G U I D E

HOW TO GET STARTED UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS

EXPECTED EARNINGS STATISTICS and more

W W W. I A H S P.C O M

Home Stager's

to the

S t a g i n gHOMES t a g i n g

T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f H o m e S t a g i n g P r o f e s s i o n a l s ®

A n I n d u s t r y P u b l i c a t i o n b y :

i n d u s t r yi n d u s t r y

CONTENTS

1             OVERVIEW OF THE STAGING INDUSTRY

2             HOW STAGING IMPACTS REAL ESTATE

3             ABOUT IAHSP®

4             HOW TO GET STARTED

7             S IX DO'S AND DON' TS

8             HOW TO BUILD A MILLION DOLLAR

                STAGING BUSINESS

9             HOW TO GET BUSINESS

10            PROCESS AND DEFINIT IONS

15            HOW TO STAND OUT AND BE A

                PARTNER IN SUCCESS

16            STATISTICS AND COURSE INFO

Stage®, IAHSP®, The International Association of Home Staging Professionals® are  Federally Registered Trademark of Barb Inc.   All rights reserved.  Copyright 2021 IAHSP®.  Cannot be reproduced without permission.  Contact Jennie@iahsp.com for printing and use permissions.

overview of the home staging industry

Home Staging was started in 1972 when the phrase was coined by a successful REALTOR®, Barb Schwarz, from the Seattle area. It was not until the late 1990's that the first Home Staging Training Company - Stagedhomes.com, offered courses    to teach real estate agents about the importance of including staging as a key listing and marketing tool, and for people who wanted to own and operate a successful staging business. By the mid-2000's, Home Staging was in most major metro markets as a real estate service and the first statistics for staging were issued by IAHSP in 2003. In the beginning, Staging was done more for occupied homes where sellers were advised on what to do to prepare their home for sale. As the service grew, so did the need for furnishing vacant properties so buyers could properly see what would fit, what the use and purpose of rooms were, and to create a needed visual appeal to net the best offer. Today, in many markets, Home Staging is used as a standard service by savvy real estate agents who want to net the most in the sale of a property.    Investors and Builders also include Staging for their properties and understand the importance of visual presentation for buyers. As the real estate market continues to be extremely competitive, real estate agents need to differentiate themselves from their competition, and including professional Home Staging as a key listing and marketing tool. Home Stagers are a valuable industry partner and are in demand to help houses look their best. 1

how staging impacts the real estate industryPartnering with professional Home Stagers is a vital part of listing a property for sale. Knowing where to find professionally trained home stagers is critical for REALTORS®, Builders, Investors, and Sellers. In a hot market, Staging helps houses sell for even MORE! In a standard and/or slower market, Staging helps houses sell FASTER! There are an estimated fewer than 10,000 professional Home Stagers in the industry worldwide. We are a microcosm of the overall real estate industry globally yet we have a significant impact on the process of buying and selling houses. In 2019, an estimated 5 million properties were bought and sold in the US*. Based on our data compiled from our industry members, approximately one million of those properties involved using a Stager. In other words, Staging had estimated impact on 20% of the properties bought and sold in the US. We interacted with 20% of the Listing Agents, Impacted 20% of Buyers Agents, and 20% of Sellers and Buyers. As such, it is evident Staging is a vital part of marketing and selling a property. Industry partners need to include Home Staging as a standard part of their business services and industry influencers and real estate brokerages need to encourage the professional Staging of all properties for sale and partner with educators and industry partners. In 2020, brokerages began including budgets for Staging and renovations as a benefit of listing with their agents, and more companies have joined this trend. What this means for the real estate industry is Home Staging is becoming a

