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Issue: #57October 2011

 

 

Room to Breathe Home Organizing & Staging

 

                                                                              Simplifying Selling.

 

 

In This Issue
How To Say No and Still Feel Good About Yourself

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 Testimonial

"Jessica, It was wonderful to hear from you and know that you  "checked us out". We tried very hard to make many of your suggestions work.
 

 
As it turns out, we had a contract on the property after the first showing
  a day after it was on the market!

 
Rich and I enjoyed  our walk through with you and were impressed with the suggestions and recommendations that we would like you to come sometime to our "new" home and help to organize and get the most out of our home. This is such an exciting AND stressful time in our lives.
 

Thank you so much for helping us and aiding in our home sale."


With much appreciation,

Jolene and Rich Tyrone, PA

 

 
Simply.

It's how we do things.

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 How To Say No and Still Feel Good
About Yourself

Many people find it very difficult to say no when someoneno makes a request of them. They believe that saying no is offensive and uncaring. They will say yes even when they know they really don't want to do it or don't even have the time to do it.  And you know as Realtors, you get asked to do a lot and the fear of losing a large commission can add an extra layer the typical person may not have.

However, saying no is an important skill to learn and say from time to time. It is definitely not a bad thing to do. Keep the following information in mind the next time someone asks you do something, so you can say no and still feel good about yourself. 

1. It's a Choice.

It's important to remember that saying no is a choice, not a requirement. In any situation, you have the choice to either say yes or say no. Because saying no is as much of a choice as saying yes, that means they are both good and acceptable answers.

2. Stay True to Yourself.

You think of yourself as a person of integrity. You take pride in being known as a person who gets things done when you make a commitment and won't let anyone down. You can't say no, right? Of course, you can! To be a person of integrity means saying no sometimes. Saying no simply means that you want to stay true to the commitments you have made. If you overcommitt yourself you open the door for things to start slipping through the cracks.  And that never feels good.

3. Keep your Priorities in Mind.

Priorities give our life more clarity and show us the path to follow. Priorities play a large role in the decisions we make and whether to say yes or no to a request. Saying no to the things that are not on your priority list is perfectly acceptable.

4. Become more Empowered.

Empowerment is the process of increasing the capacity of an individual to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes.

5. Free From Guilt.

To free yourself from the guilt associated with turning down a friend or family member, keep in mind that by saying no you are voicing your opinion, standing up for rights and becoming the sole proprietor of your life. Affirm this fact every morning. It's better than asking yourself how you got into so much by saying yes all the time.  A little trick I do to keep from feeling guilty, I answer a question to do something with this:  "Thank you so much or thinking of me and I really wish I could help right now.  However, my schedule doesn't allow for it.  Could you ask me again in 6 months?"  That way I'm not just saying no, but rather leaving the door open to help again when I'm able to fully commit.

6. Sign of Strength.

Saying no is not a sign of weakness. It is actually a sign of strength. It indicates that you know your own strengths, abilities and limitations. If you don't want to say no, then learn to say 'not right now' instead.

7. Compare How You Feel.

Compare how you feel when you say yes to something and want to do it to when you say yes to something and really wanted to say no. When you do something because you really want to, you will have positive feelings and outlook on fulfilling your promise. If you said yes and wanted to say no, your feelings are going to be different. Perhaps these emotions come to mind: frustration, anger, resentment, and stress. Do you want to feel positive or negative? Go with your gut reaction.

8. Be Assertive.

Being assertive by saying no is not a negative trait and is not a form of confrontation or disrespect, as some people may think. It shows that you have self-respect and self- esteem and that you know you are not responsible for everybody and everything.

9. Don't Feel Bad.

You should never feel bad about saying no to being asked to do something which conflicts with your values or morals.

10. Be Honest.

When you need to say no to a request, it's fine to give an explanation. Perhaps you don't feel you have the skills, time or resources to complete the request. And saying no because I need time for myself is perfectly fine too. Feel good knowing that you were honest and upfront with the other person.

11. Reduce the Stress.

Minimize the stress involved with saying no by smoothing out the transition by using these three easy steps: (1) acknowledge the request ('Thank you for thinking of me.'); (2) convey your circumstances ('After reviewing my calendar, I don't have the time'); (3) minimize the saying of no ('Maybe next time' or 'Have you considered?').

