Terrylynn's Blog

Did you know*:

• In 2007 1.2 billion phones were sold worldwide
• 65,000 tons of phones are thrown away yearly
• Only 5% of phones are recycled
• Recycling phones would savae enough energy to power more than 194,000 homes a year

(*Source, Environmental Protection Agency)

Join us on June 14, 2009 in Heather Farms Park for the Contra Costa County Association of Realtors' First Annual GreenFest. We have a free recycling center where you can recycle your phones, cords, ewaste, shred and dispose of paper waste, etc. The phone recycling can benefit either Phones for Soldiers or Phones for Breast Cancer.

10am - 4pm

This FREE event will feature food, music and green vendor sponsors who will provide rebates, incentives, money-saving products and free green products! Art Thomas Locker Room will conduct an auction of Raiders memorabillia, with a share of the proceeds going to the CCAR Scholarship Fund. Learn the benefits of going green, including how to make homes healthy and green.

Vendor sponsors receive a 10' x 10' booth and event directory listing.

We will be accepting donations for the Contra Costa County Food Bank!

For vendor and sponsor information, email terryshomes@astound.net.

Sponsors and Endorsements:
Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce
Pacific Gas and Electric
Bay Area Green Business Program
Contra Costa Water
City of Walnut Creek
Concord Disposal

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
terryshomes@astound.net
925.876.0966

I just finished reading the blog post by Ed Rybczynski "Words you shouldn't use"http://activerain.com/blogsview/1061636/Words-that-you-shouldnt-use

The interesting thing about overusing a phrase is that it becomes cliche' to the point of losing it's effectiveness with the client.  The death of the presentation is when they glaze over and have heard the phrase so many times that they just don't believe any of you can perform on what it says.

For example, the elevator speech you give which could include..."We stage homes to they sell faster for more money" or some version of that.  Who hasn't heard that over and over...to the point that the client doesn't really listen. 

Instead "We transform your home utilizing home staging, color and techniques that draw in your target buyer.  Our work produces an optomized sale and more equity.  Would you like to see how we accomplish that?". 

Another overused word in staging is declutter.  Not that it isn't important to the process, but because we say it so much describing what we do, the client thinks they know what it means and they can do it themselves.  If that's the major part of our description of what we do, they figure anyone can do it.  It's packing a box, putting things into the garage right?  WRONG, they need a competent home stager.

Well, just a my thoughts on the subject.  Nothing profound, just encouraging you not to use the overworked and overused phrases that everyone is using.  Be creative in your descriptions of what you offer and what you do.  Add value and they'll value you. 

At the CSP Convention last week I was happy to see Mary DeBella.  Mary and I worked on a very successful StagersLIST Expo in Portland last year and I truly enjoy her company.

In addition to being a long time friend, our staging friendship goes back probably 7-8 years.  Mary is one of the most organized and awesome event planners I know. When our table cloths for the convention arrived too big for the tables, Mary jumped right in and came up with a creative solution and saved the day. All without being asked, she just saw a need and filled it.

Having been to many conventions together, it was fun talking about the quality of the speakers and the innovation of CSP...there is always something wonderful being developed that helps in your buisness, ahead of the curve and innovative, unique to CSP. Especially fun was our night on the town, Mystery Theater, where we were detectives together figuring out who the killer might be.  We were both wrong, but it was fun trying to figure it out.  AND we both wanted a hug from Liz.

It was great to spend time with you Mary when we didn't have to work so hard. Thank you for your friendship and pure staging spirit.

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
StagersLISTExpo.com
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
925.876.0966
email Terrylynn

I was happy to attend the CSP Convention last week.  In addition to meeting many friends from Active Rain for the first time, I was pleased to see Melissa's familiar face.  We have spent time together in Florida and New York in the past. 

While Melissa says she is not much of a people person, she IS one of those people that has the ability to give and take in conversation and before you know it she's bringing out the best in you.  Anyone who knows her will not be surprised by that news.

It's not a mystery why she was chosen to head the CSP Realtor Elite Program in the US.  Watch out guys, when she launches she means business so be looking for her big reveal.

I enjoyed getting to know her a little better and expect we'll be spending time together at expos and CSP events in the future. 

Melissa, it was great seeing you again, thank you for being the staging pro that you are.  The industry is enhanced with professionals like you at the forefront.

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
StagersLISTExpo.com
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
925.876.0966
email Terrylynn

Last week I attended the CSP Convention and was so happy to meet many of my favorite Active Rain friends in person!  This was a re-acquaint meeting with Duncan since we had met last year when training to be Live Green, Live Smart Instructors in Minneapolis.  I believe he's had the largest LGLS class to date.  YEAH Duncan.  And he's training for another role which I'm sure you'll all love hearing about sometime soon, right Duncan.  Secrets and surprizes, and Duncan is full of them. 

What is most evident about Duncan is his boundless energy.  He is the consummate professional, an awesome stager and terrific team player, just ask Janet Coates.  He is always ready to go, ready to learn, and enjoys everything he does. Your conversation starts where your last one left off and you feel like you've never had a gap in visits.  He's quick to help if you need to rearrange the room and always complimentary to the people around him. 