*Source: Inman Connect, Jan 2020

standard offering by listing agents to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to sellers, and who understand the importance of a best first impression. Home Staging also helps meet the expectations of Buyers who are influenced more and more by the media, television shows, publications and social media on what they should expect when buying a property. Demographics and proper targeting of the property buyer is crucial to get an offer that meets or exceeds seller expectations. A professionally trained stager should be knowledgeable and confident in understanding the role demographics play in how a house is presented to buyers. Surprisingly, there are still some markets in the United States where staging is considered a "new" service. When we look at other countries, staging is emerging but they are about 15-20 years behind the US and Canada as far as process, logistics and mindset of agents.     One day, we predict properties will not be listed for sale without a professional assessment by a Pro-Stager. This sets up a great partnership with agents who see the value in adding to their team, taking themselves out of the proverbial hot-seat, and maximizing their time and effort to focus on income generating activities and production by turning over the management of the staging process to a pro. Home Stagers need to position themselves as PROFESSIONALS who are trained to understand how to properly Stage properties for sale and how to partner in success with their clients. 2

With thousands of members worldwide, IAHSP®, The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®, is the largest and longest running Home Staging Industry Trade Association. With members in over 20 countries, and 6 continents, IAHSP® is truly the only global Home Staging Association in existence. They sponsor courses in Europe through the IAHSP®-Europe Association, and host annual educational conferences in the US and Europe. Since 1999, IAHSP® has been dedicated to advancing the education and staging excellence of Home Staging industry professionals as they prepare homes for sale. Members serve the public to the best of their ability built upon the principles, practices, and education found in approved courses and designations required for membership. When the public searches for a Pro-Stager, they look for the IAHSP® logo that indicates Stagers are an approved member and have education in staging. The IAHSP® is like the NAR® of the Staging world.    Just like a REALTOR® has advanced credentials above a licensed real estate agent, adheres to a Code of Ethics, and has annual educational requirements, IAHSP® is the ONLY industry association, alliance or group that requires education first to join, and requires members to adhere to a Code of Ethics. Other groups give membership to anyone who calls themselves a "stager," putting profit over professionalism. Because the staging industry is not regulated, we have people enter the industry with no foundation outside of watching HGTV. They are not educated on how to handle clients, price their services, address concerns, and represent you as their client. In order to overcome this challenge within our industry, the IAHSP® association sets standards of excellence, ethics and education and is the benchmark to which all professional stagers aspire. All IAHSP® Leadership Team members own and operate successful Home Staging businesses and believe in building relationships and community with our present and future members. We are the ONLY Association whose leaders are active IN the industry they serve.     IAHSP® does not discriminate against any industry member based on race, faith, sexual orientation, political ideology, or age. We support all industry members with the goal of helping them to grow and thrive.

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Home Staging is a lucrative business for those who want to earn

income from their creativity and talent. Professional Home Stagers

can make 6+ figures in their business with many companies well

into the 7 figures. Treat it like a business from the start and it will

reward you like a business.

