Is your staging business success surprising you? It should be.
We are in an unprecedented housing market where homes that are staged are selling for a lot more money (according to the recent 2018 home staging statistics of over 4200 homes). When sellers see their updated and beautifully staged home sell for 20-50K more...it makes sellers and real estate agents big believers in the benefits of staging!
In this post, I'm going to share two stager's stories of being surprised by success in the form of two emails I received recently from new HSR students who are just starting their home staging career.
Andrea McAtee, a HSR Certified Professional Home Stager out of Lincoln, NE tells her story...
I'm sure you've heard the saying, "when you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life", oh how true this is. I remember being 7 years old, wanting to rearrange my parents living room cause I knew even then, it could look so much better. At 12 years old, embroidering on my pillowcases, because they needed sprucing up. When I turned 16, and received my first paycheck what was the first thing I buy? Canvas art, because I had nothing on the walls in my bedroom.
Years later in my 30's, relatives would invite me over to give them ideas on where to put things, shelves, artwork, etc. Still had no idea I had any talent, or could ever make this a career it was just something I did for fun.Within the last few years staging has really grown in popularity, and I thought to myself why NOT make this a career. So doing a google search one day I came across, "The Home Staging Resource" I signed up for their newsletter, attended a few webinars, and knew right away this was the place for me. I took the online class, and received my certificate. I am now a certified professional home stager for Lincoln, NE and surrounding areas. I don't think I have ever been so excited, well except for maybe the birth of my children, and getting marred. 🙂
Andrea's First Vacant Job Before She Even Finished the Training!
Here's the recent email I got from Andrea about her first, very fast success...
Hi Audra, my business is doing great so far even got my first vacant project before I was done with the course, just like you had said. I really didn't think it would be this easy. My first Facebook ad went out and I don't think it was a week later a lady messaged me needing help selling her home. It had been on the Market since December, the family had already purchased and moved into a new home. So the need to sell was pretty urgent.
I met with her that week for a consultation, rented furniture and staged that next Saturday, they had the first open house after staging that Sunday. There was only 1 person that went through that home however is now pending contract. I am completely amazed!
The home hadn't even been on the market a month after staging. My confidence is through the roof, the client couldn't be more than pleased. I now have another staging project at the end of the month for a $5000 square foot home.
Thanks so much Audra for the amazing training you provide, I tried to start this business about 10 years ago and just couldn't get it going. This has always been my dream, I remember taking a couple of your webinars and thinking oh my goodness yes I did rearrange furniture in my bedroom, everything you talked about really resonated with me and life couldn't be better.
Jil Young, an HSR Certified Home Stager out of Goldsboro, NC sent me this email about her struggle and success...
Hi Audra,
Thank you for offering such a great Home Staging Resource program. It is amazing what I have learned through your program the last past 30 days! I attended a 2 year design program years ago but never was able to wrap my arms around the business launching of a company. You have amazingly defined a methodical process that allows me to proceed forward with a new confidence...
I was invited to lunch to meet a friends friend who is Real Estate Agent. I'm new to this area and I wanted to hear about her Real Estate business. I had my business cards, knew my scripts and had a copy of my Client staging report "Simply Staged to Sell". By the end of the lunch the Real Estate Agent asked me if I would be willing to partner with her so she could add this crucial additional service to her marketing package to have the completive edge over others. I said YES!
How cool is that?! What will your story be...