Duncan (and Jackson) led the expert panel at the convention like they'd been doing it forever (TV anyone?) The questions were thoughtful and pertinent.  You could tell they spent a lot of time writing the right question for each panel member so they could get the most out of their expertise.  Duncan delivered like a pro.  It was pure joy to have him tell his staging and life stories.  If you are ever in Toronto, I'm sure you'd receive a warm reception.

It was wonderful seeing you again Duncan, thank you for being such an approachable, sharing advocate of the industry.

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
StagersLISTExpo.com
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
925.876.0966
email Terrylynn

Not only was it a blast with inspirational, educational, phenomenal content at the CSP Convention, the icing on the cake was all the wonderful people I got to meet in person.

It's always interesting meeting people that you have met online.  You are excited, wondering if they will know who you are, wondering if you'll know who they are... yet when you walk in the room you recognize each other instantly.  The best part is that because you've read and commented on each other's blog posts you already feel like you know each other.

Last week when walking into the room at the convention, I noticed Jackson West first, as he's usually the tallest person in the room. He has an infectious smile and you don't even have to wonder if he recognizes you because when you walk up to him he yells your name and gives you a great big hug.  His presentation was awesome, as one might expect.  Every stager in the room was hanging on his every word.  The staged photos he used were amazing and his information about staging small spaces was not to be missed.

I left the convention knowing I'll continue to read everything he writes, but my comments will be a bit more personal now that we've shared a moment.  Thank you Jackson for mentioning StagersLIST in your presentation and for being so nice to everyone that attended. 

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
StagersLISTExpo.com
Terrylynn-n-Team.com

925.876.0966
email Terrylynn

Last year my mother and I walked to downtown Clayton and visited this festival.  It's really very nice, there is great food, wine tasting, art, crafts... and it's a great place to visit with your friends and neighbors.  There is live music throughout the day.  This year's line up:

In the beer garden between band breaks, enjoy The Banjo Express.

Saturday:
10am The L-7 Band (Rock)
12pm The Adam Gabriel Band (R&B/50's-60's Rock)
2:30pm Crossman Connection (Country)
5pm Evolution (Modern Rock)

Sunday:
10:30am Mark McLay & The Dust Devils (Light Rock)
12:30pm Bijoux West Band (Country)
3pm PHD's (R&B/Rock)

Hope to run into you in Clayton this weekend! 

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
StagersLISTExpo.com
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
925.876.0966
Email Terrylynn

Can't wait to see our Texas friends!

Whenever I take a new listing, I include a home website.  One of the pages is for community (schools, local interest, etc.).  I always include the local farmers markets.  Now that we are budgeting ourselves more, I believe it's a good idea to buy locally and support our local farmers.  Also - visiting the farmers market is fun.  It's a great way to socialize with your neighbors and find fresh, delicious food.  It's always a better to eat fresh, in my opinion.  I found this schedule of Contra Costa County markets at the Contra Costa Department of Agriculture.  Hope to see you at one of these in the near future!  All of the markets listed below must be licensed by Contra Costa County Environmental Health.

Tuesdays:
Concord          Todos Santos Park          10am-2pm          Year Round
El Cerrito         El Cerrito Plaza               9am-1pm            Year Round
Walnut Creek  1425 South Main St.        10am-2pm           Year Round

Thursdays:
Antioch           4501 Sand Creek Rd.       10am-2pm          May-November
Concord          Todos Santos Park          4pm-8pm            May-October
Danville          Railroad and Prospect      4pm-8pm            May-September
Martinez         Court and Main               10am-2pm           May-October
Martinez         200 Muir Road                10am-2pm           Year Round

Fridays:
Richmond       Civic Center Plaza           11am-5pm            Year Round
Walnut Creek  Rossmoor Clubhouse      9am-12pm            May-October

Saturdays:
Danville          Railroad and Prospect      9am-1pm             Year Round
El Cerrito         El Cerrito Plaza               9am-1pm             Year Round
Orinda            Avenida de Orinda at
                          Orinda Way               9am-1pm              May-November
Pinole             Civic Center Parking Lot   9am-1pm             Year Round
Pittsburg         Railroad and 6th             9am-1pm             Year Round
Pleasant  Hill   100 Gregory Lane           10am-2pm            May-November
Brentwood       2nd and Maple               8am-12pm            May-October
Clayton           Diablo Street between
                           Main & Center           9am-1pm              May-October

Hercules          Creekside Shopping Ctr   4pm-8pm              May-October
San Ramon      Forest Home Farms        9am-1pm              May-November
                           19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd

Sundays:
Crockett          Pomona and 2nd            10am-2pm             April-November
Kensington      Arlington and Amherst     10am-2pm             Year Round
Martinez          600 Block Main St           10am-2pm             May-October
Moraga           Moraga Rd & Way           9am-1pm                Year Round
Walnut Creek  Broadway and Lincoln      8am-1pm                Year Round

- Terrylynn Fisher
Contra Costa County Realtor
Terrylynn-n-Team.com
StagersLISTExpo.com
terryshomes@astound.net
925.876.0966