How to Launch Your Own Profitable Home Staging Business

Are you a creative, organized person with an eye for design? Do you love helping people improve their living spaces? If so, starting a home staging business could be the perfect entrepreneurial venture for you.

Home staging is the art of preparing homes for sale to make them as attractive and appealing to potential buyers as possible. As a home stager, you work with homeowners and real estate agents to rearrange furniture, declutter rooms, and make other enhancements to showcase properties in their best light. It’s a fast-growing industry, and home stagers can make a lucrative living helping sellers get the best price for their homes.

If you’re interested in learning how to start and build your own home staging business, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through all the essential steps to get started, from determining your business model to marketing your services to real estate clients. By the end, you’ll have a blueprint to launch your home staging career and start transforming living spaces.

The Home Staging Market

The home staging market serves homeowners and real estate agents looking to sell residential properties. As a home stager, your target clients will typically be middle- to high-income homeowners and real estate agents working with mid-range to luxury homes. The market can be both local and regional in scope.

Home staging is appealing to a wide range of sellers because it has been shown to help homes sell faster and for higher prices. According to the National Association of Realtors, staged homes sell 73% faster and for 6-18% more than non-staged homes. The home staging industry in the U.S. generates over $1 billion in revenue per year and continues to grow at a steady rate.

While some home stagers focus on a particular market segment, you can choose to offer your services to a range of clients. You may start locally, but as your business grows through referrals and marketing, you can expand to surrounding cities and counties. The key is to become an expert in understanding what appeals to buyers in your target markets so you can stage homes appropriately at different price points.

Your Home Staging Service

As a home stager, your product is your ability to transform spaces to make them appealing to potential home buyers. You will work directly with clients on-site to redesign and reorganize their living spaces.

To stand out, focus on developing a signature style and staging technique. For example, you might specialize in modern, minimalist staging or cozy, lived-in looks. You can also distinguish yourself through add-on services like professional photography for listings. The key is to build a portfolio of your work to showcase your skills to new clients.

Your services will primarily be delivered on location at your clients’ homes. You will do an initial consultation to evaluate the space and needs, then return to stage the home, which may take a full day or more for larger properties. It’s important to be efficient while also paying close attention to details that will make a big impact, like accent lighting, decorative accents, and perfectly placed furniture.

To develop your product and service, stay on top of the latest trends in interior design and home decor. Learn what types of staging are most appealing for different home styles and price points. Practice in your own home or volunteer to help friends stage their spaces. Over time, as you do more actual client work, your skills and process will become more refined. Continuously ask clients for feedback to improve your service, and update your portfolio with photos of your latest projects.

Business Economics and Finances

The costs for a home staging business are relatively low, making it an attractive venture for new entrepreneurs. Your primary costs will be transportation to and from client sites, storage space for furniture and decor used in stagings, and the inventory itself. You can start with a small collection of versatile pieces and add to it over time as your business grows.

For pricing your services, you have a few options:

•Hourly rate: $50-200/hour depending on your experience and the scale of the project. Hourly is good for small stagings but can be limiting for larger whole-home projects.

•Per room rate: $200-500/room. Charge higher rates for living rooms, kitchens and master bedrooms. Per room pricing is simple for clients to understand but may undervalue your work on larger projects.

•Flat fee for whole home: $500-3,000+ for an entire average sized house. Flat fees give you flexibility on smaller projects but require you to accurately estimate the time required for larger stagings. Start with a room-by-room evaluation to determine a fair flat fee.

•Commission based: 10-20% of the final sale price of the home. Commission is risky but can be the most lucrative. You’ll need to show a proven track record of success to negotiate a commission-based contract.

Your costs of goods sold will typically be 30-50% of your revenue. Factor in additional overhead costs for things like marketing, insurance, and business licenses. Most home stagers are able to build a sustainable business with net profit margins of 25% or more. The key is keeping costs low, charging premium rates for your services, and securing a steady stream of new clients through marketing and referrals.

Marketing Your Home Staging Business

To attract new home staging clients, you need to implement an effective marketing strategy. Some of the best ways to market a home staging business include:

•Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimize your website and content for search engines like Google to rank higher in results for terms like “home staging [your city]” and “home stagers near me.” Focus on your page titles, content, and earning high-quality backlinks. SEO can drive organic traffic and new leads over the long run.

•Social media marketing: Build a social media presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Houzz. Share photos of your latest home staging projects, post tips for home sellers, and engage with your followers. Participate in local real estate and home decor Facebook groups to raise your visibility. Social media is a great way to showcase your work and style.

•Email marketing: Start building an email list of past clients, local real estate agents, and others in related fields. Send a regular newsletter with home selling tips, recent projects, and special offers. Email marketing to a targeted list can generate repeat and referral business.

•Direct outreach: Contact local real estate brokerages, agents, and property managers to promote your services. Drop off marketing materials, offer to host a lunch and learn, or provide a discount on initial stagings. Face-to-face meetings and direct outreach are an effective way to form new partnerships and gain access to listings.

