Real(ty) Talk
Real(ty) Talk
Building a Thriving Staging Business in San Diego
What if one accidental social media tag could change the trajectory of your career? That's the kind of serendipity that sparked Robert and Jessica Lopez's thriving home staging business in San Diego. From a simple dinner conversation to a flourishing enterprise, their journey is a testament to recognizing opportunity and transforming it into a legacy. In this engaging episode, we uncover how they navigated the rocky start, faced imposter syndrome head-on, and pushed past pricing uncertainties to emerge as a trusted name in the real estate market.
Robert and Jessica open up about the unexpected challenges of managing a rapidly growing business. Listen as they recount the hilarious mishaps of their early days, like staging a condo without a couch that nonetheless sold for $15,000 above asking price. Learn about the practical aspects of their work, from managing inventory and handling damages during open houses to mastering the nuances of furniture assembly. Their growth, from staging a single property in 2022 to juggling up to 20 properties now, showcases their resilience and strategic thinking.
Running a business while raising three children is no small feat, and the Lopez duo shares their secrets to balancing these demanding roles. We explore their strategies for maintaining professionalism in their work and strengthening their personal relationships. With candid anecdotes, they highlight their commitment to creating a flexible lifestyle that allows them to be present for their family and serve as role models for their kids. Through teamwork and effective communication, Robert and Jessica demonstrate how their entrepreneurial journey is a source of inspiration, not just for their family, but for others seeking to harmonize business success with family life.
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I remember in our first little stage it was a little condo in Escondido and it was, you know, not the best community, but I was like, hey man, I'm so grateful for the opportunity so I didn't even think I needed a couch. I put two chairs in the living room there.
Speaker 2:It was pretty tight, it was like 400.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but after the fact I was like, oh my gosh, why didn't we get a couch?
Speaker 3:You know, All right, welcome back to the Realty Talk podcast, episode number 18.
Speaker 4:Look at us go. Yes, and our first virtual podcast today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, virtual podcast. We have some very exciting guests. Let's jump right into it without any additional introductions. I guess I will do a couple basic ones.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:The queen of the closing table, suzanne Sini here, ceo of Innovate, ceo and founder of Innovate Realty. I am, paul Hanson, super excited about the guest today. We get a lot of people that are agents or even sellers and buyers, and this is the subject we're going to be discussing today is an unbelievably critical component to maximizing resale value, and so I'm so excited to talk about it. But I would love for you to introduce our guests.
Speaker 4:Oh sure, yes. So today we're really excited because we have Robert Lopez and Jessica, his wife as well, who, Robert, is an agent with us at Innovate Realty, but a few years ago him and his wife Jessica started a staging company and started out pretty small but have picked up a ton of traction down in San Diego. So it's a really great dynamic husband and wife working together wife holding it down, I think.
Speaker 3:I don't know.
Speaker 4:But we'll talk a lot about that. And yeah, I mean, not only is Rob just an amazing real estate agent, works, you know, does a ton of business, a ton of mentoring and leadership in real estate, but in addition to that, they have a really successful staging business as well. So I think staging, as you mentioned, is one of those topics that people talk about quite a bit, but I think most interesting is the story behind it, and you know, rob and I were chatting before we started and I know he'll get into it, but it's really about a dream. And you know, when you have that entrepreneurial spirit and you know, how do you bring all of that together and how do you take risks which we've talked about many times and bring it together for a successful outcome, so tell us a little bit about Lux.
Speaker 3:I mean, I know a fair number of the details, but when was it started? I believe that I read this was a discussion over dinner, which sounds like a super interesting dinner yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you know, back right after COVID. You know, once we got back to normal in 2021, we were this close to launching a cleaning company because during COVID and the following year, there was such a high demand for houses getting cleaned before they were going to be put on the market and you know, a lot of businesses had, you know, gone into another, another venture because there was no contact and stuff like that. So and staging was one of those topics it was just so hard to get someone that it was trustworthy and did a really good job and that's where it was, like honey, like you know, if I were to leave the planet, you know, I want you to have something that you built and that you can tell the kids your legacy of how you started and how you were able to build something from your own creation. So I'll let her dive a little bit more into that, but that's pretty much a little bit of how the conversation started.
