Here is an after shot.

Well done, you!

Can you get permission from the Board of Realtors to use the photos for your portfolio?

In case you haven't already made these plans, you'll want to collect a sheaf of before-and-after photos with the statistics on the cost and the offer times so that you can put together a proper book, and if you do them as you go along, all in the same format, you will make a fine professional impression when you call on clients.

I like this one from Dick Blick - it's a flexible binder with black-backed envelope pages to put your things in, and looks very clean and professional. The 14 X 11 size is very useful - big enough, but not too big.

If you are setting up a website, same thing.

End of unsolicited advice from me!

Here is a link that might be useful: Portfolio presentation case

Congrats!

WOW!!!

Congrats!!

Congratulations aktillery! What a difference you made!

The photos should be hers. No permission from the Board of Realtors necessary.

Also, you should post this over on the Buying and Selling a Home forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buying and Selling a Home

Very exciting! Congratulations.

Very nice! Doesn't look like the same place. Do you supply all the furniture and accessories? How do you go about having items in stock to use?

Did you pick a name yet for the business? The home owners should be thrilled!

Thanks Browny! That was so nice of you to share a great idea and product!

RT... I had some furniture and some was my friend the realtors. We shopped for window treatments, lamps, wall hanging, art and other accessories.

I think I have decided on Tillery Staging and Redesign. Quick and to the point.

The owners liked it but surprisingly did not seem as overly happy as I would have expected. In fact, they went and added some really bad accessories to the rooms. So, I learned to tell the client going forward that they are paying me to add a neutral look not a personalized one or it will throw off what I am trying to accomplish plus it really does not represent me in my work as a stager.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words!!

Wow. They don't comprehend how lucky they were, if they weren't bowing down in thanks : ) Did you just paint the paneling? That in itself is a huge undertaking, to do it right, but in that case highly called for.

That was a fantastic job! Can't believe the owners wanted to tweak.

Congratulations - job well done!

Nicely done.

I think the name you have chosen for the business is fine, and delineates what you do. But it seems much too long for a website name - what will you be using for that?

Thanks! I did not paint the paneling the owner did that as a request from my friend/his agent.

Les, I might just use Tillerystaging.com for my website.

Amy...good for you! Happy it turned out so well!

I can tell you from years in the design trade that you must take all the photos for your book the very minute you are done, because the client will do all kinds of, shall we say, ill advised things to your scheme the minute your back is turned.

You can include a couple of tweaks in your contract, and establish a set fee for any additional ones, so that the realtor can call you, say, twice, to come fix it back up before open houses while the place is on the market, but if you're asked to go back more than that, you'd get paid for those additional trips.

Letting go of your perfect scheme the minute the job is done is one of the hardest disciplines to master, but you will save yourself a lot of energy and woe if you master it quickly!

The client cares about selling their house, and even if they love and adore you (which I'm sure they all will!), selling your services isn't their goal or responsibility. I've seen stagers' cards put out during open houses, which I think is a big mistake. Prospective buyers don't like being told that this isn't a natural setting. The exception would be a brokers' open house, which not everyone does. And some brokers are notorious about not sharing their resources, including you.

Oh, and about the photo rights - I was basing that thought on the copyright notice on the "after" photo, which I assume the realtor had taken to market the house.

Congrats Amy! Love the name for the business too.

I think either you or the agent just needs to reinforce to future sellers that you are not fixing the home up for their taste, but you are decluttering and making it appeal to a buyer. And then maybe you can offer your restyling skills for when they get their new place and they can have more of their own input when they get there to make the new place more personal. I just think it's hard for sellers to let go of the idea that their personal taste isn't always the best choice for selling their house.