Showhomes - Donna Muelver

Our Entrepreneur this month wasn't looking for a franchise and had little interest in owning one. But sometimes the franchise just finds you. Donna Muelver answered the door when opportunity knocked and she is happy she did. Congratulations, Donna, and welcome to the world of franchising!

Donna Muelver

Donna Muelver was a stay at home mom and foster parent and her husband Rick was a firefighter. One day a friend told them about a real estate sign installation company that was for sale. It was a struggling company with potential. Donna could run and market the business and her husband Rick and eldest son Wayne could help out with the installation of the lawn signs. They did this for over 10 years, increasing sales and adding real estate photography to their basket of services. And then, opportunity knocked again. Donna and Rick were members of a video virtual tour organization. One of their friends from this organization had recently bought a franchise that staged homes. He was so impressed with this company that he kept telling Donna and Rick how great it was and that this was an opportunity that they shouldn't pass up. Donna responded that she had never considered a franchise before and had little interest in buying one. But he was persistent and practically insisted that she check it out. So Donna checked it out and found the company amazing. "I never knew there was such a thing. The company had about a dozen franchise owners at the time and has since grown to about 74. I saw a huge need, the cost was low and I already had connections in the real estate community."  Within 6 weeks after her friend's suggestion, she was at the corporate headquarters for Showhomes signing her franchise agreement. She purchased 7 counties in SE Wisconsin, including Milwaukee County and all the way down to the Illinois border. Donna was looking for a healthy income for her family. She wanted to get her children involved in the business and build a legacy for them. "If wealth comes with it, we'll accept it." Donna and Rick continued their sign installation business for about 2 more years before selling it. Donna jumped into the Showhomes opportunity with her usual enthusiasm and passion for what she was doing. She was the awarded "Best New Franchisee" her first year in business. In her second year, she was "Franchisee Of The Year." As Donna told me, "I love the fact that I can transform a house that was smelly and unimpressionable to a warm and inviting home that peaks the buyer's interest." So you're probably wondering what exactly Showhomes does that excited Donna so much. It's a known fact that vacant homes are harder to sell and often sell for less than occupied homes. Showhomes specializes in not only staging vacant homes, but also puts in a live-in house manager to give it that homey feeling for prospective buyers. Showhomes takes care of the lawn and snow, pays the utilities and the house manager always has the home "show ready". The seller of the home pays Showhomes a fee when the house sells and the house manager pays a subsidized rent for taking care of the home. It's really a win-win for everyone. "Most of my clients have moved out of town. My service provides them peace of mind. If anything comes up, I have a list of vendors to take care of every problem." Donna uses her passion for cooking to help her with her business. When a home is listed on the market, the listing agent will usually have what is called a broker's open house. Once a week the local real estate agents will spend a couple of hours over the lunch hour touring all the recently listed homes. They can't tour them all, so they often check out the ones that might be of interest for their current clients or perhaps the one that has the best food. Donna works with the listing agent and puts together a home cooked buffet lunch that is well known in the industry. Her broker's opens are well attended and they give the listing agent the opportunity to network with other agents that might have potential clients for the home. It also gives them the opportunity to get feedback from these agents of what might need to be improved for a quicker sale. So what does Donna think of franchising now? "I think franchising is the way to go. You have people that give you the tools and give you what you need. It saves me a lot of time and effort. I don't have to create the systems and brochures. As an entrepreneur, you have to do it all yourself." She went on to say, "I enjoy the interaction and helpful attitude between fellow franchisees. Marty facilitates a local monthly Franchise Owner's Group which I find very helpful. As franchise owners we have a kindred spirit to help each other succeed."   Donna presently has 19 homes occupied with house managers. She's had 29 homes sell in the past year with 3 more closings scheduled for September. She is presently on the Showhomes advisory council and she also mentors and trains new franchisees. She has had an active role in positive changes over the years. Since 1986, Showhomes has helped sell over 23,000 homes worth over $8 billion. Donna presently is a house manager in one of her listed Showhomes, but also has an office at 631 S. 70th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53214. She can be reached at 888-317-8122 X709 or e-mail her at dmuelver@showhomes.com. Or if you're somewhere outside her territory, visit www.Showhomes.com for your closest franchise office. One last testimonial for Donna: Last year we put my elderly mother in an assisted living home. Her house had been neglected and there was years of accumulation of "stuff" that I won't get into. I've worked hard to sort and sell all her belongings and get the house ready to be listed. I must say that I'm proud of how the house looks and the repairs that have been completed. But, it's now an attractive EMPTY house in a tough market. So, I have hired Donna to find a house manager and stage the house and work with my agent to facilitate a quick sale. If you're curious about the outcome, call me or send me an e-mail in about a month and I'll give you an update. And if you know someone looking for a nice home in the Milwaukee suburbs, definitely give me a call.

If you've had the curiosity or desire to own a business, but for whatever reason have ruled out franchising, perhaps now is the time to open your mind to possibilities. Donna kept an open mind and answered the door when opportunity knocked. Her husband and children are now partners in her franchise. She's created a nice income for her family, is building equity and enjoys the lifestyle she's created.