Home Staging is an EXCITING business and viable career option for those interested in earning money from their creativity and talent.    Since its inception in the early 1970's to the launch of the first professional home staging businesses in the late 1990's to the present - Home Staging has grown as a VITAL and NECESSARY part of selling a property. You are reading this guide because YOU are interested in learning about the industry and probably asking some of the same questions current stagers had when they contemplated being a Home Stager.    We have included the most common questions we hear in this guide and of course, if you have other questions as you read through this, please feel free to email Jennie@iahsp.com. 1. Can I make good money as a Home Stager?     YES.    The KEY is how you lay your foundation for success. If you treat Home Staging as a hobby, it will reward you like a hobby. When you treat it like a 6+ figure business, it will reward you as a 6+ figure business. Home Stagers are not paid like a retail or even corporate job - hourly or maybe salary.    Instead we are paid according to the type of service we are providing and the real estate market where we live. We charge a flat rate for most of our work, and our services are on par with what those tied to the real estate industry earn for their contribution in the process of selling or buying a property. 2.    Do I HAVE to take a Staging course?         YES and NO.    The answer is YES when you are serious about growing a thriving business that is 5-7+ figures.    Education = Success. You want to get a firm foundation for success and get access to ongoing resources that will help you succeed as you grow.    Yes - we are talking about EDUCATION.    You will shorten your learning curve and success journey significantly by investing in yourself and your future now. If you just want to dabble around and have a little "mad money," then you probably don't want to invest in your education and knowledge as a pro- Home Stager. And you will not be seen as a professional, will most likely not be priced according to your value, and move on to the next thing that grabs your attention when you are not making enough money to support your business. The good news is we are not talking about years of education with intense courses and homework.    Most Staging Courses are 24-40 hours of education. You can complete your core base training in 3-5 days, or over a period of a couple of weeks for the self-paced programs. At the end of your course, you will be issued credentials - we'll share more about those shortly. The courses are fast-paced, fun, and do not have tests and pop quizzes that you find in traditional school. 3.    What Do You Mean? Isn't Staging the Same as Decorating?         Home Staging is NOT interior design or decorating.    A reputable course teaches you that - and it is one of the CORE PRINCIPLES of Home Staging.    A professionally trained and educated Stager knows the goal of Staging is not to decorate a house - or to get hung up on interior design processes, fabrics, story boards, etc. Pro-Stagers understand WHO the target client is, HOW to properly Stage a property to attract that demographic, and WHAT furnishings, artwork and decor to use in these properties.

Jennie Norris, IAHSP® Chairwoman

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Home Staging o�ers flexibility not found in a traditional retail or

corporate job structure. It is one of the aspects that attracts so many to the industry as you can decide how

much time you want to put into your business based on your

financial goals.

4) How Can I Tell if a Course is Right for Me?         That is a great question. In the beginning, there was ONE course that provided a solid foundation for         the industry growth. Over time, other courses popped up - developed by graduates or former trainers         of the first course.    At last count, there are no less than 30 courses being touted online and it IS hard         to know which one is a good one.    So here are some tips:             A)Don't base it all on PRICE.    You should expect to pay between $1200-$2200 for a reputable                 course. That may seem like a lot of money, but believe us - it is not compared to the potential                 income you can make. A reputable course will actually TEACH YOU how to RECOUP your initial                 COURSE INVESTMENT in short order. Advanced Courses can be $2500-$4000.         B)Look at the CONTENT.    What you want to take is a STAGING BUSINESS COURSE. So many                 people look at the Home Staging industry and fantasize about being able to shop for lots of                 household furnishings, get houses to look nice, and the "fun" part of creating an experience for                 anyone who walks into a Staged property.    The TRUTH IS - many of the courses FAIL to teach                 BUSINESS FOUNDATION STEPS from Set-up, Budgeting, Marketing, Sales, Pricing and steps                 that go into successfully launching, marketing, managing and maintaining a successful business. If                 you are a CREATIVE person - you probably are not that great with the business side. In fact, it                 might even bore you or scare you just a little bit to think about having to keep track of all that                 "stuff."    However, it is NECESSARY to build your business on a SOLID FOUNDATION of SUCCESS.                 A reputable course not only teaches you WHAT to do, they provide the RESOURCES to help you,                 and provides a FRAMEWORK - or BUSINESS PLAN to help you set goals, monitor progress, and                 ensure you are able to project your business success forward.    Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail.                 One of the MOST important things you need to LEARN in your Staging Course is PRICING -                 what does YOUR MARKET SUPPORT for Staging - and HOW do you price your services. The                 course you select MUST teach you SPECIFICS on what your market supports - and if it does not                    do that - move on.    Otherwise, you are being left to "guess" at what and how you should charge for                 your services, which usually leads to leaving money on the table and lowering the industry standards,                both of which are not wise moves.             C)Ask about their HISTORY.    Longevity Matters in this Industry.    You don't want a one-and-done                 course where the last o�cial act of the training company is to take your money.    Ask HOW LONG                 HAVE THEY BEEN IN BUSINESS. A Reputable course should have a track record. You want to                 know they will be there for you in 5 or 10 years.    Lots of Stagers fantasize about developing a course,                 and teaching others what they know and love - and then about 1-2 year into it - they decide they                 don't like having to run that training biz - they are not making enough money - and so they turn                 their focus back to Staging or some other creative field.    It takes guts and staying power to last                 long-term as an EDUCATOR. Then ASK what RESOURCES you will have access to post-course.                 Forms and Templates are nice. Added Education on specific aspects of business growth is good.                    Membership in a reputable home staging industry association is better. And a COMBO of all 3 - is                 the best!