Speaker 3:That's awesome. So where were you eating?
Speaker 1:We were eating at La Conda downtown or La Conde.
Speaker 3:Is it like a cool vibe? Did that inspire the staging conversation?
Speaker 1:Well, we had already. We had already had a little bit of a light conversation beforehand about like hey, we should totally start a staging company, like it would be so fun, we can get into it, you know, with your work. Um, and I had locked up the handle on Instagram and I accidentally tagged that handle while we were at dinner and then it popped up like what's this, what's look, staging? I'm like, oh my God, did I accidentally put that on there, you know? And it kind of just came out and that's where it started, really. And then from there we're like, all right, well, here we go, we're doing it.
Speaker 4:Then yeah, at that point you're already official. If you're in-store official, you kind of had to follow through at that point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, totally. So that is kind of a little bit of a funny story when we talk about, like how we came out with like OK, we're doing a staging company, you know.
Speaker 3:So how walk us through? Kind of, the growth of the business Starts in 2022, obviously I imagine it starts with one house, right? What was that like? Selecting furniture, you know doing the first one.
Speaker 2:How did you price?
Speaker 3:it had you kind of shopped other competitors to see where you should price yourself. Walk us through that first deal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was scary and I had like major, like imposter syndrome. I kind of went off pricing with companies that Robert had used and then I tried to be a little bit competitive because I was so new and I had no idea what I was doing and didn't even have a couch. I remember in our first little stage it was a little condo in Escondido and it was not the best community. But I was like, hey man, I'm so grateful for the opportunity so I didn't even think I needed a couch. I put two chairs in the living room there.
Speaker 2:It was pretty tight, it was like 400 feet, yeah.
Speaker 1:But after the fact I was like, oh my gosh, why didn't we get a couch?
Speaker 4:It looked great.
Speaker 1:Exactly how did it go? It went great. It sold quickly, it looked great. So I don't think anybody would even notice that there wasn't a couch in there, except for us, because after the fact, Well, funny story on that one is I think it sold 15,000 above asking.
Speaker 2:It was actually for Drew, my brother, and the person who bought that property relisted it with the same photos that he took.
Speaker 4:Oh, that's so funny. I wasn't that bad. That's a vote of confidence.
Speaker 2:That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah exactly, I think I nailed it.
Speaker 4:That's it. This was meant to be?
Speaker 3:Did you send your virtual staging invoice for that second sale?
Speaker 2:Right, I'm like hey, wait a minute.
Speaker 1:So that's also a little back story too. Drew was actually at dinner with us that night and he was the person that I tagged accidentally on that Instagram handle and he was like, hey, I need a property staged and that was how we rolled into that first little job.
Speaker 4:So very cool.
Speaker 3:So fast forward to where we're at today. How many homes are you staging at any given time?
Speaker 2:2022, we finished the year at 19 properties. Total 2023, we had 44 properties staged Wow Year to date. Today we've done 59. 60 will be here in the next couple of days Awesome. So right now, our inventory has gone from one property and we can probably stage I would say probably between 18 to 20 properties right now at a time.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's amazing. Yeah, it happened quick so what do you?
Speaker 3:do like with inventory, how do you track and manage what's going on with your stuff? Because obviously in that business your largest capital expense is the inventory that you're putting in the properties right how do you, how do you keep track of what you have?
Speaker 3:and and you know the quality of it? I mean, we had a. We had the reason I asked the question. We had a property that we staged not with lux, unfortunately, uh which we should be talking about. Yeah, by the way, when you're ready for orange county in la, that's where most of our properties are we are ready for you. But we had this property in Long Beach and at one of the open houses I'm assuming, or maybe it was a private showing I think one of the little kids had taken like a Sharpie a red Sharpie and half of the furniture was destroyed. So how do you keep track of those things? And you know, like inventory, moving, what's that like?
