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A Letter to the New Stager

Stager-success-story-new

I love to share stories of encouragement and success that so many of my HSR members and grads have had in this incredible industry!  This story is a bit unique because it starts with someone who had the odds stacked a bit against them (healthwise) and ends with a Facebook Post, to the New Stager by this amazing HSR grad...enjoy! 

In this staging success story, I'm featuring Lindsey Childs of Navy and Gray Designs, a Middle Georgia professional home stager and designer.  Typical of all of my stories, I'm going to sprinkle in gorgeous photos of her work which was a success story in that it sold in 6 days!

When Lindsey first signed up for my HSR Certification program back in August of 2017, she had some big, legitimate concerns about starting a business...

In her "Getting to Know You Form" she mentioned that she had started a business but was not successful because she didn't have a blueprint for success.

"I have tried to start my own business before, in a different line of work, but I was missing too many pieces. I need that "business in a box" so to speak. With a someone telling me what steps I needed to be taken."

Before Navy and Gray Designs...

​"I was laying in bed dealing with an autoimmune disease, and ran across Audra's Home Staging Resource website...it was a BAM moment and I knew that Home Staging would pull together all the random talents I had.  I also knew that I had the 'eye'".

After Navy and Gray Designs...WOW!

 

"I have always had an eye for design, but i didn't think that I could make a living from it.  Every house/apartment we have had I have staged.  I staged our last house and we sold it to the first buyer!  Then as we renovated our current home, I realized just how much I love design, the process and the end result."

Before Navy and Gray Designs

"After reading over Audra's website, I discovered how I could create my own business and still be there for my family.  Setting my own schedule is gold, especially having an auto immune disease.  It was the perfect fit for my lifestyle and talents."

After Navy and Gray Designs

"The HSR Certification Training gave me a good basis of what staging was and how to go about creating a business....Navy and Gray Designs is much more today than I thought it would be when I started."

Before Navy and Gray Designs...

"I have staged vacant houses, but also found a love of Redesign.  Coincidentally, Redesign is a huge portion of my business.  And with the skill set combined with staging, I bring a lot to the table when it comes to selling investment properties." 

Audra Side Note - This is why you should get trained in BOTH staging and redesign as a business model:-)

After Navy and Gray Designs

Finally, Lindsey had this advice to say to new stagers on Facebook this week, so I had to share it to encourage you all...

When she created that post, she included a picture of her new moving truck and selfie...how cool is that?

What will your story look like?  Join me for a free live webinar to see if this industry is for you...

I love to share stories of encouragement and success that so many of my HSR members and grads have had in this incredible industry!  This story is a bit unique because it starts with someone who had the odds stacked a bit against them (healthwise)…

Home Stager Interview

In my training, I walk people through how to discover the right business model for their situation.  Why do I do this?  Because everyone who joins the HSR Home Staging Certification training has different business goals and reasons for becoming certified in home staging and design.  

Below is a very cool home stager's story because her business evolved with her family situation...

Leslie Anderson with her now grown kids who help her with the business:)

When Leslie Anderson of Leslie Anderson Interiors, a Washington DC home stager started her staging business her goal was very simple...work part time in order to focus on her kids. 

Here is her story and her GORGEOUS staging work...

home staging before and after washington DC 1

​

What was your life like before becoming a home stager?

Prior to starting my Home Staging business, I was a stay at home mother of three children. I spent most of my spare time volunteering for the local public schools and helping friends decorate their homes! One day I was helping a friend get her house ready to go on the market and I decided to look into home staging as a career. That is when I started researching online courses such as Audra Slinkey's Home Staging Resources.


home staging before and after washington DC 4e

How did you get started in your business?

When I decided to become a home stager it was important to me to become certified. I looked at many different options and was most impressed by the Home Staging Resource's program. I was excited about how Audra's experience and background helped her build her program and the quality of the materials her program offered (including a website) to get my business up and running as soon as possible.


How does your business look today?

I am so excited about how far my business has come. I started out doing this as a part time business while my kids were still home. In the last year, I have been able to work full time and have moved my entire inventory into a new warehouse and office. It makes such a difference! It has given me the ability to become so much more efficient and sales are increasing daily!


home staging before and after washington DC 4

Any advice you would give someone thinking about getting into the industry?

