Arkansas is an amazing state, home to around 3 million people across a wealth of fabulous cities. As a home stager in Arkansas, you’ll have so many great properties to work with, each one different from the next. Whether you’re staging homes in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Conway or Ozark, each job is unique and will bring with it different challenges.
Homeowners and real estate agents across Arkansas are hiring home stagers to work their magic so properties attract buyers quickly and sell for the very best price. The home staging industry has grown massively over recent years. It can be hard work, but it’s also a career that’s incredibly rewarding. Do you have what it takes to run a successful home staging business?
So, how do you become a home stager in Arkansas?
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.
There are several ways of working towards becoming a home stager, but most of the top home stagers in Arkansas started their journey by taking a course in home staging that rewarded them with a certificate upon successful competition of the course. With a home staging certification, qualified home stagers can provide proof of their abilities to real estate agents, and individual clients, which can make finding your feet in the world of home staging a lot easier than trying to get established with no certification or proof of your credentials.
Steps to becoming a home stager in Arkansas
There is a lot for a home stager to learn. There’s a plethora of design skills that you’ll need to learn, to make sure you can perfectly stage any type of property, in any area of Arkansas. You’ll also need to build your knowledge of how to run a successful home staging business. But don’t worry, all you really need to begin with is an artistic eye, and a lot of enthusiasm, and then the rest is sure to follow!
Step 1: Take a home staging certification course
The greater the effort you put in, the bigger the rewards. With no requirement to be licensed to set up a home staging business in Arkansas, there’s nothing stopping a budding home stager from offering up their services to Arkansas realtors and homeowners. However, the chances of scoring the jobs when you’re competing with other home stagers with proven track records and certification are slim. If you take the time to take a short home staging course, not only will you be more prepared for the work ahead, but you’ll also be able to command higher fees.
When you choose a home staging course, of course, we do hope you’ll go with the Home Staging Institute, but even if you don’t, we highly suggest that you opt for a course that results in certification. This can truly be your passport to work as it’s something realtors look for when choosing home stagers to build relationships with. You can rest assured that completion of any of our courses will result in you receiving a certificate. What’s more, our courses offer excellent value for money and can be completed within just a few weeks. There’s really no reason why you shouldn’t kick-start your career with invaluable home staging training in Arkansas.
Step 2: Understand the local Arkansas market
What sets apart a particularly excellent home stager, is the ability to read the property, and the environment, and stage the home taking all these factors into account. A city centre penthouse apartment needs to be staged completely differently from a secluded home deep in the woods. These properties will attract totally different types of buyers, and they’ll have hugely disparate styling and lighting requirements. You’ll stand out from the crowd by adapting your styling techniques for each individual property, rather than simply forcing your own design preferences onto each and every space. You’ll put yourself into the shoes of potential buyers, you’ll understand their needs and desires, and you’ll make the space work perfectly for them.
Step 3: Learn from other home stagers in Arkansas
First things first. When you’re in the planning stages of setting up your home staging business, perhaps while you are still working towards your home staging certification, it’s a super idea to see what other home stagers in your area are doing. Open up your web browser and search Google for ‘Home stagers in Arkansas’ and carefully examine the results. Get a notebook and pen and note down anything that stands out to you. Look at how they’re portraying their work with the use of images. Check out how they describe their services. Click through to their social media feeds and take inspiration for your marketing endeavours that you’ll be getting started with very soon.
Step 4: Start a home staging business in Arkansas
Now it’s time to put everything you’ve learnt into action. It’s time to set up your very own home staging business!
Here are some points to think about when you’re getting started…
- Do you need to register your business? Where and how? (More info here)
- What type of insurance policies should you have in place?
- What would you like your website to look like? What features should it have? (Unlock 40% off at StagingWebsites.com with voucher code HSIDiscount).
- What will you call your business, what will the logo look like?
- Do you need a separate cell phone number or postal address?
- Do you have all the contacts you need for products, tradespeople, storage or moving services?
- Where will you advertise? What is your advertising budget?
Step 5: Begin marketing
Once everything is in place and you’re all ready for your first client, it’s time to spread the word, and let Arkansas know that you’re in business. You’ll need a website that grabs the attention, and to do this, you’ll need some stunning images of your work. Even if you haven’t yet had a real, paying client, there’s no reason why you can’t have a portfolio of imagery for your website. Be creative. Stage rooms in your own home, offer to stage room for friends, family or even local businesses. Volunteer your skills to charities. Any time spent that results in great photos will be worth it. You could even consider hiring a professional photographer to get the very best results.
When it comes to marketing, pursue all avenues. Be active on social media, place advertisements in the local press and attend networking events. You never know where you might meet your next client or make a useful contact.
Other facts about becoming a home stager in Arkansas
How much do home stagers make in Arkansas?
According to our findings, home stagers in Arkansas generally earn between $33,000 and $53,000 annually, with hourly rates ranging from $16 to $26. Professionals with more experience or working in high-demand areas may earn over $63,000 per year. Income can vary depending on factors like location, clientele, and the volume of projects handled.
Do I need a license to become a home stager in Arkansas?
You don’t need to purchase a license to work as a home stager in Arkansas. Many home stagers instead choose to invest in a home staging course as a way to prove their credentials.
Do you need a degree to become a home stager in Arkansas?
There is no requirement for you to be educated to degree level to become a home stager in Arkansas. You can take one of our short home staging courses without any prior experience or qualifications.