Speaker 1:Well, thankfully we haven't had anything like that happen yet. We've had like a few little odds and ends where like I'll be like, hey, where are these throw blankets go? Or where's that candle Like random things, and I'm like, all right, well, somebody got a new candle during an open house, you know. But for the most part we haven't had any huge loss. We've had, uh, we do have a um, like a deposit fee that we charge, and if we do have to get something cleaned after the fact like couches or carpets are a big big thing that we kind of burn through we do charge for cleaning fees. So it's kind of factored into the model.
Speaker 4:in that situation, you anticipate that things are going to happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's certain things that you just can't really hold onto for too long.
Speaker 3:It's complicated in my head because my wife and I moved into a new house a year and a half ago and some of those furniture pieces, like a bed, for example, we took down and then put back together. I'm like, holy shit, how do people do this? Because it was a short move and it took me like an hour to figure out how to put the damn thing back together.
Speaker 1:That you would have to ask Robert. He's kind of mastered, I'm not gonna lie. If it wasn't for rob, like you know, a lot of our stuff would probably be like wobbly and falling apart he has definitely mastered um one, taking care of our stuff, and two, like putting it together properly.
Speaker 1:So if somebody does sit on it or it is being moved, you know, every 60 days to a new property, um, it's still holding its quality because he does do a really good job with putting it back up every time, but it is, it is hard. I mean, I couldn't do it, that's for sure. I'd be like you know what, just you know whatever, like we'll get a new one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think I think the biggest component is just, really, you know, just paying attention to how to really maximize our efficiency and just to to purchase things that will deliver a good quality but also can be disassembled in a short period of amount of time. So, you know, like one thing we we had learned was, you know, we we had a good run on air mattresses, and that's where you know we had air mattresses that were self-inflating Some you had to bring the little blower and then all of a sudden you had a couple where that, you know, I don't know if they got banged around, but they started to deflate. And then I would get a call Midnight, midnight call. I really have to go all the way out to Fallbrook to change a damn air mattress right now, you know. So Jessica has done such a good job with our home, with purchasing great products and building relationships, that she's had these trade accounts like Pottery Barn, crate and Barrel Living.
Speaker 2:Spaces and everything where some of their floor model specialists have built a relationship with her. So now we get mattresses that nobody's ever slept on for a hundred dollars, that's awesome, and it's just now. We've learned. Okay, no more Amarant.
Speaker 2:They sound like they're a good idea, but in reality they just cause more problems and more time consumed down the end. So, um and I think piggybacking on the rest of what you had asked, paul, is, since we're such a mom and pop business, some of our systems need improvement. So keeping track of some of the items and organizing will be our growth period for the rest of the year. Because Jessica to her credit and the design, everything regarding the look of Lux is 100% her. I just tell her hey, I'm the laborer, you tell me what to do, I'm going to do it. I don't want to think you do all the creative stuff, that's your personality, but she's done all this shopping for over 20 homes with a three-year-old on her hip and having that to be able to propel her right now is like it's kind of a shock right now. So the past two weeks we had our 13th anniversary on Monday and we got massages and didn't do anything but do a workout and get massages and it was just very relaxing it was heaven.
Speaker 4:Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I've built a lot of relationships, I feel, with the local girls here. Like you know, I have my potty barn girl, I have my RH girl, I have, you know, somebody at every location where I like to source things, if I'm shopping in person. And it also gives a face to the name too, because then they kind of hey, like you know, text me, hey, lux, like we have this coming down or I have fall going up and you know, and I'm in there and I'm buying it by the trailer loads, you know, and I'm so grateful for those relationships that I've built while building inventory.
Speaker 3:How do you, how do you stay on top of, like, current design? Right, because, at least from our perspective, you know, at Bye Bye House we sell, you know, maybe 50 or 70 houses a year. I've I felt this with with different stagers we've worked with in the past. Sometimes you see kind of the same thing and the same, you know kind of the same structure of house over and over again. Um, and so we've really found a lot of value working with boutique stagers because they have more of a design-centric focus. How do you stay on top of current design trends?
Speaker 1:Right. So I do a lot of like online education. You know, I'm constantly checking out what's trending, what people are, you know, gravitating towards. But then also, I feel like it's my personal style too. I like to think that I have a pretty good sense of style and I have an eye. I was a makeup artist for 17 years.
