As President of the Delaware Chapter of Staging Professionals and also because I've been in business for a few years, I often receive calls from women interested in staging as a career. Some of the gals want "something to do while the kids are in school," others want to jump in and get their own businesses started and that’s great: a market with competition often fosters a market with recognition! I want to be realistic without scaring anyone off, but new or potential stagers should be aware of a few things. Of course, this is based solely on my experience and those of some of my colleagues (although I will not, of course, pretend to speak for them). Also, this has been my first experience at self-employment so, despite my extensive corporate work background, I was a novice at some levels. Here goes:
First of all, it's difficult to do this job on a part-time or school hours only basis. Due to listing and open house deadlines, I've staged on weekends and weekdays and as early as 6AM and as late as 11PM. You are often at the mercy of other people's schedules and deadlines. In the case of vacancies, you must be available to await the furniture delivery, unloading and assembly (often several hours) and then you must be available for the pick-up, too (not all stagers accept furniture delivery, but I do). You must be willing and able to take your accessories to the property, unload them, and then stage. If you are coordinating other activities (packing, cleaning, etc.) you must be available to supervise the personnel.
Next, be prepared to invest money in inventory, marketing, insurance, and computer and camera equipment. You will have paperwork to complete, tax forms to fill out, tracking of billing and inventory rentals, etc., etc. In the last two years alone, I have spent thousands on building inventory and on improving my web site.
Also, be prepared for the ups and downs of the market. Some weeks I barely have time to breathe and others I wonder if staging has gone the way of the Edsel!!! In a slow market, some buyers will not spend $$$ on staging for fear of not being able to sell their homes quickly...I know that doesn't make sense, but it is happening anyway! And some Realtors are doing the staging themselves or have a stager on their team.
Lastly, if you do become a stager, price fairly. Remember that time is money. You can price competitively without undermining the value of your time and the integrity of the industry. Many stagers, including myself, offer discounts to repeat customers (Realtors). Do not under price just to "get the job." You will be setting a dangerous precedent for both yourself and the industry.
Do I love this job? You bet I do, but had it not been for my prior business background and the few years I spent as a Realtor's assistant, I probably would have made more business mistakes than I did (and I made several when I first started out!). The training I received was certainly helpful, but it's been a combination of on-the-job experience and my work background that have been the most beneficial in building my business. Continuing education, including staying current with design trends, furthering your skills (I am currently enrolled in an interior design program), and sharpening your business and marketing acumen will all help build your business.
These are simply my observations and opinions. Yours may be different and, certainly, some real estate markets are more welcoming to stagers than others. The important thing is to love what you do….success will follow.
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