How can one get into home staging? I have a BA Degree in Interior Design and also have had 5 years’ experience in the field. I saw home staging first hand over seas and I do think there is a market for it. Does anyone know how one can get into it here?
Home staging, also known as property styling, is certainly a viable and needed service in South Africa, however there are already some companies offering it.
Do your homework
My advice would be to put together a tight portfolio and rate card, and make appointments to see real estate agents, banks and anyone else engaged in the sale of residential properties.
You may also find that a niche approach could help get your foot in the door – does anyone offer home staging for commercial properties at this stage, as an example?
You should set up a website and a Facebook page is probably also a good idea, filled with testimonials of people whose homes you have helped to sell through your staging skills.
Be flexible
If you encounter resistance initially due to lack of budget, you might be advised to work on spec (do the job and get paid when the house sells), or some similar deferred payment option to educate sellers of the value of your service.
Finally, look at the private seller market as a user of your services as well, so visit sites like private property.