Inspired by “Sweetie Pie,” her grandmother, Amy Wagner became a professional home stager for her company Reflections of You, by Amy in 2008. In just a few years, she’s hit the ground running and become an award-winning interior designer. Now, she’s expanded her business by becoming a realtor with Kraft Fine Homes, brokered by eXp Realty.
In 2012, Amy designed her first Homearama Showcase Home, approaching the project through the eyes of a stager; the goal was to sell the house. Due to this approach, the home sold within three days, and Amy was also awarded the Favorite Interior Designer of the show. In 2015, after years of working with contractors on kitchen and bath remodels, Amy decided to start A & K Home Services as a general contractor where she now runs the crews for remodeling projects. It was a natural fit for Amy to expand and get her real estate license in October 2020, now working with Kraft Fine Homes, brokered by eXp Realty.
Amy adds value to the customer’s experience by dealing with all layers of the buying, design, and remodeling world. If a client is interested in selling their home, she first goes with them, room by room, through a walk-through. Her goal is to help create a turn-key listing for potential buyers, which means they can move and live in the house right away, eliminating future projects. The company can replace countertops, paint, stage, and more; Amy says clients can use her company as much or as little as they want, but she will see the project from beginning to end.
Reflections of You, by Amy offers 6,000-square-feet of furniture and accessories to stage vacant homes, or they can provide decluttering and pre-packing services to better showcase the home. “I tell clients, ‘Keep in mind, we are selling the house, not your pretty things,’' Amy says. So, she focuses on architectural features and the focal points for buyers, including staging, updating, and listing the home for the current owner. When clients follow Amy’s plan, she says she can sell their home faster and for top dollar.
Now, Amy’s reputation precedes her. She’s featured on a local home improvement show, Kraft Fine Homes Luxury Showcase of Homes (airs at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on WBNA), in multiple magazines, as well as on other marketing avenues like social media. Because of her great reputation in the community and with clients, Amy doesn’t put her name on a property unless it is move-in ready. “The proof is in the pudding,” she says. Amy knows her stuff, too. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Louisville, and certification in Expert
Psychological Staging, so she can eliminate the emotional triggers in a home that will push away or draw in potential buyers. Amy says the quality of her advice and services is what set her apart from other companies. When a client lists a property with Amy and Kraft Fine Homes, she charges a flat staging rate that the homeowner can waive until closing. When she’s taking on a customer as a buying agent, Amy eliminates questions they might have on remodeling costs, so they understand completely what they’re looking at financially, then she hires a team for the renovation. Amy’s company can furnish the home, provide window treatments, area rugs, appliances, and more. “I can help as much or as little as you want,” she says.
Amy says she wants to take the stress out of the process of buying and selling. She feels great when someone sells their home based on her advice. “(It’s the) icing on the cake, the rewarding feeling that I get when I’ve helped sell their house fast and for top dollar,” she says. “If you follow my plan, it will sell for top dollar and fast. There’s a value in the advice I give folks.”
