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Home staging course

By Bruce Mullen

Real Estate Agent with Carolina One Real Estate

October 11, 2007 06:24 AM

Is anyone familiar with the Accredited Home-Staging Specialist designation course, through RealtyU? It sounds like a good course to take, but just curious if anyone on AR has taken it or knows anything about it that would tell me not to do it. It's $199 to take it online. Not a bad price, but will it be worth my time? I am reading more and more about the importance of staging, and as a Realtor, it helps to have knowledge in as many categories as we can. I know it will not replace what a professional stager can provide, but just to have more insight and vision to tell a seller what they might need to do to their home before listing it for sale. We need all the help we can get.

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Anthon Pang

iPro Realty Ltd., Brokerage - Mississauga, ON

Broker

Knowledge is power. Shelling out 200 clams may help incentivize you to learn. At the worst, the course affirms what you already know. Either way, you pick up another designation (albeit not a recognized real estate designation), and claim the expense.

Oct 11, 2007 06:35 AM

Donna Harris

Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX

Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

A staging course online?? I would never trade the hands-on day the course I took gave us. We actually staged a property that was currently on the market and it sold in less than 10 days afterwards. You can't learn staging from just looking at things online... but that's just my opinion.

Oct 11, 2007 06:46 AM

Bruce Mullen

Carolina One Real Estate - Charleston, SC

I agree that hands on in everything is better. Perhaps this has good tips that I could learn, and be able to share. The home staging courses around here are pretty expensive. Thanks for the advice.

Oct 11, 2007 06:52 AM

Bruce Mullen

Carolina One Real Estate - Charleston, SC

Thanks Liz, you saved me $200. I love Sell this House and a few other shows on TV. I have definitely learned from those.

Oct 11, 2007 08:19 AM

Susan Smith

Rooms That Work LLC - Sandy Hook, CT

Bruce, I think it's very smart of you to want to learn more about it so you can better encourage your sellers to consider it. Perhaps some good books on the subject would be a better use of your knowledge dollars! Karen Otto wrote a blog requesting some good reads on the subject.

Oct 11, 2007 08:29 AM

Linda Sticklin

Home Staging & Organizing - Berwyn, PA

I am not familiar with this course, either. You may want to check out www.stagedhomes.com. They offer a 2 day realtor course for $349. I do not think it is offered in Charleston, but there may be another location near you. Taking a course as a realtor will not make you a professional stager, but will make you an advocate of what staging can do for your sellers.

Oct 11, 2007 01:00 PM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

Hey Bruce

I had written a blog about it actually in which the creator of the course commented back of course... You can read it here..

Another Staging Designation?! Check out AHS

Now it's interesting to hear about others' experiences who had took the course!

Cheers,

Cindy

Oct 11, 2007 02:52 PM

Susan Peters

Dove Realty Inc. - Seattle, WA

The Better it Looks the Better it Sells

Bruce, it's so good to see Realtors getting on the staging bandwagon. I would highly recommend that you take a live course. It may cost a little more money but I think it will more than pay for itself.

Oct 11, 2007 03:30 PM

Donna Yates

BHGRE - Metro Brokers - Blue Ridge, GA

Blue Ridge Mountains

Hands on is better and especially something like this. I haven't heard of this course but it doesn't interest me to take it online. If you take it, let us know whether you recommend it or not.

Oct 15, 2007 01:46 AM

penny white

Jacksonville, FL

Bruce,

Most definitely take a hands on course, not only do you learn & enjoy, you also get to meet professional stagers that you will be able to call on. I understand some courses count as CE for realtors. Good luck,

Penny White, Beststagedesign Inc.

ASP, IHASP

Oct 15, 2007 02:06 AM

Bruce Mullen

Carolina One Real Estate - Charleston, SC

After reading these comments, I think it best to skip the online course, and find a "live" staging event where it will be a hands on experience. Thanks for all the ideas!!

Oct 15, 2007 03:28 AM

Latonia Parks

Top Bragg Realty, Fayetteville NC, Home of the 82d ABN DIV - Fayetteville, NC

Certified Military Relocation Expert

Thanks for the pros and cons. I was looking into the same thing to better service my clients. I would much rather spend 200 than 2000 but they say.... you get what you pay for.

Jan 21, 2008 11:32 PM

Allen C. Wright

RealtyU - Aliso Viejo, CA

NS, AHS, REPS

Bruce,

I have read through this blog and it frustrates me that agents can be so petty. I have instructed (person's name has been removed) to remove all reference of AHS from her website. For someone who so clearly hated the course why does she continue to list the information on her site, including copy protected material. This is a clear abuse of our designation and the law.

I invite all of those that participated in this blog dated 01/22/2008 at 7:32AM or earlier to contact me directly to take the AHS course and determine for yourself if it is valuable.

Allen Wright, Senior Vice President, RealtyU, 949-600-7166

Jan 22, 2008 09:16 AM

Teresa J. Ramey

ReDecorating with Style - Florence, SC

Hi Bruce,

I'm a firm believer that there is not just one avenue of training. I think that you should choose the method that is best for you, no matter what anyone says.

I also want to add that you've got some great stagers in Charleston and Summerville and surrounding areas that I am sure would be willing to assist you. Simply go to the main page for South Carolina, click on Charleston or Summerville, then under profiles, highlight "Home Stagers". You will see a great collection and one of them also offers staging training.

It's good to meet another South Carolinian. I'm in Florence and quite a distance from you, but I can't help but plug my girls in Charleston and Summerville and the surrounding areas. They're great and very helpful.

Jan 22, 2008 01:44 PM

Karen Hubert

Center Stage Design-real estate staging, Ancaster/Hamilton - Ancaster, ON

Home Stager

Hi Bruce, It sounds to me that the knowledge you want is not regarding actually setting up furniture but knowing what to tell the homeowners to prepare their listings, for instance if they need to update hardware in the bathroom or paint out a colour or change flooring or updating lightfixtures. As you have said, you don't think you will replace the home stager and in my experience, realtors don't have time for everything stagers would offer especially if you are busy. I wouldn't invest in too much, maybe $199.00 is plenty to give you some ideas without getting right into it. Have you visited the website www.homegain.com. Here you will find how to help your clients and some statisitics on what home improvements make the biggest difference to the home seller. Good Luck.

Jan 23, 2008 06:50 AM

Terrylynn Fisher

Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA

HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

Wonder what you did take? IF any? I strongly recommend you hook up with a CSP (Certified Staging Professional) I have taken both the CSP and ASPM and can tell you that a good CSP Stager will be able to teach you far more than the $199 course about how a Realtor can sell staging to their clients and the benefits, etc. I have been staging my listings for 18 years and the stagers of today, particularly the CSP's have quite a jump on whatever else is out there. They want to have you TEAM with them, they compliment your efforts and have the materials, scripts and data to back it up. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. And if you want more info off line, I'd be happy to talk with you. Good luck. Terrylynn Realtor/Staging Specialist

Jan 25, 2008 07:22 AM

Kym Hough

www.Staged-to-Sell - Danville, CA

Staged to Sell East Bay - Danville, CA

It's great you are looking to find more education! I find that my Realtors who have some education sell me better to their clients and make my job even easier.

Jan 25, 2008 11:44 AM

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