How to Start a Home Staging Business

Home staging is a profession which is becoming popular with time, and many people are looking to set up home staging businesses. Home stagers basically ‘stage’ a house to sell it. They assess a property which the owners wish to sell, and advise them on how they can sell it quicker by suggesting changes. What is required to be a home stager is a strong sense of design and an eye for detail; however, for a whole business, you will need considerable funds and persistence.

Assess your local real estate market

Before you start your home staging business, you must assess the local real estate market. Several creative and talented home stagers are without work because the locals in their region still don’t understand what home staging is about and what it can do for them. The need for home stagers varies between markets, but generally the more posh localities are where home stagers can thrive.

Check your finances

Before you commit to anything, you need to check whether you have enough finances to start and maintain a business for some time. It usually takes time for profits to start coming in, and you should have enough finances to stay afloat.

Get formal training

While you don’t need any degrees to become a home stager, there are several professional home stagers who hold training classes for newcomers and polish their skills. If you can find such a training program, it is recommended that you take it before you start your business.

Offer to stage houses for friends and relatives

To start off, you can ask your friends or relatives to allow you to stage their homes for sales. You can do it for free, and get the opportunity to experiment and learn new things. If you stage a few homes and successfully sell them, you can promote yourself using them.

Get cards printed

As a home stager, you will need to distribute as many visiting cards as you can. Contact a printer and place an order for visiting cards. It is even better if you can get additional goodies like pens, appliance magnets etc.

Rent office space

If you are going to be running a business, you will need a small office. Not only will it serve as your personal working space, it will also be a showcase for prospective clients. If you have ‘staged’ your own office well, it will be easier to impress clients. However, don’t go overboard with the place and only spend as much as you can easily afford.

Get your own website

In this day and age, every business needs a web presence. Your own website will make it easier for potential clients to find you and you can put up images of houses you have staged to showcase your work.

Find leads and deliver results

Once you have set up everything, you will need to work on leads. The best way to get good leads is to frequently check your local property listings. Any property which stays on the market for long is potential business for you. Reach out to the property owner and offer your services to sell the property quickly and with a good price. The more successful work you do, the more clients you will eventually get since home staging depends a lot on word of mouth.