With its abundance of home styles, Rhode Island makes for an interesting and varied workplace! The smallest state certainly packs in a lot of natural beauty, and a wealth of stunning properties, just waiting to be enhanced by Rhode Island home stagers.
Your work may take you to the stunning capital city of Providence, the seaside city of Newport, or the quaint, smaller towns such as Charlestown and Tiverton. The further you’re prepared to travel to work, the faster you’ll grow your business, so it’s always a good idea to cast a wide net for work, particularly when you’re new to the industry.
So, how do you become a home stager in Rhode Island?
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.
You’ll need to put in the work, you’ll need to grow your skills, and you’ll have to learn how to run a business. But, for anyone with an eye for design, and the willingness to learn, becoming a home stager in Rhode Island is totally achievable and you could well find that there are fewer obstacles in your way than you first imagined.
For example, did you know that you don’t even need a license to become a home stager? And you can take home staging training in Rhode Island to teach you everything you need to know, and even earn a certificate that is recognized by realtors across the US as proof of your skills.
Steps to becoming a home stager in Rhode Island
So are you ready to make your dream career a reality? Just think, in just a few weeks you could be a professional home stager, setting the scene so potential home buyers can imagine their life in the home you’ve staged. You’ll have the knowledge to make every property look as fantastic as possible, and you’ll know just what to do in order to get that all-important sale. Excited? Of course you are! So, let’s get started with the first step…
Step 1: Take a home staging certification course in Rhode Island
With home staging certification, you’re taking one of the best first steps that will give you a clear advantage when you launch your business. Your home staging training in Rhode Island will deliver all the knowledge you need and teach you all the skills required to become an excellent home stager. Once you’ve completed your course, you’ll have confidence in your own skills, the motivation to get started in your new career, and a certificate with which to prove your abilities.
When you’re searching for home staging courses in Rhode Island, you’ll find various choices appear in your search results, but choose carefully as not all courses will result in certification. At the Home Staging Institute, we know that certification is highly valued, not just by our students, but by realtors looking for a way to determine which home stagers are fully trained and highly competent. Your home staging certification will not only give a great sense of achievement, but it will also be hugely valuable as a method for proving your credentials.
Step 2: Understand the local Rhode Island market
As a home stager, understanding the local market is key to everything you do. When you understand what type of people an area, or a particular property will attract, you can use that knowledge to stage a home that will particularly appeal to that specific demographic. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the latest trends and fashions in the world of interior design, and equally, you should know when a trend falls out of favor! Using outdated styles and design concepts in your home staging efforts will not bring the results you desire.
It’s all about learning and gaining local knowledge. You should be constantly checking out all the different types of property in the area and keeping a close eye on property listings to see what’s on the market, and how these homes are being staged.
Step 3: Learn from other home stagers in Rhode Island
Every good home stager will have their own style and preferred ways to do things, but there is always something to be learnt, especially from the more established home stagers. Search online for ‘home stagers in Rhode Island’ and you’ll discover a wealth of inspirational content from which to gather ideas and insight. You could even visit open houses in your area to see other home stagers’ work for real.
Step 4: Start a home staging business in Rhode Island
And now it’s time to get down to business!
Follow our checklist to make sure you’re on track…
- Register your business
- Set up your website and social media channels
- Spread the word of your services through friends and family
- Get some good accounting software and learn how to use it
- Design a logo and print business cards
- Get a dedicated cell phone for your business
- Check out furniture rental companies, movers, storage companies and other suppliers and maintain a comprehensive list of contacts
Step 5: Begin marketing
Last, but by no means, least, let’s talk about marketing. Marketing your business is a vital part of running your business, particularly in the early days when you’re going from a standing start. To begin with, the best plan of action is usually to explore as many avenues as possible, to see what works best for your business. Of course you will want to have a solid presence on all the top social media channels. This can take a lot of your time, so you may wish to think about outsourcing your social media marketing to a third party to get the best results in the shortest time.
You should also never underestimate the power of a word-of-mouth recommendation. Take every opportunity to let people know about your services, and always have a supply of business cards to hand.
Other facts about becoming a home stager in Rhode Island
How much do home stagers make in Rhode Island?
Our research indicates that home stagers in Rhode Island typically earn between $40,000 and $60,000 annually, with hourly rates ranging from $20 to $30. Those with significant experience or working in high-demand areas may earn over $70,000 per year. Income can vary depending on factors such as location, clientele, and the number of projects completed.
Do I need a license to become a home stager in Rhode Island?
There are no requirements for you to be licensed as a home stager in Rhode Island. This does mean, that unless you take a course and become certified, you have no official way to prove your home staging credentials.
Do you need a degree to become a home stager in Rhode Island?
No, you don’t need a degree to become a home stager in Rhode Island. While some clients may choose not to work with someone who does not possess some sort of home staging certificate, qualifications are not compulsory to pursue this career.