Jennie Norris, IAHSP® Chairwoman

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When you earn credentials in Home Staging, you are telling future

clients that you are a quality Stager who is qualified to work with them in order to help them achieve the

results they want. Credentials give us Credibility

and Clout with our Clients.     D) ASK what RESOURCES you will have access to post-course.                 Forms and Templates are nice. Added Education on specific aspects of business growth is good.                    Membership in a reputable home staging industry association is better. And a COMBO of all 3 - is                 the best! ASK when the last UPDATE of the COURSE CONTENT was done.    A reputable course                 will update their content several times per year to keep up on trends, processes, events, and more.                 There should be an online portal for you to access that has things you can download and use, as well                 as added niche-specific education you can take as you grow.         E) ASK WHO is at the HELM of the company and CHECK on whether or not the person or                 persons are active IN Staging CURRENTLY.    There are many courses that have owner at the helm                 that have not Staged a house PERSONALLY in years!    Education is great - but you cannot teach                 what you do not know.                 The same goes for the TRAINERS who are teaching the courses. They should                 ALL have experience IN Staging as a business owner - so they walk the walk, not just talk the talk.             This is important because you WILL have questions. You want answers from someone who is IN the                 business now - understands what is happening the real estate market, understands trends for colors                 and styles, and most importantly, can lead you where they have been on a path of success.    If the                 course developer has stepped OUT of that role, they no longer have their finger on the pulse of the                 industry and are not equipped to teach YOU what you need to know TODAY to be successful. 5) What Training Options are there?    A reputable course provider will have several options for you so you can pick on that best fits with your personal life and situation.    Whether you attend in live, real time or take a self-paced option, the flexibility for you to learn is important. When the course is taught LIVE - that means you will be attending in-person or via virtual online platform. The benefit to this method is you can ask questions in real time, you engage with other students and hear their questions, and you will complete your course more quickly.    A SELF-PACED OPTION allows you to control your timing, you can rewind and watch content over to really grasp the concepts, and do not have to tie up all of your time during the day. The disadvantage is not having someone keeping you on track, you won't have live engagement with your trainer, and it will take you longer to complete the course and graduate. But this method is preferred by those who may be working full-time or have other responsibilities during the day - and they opt to learn during the evenings and/or weekends. A reputable course will give you access to someone who can answer your questions once you complete the course - so you know you have that available to you. AND even after a live course is done, the Trainer should be available via email to help clarify content and answer future questions as part of their role as your mentor.

Jennie Norris, IAHSP® Chairwoman

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Here are six D0's and DON'Ts to keep in mind when planning your Staging Business.

Do Research the industry in YOUR market.    Understand that pricing varies depending on where you live, how much houses sell for, and how much Staging has penetrated the real estate industry. The Home Staging industry is still evolving. There are more service niches being carved out by pro-Home Stagers so the opportunities truly are numerous. You can have the type of business you want - it is all about how hard you want to work and how good you are at MARKETING your services.

The start up costs for a Home Staging Business are relatively low when compared to other types of businesses. You don't need equipment outside of a good computer, cell phone, and vehicle. You do not need to buy furniture or decor at first - there are resources where you can rent those items or partner with an established Staging company.    From getting a business license, website, collateral marketing materials, and your EDUCATION, expect to invest between $2000-3000 to get started. That is LOW risk for HIGH potential REWARD, or in other words, it is a GREAT return on your investment in an industry that pays very well for our expertise, time and talent.