12. Try New Things.

Saying no can allow you to try new things. Just because you have always helped plan the company picnic does not mean that you have to keep doing it forever. Saying no can free up time for you to pursue other hobbies and interests.

13. Don't Over-Commit.

Remember that yes is not always going to be the best answer. If you are already over committed, you have a much better chance of getting sick, tired and crabby, which won't benefit anyone else either.

14. Keep Yourself in Good Graces.

Many good causes may land at your door and it can be tough to turn them down. Complimenting the person or group's efforts while saying that you are not able to commit at this time helps to soften the blow and keeps you in good graces and feeling good.

 

Ask the Stager

Jessica:

 

Thank you for your Sure Sale Plan.  I agree with most of, if not all of, your suggestions and know they would make a very big difference at the house.  I'm getting resistance from the sellers though.  Any suggestions on how to help educate the seller on the importance of staging and showing well when there is so much competition?

 

-KBB Realtor
                                                                                      


 
Dear KBB Realtor,

Another very good question!  I wish I had a black and white answer for you.  Let's see what we can do.

 

In this particular case, I din't have access to the seller directly and that can often help.  I understand it can be tough when sellers are located out of town.

 

I typcially sit down with the sellers before we begin the staging walk through.  I use this time to explain the process of staging, how it works, and why it works.  Many sellers in our community still don't fully comprehend the importance of staging.  And many don't understand that things have changed slightly in the last couple of years.  Luckily, HGTV is helping the educational process, but sellers often think I'm going to tell them lots of expensive things because of what they see on TV.  This is certainly not the case.  Maybe it's because I'm extra thrifty myself, but I do my darndest to keep sellers from spending anymore than they absolutely have to.  It's amazing what can be repurposed from inside their very own home!

 

Once people know that I'm not there to make all sorts of expensive suggestions (just lots of elbow grease suggestions) I can see people relax and open up to the suggestions being made.  For many, they are time crunched and overwhelmed.  That's where we come in...we can get a house ready in very little time at much less stress to the seller.

 

Almost always the seller states that they had wished the house always looked like it did after it's staged.  They see things just as the new buyer will see them. 

 

I have tracked just about all of the properties we've staged over the last 7 years and it's very evident that it works.  I use stats like these when I need extra proof to show the benefits of all the hard work it takes to really effectively prepare a house for successful sale. 

 

I also track those listings where the seller doesn't take suggestions to heart.  I bet you can guess the outcome.  What's really fun is to compare houses like these to others we've staged in the same neighborhood! 

 

Some sellers just don't get it, I'm sorry to say.  For those, you could try providing the staging upfront for them in exchange for you getting paid at closing.  This way the works gets done correctly, they reap the benefit, you get the house sold quickly and everyone is happy!

 

Good luck!

 

Simply,

Jessica

Where is Room to Breathe Speaking?

 
October 5: Entrepreneurial Women's Expo-EWE
 Seats are still available-www.EWEsc.com
  
October 11: Susquehanna Health System Life Center

Making The Move

     Are you overwhelmed by the thought of downsizing?  We'll show you how and where to start.

    Selling a house?  Learn what's new since the last time you moved to ensure a quicker sale at top dollar.

   Stressed by the moving and downsizing process?  We'll share tips and ideas to get you on your way to your new retirement home.


October 16: Lotus Center Yoga
 Topic TBD  
  
October 25: Suquehanna Health Systems-Spirit of Women Hospital
How to Simplify Your Life
 
November 9: Dragonfly

Holiday Happiness

The holiday buzz starts early! November is the time to get started on our holiday preparations. Not only do we need the time, but it's fun to stretch out the holiday spirit. But there is no reason for it to overwhelm you.  Come learn  some easy tips and tricks to keep this holiday season memorable and not miserable.  POSTPONED!!!

 

 

 First Time Home SELLERS Workshop
For the first time a free workshop for first time sellers!  Come learn the ins and outs of preparing your house for successful sale and the selling process.
Location/Date/Time TBD
Contact us for information!



Scheduling Winter 2012 Speaking Engagements Now! 

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Thank Your Sellers and Buyers With Room to Breathe Gift Certificates!
 
What better way to thank your buyers and sellers than with a gift certificate to help them unpack, get organized, arrange furniture, receive a paint color consult or anything else RTB offers?!

 

The gift of simplicity.
 
And today, you can Buy One Hour, Get One FREE!  Keep the hour for yourself or gift to your seller or buyer!
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