Speaker 1:So I feel like, when it comes to making things look beautiful and, you know, color, contrast and those things, I am really good at putting something together that maybe somebody that like, let's say, just this kind of cookie cutter wouldn't think of doing, and I feel like that's what really sets what we do apart, because it's more of an artistic approach to staging. And I feel like that's what really sets what we do apart, because it's more of an artistic approach to staging. And I, you know, I like really cozy, comfy, like those are things that I gravitate towards. And then I also do what's trending. You know, like six months ago the greens were not as trendy as they are now. Now you're seeing sage, you're seeing emerald, you seeing, so I'm trying to incorporate that in my designs as well. And then I'm getting that feedback like I love the greens, oh my gosh, you know.
Speaker 1:So, just, I mean, you can find everything online nowadays and you can kind of just by your feed on Instagram you can see what's trending, you know. So I, I play off that as as well as my own personal style and what I like, and everything that I design, for the most part, would be something that I would have in my own home. Like, am I buying pieces that are just like, oh, whatever, just buy a coffee table, we'll put it up, whatever? No, I'm buying things that really truly speak to me and I love them, and if I were to put it in my house, I would be proud to have it. So that's like, I think, what sets Lux apart, because I see, you know, staging companies, that everything kind of looks the same and I'm like, yeah, you know, like that's not really us.
Speaker 2:I like different pieces, chunky pieces, woods, um, for the most part neutral, but still color, you know, play here and there well, to her credit too, you know, sometimes when we walk there, well, to her credit too, you know, sometimes when we walk, there's going to be investors that are going to do the same. Look with everything right, black fixtures, you know, light tannish floors, you know. But then there's also investors that will do, you know, accent walls, and paint that same accent wall, maybe the exterior wood, as you walk in, and she plays off those like the one we did the other day. You know, had like almost like a really really light greenish, you know, almost like a very light sage. And the design, the interior, the wall art that we use, the pillows, the throw blankets, some of the, you know, the fresh stuff that she had picked out, literally just kind of played off that completely. So, you know, to her credit, a lot of it is her customization when she does walk the property beforehand and, side note, she does put some of those pieces in our house.
Speaker 2:We do have a living room.
Speaker 1:That's kind of our rotating living room. We have a family room and a living room In the front living room room. I laugh because I'm always like it's like a showroom. Like I get furniture, do I like it? We're gonna use it, for you know this house.
Speaker 4:I want to see what it looks like. So well, okay, I have, I have personal questions. Awesome, it's really funny because I feel like paul is very like let's, I need to know the numbers about your staging company and I'm like, okay, tell me a little bit. So you know, husband and wife team I think you know that in itself and I, you know, work with my husband in a capacity as well. So how do you guys balance that, especially with I know you mentioned, you know three-year-old with me at all times Like, how do you guys balance that? How has that journey evolved and from where you guys were before and now doing as many houses as you are every year? And what advice do you have to others, to you know maybe, that are thinking about going into business together?
Speaker 1:Well, first, let's just start with like the fact it's not easy, Like you know, like it's very challenging.
Speaker 1:Like, let's say, for example, yesterday we were working and I took my own car to work, you know, to the warehouse, even though he was there too and I was like I'm just going to drive myself, you know, and we really have to like separate ourselves when we are working from like that bickering married couple to like the dynamic duo that we are when we are working and we have a really good flow.
Speaker 1:Robert and I naturally just make a really good team. Just um, our energy just flows really easily with each other. So, even though he tends to be a little bit more of the alpha, I can definitely like take the lead role when we're working and he's able to take that step back and do things that I'm asking him to do, without trying to be the leader like he usually is, you know, but it is challenging. So we we try to just I don't know, there really is no secret sauce to it, it's just a day-to-day thing and, you know, some days are easier than others and there's some days where I'm like I am going to strangle you if you say one more thing, so go and like dust a shelf or something because I need you out of here.
Speaker 1:So that and then you know, when we come home we turn it off, like we're home. He's dad and mom, we have three crazy kids, so it's like we're able to like really draw the line, and I think that's one thing too. That really helps us with balance is like when we're home we're not like consumed with everything that's going on at work or what's happening at the warehouse or what's going up or down tomorrow. We're just like all right, we have baseball practice, we have dinner, um. So I feel like that's something that I really have to congratulate us on, because it's not easy and it's very challenging.
