Vermont, the Green Mountain State is incredibly beautiful. From the rugged highlands in the northeast of the state to the mountains of the south, to its lush green valleys, and its rivers and lakes, there’s something so special about this beautiful state. With an abundance of gorgeous scenery, you’ll also find a wealth of stunning homes and a buoyant property market.
Right now, realtors are looking for home stagers in Vermont to stage homes for sale, to maximize profits and achieve a quick sale. If you’re thinking of becoming a home stager, you’ll be interested to know that the number of homeowners choosing to have their homes professionally staged has increased over recent years. While once home staging was considered to be something limited to the rich, celebrities and high-flying millionaires with huge mansions, these days all homeowners are looking to reap the rewards of a properly staged home.
With this increase in demand for home stagers, there is plenty of work out there for anyone wanting to become a professional home stager in Vermont.
Could you be Vermont’s next professional home stager?
So, how do you become a home stager in Vermont?
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 think that the road to becoming a home stager is going to be full of obstacles, then think again. It’s time to be truly optimistic as becoming a home stager is not actually that difficult. If you’re motivated and enthusiastic, you really are halfway there! Read on to find out more…
Steps to becoming a home stager in Vermont
Let’s start at the beginning, and work through the steps you should follow to have the greatest chance of success in your new role as a professional home stager…
Step 1: Take a home staging certification course in Vermont
Achieving home staging certification is a great way to get your home staging career off to a flying start. Home staging certification is the perfect way to prove your credentials before you have a lot of experience under your belt.
With home staging training in Vermont with the Home Staging Institute, you will earn a certificate that can be used as proof of your abilities. Not all home staging courses will reward you with certification, so it’s certainly something to check when you’re choosing which home staging course to take. Our courses are accessible to all and very flexible. You can complete the course in your own time, with many of our students becoming a fully certified home stager in under 4 weeks!
Step 2: Understand the local Vermont market
Having a decent understanding of the local market and the different areas of Vermont is so important. A good home stager doesn’t just recreate the same staging from home to home, they take into account a variety of factors such as the size and style of the property, its location, and the type of buyer it’s most likely to attract.
You’ll keep on top of market trends, and you’ll understand what people are looking for when they view each type of property. You’ll be sensitive to the history of older properties, and you’ll know how to use both natural and artificial lighting to enhance homes and showcase them with maximum appeal.
Step 3: Learn from other home stagers in Vermont
Of course, you’re keen to get your business up and running, but it can be beneficial to take a little time to do some research first. Put in the work now, and you’ll avoid making costly mistakes down the line.
You can learn a lot from other home stagers in Vermont. Get on Google and type in something along the lines of ‘home stagers in Vermont’. Visit each website that comes up in the results, and study it. Read through the pages and take notes. Click through to any blog posts or social media feeds and think about what most grabs your attention. Think about how they are marketing their business. Look at what images they’ve included. Look into the services they offer. You never know what ideas it might give you.
Step 4: Start a home staging business in Vermont
There’s no need to rush, but when you feel you’re fully trained and well-prepared, it’s time for the next step.
The practicalities of setting up a business – here are some things to consider…
- Register your business – learn about your tax liabilities. (more details here)
- Learn how to keep accounts – hire an accountant.
- Work out your pricing structure – decide how you will take payments.
- Define your services and service area.
- Get the relevant insurance in place.
- Set up a website or hire someone to develop one for you.
- Set up all social media accounts for your business.
- Gather together a collection of photos for your website and social media feeds.
Step 5: Begin marketing
The final step is to promote your site, to make people aware of your services and build up your business. These days most people will start searching for any service online, so while you shouldn’t overlook advertising in local publications etc., the majority of your advertising is quite likely to be internet-based. There are many routes you can take, and it’s a good idea to explore them all and see what works best for you.
Your social media channels will be very important, so be sure to regularly publish error-free content that offers something of use or interest to your followers. You could also consider paid adverts on Google or Facebook etc., however, don’t forget about one totally free, and potentially highly valuable route for advertising – word of mouth. Get in the habit of talking about your business with everyone you come into contact with, and keep some business cards to hand for anyone who shows an interest in your services.
Other facts about becoming a home stager in Vermont
How much do home stagers make in Vermont?
Our findings indicate that home stagers in Vermont generally earn between $38,000 and $58,000 annually, with hourly rates ranging from $19 to $29. Experienced professionals or those in high-demand areas may earn over $68,000 per year. Earnings can fluctuate based on factors like location, client base, and the volume of projects undertaken.
Do I need a license to become a home stager in Vermont?
Home staging professionals in Vermont do not require a license. You can set up your home staging business without having to buy a license.
Do you need a degree to become a home stager in Vermont?
There is absolutely no requirement for you to spend years of your time and a whole lot of money taking a degree level course to become a home stager. A home staging course with the Home Staging Institute is the quicker, lower-cost solution to becoming a certified home stager.