Don't believe anyone who tells you Staging is saturated and there is no more business to be had. If you are in an established market, it can be tougher to get growing as you might think, "All the agents already have Stagers. My market is saturated." That is a falsehood. There is not one market in the US - let alone other markets around the world - where Staging is saturated.    Staging is KNOWN in most major metro areas, however there are Sellers and Buyers who have never heard of it - their whole world does not revolve around HGTV and design shows, like yours might. AND there are real estate agents who have not heard of it, have not used it, felt they didn't need it - and so there is still a LOT of education to be done in order to get anywhere close to reaching maximum exposure for Staging.

Do Establish a Working Budget for Business Start-Up Costs

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Don't Expect to be an Overnight Success Your TIME is your Biggest Start-up Expense. You will put in a LOT of time at first - that is unpaid. This is called, "Paying Your Dues." Your expectations need to be in line with the reality of what it takes to grow a successful business.    Anyone in the Staging industry who tells you they had an easy path and started making 6+ figures right away is lying. That is the truth. Everyone started at zero. We had no clients no money coming in UNTIL we established a business, marketed ourselves and were hired. Now, some people get off to a faster start - and this is because of their RELATIONSHIPS. The only way around this is to BUY and ESTABLISHED STAGING COMPANY from someone who is retiring.

Do JOIN an ASSOCIATION We could have titled this: "Don't go it alone." There is no reason to have an attitude of "I will figure it out on my own," as that is a lonely road. Joining a professional organization such as IAHSP® gives you access to resources that will shorten your success journey, including forms, templates, discounts, and COLLEAGUES.    For the most part, industry pros willingly share what works with colleagues. Don't be an island. Join a group that helps you thrive and grow.    Learn more HERE.

Do DREAM BIG Whatever your goals are, you can achieve them. If you want to have a Staging Empire with multiple locations and even global reach, you CAN achieve that. Others have already done it. Do NOT limit your potential out of fear or uncertainty.    The BEST thing you can do is set yourself up for success with Education and Resources. Then find colleagues who are where you want to be - and ASK how they got there. LEARN. GROW.    Challenge your limiting beliefs. And don't let anyone STEAL your dream. Align yourself with those who understand our industry who will encourage along your path to success, and, as Tim McGraw sings, "Always stay humble and kind."

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HOW TO BUILD A MILLION DOLLAR STAGING BUSINESS There is an old proverb that shares, "The journey to success starts with a single step." You may have also heard the one that says, "In order to learn to run you have to walk first. In order to walk, you have to crawl first." In other words, you need to lay a firm foundation for your success and then start growing.   

If you want to know how to build a 7 figure business, you can learn how in a reputable course, and from added education from reputable resources such as IAHSP® - The International Association of Home Staging Professionals®. Getting to that level is accomplished in the following ways:   

First, you will have to add to your revenue stream - with providing furnishings. You will need to be the supplier of the furnishings and decor used in your staging work as that adds a revenue stream that is not available if you are renting 3rd party or not doing projects where you need to furnish a property.    This aspect of a Staging business can gross well into the six-figures which bumps most Stagers up into the high 6- 7 figure range depending on the volume of business they conduct, and the prices they can charge.

Second, you will need to SCALE your business. This is a word that gets tossed around and many people do not know what it means. Scaling is taking your business from solo-preneur to a team to working your way out of the roles you should not be doing, and into the one(s) that are best suited for you.    In other words, your business will eventually need to run without you, and that frees up your time to pursue other ventures, develop other business niches, and have income that is generated that is not solely reliant on you and your time.

Next, you can decide if you want to expand locally or geographically.    Companies with multiple locations are able to handle more volume. The downside is the management of the multiple locations - as you cannot physically be in more than one place at a time.    You will need to find trusted company members who have an ownership mentality.    Giving % ownership or bonuses based on revenue are ways to motivate quality employees / team members and shift their mindset from hourly workerbee to owner.

