That's a title that will get some attention! I just read a great post from one my fellow AR members and finally learned the definition of a "naked" home stager. Before everyone gets too excited, let me explain.
There are literally HUNDREDS of staging courses/training sessions/materials that a person can purchase if they desire training on becoming a Home Stager. In 2004 when I stumbled across the world of Home Staging I did quite a bit of research on these courses in addition to some analysis of my local market. In the end I elected to purchase two sets of study at home materials - one from a gal in Kansas City and a few items from Barbara Jennings (these were primarily about redesign). The manual from the successful Kansas City gal was PRICELESS!!! I created my staging programs based on the knowledge I gained from her. Additional information I learned along the way came from from talking with professionals - some that I hired like lawyers and CPA's, and some with whom I associate, such as agents and other real estate related professionals. Because I did not complete a paid-for training course (all of which are located out of state for me) I did not earn any "titles" from any organization. That makes me a "naked" home stager without certifications or accreditations after my name.
I incorporated in 2004 while gainfully employed as a sales person in the office equipment industry (yikes! One of the hardest sales jobs around and I am grateful to have had the experience). During the last half of that year I used what little free time I had to get my company set up - LLC status, federal and resller's tax ID #'s, insurance policies, checking account, business cards, website, brochures, etc. By the last half of 2005 I had successfully completed my first vacant home staging and had obtained a business loan that allowed me to leave my full-time job as an employee so that I could focus completely on growing my Home Staging business.
In 2006 I personally staged over 100 homes - occupied and vacant. All by myself! That was in addition to the holiday design and interior redesign business I developed. It was fun and I learned the most during that year. In 2007 I staged over 200 homes and am extremely proud of that growth (not to mention I was pregnant most of the year with my beautiful boy:-). I haven't analyzed the numbers for first quarter of '08 yet but I know that I am least on par with '07 and probably a little ahead.
I share these numbers to demonstrate that although I did not obtain a certification from any of the various training courses available, I have built a great business with a fantastic roster of return clients. Through my hands-on experience I have fine-tuned my skills, learned more about what works and doesn't work, and mostly sharpened my instincts.
I read a sentiment in another blog today that I agree with wholeheartedly. Certifications and "initials after a person's name" can lead a consumer into a false sense of security when hiring a professional - whether it is a Stager or in a different industry. I have seen the results of plenty of "Certified" stagers and shudder at their work. It is important to remember that the Staging industry at this point is non-regulated. Which means there is no unified and national governing body of experts overseeing any of the training and certification programs.
Certainly there are hundreds of fantastic stagers and several training courses currently operating in the U.S. I am not inferring that training is completely unnecessary and useless - not by a long shot. I do, however, feel that given our industry's current unregulated status it is important for consumers and other Home Staging professionals to recognize that there are remarkable "naked" Home Stagers out there - that is they did not elect to complete one of the training courses and earn one of the many certifications available in today's marketplace.
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