Speaker 1:But I think we do a really good job of balancing everything and then kind of taking our space when we need it too, because you know you work together, you live together. You know it's like oh my gosh, this is so much. We need a minute, you know. So even if it is that 20 minute car ride yesterday, it kind of helped me reset. I got there, I got to the warehouse. I was like all right, now I'm ready to, now I can like talk and we can go over the plan for the day, you know.
Speaker 1:And I actually drove my car to the house too, Cause I'm like I'm just going to take my own car too. So just that little separation, cause we are together so much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you know, piggybacking on top of that is is really just. I always tend to look at you know how I grew up, where both of my parents worked. My dad worked two jobs, three jobs at times, and my mom did the same thing at times. And you know, we have the opportunity to create our own schedule. We have the opportunity to bring our kids to work, you know, and sometimes the kids, they take these big gasps after work.
Speaker 2:We're like, hey, we got to, got to stop by home goods really fast just to grab a couple things. And you know, our oldest one's like, oh gosh, how long is it going to be? You know he's 12, he's going to be 13, so he knows everything. Um, but you know, just kind of taking those grateful moments of, of just the gratitude of, you know, the ability that we have and what we've built together, um, I think we really hold on to and and that propels us and and that, you know, gives us a sense of comfort with each other of like, hey, like, no matter what, we're doing something right, we're doing this together, um, and it's just a consistent. You know, what can I do for you, what can you do for me? You know how can I make it a better? Uh, you know teamwork. So, uh, and that and that alone is a crucial point in our marriage, let alone business partners as well.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I was going to say. I mean, I feel like that is advice for every situation. You know, whether you work together or not. I think you know it's an important component to recognize. You know what, what the other? Is going through and what you could do to help yeah, I mean it's.
Speaker 3:It's just an incredibly inspiring story, right like when I listen to what you're doing, I mean obviously you're serving a need in the market and we could talk a lot. You know the real estate dynamic and how important it is to stage and you know I don't the numbers kind of like we'll probably have 2,000 or 3,000 agents in Southern California listen to this and I would bet that half of them don't use a formal stager when they go to list and market and sell a property. And you brought it up on the first one. You know you sell for 15K over list and then they use those same pictures to sell again because you did it so well. I mean you just can't quantify how important that is.
Speaker 3:But to me the most inspiring part of this discussion so far is what you're doing for your kids. I mean your three kids have, you know, role models and you know whether they like it or not. Right, you say they gasp if we have to stop at HomeGoods. I think at some point in their life they'll look back and just be so inspired what mom and dad were doing. You know, and I really you know personally not to go like political and you know, change the. But I mean, to me that's what we need as a country, like we need to be inspired, yeah, and you know, to have that at home from mom and dad, like what a way to raise your kids, that's so cool. I mean, again, it doesn't make it easy. I'm sure they're complaining, you know, at certain times or if they're eating out or something, but Well, they don't really understand what it is yet.
Speaker 1:You know I try to. I try to. You know, as the, you know as the mom, and you know I try to make the boys understand. Like, hey, like you guys, really you don't have an idea yet, but you will one day, like the sacrifices we're making now or for for you guys, you know, like I grew up up, my mom worked. She, you know, day, day, night, day, night, you know, and I spent so much time alone as a kid and I'm like you guys are lucky. We pack our lunch, we pack our lunches, we're at the warehouse, we're together, we're a family, like the five people that matter on this earth are right here, like we're together and we're doing this together. And the boys know, like now they're now. It's like music to my ears, mom, do we have stages?
Speaker 1:this weekend mom, do we? I'm like you guys are getting it, yes, okay, I'm like, actually we don't, but we're taking the weekend off so you guys can show and play baseball and do what you do, you know, but it's just it's. It's actually like a blessing for us, as chaotic as it gets and as crazy, and some days I'm like what the hell are we doing? Like, why are we doing this? Um, you know, I lay down and I'm, like, so grateful to be able to be with my family all day and not be, you know, away for 12 hours and coming home rushing to cook a dinner, like I'm able to work my work life around my family life, and that's priority to me, like, and it always has been. So I'm super grateful for that opportunity, even though it's insane.