Diversify. The companies that gross seven figures have diversified their business offerings to include multiple market niches and multiple streams of income.    These could include: Design Services - Model Home Merchandising - Short Term Rentals - College Dorms - Corporate Apartments - Luxury Properties - Retail Sales - Event Staging - Holiday Staging - Investor Properties

MARKETING. The key to building your business lies in how well you are taught to MARKET.    Marketing ALWAYS precedes SALES.    One of the things you have to become an expert in or find someone who can do this for you - is MARKETING.    It all starts with YOUR BRAND.    Your brand is your identity for your company.    From the colors you choose for your logo - and all colors have meanings - to the style you choose for your websites to the way you engage on Social Media - all lead to EXPOSURE you need to gain business. However, naming a company and creating marketing collateral materials will not bring you business. Just because you have an online presence does not mean you will get calls for business. The MOST IMPORTANT MARKETING TOOL you have is YOU!    Your business will be built on RELATIONSHIPS.    Think about who you know RIGHT NOW who is a potential user of your services.    You need to think about who can REFER you to these potential clients.

How do I find Clients?

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"People will lead you to people who need you.    Cultivating relationships is the KEY

to longevity in Staging"Jennie Norris, IAHSP® Chairwoman

MARKETING NEVER STOPS. The good news about Home Staging is once you have established relationships with clients, you don't have to work as hard to bring in business, however you never want to stop marketing.    To keep a consistent flow of revenue and requests for Staging, you need to be a consistent marketer and keep your name at the forefront of your region and with your target clients.    REALTORS® will be your bread-and-butter client.    Stagers also work with Builders and Investors, and then some of the niche services allows us to work with others entities.

REMEMBER:  MARKETING ALWAYS PRECEDES SALES. When you stop marketing, expect that in about 30-90 days you will feel it.    By consistently marketing your company and services to your target clients and prospects, your sales funnel will remain full and your revenue will be consistent.    BECOME GREAT AT CLOSING SALES When you have an opportunity for a sale, you need to be good a closing. Learning the hot buttons for clients, understanding your market and where you fit in with pricing and value are key components to longevity. Learn how to OVERCOME OBJECTIONS. IAHSP® members have access to complimentary webinar that cover this and much more! Learn how to articulate your VALUE.    If you do not know what to do, check out "PRICING STRATEGIES FOR STAGERS: From Mystery to Mastery" that offers 7 webinars and multiple handouts to help educate YOU on how to be profitable and successful in Staging.

Grads of the Stagedhomes.com ASP® Course receive this book as part of their tuition.

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CONTACT US:

info@velotravel.com 123 456 7890

www.velotravel.com

Pr o c e s sP r o c e s sHOME STAGING

OF

What is a STAGING CONSULTATION? A Staging Consultation is a SERVICE provided by professional Home Stagers where specific recommendations are provided to homeowners to help them prepare their property for sale. Consultations are provided most often on Occupied Properties and can also be provided for Remodeling Recommendations, Interior and Exterior Colors, and any other specifics a property owner needs.

The method of how a professional Home Stager conducts a Consultation varies as there are different ways to put them together, however the goals are the same which is to provide information to a home‐owner to help get a property ready for sale.

What is a HANDS‐ON STAGING? A Hands‐on Staging is often provided as a FOLLOW‐UP to a Consultation where the property owner implements the recommendations they are able to complete and the professional Home Stager goes back to the property and finishes off the Staging.  This can be a lot of work or a little bit ‐ depending on what the homeowner needs. The Hands‐on Staging can include Staging furnishings and décor as needed. This service is priced separately from the initial Staging Consultation.

