Family-owned Franchises on the Upswing at Showhomes Home Staging

August 25, 2011 – 11:35 am

Franchising has long been a multi-generational affair but in these uncertain economic times even more families are turning to franchised businesses to create a secure future for their children, spouses, siblings and extended family members.

Donna and Rick Muelver are at the forefront of this rising trend. The Muelvers and their three oldest children — Wayne, Matthew and Elizabeth — co-own the family’s Showhomes Home Staging franchise in Southeast Wisconsin. The franchise flourished before the recession and continues to do well.

“We are creating the economic security our children need to function,” Donna Muelver says. “We all have the drive and determination to make our franchise work, and as family members we have 100 percent trust in one another. When a job needs to get done, it’s all hands on deck.”

Showhomes Home Staging routinely sees family business success stories, says Matt Kelton, Chief Operating Officer for the 25-year-old franchisor.

“We certainly see families pulling together and creating success across generations,” Kelton says. “It may be a frozen job market in the corporate world, but self-employment through the franchising business model is growing. It’s a proven and lucrative career path, perfect for the economic times we live in.”

Showhomes provides a twist on traditional home staging, using live-in Home Managers to occupy and help stage vacant houses so they are kept in perfect show condition. Showhomes whole house staging dramatically improves the speed and price of a home sale and with millions of vacant houses on the market, Showhomes is poised for additional growth.

The business model is attractive to families because it can be run from home – and even across state lines. Angela Blankinchip and Tammy Boothe are tied by sisterhood and business. They operate two Showhomes Home Staging franchises — Showhomes Mobile and Baldwin County in Alabama and Showhomes Pensacola in the nearby Florida Panhandle.

“We’ve been together in this since day one,” Blankinchip says. “Working together has strengthened our franchises because we complement one another. I’m strong on the business side, and my sister is good at marketing and promotion. Together we are unstoppable.

“We know each other so well, and it turns out to be an advantage,” she adds. “We have children, so we can be flexible about scheduling demands and family obligations. I’m convinced our success is more than our talents; it’s also about our family bond. We want the best for each other no matter what.”

The strength of family-owned businesses is well documented. “A tight-knit managerial circle, and the flexibility of related – and deeply invested – employees, has been proven to make a (family) business resilient,” concluded journalist Christine Lagorio researched in an Inc. magazine tutorial in 2010.

“It also can confer a significant competitive advantage and impress customers, who appreciate knowing they’re dealing with someone who cares deeply, and who has the same surname that’s on the letterhead,” Lagorio says.

Showhomes Home Staging’s business model and a family-run business is a powerful combination.

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Showhomes Home Manager Program Featured in St. Petersburg Times

August 23, 2011 – 5:54 am

St. Petersburg Times

For five months, Sandy Crawford watched uneasily from her new home in Georgia as her old home in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood sat on the market with little interest from potential buyers. Discouraged, she turned to Showhomes, a company that places people — and their attractive furniture — in vacant houses. A fastidious man moved into Crawford’s house, and things changed. “The house looked fabulous,” she said. “Every little thing inside and out was constantly being watched and taken care of. Within 30 days, maybe 40 days, we got an offer. A lady from California offered $5,000 more than we were asking. Then the guy who bought it offered $5,000 above her.”

Showhomes is a national home staging company with local franchises in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Pasco County. It matches people looking for a nice house to live in temporarily at a reasonable cost with sellers who have already moved out.

The company capitalizes on one of the realities of real estate: Many potential buyers shy away from empty homes with bare floors, stark rooms and cold, naked windows.

“Seeing how somebody lives in the house makes a big difference,” said David Vann, an agent with the ReMax Metro. He recently arranged for a Showhomes “Home Manager” to move into a vacant house that wasn’t getting great reviews from prospective buyers. It sold three months later.

Real estate agents are still very much in the deal.

“The whole goal is to get prospective buyers to fall in love with the house, and then it’s an emotional buy,” said Rebecca Schleifer, sales and marketing manager for Showhomes St. Petersburg.

Showhomes has gotten exposure on Oprah, HGTV, National Public Radio and other media. The St. Petersburg office gets hundreds of calls and e-mails a week from people who want to cut their expenses by becoming Home Managers.

Several local staging companies provide a similar service by setting up furniture and “scenes” in vacant houses, but they usually don’t stage the whole house. And many Home Managers have several flat screen TVs, stellar furniture and great art. That’s often more than a staging company has in its inventory.

Chuck Barrow is living as a Home Manager in his third Showhomes house. It’s 4,000 square feet on the water with views of the Sunshine Skyway, a boat dock and a price tag of $1.2 million. His baby grand piano, home gym and 60-inch flat screen fit in well.

