Today we’d like to introduce you to Katarina Kolkmeier.
Hi Katarina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Katarina. I was born in Slovakia which is a beautiful country in the heart of Europe. I visited the USA in 1994 and attended a bible school there. I met my husband at the school, we fell in love and the rest is history! After we got married in 1996 I permanently moved to America, my new home I love and cherish.
Becoming a professional home stager has never been on my life radar. My education and area of expertise had been business administration, accounting, and finance, which is pretty much on the opposite side of the spectrum as far as vocations go. However, I always loved making my home a beautiful, warm, and orderly place. I would watch design shows and read books and magazines about interior design to learn and to be inspired. I always believed beauty is a choice, whether in our personal appearance or in a place we call home. When we know the principles of what makes something visually pleasing, with some effort and ingenuity, we can achieve great results even on the most modest of budgets. I first came across home staging industry through one of my design shows. It immediately fascinated me because it was a combination of design and a specific order which really appealed to me. It’s sort of like combining a “creative person” with a “numbers person,” which is me in a nutshell, lol! A few years back, when my husband and I were selling our home, I staged it myself, using the principles I knew then. Our real estate agent was very impressed by it and encouraged me to look into becoming a professional home stager. At that time, I just resigned from my accounting job, so I decided to take a leap of faith and look into it. When God opens a door for you, you just know there will be something great on the other side. I got in touch with a stager recommended to me by our agent to learn about what it takes to do staging professionally. She was a great resource of information and, later on, of support and a great friendship. I completed an official certification program for stagers and re-designers and started my own business – Staged Homes by Katarina.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have to say I never had doubts I was on the right path, but I didn’t always know how it would all come together. The year I started preparing to have my own staging business was the year the pandemic hit the whole world and greatly affected our lives. Real estate industry was not an exception. At the same time, I was also going through a personal tragedy of losing my mom and the stress of moving to a different city. Business had to be put on hold to attend to more important personal challenges. Once I was able to complete the training, I started realizing that doing the actual staging will be just a cherry on top of running a staging business. You have to wear a lot of hats that might not be the most comfortable fit – sales, networking, logistics, accounting (well, that part was fine with me, lol). My area of expertise is occupied staging. I stage people’s homes while they still live there, and I use what they already have. People’s skills are paramount for that! I had to start visiting real estate agents in my area, introducing myself and my business, trying to exude confidence and professionalism. That’s not easy when you are just starting out, staged only about three homes, including your own, and you are as “green behind the ears” as they come! I had to accomplish everything on a shoestring budget since we had only one income at the time. Any free resources I could get my hands on were greatly appreciated and definitely used. I assisted other stagers for free just to gain more experience. I developed relationships with other stagers in my area through membership in the Real Estate Staging Association. It all took time and courage I didn’t always feel. But I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Selling a home is a very complex affair that could be stressful and full of unexpected twists and turns. My part is to help prepare the seller’s home in such a way that it appeals to as many potential buyers as possible, making a sale easier and more profitable. I provide staging consultations where I make an honest and comprehensive assessment of all areas of the home and make recommendations as to what needs to be done to present the property in the best way possible to attract the right buyer and receive the highest return on the seller’s investment. I also provide actual staging services. My expertise is in staging occupied properties, where I use mostly what sellers already own. If any additional items are needed, I recommend what it should be and where to find it. It is an extremely rewarding feeling to transform a home that was well-loved and lived in into a space that buyers could connect with and fall in love with. I see beauty in every home, regardless of condition, size, or price. Sometimes it requires only minor adjustments, and sometimes it takes a lot of effort, creativity, and resourcefulness to bring that beauty out. My greatest reward is when others can see it now too! I consider it a privilege and a blessing to run my own business. I do not take it for granted. In everything I do, I strive to communicate love and care for the amazing realtors I work with, for their clients, the sellers, professionalism, integrity, honesty, and respect.
What do you think about luck?
In my opinion, luck has very little, if anything, to do with true success. Wise king Solomon in his famous proverbs, said that a hand of the diligent will rule. I couldn’t argue with that! Wisdom, discernment, hard work, determination, and courage are the key elements of any success. In my life, God, in His unconditional love and grace, has been a faithful and steadfast Provider of all these elements and so much more. I rely on Him every step of the way. He is a source of my gifts and talents as well as strength and wisdom to accomplish anything and everything in my personal life or in my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stagedhomesbykatarina.wordpress.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagedhomesbykatarina/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/stagedhomesbykatarina
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/katarina-kolkmeier-89b97b91/
- Other: https://sites.google.com/view/stagedhomesbykatarinastore/miscellaneous
