IT\u2019S not often someone comes out of retirement to form one half of a brand new, vibrant business partnership, but that\u2019s exactly what former medical receptionist, Jan Livingston did six months ago.<\/p>\n
Teaming up with her daughter, Phoebe Croucher, the pair have launched Smuk Property Styling, utilising furnishings and assisting local vendors to sell their homes for a higher price.<\/p>\n
The venture was born around Christmas time following Ms Croucher\u2019s return to Ballarat from Hong Kong, with her now one-year-old daughter, and husband. Having worked in the fitness industry and as a hairdresser, she was keen to set up her own business.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got a creative side with the hairdressing, but I\u2019ve always been really interested in interiors, magazines and Instagram,\u201d Ms Croucher said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA friend gave us the idea. She was getting some quotes for property styling in Ballarat. She was selling her investment property and wanted it furnished for the photos. She definitely felt there was a market.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Livingston said all the city\u2019s property stylists were booked up at the time and coincidentally, she had recently been researching various businesses for sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll three competitors couldn\u2019t do it, they were so busy,\u201d she said. \u201cA property styling business for sale in Geelong popped up for sale, and I thought, wow, this is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knowing they could have an impact in the market, the duo did their homework. Loving a Norwegian relative\u2019s suggestion of the Danish name \u2018Smuk,\u2019 meaning beautiful, and being fans of the clean, simple nature of Scandi design trends, the ladies hit the January sales.<\/p>\n
They bought enough furniture to style one house, which they photographed to help launch their website.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just taken off,\u201d Ms Croucher said. \u201cIt\u2019s been go, go, go, and really fun. Now we\u2019ve got enough furniture for seven houses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having introduced themselves to all the local real estate agents, the pair have been run off their feet already, simply with word of mouth advertising, and the power of Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit crazy now,\u201d Ms Livingston said. \u201cWe weren\u2019t really sure how it would work. Phoebe\u2019s been away from Ballarat for 12 years, but we\u2019re both from here, and I was born and educated here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pair, and their husbands, gel well in work and life.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad helps, and sometimes we\u2019re styling at night so my husband\u2019s at home with my daughter,\u201d Ms Croucher said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been moving our furniture a few times late at night, like our removalists,\u201d Ms Livingston laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a few quick turnaround jobs, and we haven\u2019t said no to anything. We\u2019ve got good family support. It is really fun working together.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Smuk\u2019s major wins this year has been a big bluestone home in Miners Rest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe transformation was amazing. At one point, it was the third most viewed house in all of Australia on realestate.com.au,\u201d Ms Croucher said.<\/p>\n
The property\u2019s agent said this was only the second time a house in Ballarat had achieved this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe came in and fixed it, and the styling definitely made a difference. Not many people would have viewed that house online had it not been for the styling,\u201d Ms Croucher said.<\/p>\n
For Ms Livingston, successful foot traffic and home sales are simply fantastic feedback, having thought carefully about making a space warm, inviting, modern and open, hoping to tap into a buyer\u2019s emotional side.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very reassuring. It\u2019s a real buzz,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes it worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
When a vendor wants to sell their property, but they haven\u2019t got any furniture for the space, Ms Croucher is pleased that agents strongly suggest styling.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt makes such a difference to pictures online, you get more people going through the doors. If they\u2019ve seen the house online and it looks really nice, they\u2019re more likely to go and have a look at it, and it\u2019s more likely to sell more quickly for more money,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBallarat\u2019s a really great place for real estate at the moment. The market\u2019s booming compared to Melbourne and Sydney.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of opportunity for property styling. More people are catching on that it definitely makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n