How to Become a Home Stager?

Do you have a passion for home decorating? If so, you could put your talents to good use by becoming a home stager. Professional stagers come from all sorts of unique backgrounds, regardless of education or experience. All you need is the drive to put your artistic abilities into action. Learn everything you need to know about how to become a home stager and what it takes to thrive in this industry.

What is the Benefit of Staged Homes?

If you’re relatively new to the concept of home staging, you might be wondering what’s the benefit of staged homes. Simply put, they sell faster. When a home is being placed on the market, staging prepares the property for when potential buyers come to view it. Home stagers will remove clutter and add or rearrange furnishings to highlight the best features in a home to make it appear move-in ready. This helps prospective buyers visualize themselves living in the property which increases the chances of landing a sale.

How to be a House Stager

You will see many companies offering training programs that claim to provide official credentials to become a professional home stager. However, these are quite misleading. The home staging industry in the US is not regulated which means there are no official credentials or education required. So, for those wondering how to be a house stager, you could essentially set up a business and begin offering your own services as soon as you feel ready to jump in.

But of course, like with anything, some education and training can be beneficial for succeeding in your career. There are accredited home staging programs that you can take to understand the necessities of running an efficacious home staging business. This can help you avoid costly errors and improve your probability of obtaining a steady client base in the future.

Steps to Becoming a Home Stager

The journey to becoming a home stager can vary for everyone. However, there are some typical steps involved that will aid in your success, which we discuss below.

Practice Your Home Staging Skills

Practice makes perfect, and like all professions, the more experience you have, the more of an asset you’ll be to your clients. To present your best work to paying clients, it’s wise to begin building your skillset by offering complimentary services first to relatives, friends, or even a local non-profit.

Create a Portfolio

In any creative field, visual aids are imperative to show potential clients examples of your work and make a good first impression. Clients need to feel confident that you not only understand their needs and wants, but that you have an artistic eye and can deliver satisfactory results. Thus, you should document each home that you stage by taking high-quality photos to create a portfolio for your website.

Join Home Staging Networks

Home stagers frequently collaborate with realtors, property management companies, designers, and other stagers. And the best way to rub shoulders with these professionals to help advance your career is by joining home staging or real estate-based networks. These can be a major asset for developing positive relationships, which can increase the likelihood of gaining referrals. Joining online groups via social media platforms can also be valuable for networking and learning more about the ins and outs of running your own successful home staging business.

How to Stage a Home – The Essentials

Appearances truly matter when it comes to selling a home. So, as a home stager, it will be your job to present properties in the best possible light. Here are a few of the essential must-haves that should be considered for how to stage a home properly.

Clean and Clear Away Clutter

Nothing will dissuade buyers faster than a property that looks dirty, unkempt, and filled with junk. Thus, the first and most crucial step for staging is performing a deep clean and eliminating clutter. Buyers will be looking at everything, from closets to baseboards. So, every inch of the property needs attention. Removing clutter also helps to depersonalize the property, making it easier for buyers to establish a positive connection with the home.

Think About Scale and Proportion

Furniture makes or breaks the look of a room. If there is oversized furniture, it will consume the space and make it appear cramped and uninviting. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of scale and proportion when choosing which pieces of furniture to remove and add to a home. Keep in mind that the overall aesthetic should be open, so less is more.

Stage with Intention

Each property will differ from the next which is why staging with intention is key. This means that any items used to stage a home should be chosen based on the target buyers, listing price, location, and the overall vibe that you’re aiming to achieve.

Repaint with Neutrals

One of the quickest and most effective ways to refresh or modernize a home is by adding a new coat of paint. If there are dark, bright, or clashing colors used throughout, have it repainted with a neutral palette instead. This will make the space appear brighter and more spacious.

Use Layered Lighting

Home buyers are always looking for a property that feels welcoming, and layered lighting is the best way to achieve this. In addition to ceiling light fixtures, use floor lamps, task lamps, and table lamps to create a cozy ambiance.

With the right skills and motivation, you could be well on your way to creating an exciting and fulfilling career as a home stager.