Imagine is now an official “Painting and Decorating Contractor of America”. Please check out PDCA’s site to learn more.

Imagine is proud to announce that we have joined The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA). RESA supports professional real estate stagers in North America and is a portal to the staging industry.

Active Rain is an online community for real estate professionals designed to help them promote and grow their business. Learn more about this excellent online source and make sure to check out Lisa’s profile while you’re at it!

From the desk of Lisa Shipley:

A lot of people ask me how I can start a new business in this uncertain economy and in this real estate market.

I personally feel very grateful to start a new venture in trying times. It will challenge me to be the very best at what I do; it will exercise my mind and expand it to think outside the box. It will stretch my marketing skills and help me to develop strategies that I wouldn’t normally acquire.

One day in the future when I am a very profitable company, I will look back and realize I am a success because of the habits I acquired during those challenging times.

I’ve met several real estate agents who are depressed because of the market. They are discouraged at having to work so hard, and ready to throw in the towel. The harder the market gets the more negative they feel, and of course their listings aren’t moving which causes more concern. Pretty soon no one is calling them and so on, and so on. It’s like they’re attracting bad energy.

Well guess what. As hard as it is to hear, we all feel this way from time to time, but we do attract what we feel.

If we think the market is tuff, then it will be tuff.

To turn our thinking around we need to be thankful.

Thankful for the opportunities we do have.

Thankful for all the good in our lives, the community and the world. There’s a lot to be thankful for, we just have to look. The more you are looking for things to be thankful for, the more you’ll attract things that make you grateful.

It’s all energy. If you expect good things to happen more good things will happen. Just have clearly defined goals, and know what you want and expect it to happen for you. In time people, places and circumstances will align themselves to your very own expectations.

I know from my own experiences that this system of energy works. I am constantly surprised by the power of this positive thought process.
For example, I visualized and expected to have a home staging project that would include an exterior and interior painting job for the other side of our business which is the home finishing. I visualized this combined project and expected it to happen. At the perfect time a combined job appeared.

Thinking positive doesn’t come naturally for me. I have to work on it on a day by day basis, just like staging a home I have to clear out the negative clutter in my head, and rearrange my whole thought process.

The biggest returns happened for me when I decided to give money to organizations, or to those in need. Right when I would feel this overwhelming urge to give, even when I didn’t have any money so to speak, an opportunity would arise, and without hesitation I would gladly give. Almost immediately I would receive a staging job in return and usually a very substantial one. I believe that the power of attraction is so power ful towards what is good, that it constantly replenishes its resources.

On the up note, some of the realtors that I’ve been working with think the way I do. Like attracts like. They have several listings on the market, and are selling homes quickly in a stagnate market. They also donate at least 1% of their commission from their listings to non profit organizations. They are doing well and their colleagues wonder why.

Positive energy is much more powerful than negative energy.

If we as a country and a real estate community can stop and reevaluate what we need to do to turn this negative condition into a positive one, to give with  gladness and hope in our hearts, and with appreciation for the down times to reassess our values and strengths, to give to those in need. We will turn this market and this country around, and we will all be better people for it.

Imagine it so…….

“Accredited ASP Stagers and ASP Real Estate Agents are true Professionals trained under strict guidelines using proven Staging techniques developed for over 30 years. When you bring your home on the market and prepare your house for sale always hire an ASP because they are the true leaders in the Home Staging and Real Estate Industries.” Learn more about ASP professionals, staging statistics, and more on ASP’s site. And don’t forget to view Lisa’s profile, too!

Rich and thick, Devine goes on like yogurt and looks like Chiffon! Devine Color® is a full line of eco-friendly, user-friendly, green-sustainable products that meet the strict guidelines.

We just added a lot of great pictures to our gallery. Come check them out!