Barrow’s business, financing heavy construction equipment, is down right now, so he’s not ready to buy a house. After a divorce a few years ago, he discovered he could live as a Home Manager in a great house with room for his daughters for a lot less than buying.

He has even put his office near the Veterans Expressway in Tampa so that he can choose from Showhomes properties in Pasco, Pinellas or Hillsborough counties. If the home he lives in sells, he has 30 to 60 days until the company places him in another home.

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Owner of Showhomes Naples Receives Home Staging Designation

August 22, 2011 – 4:53 am

Showhomes Naples Home Staging owner has received highly regarded credentials from The Real Estate Staging Association.

JoAnne Gaylord of Showhomes Naples

An experienced home stager and interior designer, JoAnne Gaylord recently became a RESA-PRO member to give Showhomes Naples an edge. Her recent induction into the association raises the bar for home staging in Naples and introduces Gaylord to the community of homeowners and Realtors as a respected professional of ethical home staging practices.

“I’ve been a home stager and interior designer for 17 years,” JoAnne Gaylord says. “Earning the RESA-PRO designation is another way of proving myself to the community of Naples and really setting a higher standard for Showhomes Naples in terms of professional home staging.”

RESA is a source of education and business tools for members and works to elevate the standing of the home staging industry. To be considered for the RESA-PRO designation, candidates must take an online class, pass a code of ethics exam and further meet additional business requirements.

Showhomes provides a twist on traditional home staging, using live-in Home Managers to occupy and help stage vacant houses so they are kept in perfect show condition. Whole-house staging dramatically improves the speed and price of a home sale. With millions of vacant houses on the market, Showhomes is poised for additional growth.

“We are very proud to introduce JoAnne to the Naples home staging community,” says Bert Lyles, CEO of Showhomes. “Her years of staging experience along with her designation by the Real Estate Staging Association make her a great addition to the Showhomes family.”

Showhomes Naples had their grand opening on July 1.

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Showhomes Home Staging franchise interview with Jeff Ross

August 19, 2011 – 5:08 am

Jeff Ross of Showhomes

Jeff and Heidi Ross purchased their first Showhomes home staging franchise in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2002 after living as Home Managers for several upscale homes in Mobile, AL.

They not only are top performers, often earning awards and making the top 10 list, but also are experts on finding and keeping quality home managers. They should know: The Rosses have lived in over a dozen Showhomes properties, and they are still active home managers in Little Rock, Ark. The couple since purchased the rights to the Memphis, TN, franchise and has been focused on building it up this year.


Showhomes: How long have you been a Showhomes franchisee?
Jeff Ross: We’ve owned Showhomes Little Rock for eight years. We bought a Showhomes Memphis franchise two years ago.

SH: Why Showhomes?
JR: We liked the low franchise fee and low cost of entry, but even more important we loved the concept. We live it; we have passion for it. We became Home Managers for the Mobile, AL, franchise when we sold our home more quickly than we expected and didn’t want to purchase another home. Our Realtor suggested we move into one of Showhomes’ properties because Heidi is an excellent designer and she thought we would be able to help sell a few homes. She was right! We liked the fundamentals of the business so much, we looked into buying a franchise. From the very beginning, Heidi and I made a commitment to build a franchise on quality, not quantity. Showhomes makes it easy to focus on quality. It’s a strong player in a niche industry, offering a superior service and an ingenious business concept.

SH: How did you hear about us?
JR: From an ad in the Mobile Press-Register and our Realtor. We became home managers first. In fact, after eight years of being a franchisee we are still home managers. We’ve now lived in 13 Showhomes. It’s not really typical for franchisees to continue so long as home managers, but it’s a lifestyle for us. We’ve got it down, and it works very well! We get to live and raise our family in gorgeous homes for a fraction of the price it would take to own them. Living in a Showhome has some real sales advantages and its a great perk – you can save thousands on housing costs.

SH: What’s your background?
JR: Heidi has a background as a registered nurse. She’s also extremely passionate about interior design and staging. My background is in insurance sales and marketing and I was working on the Gulf Coast as a claims adjuster when we found Showhomes. We have compatible professional skills that work together well in managing a Showhomes franchise.

SH: What do you like best about the Showhomes franchise opportunity?
JR: We wanted something we could do together. We like the fact that each day is different. The variety is great. You have to be detail-oriented. If you aren’t willing to multi-task, it’s probably not for you. But we are energized and challenged by it. It’s very gratifying to help people get the best bang for their buck. It’s a great feeling to know you are giving clients peace of mind that they don’t have to take low-ball offers. Overall, its a great business for couples.