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CONTACT US:

info@velotravel.com 123 456 7890

www.velotravel.com

HOME STAGING CONSULTATIONS

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When it comes to pricing for Staging it is important to keep in mind these important factors: 1. Staging adds VALUE to the sale and makes a property more Marketable. The professionals who own companies to support the needs of Realtors, Sellers, Builders and Investors are running businesses, and deserve to make a profit, just like everyone else involved in the sale. From lender to Title rep to photographer to videographer to listing agent to buyer’s agent to seller . . . Everyone makes money on the sale. Why should Stagers be any different? 2. Staging pricing is a factor of the following: Expertise, Size, and Location. A professional Stager who has more experience may charge more, and are also faster than someone who is new. The size of the property impacts the time it takes to complete the Staging and the location of the property from region of the country to part of town impacts price. Stagers earn more in larger metropolitan areas where properties tend to cost more than in rural areas and fees are in line with price of properties and real estate industry. 3. Logistics impact any Staging project. Some Stagers who run larger businesses have to hire movers, their staging crew, and have moving trucks and warehouses, that is part of their overhead and the costs have to be factored in to any staging project. The furnishings provided for Staging properties are an investment for the home stager and income stream for the company. The furnishings are carefully curated for the types of properties staged by the company, and that is what clients pay for when they hire a professional Stager. 4. It is always best to have the professional Home Stager provide pricing for staging a property versus an agent mis‐quoting the pricing or expectations to the client. 5. Many Stagers provide additional resources and services. Make sure to share about those as well as any discounts on those resources you provide. 6. Lastly: Good Staging isn’t Cheap. And Cheap Staging isn’t Good.

Facts About Vacant Staging? Vacant Staging is when a property is empty and the professional Stager brings in furniture, artwork, decor, soft goods, rugs, outdoor items as needed - to make the key rooms in the property look great for photos and showings.  Staging helps provide the visual impact needed to get the very BEST price for the property, and not leave any money behind for the seller.

FACT:  When houses are empty, they lack visual appeal and buyers notice the flaws              instead of the flow and function of rooms.   FACT:  Buyers need to emotionally connect to a property in order to envision it              as their future home. FACT:  Empty rooms look SMALLER to a potential buyer. FACT:  Empty houses echo and are cold and austere. FACT:  When less than 10% of the population can visualize things in a different way,              Staging is the best tool to help connect a buyer to a property and compel              them to bring a great offer.

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Did you know?

As a Pro-Stagers you can help provide recommendations and guidance for property owners to update or change: • Flooring • Fixtures • Counters • Cabinetry • Lighting • Paint Colors • Hardware • Landscaping

Earn your Buyer Trends Specialist (BTS) Designation.

This means  you have education on what the current

trends are for materials and colors, and understand buyer

demographics.

Your clients may wonder why Staging a vacant property costs "so much money" versus other Staging services.  Let's break it down.

THINK ABOUT IT: How much are normal moving fees for a residential move - moving out and moving in?  Thousands of dollars.    Clients are not paying that rate for Staging. They are getting a similar service with moving a house full of furniture and decor into a property, getting it all set up beautifully - and only pay a fraction of the price.

A Stager and their team manage to do this in a matter of hours on site, but what the client DOES NOT see is ALL the PREP WORK that goes into this process. It is very labor intensive.  The Staging team charges a FRACTION of what normal moving fees are to load an unload, Stage, and then come back and pick up items. Hours goes into the process from the time the Stager first views the property, to preparing pricing for staging, executing agreements and payment, coordinating their team and logistics, to actually Staging the property.

                

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Project Planning and Execution includes: •  Space Planning •  Inventory Selection               •  Creative Direction •  Packing and Loading       •  Unloading at property •  Placing all items in property •  Removal of extras •  Restocking at warehouse   •  Labor for moving •  Truck fees                           •  Staging Creative Team •  Other

Did you know there are 16 STEPS to a Vacant Project?

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how to stand out and partner for success

Their Brand Matters. A brand is what you present to the public and what attracts future client to you.  