•Online listings: List your business on directories like HomeAdvisor, Houzz, and your local chamber of commerce website. These listings will increase your visibility online and many provide additional opportunities for reviews and ratings that build credibility.

•Print marketing: Place ads in local real estate magazines and home decor publications. Sponsor a local home tour or charity event. While less prominent, traditional print marketing still reaches some target clients.

Using a mix of digital and traditional strategies and consistently marketing your services will help establish your business as the go-to home staging expert in your area. Focus on relationship building, education, and showing the value you provide to home sellers and real estate professionals. With time and experience, referrals and word-of-mouth will become your best source of new leads.

Sales Strategies and Processes

To sell your home staging services, you need to implement professional sales strategies that will convert leads into clients. Some key steps include:

•Initial contact: Reach out to prospective clients through a phone call, email, or in-person meeting. Explain your services, provide examples of your work, and ask questions to determine if they have an upcoming need for home staging. Offer a free initial consultation.

•Consultation: Meet with the prospective client on-site to view the home. Ask questions about their goals, style preferences, and timeline. Provide an overview of your recommended staging approach and suggestions for improvements. Follow up with a proposal outlining your services and fees in writing.

•Address objections: Be prepared to address any concerns about the investment in home staging. Come armed with statistics and examples showing the impact staging has on selling price and time on market. Offer references and testimonials from past clients. Discuss options to keep fees within their budget if needed.

•Close the sale: To close the deal, focus on building value, trust, and a sense of urgency. Highlight how your services will ease the stress of selling their home and make the process faster and more profitable. Ask for the contract or deposit to get started. Provide a written agreement to formalize the terms of your work.

•Exceed expectations: The key to gaining referrals and repeat clients is overdelivering on your services. Do an exceptional job staging the home and keep the client informed throughout the process. Be available to make any updates or changes needed during the selling period. Ask for reviews and testimonials once the home sells to build your reputation.

•Follow up: Stay in touch with clients even after the job is done. Send a thank you note or small gift. Ask if they have any additional feedback on your services. Let them know you’re available if they or any acquaintances need home staging in the future. Effective follow up and relationship building will lead to more word-of-mouth referrals and business.

Operations and Execution

To execute home staging projects efficiently, you need to have strong organizational and time management skills. Key operational steps include:

•Schedule a pre-staging consultation to view the home and evaluate needs. Take measurements and photos to determine a plan for arranging and accessorizing each room.

•Create a proposed staging plan, timeline, and budget for the client’s approval. Explain how you will optimize each space and address any areas of concern. Provide options at different price points if needed.

•Rent or purchase any additional furniture, decor, linens, art, plants, lighting, etc. required to stage the home. Build up your inventory over time for use on future projects.

•Re-arrange and stage one room or area at a time. Focus on decluttering and depersonalizing spaces, arranging furniture for optimal flow and function, and adding decorative accents to create visual appeal. Pay attention to details.

•Take professional photos of each staged room to build your portfolio and for the real estate listing. High quality listing photos are critical to capturing interest from potential buyers.

•Conduct a final walkthrough with the client to make any last tweaks before the home goes on the market. Provide tips for keeping the home clean and clutter-free during showings.

•Stay available to make any updates or changes to the staging during the selling period based on feedback from real estate agents and buyers. You want the home to always look its best right up until the final sale.

•Remove all additional furniture and decor once the sale of the home is complete. Return any rented items and store purchased pieces for use on future stagings.

•Review the overall experience with the client and real estate agent. Ask for feedback on what you did well and how you can improve your services for the next client. Make notes to optimize your process.

Legal Considerations

Before launching your home staging business, research all local regulations and licensing requirements. Most areas do not require specific licensing or permits for home stagers, but you will still need general business licenses and insurance.

Check with your city clerk’s office regarding business licenses and permits. You may need a general business license to operate. Some cities require permits for signage if you have a commercial space.

Consult an insurance broker about professional liability insurance and general business insurance. Liability insurance protects you in the event of any damage to a client’s home. Business insurance covers you in case of fire, theft, or other issues with your own equipment, supplies, and workspace.

You should also create standard contracts for your clients that outline the terms of your working agreement, fees, and liabilities. Have a lawyer review your contracts to ensure they comply with local regulations. Clearly define the scope of your services and fees in all client contracts before beginning a new home staging job.

Stay up to date with any changes in laws, licensing, or permits required for home-based businesses in your area. Regulations can change, so check in periodically with your municipal government resources. Complying with all legal requirements will allow you to operate your home staging business with confidence and maintain a professional reputation.

In Summary

Starting a home staging business can be a rewarding career choice for those with an eye for interior design and a passion for helping home sellers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can build a successful home staging business from the ground up. Define your services, learn the craft, and implement a smart marketing strategy to attract real estate clients. Focus on developing a signature style, overdelivering for your clients, and building a reputation for excellence. While home staging requires work, the potential for growing a profitable small business is well worth the effort. If you have a creative mindset, home staging could be the perfect outlet for your talents. Why not start transforming spaces and launch your dream career today?