SH: What keeps you active in your free time?
JR: Almost everything revolves around our family and the Showhomes franchise. We have an 11 and a 9-year-old, so you can imagine how much we transport them around from place to place. We’re active in church. We really do live and breathe Showhomes. It’s not a 9 to 5 job for us. At the same time, it allows us the flexibility to be there for our children because we can control our hours. Yesterday I worked from home because my daughter was sick.

SH: Why would you recommend Showhomes to someone interested in owning a business?
JR: Showhomes really works. I don’t know where you can find a better investment. If you are disciplined, organized and passionate about working with people, you can really succeed with this franchise.

SH: Can you share one of your secrets? What really works for you in your market?
JR: We over-communicate. I think I may have that etched on my gravestone. But seriously, keeping everyone informed is extremely important.  Call everyone just to find out how things are going. We are constantly following up with emails and phone calls. You don’t want all your communications to be about sales, you’re just keeping everyone in the loop, keeping them informed and finding out if there are any issues or concerns.

SH: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned?
JR: That you have to constantly be on your toes when it comes to marketing. You have to find ways to continue to stay top of mind. You can’t ever let up, even if you’ve been in business for a few years. Yes, you have credibility with clients you’ve had successful working relationships with. But that doesn’t mean they are going to remember you the next time unless you’re connecting with them consistently.

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La Jolla Showhomes franchise owner recognized

August 18, 2011 – 5:05 am

Showhomes Home Staging was recently recognized for being a Top 50 franchise in The Franchise Business Review. Cindy Montgomery, franchise owner in La Jolla, Calif. was recently featured in The La Jolla Light.  Read more about why Showhomes is a franchise to be a part of in the article below.

Showhomes among top franchises

Cindy Montgomery, Owner of Showhomes La Jolla

For the third year in a row, The Franchise Business Review ranked Showhomes Home Staging one of the Top 50 franchise systems based on franchise owner satisfaction, according to Cindy Montgomery, franchise owner for Showhomes – La Jolla.

The Top 50 ranks only companies with excellent fundamentals, a great financial position and high franchise owner satisfaction.
Showhomes – La Jolla uses live-in home managers to occupy and help stage vacant houses so they are kept in perfect show condition, according to a press release.

If you’re interested in your own Showhomes home staging franchise or for more information about the Showhomes home staging franchise, visit www.showhomesfranchise.com.

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Empty Nesters Solve Housing Dilemma as Showhomes Home Managers

August 17, 2011 – 5:03 am

George and Jill Stathas like flexibility and sense of adventure

Home Managers keep homes looking decorated.

When children grow up and leave the house, parents often adopt a more spontaneous lifestyle. That’s exactly what George and Jill Stathas found themselves doing when they signed up as Home Managers with Showhomes Home Staging 18 months ago.

The empty nesters are exploring living in different settings and neighborhoods in the Milwaukee area, something they didn’t have the freedom to do when their daughter was younger. Not only that, they are also getting the chance to save money.

The Stathases first heard about home managing from a Realtor when they unexpectedly found themselves needing a place to live in 2009. Their 4,100-square-foot home on Little Cedar Lake in Southeastern Wisconsin sold much quicker than they expected, and they needed to make a fast move.

“We didn’t expect any serious offers until the spring because of the housing market, but much to our surprise the home sold in 30 days,” Jill says. “We were reluctant to buy immediately, and nice apartments in the Milwaukee area are still quite small and pricey. Plus, I had a lot of furniture coming from such a large home. We came across the possibility of Showhomes and everything just fell into place. We thought that this would be an ideal solution for us at this particular point, and it has turned out to be just that.”

The Stathases have been home managers for 18 months and have no immediate plans to quit. Their first property, located in the Germantown suburb of Milwaukee, was a newly constructed 1,800-square-foot ranch home that sold in six weeks.

Having another home sell so quickly was a second surprise. Their next placement was a  2,600-square-foot, four bedroom bi-level home in Wales, an established suburb about 40 minutes from Germantown. They have lived in the home for 16 months.

“You have to be flexible to a certain extent,” Jill says. “If you work in a certain part of town, you could wind up with a longer commute. However, we have found that Showhomes is great about giving the Home Managers as many options as possible when having to move to a new location.”

The Stathases also aren’t sure they’ll stay in the area long-term.  Being Home Managers allows them to stay flexible and open about the future while living in spectacular homes.

The Statheses keep the bedrooms looking furnished.

“Home Managing is much more affordable than your typical options, and it is fun having the opportunity of being in different environments,” Jill says. “Also, if you enjoy the chance to change your environment, it never gets boring. When you are placed in a different property, you get to decorate all over again.”

