The concept of staging homes for real estate sales has been around since the late seventies. Because of its popularity and effectiveness, it’s not likely to go away any time soon. Most real estate agents agree that staging has a positive effect on potential buyers. It makes it easier for a buyer to visualize the home as their own, and sometimes even leads to increased offers. What this means for the entrepreneur with an eye for design is that there’s room for business in this market. It can also mean huge profits since home stagers can make anywhere from $50 to $300 an hour. If you think you have what it takes to make it in this industry, here are three tips to get you started.
Choose a niche
If you live in a small town, you might do well to stage homes for everyone. But in a big city, you’ll probably get more business if you specialize. This is true in any business because specializing helps you establish yourself as a professional in a particular field. It also makes it much easier to find your target market and collect inventory. Some examples of niches in home staging might be local flippers with investment properties, modern apartment complexes such as cloverleaf gardens apartments woodbridge nj, or even luxury homes.
Choosing a niche is often a process that first involves identifying your passions and interests. In home staging, this might be easy to figure out based on how you like to decorate your own home. You should also do some research on your competition. How many home stagers have businesses in your area? What types of homes do most of them work with? You can often identify an area of shortage and try to fill it.
Build your inventory gradually
By choosing a niche, deciding what furniture to use would be much easier and more cost-efficient. The best advice to keep in mind though is to not buy everything at once, as this could eat into your profit very quickly. It’s best, instead, to slowly test the market and make sure it’s going to be a profitable venture for you before you sink all your cash into inventory. Start by shopping for discounted or liquidated items, such as Walmart pallets you can buy online. In addition, look for furniture you can borrow or rent from local stores. Many businesses will allow you to use their items for free in exchange for free advertising. They’ll often even deliver it and set it up for you.
Establish an online presence
Everyone needs some type of online presence these days. That’s the first place most people look before hiring anyone for almost anything. You can stay exclusive to social media, if that’s what you’re comfortable with. Just make sure you stay active. Facebook or Instagram are usually the best platforms for visual businesses like home staging. You can post custom home inspiration images to give people a glimpse of your work or inspire them into action. You can also post decorating tips to establish yourself as an expert.
Even with social media, though, it’s still best to set up a website. This is a space that belongs to you, where people can find out about you, contact you, and see your work. It’s also a way for Google to rank you so that you can easily be found when someone performs a search for a home staging business in your location. If this task seems daunting, there’s no reason you should have to tackle it yourself. Plenty of freelancers and online companies can build you a great website for a reasonable fee.
