Real Estate/Home Staging
Training & Requirements in the Staging and Home Improvement Industry
Home Stagers are credited with helping homeowners sell their homes quickly and at top dollar.
With the housing market becoming more and more competitive, homeowners are looking for ways to get an edge on the competition. They are doing this by hiring professionals called Home Stagers to help them present their home in it’s best light. If you’ve ever watched HGTV (Home and Garden Television), then you've probably seen Home Stagers at work on shows like Designed to Sell, Get It Sold, Bought & Sold or Secrets that Sell.
What do Home Stagers Do? Home Stagers (sometimes referred to as interior redesigners) come into a property and do a walk through to determine what needs to be changed to sell the home as quickly as possible and for the highest possible price. Some function simply as consultants, advising clients concerning changes that need to be made to their home. Other home stagers provide a full service including house cleaning, organizing, painting, accessorizing, landscaping and home furnishings.
About the Industry - The Home Staging Industry is non-regulated, meaning there are no licenses or certifications required, and no rules or regulations governing the industry. That said, the backgrounds of home stagers vary considerably. Because of the similarities in industries, many come from real estate and interior design backgrounds. Others might be entrepreneur types looking to go into business for themselves. Overall, a good potential home stager should be detail oriented, thorough, highly professional, and well organized. Because most stagers are self-employed, they should also have a basic knowledge of business management.
Education/Training Required - Some home stagers are self-taught, while others receive formal training. One such training is offered through the International Association of Home Staging. This three-day course can be taken in most major cities throughout the United States and Canada. The course covers topics such as - consultations, tips/techniques for staging a house, finding clients, setting prices, and writing bids/proposals. The cost of the course is a little less than $2,500, and upon completion one will receive the designation of Accredited Home Stager.
Outlook/Salary - Staging is a relatively new profession having only been around for the last 30 years or so. The outlook for employment seems to be good although there is a lot of competition. Many stagers partner with or at least have contractual agreements with one or more realtors. In fact, most referrals to home staging companies come from realtors. Other jobs may come from FSBO (For Sale By Owner) property owners and residential builders.
Although fees/pricing vary considerably, on average stagers charge anywhere from $50 - $250 per hour. Some home stagers work from home, while others have separate offices. Full service home staging companies have employees on staff to help with things such as cleaning and moving furniture. They also keep an inventory of items such as artwork, lighting, accessories and furniture to be used in staging their client’s homes.