I took my time in getting my business up and running as I am the type of person that likes to make sure that everything is in line. If I were to do it all over again, I would probably get the ball rolling a bit faster than I did. I like to perfect things and I have now realized that part of perfecting your business is to allow yourself to learn from your mistakes.


BEFORE STAGING

What has been one of the secrets to your success?

Not only did Audra's program help me get my business up and running quickly, it has also helped me grow my business each year. Audra continually adds things into her program to help stagers increase their revenue streams in different ways. I always have access to new ideas and marketing materials which is so important and helpful to me as a single business owner!


Now Leslie has her own storefront and warehouse...woot!!  I'm so proud of her and I bet her kids are too.  Thanks so much Leslie for sharing your story!

What will your story be?

FREE VIDEO!  Could a Career in Home Staging Be For You?

KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF & INFO ON HOW TO GET STARTED STAGING...

  • What background should you have?
  • How much money do home stagers make & what to charge
  • What are the typical start-up costs and first steps?

I love sharing HSR Grad business success stories!  Leslie Anderson’s business journey evolved with her lifestyle changes and it’s super cool to see.  I also show you her gorgeous photos stage house right!

New 2017 Home Staging Statistics

New 2017 Home Staging Statistics Are In!

The "actual value" of home staging is hard to quantify because who has the crystal ball to know what the home would have gone for had it not been staged?  Having said that, I get emails daily from HSR Grads who stage homes that have been sitting only to have them receive multiple offers after they staged the home. 2017 home staging statistics are hard to come by but luckily a new survey has been done.

Click to Open Report

Quick Navigation
Statistical Changes from 2015
Does Staging Increase the Home's Value?
Does Staging Effect the Buyer's Viewpoint?
FREE Download of All Statistical Images for Your Use!
FREE Image Downloads!
How Important is Each Room from a Staging Standpoint?
Who Pays for Staging?

Statistical Changes from 2015

In 2015 the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) created a survey profile of home staging for the first time and the staging industry went wild!  Finally, staging which has become commonplace on HGTV was being acknowledged in a real way by NAR.  I'm so pleased to see that NAR has updated those statistics for 2017 and while not much has changed, here are some key differences in the report:

  • Staging the Outdoor Spaces has become much more critical as "outdoor entertaining" is hot!
  • The 2017 profile featured the importance of staging for each room of the home

My mission has always been to "make hiring a professional home stager when selling a home an industry standard" and it's statistics like the ones below which help our industry EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE the value of what we do!

Does Staging Increase the Home's Value?

2017 home staging statistic
2017 home staging statistics

Yep, agents are "getting it" and the "Seller's Agents" are really seeing that the homes that are staged are getting a better price than the un-staged homes.  While it's hard to quantify exactly how much more a seller is getting for their home, it's easy to say that improving upon a product usually nets you more.

Does Staging Effect the Buyer's Viewpoint?

2017 home staging statistics
2017 home staging statistics

The Buyer's Agent sees that taking their client's to homes that have been staged provides a more likely offer since the staging does effect the way the buyer views the home.

Do you have a home on a busy street, small lot or in a more undesirable area?  Check out this stat...

2017 home staging statistics

FREE Download of All Statistical Images for Your Use!

How Important is Each Room from a Staging Standpoint?

How important is staging every room of the home?  It turns out that each room has it's own value of importance according to these 2017 home staging statistics.  In fact, this is one reason why I train my students to do good, better, best type bids when it comes to staging a vacant home.  Providing options to clients in a way that fits their budget while maximizing return on investment is important and my HSR home staging certification training teaches this critical business concept.

Each room in the home provides an opportunity to "wow" the buyer, so staging and every detail matter!

Click to Tweet

Living Rooms and Master Bedrooms Top the Chart!

2017 home staging statistics
2017 home staging statistics

Staging the key areas in a vacant home which include the living areas, master bedroom, dining areas and kitchen are obviously an important factor to most buyers according to these 2017 home staging statistics!

2017 home staging statistics
2017 home staging statistics

I've long been saying that outdoor areas are trending in importance to the aesthetic and return on investment, so it was nice to see that this area of staging was right behind the kitchen in importance!

2017 home staging statistics

Who Pays for Staging?

A lot of times the agent feels like they should be the ones providing the staging service or paying for staging but this is simply not true.  The home seller benefits the most by having their home "move-in ready" and staged, so they should be the ones to pay for this critical service. 

In fact, now more than ever home seller's are contacting a professional home stager BEFORE getting an agent...

 

2017 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Staging Report is in!  Here are some 2017 home staging statistics images you can use…

Home Staging Photos

I never get tired of hearing how my HSR members are doing and especially SEEING their incredible home staging photos!  I get quick emails daily about how starting a home staging business has changed their life, along with home staging photos and success stories of home's that sat on the market for months, now selling for a great price because it was staged. 

Seeing is believing, so in this post I'm going to display people's exact words and their gorgeous home staging photos...enjoy!

Michelina of NJ Home Staging and Design

Hi Audra, I just wanted to share some of my success! Since I started your HSR program 9 months ago I’ve done almost 40 home staging projects! I do almost 5 a week currently...steady each week now.

My business is exploding, I’m in NJ and a one woman show. I’m a little overwhelmed but do not want to slow down. I attached my website for a few of my projects for you to see...

Michelina's Home Staging Photos...

Michelina's Home Staging and Design

Me and Kristine at RESACon

Hi Audra - I'm so looking forward to seeing you at the RESA Convention and taking your seminar! I just received an email from one of your students.... I raved about HSR and YOU, telling her how much you care about each and every student becoming a successful stager. I also told her it's 6 years later and we are still in touch. I helped her out with some bar stools for a project she's working on. I love representing HSR, which truly put me on the road to building a successful staging company. I attached photos of my work for you to see...

Kristine Ginsberg - Elite Staging and Redesign


Kristine's Home Staging Photos...

Hi Audra,  

Thank you for reaching out to me about my business! I am certainly still just beginning to get my portfolio together but have made some contacts with other professionals and realtors in my area. I can’t thank you enough for having such a thorough course and preparing me for all the aspects of this industry. I have included just a few before/after photos and some design photos as well. I’m still working on my photography skills. 😉 - Heidi Neely, Heidi Elizabeth Designs


Heidi's Home Staging Photos...

Heidi Elizabeth Designs

Heidi Elizabeth Designs

Claudia Johnson - Model By Design

I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am with this program and my new endeavor in this field. I feel so prepared and confident starting my new business because of your program. Worth EVERY SINGLE penny!  Here in Utah looks like there is a void in the market when it comes to home stagers. There really is a demand for it and I am already having a hard time keeping up!

Thanks! from the bottom of my heart! You've changed my life! I am able to stay with my kids and make money doing what I love most!

Claudia's Home Staging Photos...

Darsie Cole - Arroyo Grande, CA  805 Redesign

Honestly, I have been shocked by my interest and desire to get set up with my business and Ive been absolutely swamped with the core material and as a result, I've hardly deviated from your main course information/tutorials.  I love it ...Cruising through life as I was when I found you, I thought this would be a little something fun for the side of everything else I had going. Well now, as I said, I'm consumed and totally committed to my business. Your training absolutely laid it out there succinctly for me to see that my interests absolutely line up with tremendous opportunities and potential that I'd probably would not have recognized without your detailed training and direction.


Darsie's Home Staging Photos...

805 Redesign

Audra, I've been so busy, I'm taking a three week Vacation in San Diego as of today 🙂  I have now 10 homes staged at the moment.  My husband is isolating the pole barn in our yard, so we can heat it. He's happy for my success, but not that I'm taking over his pole barn. lol  Here are a few photos of the latest house...The house was on the market all summer, I staged it and it had two offers in 1 day. 1 was full price 🙂 I am currently in San Diego, may daughter just gave birth to twin boys this morning!

Jeri Jo Meyer, Inspired Home Real Estate out of DeWitt, MI

Jeri Joe's Home Staging Photos...

Inspired Home Real Estate

Inspired Home Real Estate

What Will Your Story Look Like?

Ready to Become a Professional Home Stager and Redesigner?

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I never get tired of seeing awesome staging photos…do you? Here’s 6 emails I recently got along with their photo work for you to see…

5 Tips for Getting Home Staging Jobs

I get this question all the time from people interested in becoming a home stager:

"How do I get "hired" as a home stager instead of owning my own company?"

I get it...not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, so I'm going to tell you my 5 hot tips for getting hired on for home staging jobs, as well as give you real life examples of how it happened and their photo transformations...ready?

#1

Get "Formal" Training in Home Staging

This really should not come as a surprise to anyone right?  If you want to become a hair stylist, you go to cosmetology school.  If you want to become a real estate agent, you take the classes and get your license.  Why should the home staging industry be any different?

Certainly  you don't have to have "home staging certification" in this industry to become a home stager (that's one of the beauties of the industry)... BUT if you want another home stager to hire you and see you as a credible, talented, employee it REALLY HELPS!

HSR Grad and one of my FAVORITE stagers in the world, Orlando Reyes a home stager based out of Orlando, Florida​ is a RESA Chapter President and one of my amazing Staging Mentors.  The before-and-after photos you see on this page were from a vacant staging job Orlando mentored a recent HSR grad (Keithia) and also hired another HSR grad, Sarah Wake Davies for this job.  He has since hire more HSR grads for his ongoing jobs.

Look how great they look in this on the job "selfy"!

Orlando, Keithia and Sarah working hard!

How did Orlando connect with so many HSR Grads for help on his home staging jobs?  Stagers Connect.  At the Home Staging Resource, we have a very active, private Social Network called Stagers Connect where members collaborate, connect and many times post jobs in our "job posting group" in order to get other qualified, similarly trained HSR stagers to assist.

Living Room BEFORE

Staging Certification does matter when you are hoping to get hired!

Living Room AFTER

#2

Connect With A Veteran Staging Mentor

Once you get some training, I recommend connecting with a Staging Mentor in your area right away!  I have a formal program Staging Mentors program where you can pay to connect with "the best of the best in the industry" for a job shadowing day that will show you all the in's and out's of the job. 

What's makes our Staging Mentors program unique, is that the money goes directly to the pre-qualified, veteran, staging mentor, so they give you an incredible training experience!  You can try and contact mentors directly for work if you don't want to pay (especially if you've been formally trained), but you usually get what you pay for so don't expect them to be very responsive (the good ones get calls almost daily for this).

Kitchen BEFORE

#3

Get A Referral from Your Staging Mentor

Frankly, I would be very surprised if the top two suggestions didn't land you a job if you are a super star.  Staging Mentors are looking for employees all the time, so their best resource is usually the person they mentored already.  BUT if your mentor is not hiring, then you should get a quick letter of recommendation from them for the job you did and use it to send as a reference to other stagers in your area. 

A reference is invaluable and Staging Mentors are some of the most respected stagers in the industry!

Dining Area BEFORE

Dining Area AFTER

#4

Network with Your Local Stagers Through RESA

Make sure to connect with your local Real Estate Staging Association chapter, so you can meet other stagers and find out if any of them are hiring.  Most every Staging Mentor is in leadership at RESA, so they can also guide you to the meetings and best ways to connect with others.  This is an incredible industry of generous individuals, so be open and willing to learn from them all.


Beautifully Staged Bedroom

#5

Be Willing to Work Hard, Learn Tons and Get Along

One thing you learn as an Entrepreneur is that it doesn't matter whether you are working for yourself OR someone else...you have to produce results!  If you are not working hard, connecting with prospects, bringing in business and staging/designing your heart out, then you may not be producing enough to be kept on.  Staging is hard work but oh so rewarding!

This industry is all about learning and growing!  You will NEVER stop learning about design, shopping resources or real estate if you are an awesome stager.  There is so much to know in this industry that it can be overwhelming, so stagers by nature are constant learners.

These kinds of "After" results don't come without A LOT of hard work!

Great "After" Offfice

Finally, if you go through all the of the above and still can't find work with a stager then consider going into business for yourself...I've never had anyone regret that decision.  I have a free video training that walks you through whether this industry is for you, so I encourage you to watch it.

Could “ Home Staging" be a Career for You?

Don’t miss this..!!

  • 7 Key Questions to Ask Yourself
  • What the Cost is to Starting this Business
  • Do You Have the Personality for This Industry?
  • How You Know If You Have the Design Talent?
Watch it Now »

Here's a few more AFTER photos from Orlando that I never get tired of seeing...

The best way to get home staging jobs is to do like any one else who wants a job in a particular field…get schooling!  No one is going to hire someone for a coveted home staging job without them having some sort of formal training or background in home staging or design.  In this article I provide 5 essential tips for connecting to the industry and getting home staging work from other home stagers.  Getting home staging jobs is not too hard if you follow my tips.

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