When I noticed that all of the gurus I respected most offered a 7 tips precis of their position/ topic, I sat down and came up with my own 7 tips. It was HARD. To begin with I couldn’t come up with 7. Then I had 9 and couldn’t get it back down. Eventually, I settled in on the 7 key things that yield the most value and that have been the bedrock of my home staging practice over the last 6 years.

The 3rd tip is the least obvious until you know it, and then it becomes so logical that you will do the V-8 slap on the forehead! I’m talking about lighting!

The most noticeable difference between older homes and brand new construction is the updated lighting. Recessed cans, strategically placed pendants, iron chandeliers make such a difference in how a space feels. Three tips to keep in mind as you review your own lighting specs.

1. Chandeliers & Ceiling Fixtures

Brass light fixtures signal a reno in the 80s. They look dated now, and have often weathered poorly if there is any damp in the house. Wrought iron is the updated version, and stainless steel gives a clean contemporary look… for now. Crystal carries you across the divide without penalty. The same goes for flush-mounted ceiling fixtures. Anything other than brass, and the more interesting the shapes of the glass or shade the better.

2. Down light

Rooms with no overhead fixtures also look dated. You can add lots of standard lamps, but the problem with up light only is that the space tends to look like a vintage theater. We are accustomed to the mix – light from the ceiling (down light) and table or standard lamps to fill in the mid-space. Some folks like a floor can behind a plant for a designer look… I think it’s a hard effect to pull off and I’m darn sure the realtor isn’t getting on the floor to turn the thing on as they show the home!

3. Bulb Color

GE Reveal bulbs started the craze for me – of a more natural looking color of light. Reveals intend to replicate daylight. They do by by casting a blue hue. It’s a much prettier, fresher caliber of light than the yellow cast by standard bulbs. It changes your color palette overall and makes the spaces immediately look more modern. Some people suggest that the spaces look a little more open. I’m not sure. I do know that the blue freshens up all of the whites in the room.

There are lots of ways to update the lighting… here are 3 big impact, powerful changes you can make to put your home into Olympic-competitive readiness to go to market.

By: Juliet A Johnson

About the Author:

I receive many emails from people who are completely confused by the various home staging training programs available. With so many options, I can understand the frustration. I have created the following list to help you ask the right questions when researching the various programs:

1. If a program offers hands on training, how is it done?

I’ve heard far too many stories of groups of 40 or more people spending most of their day in their own (or a rental) car driving to various far-flung locations only to take turns rearranging a living room.

2. Is the trainer a recognized expert in the field of home staging?

3. Will the training prepare you for the realities of being an entrepreneur?

No matter how talented you are at staging or decorating, if you don’t know how to do the following tasks, you will not make a living at this business: price your services properly, cost effectively market your business, effectively promote yourself to the right audiences, create your own portfolio, find potential clients, get media attention.

A worthwhile training program should really cover all these areas; otherwise they are just talking to you about what will amount to nothing more than a creative hobby.

4. Does the trainer have real world experience starting and growing a profitable home staging business? If they haven’t done it, how do they know what they’re talking about?

I remember when I did my Masters degree in business, there were professors spouting all kinds of great theories, but only the professors who had actually worked in the real world offered anything really useful or actionable.

5. Has the trainer proved they know how to get media attention for their expertise as a home stager? If not, how will they teach you to do it?

6. Does the company give you an opportunity to learn and ask questions about their program before signing up?

7. Is free information available to aspiring stagers and others or is it all about the money? Is the free information quality content or just fluff?

8. What do past students say about the program? What business success have they experienced?

9. Can you talk to the trainer personally before deciding?

10. Can you attend a free preview to experience something about what the program will be like?

11. Does the program offer a Satisfaction Guarantee? In other words, will you get your money back if it’s not what you expected?

12. Is the format of the program or the way it is delivered practical for you? Will you have to travel or be away from family for a few days?

13. Are you being promised anything that sounds too good to be true or unrealistic?

14. Are you being promised official credentials for completing the program so that you will be a “real” home stager; or does the training company admit that home staging is a completely unregulated field that does not require any credentials at all?

15. What type of ongoing support does the company provide for its graduates?

Don’t assume because a program costs more that it is better. Make sure you’ve answered the above questions so you know what you’re getting for your money. While there is a wide variation in the costs of home staging training, this should not be the first criteria. The reality is that home staging is a very lucrative business if you know what you are doing on the business side.

So, whether you spend a few hundred dollars more or less on a program is not significant when you consider the big picture. The key is getting what you need from a program and positioning yourself to take your passion for decorating and interest in real estate and turn it into a profitable and creatively satisfying business.

By: Debra Gould

About the Author:

If you follow these five steps, you will be well on your way to become a professional Home Stager.

Step #1 Overcoming Fear Get over the fear of staging someone else’s home. Are you holding yourself back because deep down you’re afraid that you won’t always know what changes to make when you’re actually staging someone’s home? You’ll realize that you are making a difference and are really helping the sellers sell their house.

Sellers may already have made repairs, repainted, and cleaned the carpets. But they don’t always realize the power of small details.

You as a “Stager” can make all the difference in this market and help the seller sell the home.

Sellers always want to sell their home quickly and for as much money as possible. Home staging has the power to help the seller arrive at their goals and you’re helping them do this. Also, as an added plus, you as a Home Stager are helping the Buyer visualize themselves as living there.