George, who often works from home, has enjoyed having the same option as a Home Manager.

“There are very little hassles with the program,” he says. “It’s really easy for the two of us. We’re still in a state of transition, so we’re more than happy to stay with the program.”

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Jeff and Heidi Ross featured in Arkansas Online

August 16, 2011 – 5:02 am


Showhomes Home Manager Heidi Ross

Pair Right at Home as House Managers

By Tracy Rogers

LITTLE ROCK — Heidi Ross is a bit different from most home stagers. Instead of staging a place and forgetting it, Ross, co-owner of Showhomes Little Rock and Memphis franchises, places furniture and people in vacant houses to help sell faster.

Ross and husband Jeff first learned about Showhomes in 2003 when they sold their house in Mobile, Ala., more quickly than expected. The Rosses were looking for a temporary home while searching for a place to live in Little Rock.

“We needed temporary housing.” Access to that temporary housing came in the form of an advertisement by the Showhomes franchise in Mobile. The Rosses became Home Managers, moving into a vacant house, paying for utilities and yard upkeep and using their own furniture to stage the house while it was on the market. The family liked their temporary abode and asked about moving to another Showhome in Little Rock, but the city didn’t have a franchise.

Heidi and Jeff Ross featured in Arkansas Online

“We realized, ‘Hey, maybe this is a good opportunity for us,’” Ross says. So the couple bought the franchise for Central Arkansas and two others that include the Memphis metropolitan area.

Today, Ross and his team manage about 10 houses in Little Rock and 10 in the Memphis area, using Home Managers selected for their furniture and how it fits a particular house on the market.

“We find individuals in transition,” Ross says.

That could be a family that sold their house too quickly, as the Rosses did, or a couple that needs to move to Little Rock, but has yet to sell their house elsewhere. It could be a divorcee who’s used to a certain way of life and has the furniture for that lifestyle but can’t afford a $500,000 house anymore. Or it could be someone who’s sick of apartment living and wants to live above their means.

There are other benefits for homeowners. They do not have to maintain vacant homeowners insurance, which can be costly. Showhomes also stages every room in the house instead of just key rooms as some home stagers do.

“We even put food in the refrigerator and have clothes in the closets,” Ross says.

Having the house occupied also keeps pests from moving in, as they so often do in vacant places, and keeps plumbing and electrical problems at bay.

“It’s actually good for the home,” Ross says. “A house that’s unoccupied will start to deteriorate.”

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Showhomes Naples to Help Vacant Housing Market in Florida

August 15, 2011 – 5:01 am

Showhomes newest franchise is now open for business in southwest Florida and is ready to help tackle the vacant housing dilemma that has plagued much of the state.

Owner of Showhomes Naples, JoAnne Gaylord

The home staging company plans to help homeowners sell vacant houses by adding a “life-like” appeal with live-in Home Managers and proven home staging methods. The new franchise will primarily serve Collier County.

“Naples and Fort Myers are widely known as second home and retirement communities,” says JoAnne Gaylord, owner of Showhomes Naples. “Both southwest Florida communities have been strongly impacted by the vacant housing dilemma and need Showhomes Home Staging to help turn things around.”

As today’s housing market struggles to recover, there are higher numbers of vacant houses for sale. Even in Collier County, where there are a large number of vacation rental houses, the number of houses vacant and for sale due to short sales, foreclosures or owner transfers is at an historical high.

“The solution is not in repeatedly discounting home prices,” Gaylord says. “The more complete solution is in staging homes with live-in Home Managers that help homeowners sell faster and closer to the list price.”

Showhomes Home Staging has attracted national media attention for its unique staging model: The company recruits and trains live-in Home Managers to help stage and maintain the home while it is on the market for sale. The service is popular with homeowners because it lowers insurance costs, creates a model-home atmosphere and makes the home far easier to sell.

“Many people ask ‘Who is maintaining these vacant houses?’” says Gaylord. “The answer is no one. For owners of vacant houses, a significant concern is the potential for something to happen while they are away. With Showhomes use of live-in Home Managers, owners don’t have to worry anymore.”

Showhomes Naples opened July 1. “JoAnne’s background in interior design and home staging is an excellent fit for Showhomes,” says Bert Lyles, CEO of Showhomes. “A member of the Real Estate Staging Association with 17 years of design experience, JoAnne is ready to transition vacant houses that sit, into beautiful life-filled homes that sell.”

“We are excited for Showhomes to continue its growth in Florida,” says Matt Kelton, COO of Showhomes. “The Florida market is flooded with vacant houses, specifically the southwest Florida area, and Showhomes Naples is here to help.”

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Showhomes Provides New Option for Mobile Workforce: ‘Test Driving a New Home’

August 12, 2011 – 5:00 am

In the pre-recession economy when you moved to a new city to start a job, you’d likely plan on buying a home as soon as possible. You might even buy a new home before your old house sold.

Showhomes uses furniture of Home Managers to make home come alive.

Not anymore.

These days, buying a home is risky and people can’t afford to make a mistake. But where do the mobile professionals seeking new employment live if they can’t buy a home and don’t want an apartment or an executive hotel suite.

Showhomes Home Staging offers job seekers in new cities an unusual housing solution: move into a vacant house for sale and let Showhomes use your furniture to help stage the home for potential  buyers. The Home Manager gets the perks of living in upscale homes for a fraction of the cost and provides the homeowner with peace of mind.

That’s exactly what Chris and Jennifer Taylor did when they moved to Minneapolis from downtown Chicago during the recession. Over a period of four years, the Taylors lived in luxury homes that Showhomes staged with list prices from $500,000 to $2 million.

“We didn’t want to rush out and buy a home, and we didn’t want to sign a 12-month lease either,” Chris Taylor says. “We enjoyed four years as Home Managers and ended up saving over $50,000.”

Home Managers like the Taylors not only save money but also can “test drive” homes in different neighborhoods to learn about the local real estate market.

“One of the best things about the program is that it allowed us to get to know the city and its neighborhoods and communities,” Taylor added.  “When we were ready to buy, we knew where we wanted to live.“

Jose Torrealba has a similar story. He was transferred from Toronto to Milwaukee, Wis. during the height of the recession and chose Showhomes’ Home Manager program over immediate home ownership. Torrealba and his family lived in a $1.5 million lakeside home for less than half of his previous mortgage payments in Toronto. The Torrealbas moved back to Toronto after a year with $20,000 in savings.

The homes Showhomes stages with live-in Home Managers typically sell much faster and for far closer to the list price in today’s market. Having an occupant lowers the owner’s insurance costs, makes the home less vulnerable to low-ball offers and vandalism and generally makes it show far better than vacant houses. With today’s housing market flooded with vacant houses and foreclosures, business is better than it has ever been.

“Showhomes is one of the most creative housing solutions available for mobile professionals and families on the move,” says Matt Kelton, Showhomes COO. “Our ‘home staging with a twist’ is a win-win-win for the homeowner, Realtor and Home Manager.”

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She-conomy: Women Owners on the Rise at Showhomes Home Staging

August 11, 2011 – 11:31 am

Franchising offers women professional advancement, work-life balance

Donna Muelver, owner of Showhomes Southeast Wisconsin

Women are leading the charge of an entrepreneurial revolution, not just in the U.S. but all over the world and at Showhomes Home Staging. Some call this emerging economic trend the “she-conomy.”

At Showhomes, successful women owners are coming from many areas and phases of life and business. Some were executives or managers in the corporate world. Others are transitioning into franchising after owning another small business or after temporarily leaving the workplace to raise a family.

Almost 80 percent of the company’s franchisees are female owned or co-owned by a woman, Showhomes’ COO Matt Kelton says.

“Wildly successful women are the norm at Showhomes Home Staging,” Kelton says. “We’re filled to the brim with professional woman successfully juggling career, family and community obligations.

“Smart women love the Showhomes model because of its low overhead and entry costs,” Kelton added. “It’s a franchise that can be run from home with a flexible schedule so that a franchisee can still make it to that all-important softball game or PTA meeting.”

Linda Saavedra, a veteran corporate executive and former owner of a profitable property management company, skyrocketed to success less than two years after purchasing Showhomes Tampa in 2009.

“Showhomes was the next logical career growth step for me because it combined my management experience, my experience working with homeowners on a short-term basis and my flair for design and décor,” Saavedra says. “It’s a small enough franchisor to be receptive to your input. They listen. Plus, there’s a certain amount of freedom in the system to ‘do your own thing,’ providing it’s within the corporate guidelines. That suits me. I am not known as a conformist or a follower.”

Donna Muelver, co-owner of Showhomes Southeast Wisconsin, is another woman leading the way in the she-conomy.

Before purchasing a Showhomes Home Staging Franchise in 2003, Muelver owned and managed several small businesses. At the same time, she was raising a family, caring for foster children and eventually taking on the tasks and joys of being a grandmother.

“One of the best things about owning a Showhomes Home Staging franchise is that you have the ability to design your life to include more than just work,” Muelver says. “It’s easier to juggle the needs of work, family and community.”

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