So Many Home Stagers; So Many Questions

Something most Home Owners and Realtors may not be aware of, is that currently there is not an independent or national oversight organization such as NAR for Realtors, that certifies or licenses Home Stagers, and no government oversight or licensing in most areas. There ARE member based organizations which enforce a strict Code of Ethics for its members and communities such as the Real Estate Staging Association. That being said, here are few questions that will help you to choose the RIGHT Home Stager for you.

1. Find a Stager with the most experience in actually Staging homes: There are many training, “certifying” and “accrediting” companies which, within just a few days, or a couple weeks, can turn anyone who takes their course into a “certified” or “accredited” home stager. Since there is not currently any government oversight, ANYONE can “become a stager” almost overnight. Don’t hire “just any” home stager; Experience and professionalism trumps “certification”.

2. Does the Stager have a printed portfolio or website with before and after photography? If they don’t have a current staging portfolio, they may have never done a staging job, or very few.

3. If they have a website, you need to get past the first page.
In other words; make sure that their portfolio contains photos that are of their own work. The first page may be filled with amazing photos of excellent Interior Design or architecture, so you need to ensure that you "get past" the first page and go to either the Portfolio or Gallery page to ensure that what is being presented is not stock photography purchased over the Internet, supplied by the “certifying” training course or “shared” before and after photos in a centralized web-site. Does their website have current information on recently staged properties or successes in today’s market and economy?

With so many people entering the Home Staging Industry, it's important to be educated about who you entrust your most valuable asset. For more tips and questions to ask your Home Stager; click here.

My $.02 Regarding Home Staging "Courses"

That's RIGHT! I'm on my soap box and I have HAD IT!

Being a Home Stager in an unregulated industry is HARD enough...

Trying to educated Home Owners, Realtors and the general Public about my industry is HARD enough...

But I AM here to educate EVERYONE that in the Home Staging Industry, EXPERIENCE and PROFESSIONALISM will trump ANY alphabet-shalphabet string of "certifications" or "accredidation" letters behind my name any day!!!

GO AHEAD - LET ME HAVE IT!!! But before you do... You have to know why I am on my soap box today, and those of you whom may have gone through one of the VERY few courses which have been around for years, should also be mad as he**!

I can't count on my fingers and toes just how many NEW and so-called home staging "training" companies have suddenly jumped on the bandwagon advertising themselves as offering that they can turn anyone into "certified", "accredited" or "exclusively trained" home stagers. Promising "a minimum of $75 per hour with little to NO inventory required" that can turn you into a bona-fied home stager "...in as little as 2 days..." and can cost anywhere from $500 - $2,799 and this is one I came across just this evening that sent me over the edge and prompted this post.

Home Staging Certification
$149
(INSERT PAYPALL BUTTON HERE)
And even advertises "Take 1 test and get 2 Certificates!

One for YOU, one for YOUR PARTNER!!!"

I actually called one of the more recent "certifying home staging courses" that just opened in my own back yard and asked her what her credentials were and asked if she had a website other than her own training course where I could see some of her most recent works..... She had none.

Another one I did a little back-up research on and found that they had NOT STAGED A SINGLE HOME IN OVER 8 MONTHS before opening this so called "training course with the ‘exceedingly successful' home stager _______________".

It is HARD ENOUGH to do what we do, to educate those who ALREADY know about our industry - imagine trying to explain to the other 90% of Home Owners and Realtors who don't know about our industry, that basically anyone can pick-up "any" certificate from "anyone" who calls themselves an "instructor"...These fly-by-night, pop-ups have now completely invalidated any course you have taken in the past and may stand behind. Since "anyone" can seemingly hand out these pieces of paper, your alphabet means nothing in the sea of Home Staging today....

So, why the heck not: Who wants to come get the "Exclusively Trained by the Certified Platinum Home Staging Accedidation Course"? Please email your contact information and payment to..... ( I am just kidding - but that is just how easy it has become )
I'm off the soapbox now....who's next?