Step#2 Your Designing Objective Always keep in mind that you are “designing to sell,” not “designing to live. Home Staging (House Staging, House Fluffing, House Primping) is the art of decorating a home to sell quickly and for top dollar.

Step#3 Making Mistakes Aren’t sure how to avoid the common home staging pitfalls? You don’t have to worry about making mistakes, because you’ll be getting more excellent information from the more experienced who have, through trial and error, learned the common pitfalls and how to avoid them. They will be passing their experience on to you. A well designed and complete check list helps to make sure you’ve done your job well.

Step#4 Your Worth Understand from the more experienced and get an insight into what your services are worth. This will give you confidence so you will have a solid foundation to grow your real estate staging business.

Step#5 Common Sense and Tip#1 Use your common sense. Just stand at the front door and think like you’re the buyer and imagine what they see when they walk inside. Most likely, when they walk in they see that the house is too “cluttered”. Therefore, your first task is to remove what is obviously in your way. Repeat this as you go from room to room. When you’re done, the path opens up and you can actually see what the rooms (though they are now “uncluttered”) really look like. The added benefit of removal of items is that the house packing is getting underway.

When you successfully stage a home what you are really doing is to set the stage for potential buyers to fall in love with it and say “this is the home we want!”

Tip#2 Why Your Are So Needed? You, are the key to getting houses sold because the real estate market is flat. Real estate agents and sellers desperately need your services to speed up the house sale. Instead of taking months and sometimes years to sell, with house staging, prospective buyer are easier and more eager to buy. The result is a quicker house sale.

By: Gary McCreary

About the Author:

Selling a house can be a daunting task for any home owner. One of the most important things a home owner looks for when selling property is the prospect of a quick sale. No one likes to keep a house on the market indefinitely with no likelihood of a buy. Getting a reasonably good price is another equally important factor. This is where a home staging interior designer can help.

A home staging interior designer dresses up an existing house to make it more ‘salable’. A home staging interior designer can offer to make a house look attractive to prospective customers at very competitive rates and increase the prospects of a sale double fold. They do not remodel an entire house from start to finish but concentrate their design efforts only on key rooms or areas of the house. This contributes to a maximization of returns on the house.

Professionals say that when selling a home, first impressions are vital. Houses with a cluttered unappealing look can stay on the market for months and years without being sold. One of the most common elements of home staging is to ‘de-clutter’ any rooms which are unorganized and untidy allowing a potential buyer to visualize how they would like to utilize the space.

As decorative tastes are very personal some people like to use bold strong colors of paint on their walls. This can be very off-putting to a potential buyer, in which case it is often suggested to repaint using a neutral color scheme to allow the buyer to view the room as a blank canvas.

Unlike a typical interior designer who brings new elements into the home to make it livable, a skilled home staging designer works with existing elements, adding very few or minimal elements to modify the look. The owner after all intends to sell the house and move out. Home staging interior designers make effective and creative use of design pieces like mirrors, lamps, plants, rugs, baskets, plastic chairs, and pillows to build on existing room colors and furniture. When well done, staging draws the eye to the best features of the house while minimizing the flaws and diverting attention from the more un-pleasing features of the house.

A home staging interior designer usually offers a consultation service to determine the needs of the client’s home. A rough estimate of the cost is available at this point. Once the client and the designer have agreed, the plan is set to task. The prices for a home staging interior designer’s services vary depending on location and demand. For a home owner, it is advisable to refer to a number of home staging interior designers to obtain a feel of the prices. The home owner should bear in mind that top design companies may charge more for their expertise. Also, costs can be cut down by doing the major chunk of the basic ground work (For example; repainting, carpet cleaning and de-cluttering) before seeking out the designer.

By: Innis Desborough

About the Author:

As with any new business defining a home staging business plan should be on the top of your to-do list when thinking about starting a home staging business.

With the current housing market in a decline and housing prices falling many home sellers are in need of home staging consultants which makes it a perfect time to start your own business.

If you have a passion for decorating and real estate then this is the first step of starting your staging business writing a solid business plan.

Creating a home staging business plan will help you stay focused and on track to get your new career started.

To start with a found this great e-book at Home-Staging-Business.info that includes these home staging business plan points:

Proposal Form Business Checklist #1- home staging step-by-step Home Staging Report Home Staging Business Worksheet (11 pages) Agent Contact Data Form (keep track of all those agents you’ll be talking to) Homeowner Survey Form Staging Checklist #2 (guides you through all the staging techniques for every room in the home Home Staging Checklist #3 – Home Staging Tools Business Mileage Form
Establishing what funds will be needed and an outline on how you will spend them is an important step in your home staging business plan.Even if you don’t need a loan for start up a good business plan is an excellent way to stay on task. It’s also good to have handy and follow should your business take off and you start considering loans to grow.There are many sections to a business plan such as:

Determine how much you will need to set aside to market to real estate agents, home sellers, home flippers and small builders. Outline where you will spend your money to avoid getting in over your head. Go to the small business administration and understand what permits, licenses, and taxes you need to know about. Come up with a business name or use your own name. Still don’t know where to start? You have to read this great e-book I found at Home-Staging-Business.info, it really helped me get started with my business plan.

By: Tracy Fredrychowski

About the Author: