Home staging is becoming an increasingly popular field, as more and more people are realizing the importance of making a good first impression. If you’re interested in starting a career in this lucrative field, keep reading! We’re going to answer some of your most frequently asked questions and provide guidance on how you can get started.
What is a home stager? This is a question that we get asked all the time, and it’s a great question. So, we figured we’d provide a crash course on everything you need to know about this exciting career path!
So, let’s dive right in!
What Does Home Staging Mean?
Home staging is the process of preparing a house for sale. The purpose of it is to make the house more appealing to potential buyers so that it will sell faster and for a higher price.
Pro Tip: Discover just how much home staging improves the sale of a home on the market!
What Is a Home Stager? The Answer!
A home stager is a professional who specializes in preparing homes for sale. They typically have some sort of background in interior decorating and/or real estate. Furthermore, they use their knowledge of trends and marketing to help sellers make their homes more appealing to potential buyers.
What Is The Goal Of a Home Stager?
The goal of a home stager is to help sellers make their homes more appealing to potential buyers. As a home stager, you’ll typically do this by making some cosmetic changes, such as rearranging furniture or adding some new accessories. Additionally, you may also suggest more significant changes to your clients’ homes, such as painting the walls or updating the fixtures.
What Does a Home Stager Do?
Additionally, you’ll also need to be able to provide guidance and advice to your clients on how they can make their homes more appealing to potential buyers. For example, if their home is too personalized, you may suggest that they remove some of their personal belongings before putting their home on the market. This way, potential buyers will be able to see themselves living in the home – which will make it more likely that they’ll make an offer.
Now that we know the goal of a home stager, how will you actually achieve it? Well, as a home stager, you’ll be responsible for making some cosmetic changes to your clients’ homes. This may include rearranging furniture, adding new accessories, or even painting the walls.
Other responsibilities you’ll have as a home stager include (but aren’t limited to):
- Working with clients to determine their needs
- Developing a customized plan for each client
- Coordinating with other professionals (e.g. real estate agents, painters, etc.)
- Executing the plan and making changes as needed
- Evaluating the results and making adjustments
As you can see, being a home stager is a lot more than just decorating a house! It’s a combination of customer service, marketing, and design.
What Is The Difference Between Home Staging and Interior Design?
While home staging and interior design are both concerned with making a house look its best, there is a key difference between the two.
Interior Design
Interior design is all about creating a space that is functional and reflects the client’s personal style. This is typically done for homes and/or commercial spaces that are not on the market. Ultimately, interior design is about creating a space that’s livable and stylish for the home or businessowner.
Home Staging
While home staging does take into account the style of the house, it’s more important that the house is neutral and uncluttered. This way, potential buyers will be able to see themselves living in the home. Additionally, a staged home will typically sell for more money and in a shorter amount of time than a non-staged home.
On the other hand, home staging is all about making a house appealing to potential buyers. In other words, home stagers are focused on creating a space that potential buyers will want to live in.
How Much Value Does Home Staging Add?
Now that we know what a home stager is and what they do, you might be wondering how much value they actually add to a home.
The answer is: quite a lot!
In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, homes that are staged typically sell for 17% more than non-staged homes. Additionally, staged homes also sell in a shorter amount of time – which is great news for sellers!
Is Staging Property Worth It?
Now, there are some homeowners out there who might think that they can stage their home themselves, in preparation for the real estate market. And while this is true, it’s important to remember that home staging is more than just decorating a house.
So, is hiring a professional stager worth it?
Absolutely!
A professional home stager has the experience and expertise to know what potential buyers are looking for. They also have the ability to see your home through the eyes of a buyer – which is something that most homeowners aren’t able to do.
Furthermore, a professional home stager will be able to provide you with a tailored plan for your home. This plan will take into account the unique features of your home, as well as your budget.
Hiring a professional home stager is an investment – but it’s one that will pay off in the long run!
How Much Does This Service Cost?
The cost of home staging services can vary, depending on a number of factors. These factors include (but are not limited to) the:
- Size of the house
- Location of the house
- Condition of the house
- Amount of furniture that needs to be moved/replaced
Typically, these services range from $500 to $5000. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the return on investment (ROI) for home staging is typically around 500%. So, even if a homeowner spends $5000 on staging services, for instance, they can expect to see a return of $25,000!
Also, additional services that are required (e.g. painting, repairs, etc.) will also affect the overall cost.
