Home staging, the new trend for selling and renting the house

L’home staging, is a marketing technique for the real estate and hôtellerie sector, which is also spreading a lot in Italy, and which allows you to show the house for sale or rent, or a holiday residence, in a more captivating, modern and responsive way needs of the public to which it is presented.

Also defined as the marketing of emotions, it proposes the house as a set decorated according to the latest trends, to arouse interest, desire, and that love at first sight that determines the purchase. It is a mix of skills between interior design and customer knowledge.

In practice, some small interventions of low economic value are carried out in the apartment to be sold, which however have a high visual impact, to give the property a fresher and more captivating appearance, according to the tastes of the market.

In the United States it has long been used by real estate agencies, to sell and rent quickly and more profitably.

In Italy, the real estate development sector aimed at buying and selling both residential homes and hotels and residences is constantly growing, especially in large cities, where the offer is vast and it is necessary to have a diversified approach.

But let’s see what exactly this technique is and who practices it, also giving some useful tips for DIY.

What is home staging

The term, literally means setting up the house, indicates a marketing technique applied in particular to real estate sales, which is used to sell and rent a house faster and better.

It is a series of small interventions with limited expenditure, aimed at improving the presentation of homes and includes notions of:

• interior design
• photography
• knowledge of social channels
• psychology applied to sales

It is a set of techniques and interventions to make a property or a room more aesthetically beautiful and more functional, to respond to the wishes of the customer (family with children, singles, elderly …), to produce captivating images for dissemination on social and platforms of buying and selling real estate or holiday homes.

Origins

This technique was born in the United States after the 1970s. It has been a revolution for the real estate industry and also a career opportunity for many creatives who can tackle this freelance job.

In Italy it has been spreading in recent years to make the best houses to rent, even for very short periods on various dedicated portals, or for online sales, but also for face-to-face visits.

Who is the home stager

Those who deal with this often refer to themselves as a home stager.

He is usually a creative person, passionate about home design, with experience in real estate or tourism, who has knowledge of the market and the demand for real estate. He must be able to grasp the beauty in every space and show it to the buyer, using digital techniques and practical ways.

However, it is a job that anyone can do, it does not require academic training, but a lot of passion and desire to do. However, both online and face-to-face courses are available, which issue a certificate as a professional home stager.

Sometimes it is the real estate agents themselves who follow courses, to best combine their experience of the requests of potential customers and the market with the preparation of spaces for sale or rent.

Finally, there are specialized agencies, which take care of the entire customization process. They have at their disposal furniture and accessories, decorative objects and paintings, textiles and some trusted craftsmen for small interior improvement works. They can thus optimize the costs of these interventions because they carry them out on a large scale, always using the same things and using the same people. I also provide professional photographers and web editors for the layout of advertisements on specialized portals.

What the home stager does

A professional must perform some essential steps:

• check the state of the house to know its strengths and weaknesses
• identify the target market: young users, the elderly, families with children, passing workers…?
• Working for respond to the requests of the identified reference market
• highlight the strengths (brightness, a terrace, the garden …)
• eliminate or mitigate weaknesses if possible (blind bathroom, little light, too much furniture ….)
• make quality photos and videos
• spread the product on social networks and reference platforms
• understand the customer and have good interpersonal skills

This is the job of the home stager. Let’s see in particular what are the knowledge required to become a professional in the sector.

Home stager: knowledge

To become a home stager you must have:

• knowledge in scenographic preparation techniques
• basics of interior photography
• experiences in the real estate market: know the dynamics, costs and services offered by real estate agencies
• organizational skills to plan interventions of fast restyling at low prices
• certificate of specialization confirming its professionalism
• computer skills to provide communication and promotion
• interpersonal skills and sales attitude

The pros and cons of home staging

This is an expanding new sector that looks promising. He could therefore become a professional figure sought after by real estate agencies or real estate agencies in general.

Taking care of this job could have some important benefits:

• carry out work independently
• do an exciting job which can be done in part from home
• give free rein to your creativity
• create a market niche and a portfolio of trusted agencies to become a reference consultant for

Obviously, being self-employed, am growing, there are also negative aspects:

• it cannot give certainty of continuity
• it will initially be difficult to find owners who understand its value
• face the costs to get started, albeit minimal, such as PC, camera, camera, a web page, objects for setting up the house and craftsmen for interventions

How to become a home staging professional

Professionals are not architects or designers, although being stylist for magazines or photography, or having skills in interior decoration helps. However, they are consultants able to enhance a property, but not interior decorators or architects.

Experience as a real estate agent is another important element. But above all they must be creative people. Sometimes a certificate of qualification is required, which is why there are ad hoc courses, which are aimed at graduates from each school of origin.

Some are recognized by the PPC Order of Architects and issue 20 training credits valid for professional training.

The subjects of study of the home staging

What is studied in a course?

• How to set up various environments
• How to make a photo shoot
• Basic marketing concepts, communication and neuromarketing
• Real estate market studies and statistics, target analysis
• Sales channel planning and web presence

How much does a home staging professional earn

A consultant earns on average 30 euros per hour. To sell or rent a house, you have to calculate an economic commitment on the part of the owner of approx 1000-3000 euros.

DIY home staging ideas

To sell or rent your home you can turn to experts, but if you have the attitude and time to devote then there are some useful tips to follow for the main rooms of a home.

Home staging from the entrance

If the house has a nice large entrance, it is good to work on that already, which must immediately appear to be a welcoming place and invite you to enter.

There must therefore be no objects, coats and shoes or umbrellas left in sight. The floor must be clean as well as the entrance door and its handles.

• if it is large, place some colorful carpets and some plants
• if it is small, place one mirror long
• In winter you can put fresh flowers or vases

Home staging in the living room

To present the living room well, it is essential to pay attention to:

• sofa
• carpets and curtains
• walls and paintings
• floor

A living room must be welcoming and comfortable. Cleaning first: freshen the walls and remove any smoke or stains mold, clean curtains, carpets and windows well. The chandeliers also need to be cleaned.

Few objects on the shelves and on the table, display the essentials. The books neatly arranged, and remember that if you don’t have any you can rent them. No family photos or too personal items on display.

• It is advisable to put some plants or fresh flowers near the windows
• If the room is dark, it is recommended to get and turn on at least 3 lampshades
• If there is a fireplace, place a few logs of wood or some inside candles turned on
• Place some home interior or travel magazines neatly on a coffee table
• Replace broken or damaged electrical plates

Kitchen

The basic elements of the kitchen …