Speaker 3:So just a quick question about entrepreneurship and that venture. What kind of advice because you're you know a couple years into this what kind of advice would you give to other people that are thinking about doing something?
Speaker 2:but maybe haven't yet. I think for sure it's. You know, if we're going to, if I'm going to fail, I'm going to fail for ourselves, Right? And what I mean by that is, um, you know, and that's my wife saying is, you know we can go work a corporate job, and nine to five, or do whatever you want to do, and you know that's that's your thing. And nine to five or do whatever you want to do, and you know that's that's your thing. Um, but if you're struggling and it's, it's hard for you, why not just try something on your own? And if you completely fail at it, at least you failed at it for yourself, versus, you know, just living in a, in a zone where it's like, well, I wish I would've did this or I wish I would've did that. You know, and I think we're showing each other that and also showing the kids that, look, the sky's the limit. We don't have to, you know, pick any route, that you are forced to Do what you want, and let's make the best of it.
Speaker 1:I think my advice would probably be to just do it.
Speaker 1:Like, life is so short and if you're just gonna sit around thinking like man, I wish I would have like tried this. You know, and I think we've inspired quite a bit of people to like, you know, my, my little sister, who was like going to school for something completely different, just started her own pool cleaning company and she's doing great and she's super busy and you know, and she's always like saying sweet, like she doesn't tell us like, oh, I do this because of you guys, you know, but she definitely tells us in her own little love language like, hey, like you guys inspire, like me and, you know, keep me going when her days get rough. And I think it's it's just something that you should do. Like, just do it. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be super hard and you're going to question yourself every single day, but just do it. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be super hard and you're going to question yourself every single day, but just do it. That would be my advice. Just do it, I love it.
Speaker 1:Well.
Speaker 4:I want to give you guys the opportunity. Maybe if there's anything else we missed that you want to throw out there. How do people find you? What is the best way to reach out to you? Where do you service all the deets?
Speaker 2:So you know, we did our numbers last year and on average and that's. You know, homes sometimes are overpriced, sometimes they're underpriced. So the only way that you can really find a solid number is averaging out those 44 properties and on average last year each property sold $31,677 and 21 cents.
Speaker 2:So on average, right, I mean it's, you know, if it's a $600,000 home, you've really just increased. You know, your, your seller's net proceeds You've paid for your own commission, in a sense really just increased. You know, your, your seller's net proceeds, you've paid for your own commission, in a sense, and you know, I think that's one of the biggest factors of of today's market. Right, we're out of 2021 and we're out of 2022 where houses just sell. So, right, it's time for the agent to you know, develop their marketing tools and connect with someone who knows how to you their profits and their sellers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the easiest way to contact us. We're so small and it's just Rob and I doing most of the intake. Call us, text us. We have our email accessible. We have Google. I've noticed a lot of our business has been coming from google too, so that's also really a great way to reach um out to us. Um, we're fairly easy to get a hold of. You don't have to look too far.
Speaker 3:We'll provide all the links in the episode, um, you know, for, uh, for lux and in a way to contact you. But I would love to wrap by just, you know, congratulating you guys on what you've created. I mean, again, I always generate back to my thoughts, back to the business side. But if you're a real estate agent in that market in San Diego and you're not using Lux, you're doing something wrong, because the data says it all right On average, they sold a house 5% over list price, which is not what's happening in the market as a whole. I mean, you're outperforming the market by, you know, four or 5%, right? So you know, I imagine those homes are selling faster as well than homes that are not using Lux. And so if you are a seller, contact Rob. If you are an agent, contact Rob and use Lux. It seems like kind of a no-brainer.
Speaker 4:Thanks guys. Yeah, I think so, of course.
Speaker 1:Thank you for watching us, that is a wrap.
Speaker 3:Check back for new information and please reach out to Lux if you're in that market and you need some assistance. We'll have all the links below at the bottom, see you next time. See you next time.