Real estate agents compete for listings and buyers - and their reputation matters.  They will be looking for a Stager who ADDS to their brand and makes them look BETTER to prospective clients.  

STAGING is a KEY MARKETING DIFFERENTIATOR for agents - for them to rise above their competition and also to get their listings SOLD.   Agents are selective and are looking for a professional.  They never want to put someone in front of their clients that is not a trained, qualified expert.

Agents deal with all sorts of situations with sellers - just like Stagers do.  As a Stager, your job is all about making the agents look good to their clients.

A Stager needs to be congruent with the customer's brand.  When an agent/builder/investor is working to establish a Quality brand, focused on professionalism and high-level of service, client loyalty for referrals and success, those are the same qualities a stager needs to have. We don't want clients to ask us to lower our pricing and make less than you deserve. Lead with Value and Quality.

When you are meeting with an agent, you want to ask, "How can Staging help make you more productive? I want to be a partner in your success."

Questions You Need to Answer: 1. What is your background and how long have you been doing this? 2. What are your credentials? 3. Share your Process with me for consultations and/or vacant property staging. 4. Do you own your own items or do you rent 3rd party? 5. Do you have a portfolio of your work I can see? 6. How do you see your services fitting in with my business brand and process?

Stagers serve Realtors, Builders, Investors and Sellers. We exist to help properties sell for the most money and in the quickest time. Ego should have not place in how we work together, and responsiveness is key. You SERVE your clients - and are in integral part of the process.  Check your EGO at the door. Staging is all about the PROPERTY, not us.  The "STAR" of the property is the REALTOR, not us. We need to make sure the property looks great based on the timeframe and budget provided, and our efforts are part of an entire process the listing agent must manage.

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S T A T I S T I C S

As a Stager, your education gives you an edge over your competition.  CREDENTIALS MATTER. To learn about home staging and how to use it as a key listing and marketing tool, check out the Accredited Staging Professional Home Staging Business Course from Stagedhomes.com.  An Accreditation is the highest form of education in the staging industry, and designations are a great differentiating factor for you as a Pro-Stager®.

Stagedhomes is the World Leader in home staging education.  Since 1999, they have educated thousands of Home Stagers and helped them launch successful businesses.

An Accreditation is the HIGHEST form of training in the staging industry.  It is HIGHER than a Certification.

Statistics support home staging.  If you have not checked them out, go to HomeStagingStats.com.  The data supports staging in order to get the very BEST price for the property - not just a great price.  In a hot market, staged properties sell for even more.  In a slower market, staged properties sell faster than non-staged properties.  This all means a Win-Win for you and your seller. When a house sells for more, the Seller is happier.  And you make more commission on the sale.  Even the Buyer is impacted because they are purchasing a property they feel great about and are excited to turn into their home.  And the Buyer's agent also wins - their commission is based on the sales price.

Check out the NAR® Profile of Home Staging for additional statistics on home staging.  Both the IAHSP® Home Staging Stats and NAR Profile of Home Staging surveys determined staged houses sell for up to 20% MORE than the non-Staged competition.

C O U R S E S

IAHSP ACCREDITS HOME STAGING TRAINING  COURSES You can find these approved courses on the www.iahsp.com site.

IAHSP® does not get paid to approve courses so there is no "pay to play" approval status and the courses are independently reviewed by highly experienced course developers and educators who know what should be included in a quality course.

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24 HOURS OF EDUCATION

Live Virtual Course or Self-Paced Webinar

The International Association of Home Staging Professionals® - IAHSP® Serving the real estate home staging industry since 1999

844-IAHSP99   www.iahsp.com    info@iahsp.com

Stage®, IAHSP®, The International Association of Home Staging Professionals® are  Federally Registered Trademark of Barb Inc.   All rights reserved.  Copyright 2021 IAHSP®.  Cannot be reproduced without permission.  Contact Jennie@iahsp.com for printing and use permissions.