So you want to be a home stager? Read on below to find out how you too can have a successful and rewarding career!
The first thing to understand is actually what a home stager is! Most simply they are a professional that works with the seller to present their property in the best possible light. With the aim to have the highest selling price in the shortest timeframe, it’s all about maximising return on investment (ROI).
At the moment the industry in Australia is unregulated and so there are no specific requirements in becoming a home stager. However, there are courses available like the IIHS course in Advanced Home Staging that are specifically developed for people wanting to start their career. A home stager must have a good grasp of core design principles, solid property knowledge, renovation and maintenance knowledge and be an extremely good communicator. If you are looking for a course make sure all these aspects are covered.
Once you’ve got your qualifications it’s time to get your first client. This can be very tricky, so make sure you’ve developed an authentic portfolio that showcases your styling and also your ability to maximise ROI. You might need to offer some favours to friends and family that are selling to get this portfolio started. Please DO NOT use internet images that are not your own, it makes you look fake and an amateur.
Once you’ve got your first client, the best way to get more is through relationship building. Selling a property is one of the biggest things people will do in their lives, hence trust and reputability is key. Work hard on building solid relationships and make sure you always over deliver. This reputation will see you with a constant and steady flow of good clients that want to work with you.
Alongside this it is also important to remember some big dos and don’ts when being a home stager.
Do’s
- Confidentiality is key.
- Communicate clearly and in multiple mediums to ensure that your client understands what you are asking them to do.
- Be authentic, always showcase your own work and use your own data to support your work, not someone else’s.
- Align yourself with like-minded agents.
Don’t
- Don’t promise what you cannot deliver.
- Never approach a consultation with a lack of sensitivity; there are often delicate circumstances around the sale of a house.
- Don’t associate your business with others in the industry that do not operate with the same core principles.
- Never complete work on a client’s house without appropriate paperwork.
- Don’t approach the job as a hobby; if you want to succeed and be taken seriously see it as a career.