What Is a Home Stager Salary?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as home stagers can set their own prices. However, most home stagers charge an hourly rate – which typically ranges from $50 to $200 per hour.
Factors That Will Affect Your Salary
As with any other job, there are a number of factors that will affect your salary as a home stager. These include (but again, are not limited to):
- Location
- Experience
- Reputation/Portfolio
- The services you offer
- The type of client you work with
For instance, home stagers who work in larger cities or who have more experience will typically charge more than those who don’t. Additionally, home stagers who offer additional services (e.g. design consultation, color consultations, etc.) can also expect to see a higher salary.
What You Can Expect To Earn in Different Countries
While salaries for home stagers can vary quite a bit, depending on the factors we just mentioned, there are some general trends that we can see. For instance, in the following countries, you can expect to earn the following annual incomes (based on up-to-date info as of August, 2022):
- United States: Average yearly income: approx. $46,922 USD. Salary ranges from approx. $20,500 USD to $75,500 USD. (Source: ZipRecruiter)
- Canada: Average yearly income: approx. $74,690 CAD for real estate staging. Salary ranges from approx. $22,390 CAD to $186,500 CAD. (Source: ZipRecruiter)
- United Kingdom: Average yearly income: approx. £49,600 GBP. Income can get as high as £80,500 GBP annually for experienced stagers. (Source: The Burning Of Rome)
- Australia: Average yearly income: approx. $83,032 AUD. Salary ranges for property stylists range from approx. $55,000 AUD to $65,000 AUD per year. (Sources: Indeed and Jora)
As you can see, there’s quite a bit of variation in terms of what home stagers can earn – even within different countries! One thing’s consistent, though: with the right skills and experience, home stagers can earn a VERY comfortable living!
Do You Need a Certification?
This is a common question that people have – but the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. In some countries (such as the United States), there are no laws or regulations that require home stagers to have any sort of certification.
Other countries, however, do have certification requirements in place. For instance, in Australia, all home stagers must have a Certificate IV in Design (or equivalent).
So, if you’re interested in becoming a home stager, it’s important to do your research and find out what the requirements are in your country.
What If You Live In a Country That Doesn’t Require Certification?
Does this mean you get a free pass and shouldn’t still obtain one?
Our answer is a strong NO!
While certification isn’t required, it’s still remarkably beneficial – especially if you’re just starting out in your career.
Why? Because having a certification can help you stand out from the competition. It shows that you’re serious about your craft and that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job right.
Additionally, many clients feel more confident working with a certified home stager. Thus, not having a certification can wind up costing you a ton of great jobs. For this reason (and many others), even if certification isn’t required in your country, we still recommend that you get one!
How To Become a Certified Home Staging Professional
If you’re interested in becoming a certified home stager, there are a few steps you’ll need to take.
First, you’ll need to find a home staging course that’s right for you. There are many different courses available, both online and offline. Just make sure to do your research and choose a reputable course provider.
Pro Tip: We highly recommend the self-paced, online Home Staging certification course offered by QC Design School!
Once you’ve found a course you like, the next step is to complete the training and pass your process successfully. Once you’ve done that, you’ll officially be a certified home stager!
From there, it’s time to start marketing your business and landing some clients. If you need some help getting started, be sure to check out our article on how to start a home staging business in 10 easy steps!
Helpful Resources To Bookmark
If you’re interested in this exciting career path, here are some excellent, informative blog articles to bookmark and keep on-hand:
- How To Become a Home Stager: The Ultimate Guide
- Do You Have What It Takes To Be a Home Stager?
- How To Choose a Home Staging School in 5 Easy Steps
- 25 Business Tips For Home Stagers
- How To Get Clients As a Home Stager
- 4 Tips For Booking Virtual Home Staging Jobs
- Why Real Estate Agents Should Take Home Staging Courses
- Why Curb Appeal Knowledge Is Critical To Home Staging Training
- Depersonalizing: How Home Staging Courses Take The Home Out Of a House
- How To Find Home Staging Jobs During The Slow Season
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you a better understanding of what a home stager is, what they do, and how to start a career in this exciting field!
Are YOU interested in becoming a certified staging expert? If so, be sure to check out the Home Staging certification course offered by QC Design School. In as little as 3 short months, you can become an International Staging and Redesign Professional (ISRP)!
Got any tips or thoughts to add? Leave us a comment below – we’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading!
