes Houston came available for purchase...we jumped on it! We absolutely love owning our own company and we are so thankful that we can bring our expertise of our many moves to our clients. We know how the seller and the buyer is thinking. We offer so much more than just staging to our clients...we offer peace of mind and our experience of over 32 yrs. of being exactly where they are.

Great, so let's dig a little deeper into the story - has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you've had to overcome?
When you own your own company, there aren't enough hours in the day. When you get home from either a staging or meeting a prospective client, there are a thousand other things that you have to do to keep your business going forward.

Today, social media plays a huge part of any business, esp. our business as it is so visual.

Please tell us about Showhomes Houston.
Showhomes Houston is a luxury home staging company. Our specialty is staging for estate and luxury homes.

I believe the thing that sets us apart is the fact that we are a franchise...that comes with many benefits, The biggest is the continuing learning that you have with owning a franchise.

I think the thing I am most proud of is our listen360/yelp/houzz scores. Pratt and I are conscientious and we will only give our clients 110%!! That gives me the biggest joy of all...knowing we are able to help our clients with any of their needs from painting, updates and staging!

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.

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