Being a home stager in Alaska is a unique profession. With its colder climate, living in Alaska is unlike living anywhere else in the US, and those in the more southern states just don’t get it! That’s why realtors and homeowners in Alaska want local home stagers to work with their properties. Professionals who understand the needs of the community and how to work with the houses and the climate. If you’ve lived in Alaska for a long time, you’ll have that deep understanding of the environment that you’ll need to succeed as a home stager in The Last Frontier.
From Anchorage to Ketchikan, Alaska needs more certified home stagers right now.
So, how do you become a home stager in Alaska?
We’ll look at this from the point of view of starting your own home staging business. If you want to start with getting a home staging job, read our articles on resume tips, how to get a home staging job, and our overview of home staging careers.
If you want to be a home stager, there’s a lot to learn, but training to become a home stager can be both fascinating and a whole lot of fun. If you have a passion for design and an interest in real estate, you’ve got what it takes to start this amazing journey to a new career.
Imagine doing a job you love every day! Those days are just around the corner…
Steps to becoming a home stager in Alaska
Let’s start by looking at the processes involved in learning to be a home stager and setting up a home staging business – from taking home staging training in Alaska to marketing your new business.
Step 1: Take a home staging certification course in Alaska
Earning your home staging certification is the best path to take for a beginner home stager. While training, you’ll learn so many useful skills that will be invaluable throughout your career. With a home staging course from the Home Staging Institute, you will learn all the skills you’ll need to be a successful home stager, and you’ll also learn how to run a home staging business.
When you’ve finished your course, you’ll be awarded a certificate. This gives you confidence in your own abilities, and it’s a good way to prove your abilities to potential clients. Our certificates are recognized by realtors, not just in Alaska, but all across the US and Canada.
That’s exactly how Emma from Anchorage got started. She took her home staging certification through the Home Staging Institute and completed the Professional Course in just under a month. Within two weeks, she had staged a cozy mountain-view cabin for a family friend, used the before-and-after photos on social media, and quickly landed two paying clients – one of whom was a local realtor now using her regularly.
Step 2: Understand the local Alaska market
Local knowledge is very important, particularly in Alaska with its unique climate and environment. So it’s now time to study the local market. Learn more about all the areas of Alaska so you fully understand the needs of the people who live there. Research all the different types of property, and if you’re unfamiliar with any particular home styles, you could visit during an open day to have a good look around to familiarize yourself with every type of home. You can also learn a lot by searching property listings, to get a good overview of the properties on the market at any one time.
Step 3: Learn from other home stagers in Alaska
By researching the work of other home stagers, you can pick up some great tips and ideas. Simply search on Google for ‘home stagers in Alaska’ and carefully study the results. Look at the way they use images, and how they portray their services. Read their terms and conditions and click through to their social media channels. Take note of how they use color and design techniques on their website to grab your attention. Keep a notepad by your side so you can jot down anything that you feel could be useful information for you when you’re ready to develop your own online presence.
Step 4: Set your pricing based on the local Alaska market
Alaska’s cost of living sits above the national average, which works in your favor when setting staging prices. Higher costs for transportation, materials, and everyday expenses in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau mean that clients already expect to pay more for professional services. Logistics can also be a factor in Alaska. Depending on where the property is located, delivery and setup may take more time and coordination than in other states, and your pricing should account for that. Do not be afraid to charge for the additional effort that comes with operating in a market where everything from furniture rental to fuel costs more.
Use our home staging pricing calculator below to estimate what you could charge for projects across Alaska. The calculator factors in Alaska’s above-average cost of living and gives you room-by-room estimates for both occupied and vacant staging at different quality levels. This will give you a realistic baseline for building your quotes, so you are not guessing or copying rates from stagers in completely different markets.
Project Quote Calculator
Generate accurate staging quotes for occupied & vacant homes
Step 5: Start a home staging business in Alaska
These are exciting times, so let’s get started with setting up your new business…
What are you waiting for? Let’s get the ball rolling…
- First, you’ll need to register your business and get your tax responsibilities in order.
- You’ll want a memorable name for your business, perhaps one that mentions your location in Alaska.
- You’ll need to detail your pricing structure, payment methods and terms and conditions, in order to be transparent.
- It’s very important to have good liability insurance in place.
- You should get some professional business cards printed so you can pass on your contact details quickly to anyone you meet.
- You may also want to consider getting third parties involved such as a website designer, or a social media marketing expert.
Step 6: Begin marketing
Your first decision is to decide if you will be dealing with your marketing yourself, or hiring an agency to handle it. This will depend both on your budget, and your time commitments. Promoting your business should be a priority, and something well worth investing in, whether that be your cash or your time!
Either way, you’ll need some stunning images with which to showcase your talents. Before and after photos work particularly well as potential clients can see exactly what you’ve done and how you’ve transformed the space. It can be difficult to get a lot of photos together when you’re not yet established, so you may need to think outside the box. Of course you can always stage your own home, but could you also ask friends and family to let you stage rooms in their houses? Some exterior shots will work well too, to add variety and beauty to your website and social media posts. Perhaps a well-staged, welcoming porch or a view through a window to a cozy interior. If you can capture the fabulous Alaskan scenery in the background, even better!
If you’re planning to become a home stager in Alaska, now you know what it takes – from certification and local research to launching your business and getting clients. If you’re ready to take that next step and go deeper, our Professional Course will give you the training and confidence you need to thrive as a home stager in the Last Frontier.
Other facts about becoming a home stager in Alaska
How much do home stagers make in Alaska?
Based on our research, home stagers in Alaska typically earn between $42,000 and $62,000 annually, with hourly rates ranging from $21 to $31. Those with significant experience or working in high-demand areas may earn over $72,000 per year. Income can vary depending on factors such as location, clientele, and the number of projects handled.
Do I need a license to become a home stager in Alaska?
Alaskan home stagers do not need a license. If you want proof of your credentials to show to potential clients, then we suggest you take home staging training and work towards certification.
Do you need a degree to become a home stager in Alaska?
Having a certificate in home staging is an excellent way to prove your skills, but there is no need to have a degree to be a home stager in Alaska.
