BALTIMORE WASHINGTON, D.C. HOME STAGING COURSES: BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER: (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS JANUARY 17-19 IN COLUMBIA, MD!

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HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

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BALTIMORE AREA HOME STAGING COURSE: BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS JANUARY 17-19 IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND AREA

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HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER: (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) COURSES TAUGHT BY HGTV DESIGN STAR FINALIST CATHY HOBBS (PHOTOS FROM ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA CLASS)

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I just want to thank all of the wonderful students who signed up for the recent Certified Staging Professionals course I taught in Arlington, Virginia. You were such a wonderful group and I wish you so much success! In addition to the below dramatic before and after transformation, the class received some wonderful press in Washington Home and Garden Magazine!

Here’s the link:

http://www.whgmag.com/index.php/myblog/hgtv-design-star-finalist-cathy-hobbs-bringing-home-staging-course-to-the-dc-area.html

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA: CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONAL CLASS (BEFORE AND AFTER) PHOTOS

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

LIVING ROOM AFTER

DINING BEFORE

DINING AFTER

BEDROOM 1 BEFORE

BEDROOM 1 AFTER

BEDROOM 2 BEFORE

BEDROOM 2 AFTER

 INTERESTED IN BECOMING A HOME STAGER?

HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

FEATURED ARTICLE & VIDEO CLIP: How To Start A Home Staging Business

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Starting a Home Staging Business

By Cathy Hobbs, ASID Created: Sep 21, 2011 Last Updated: Sep 21, 2011

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Related articles: Business > Real Estate

Certified Staging Professional Cathy Hobbs in action, staging one of her many projects. (Courtesy of Cathy Hobbs)

Starting and building a home staging business is ideal for design enthusiasts, professional organizers, do-it-yourselfers, real estate brokers, and virtually anyone who has a desire to have their own business and has an interest in real estate, interior design, or decorating.

In 2005, when I became interested in adding home staging services to my existing interior design business, there was really only one course that stood out above the rest: the three-day Home Staging Certification Course offered by Certified Staging Professionals.

Similar three-day courses and online courses are currently being marketed, but the Certified Staging Professional Course (CSP) is the only course I discovered that provides home staging training plus the in-depth business knowledge that a new home stager needs to succeed in the competitive world of home staging. Their three-day intensive course consists of two days of in-class instruction, followed by a third day on-site where students actually stage a property.

Earning Money as a Home Stager

Home stagers can charge anywhere from $75 to $300 an hour, so for an avid marketer as well as someone with lots of contacts, the income potential can be tremendous. Just like with any other entrepreneurial endeavor, what one gets out of it is linked to what one puts into it.

The first step in launching a home staging business is letting everyone you possibly know that you are a home stager and are available to help them sell their properties. Most people at some point in their lives will need to sell a property and that is where you will come in!

What is wonderful about starting a home staging business is that there are minimal startup costs. In order to start a home staging business, one will need to have the following:

1. A computer

2. Business checking account

3. Professional liability insurance

4. A digital camera

5. A professional email address

6. A website

7. Business cards

8. A dedicated business phone line

9. A fax machine

What Does Home Staging Entail?

Staging can mean a number of things as it relates to selling a property. It can mean anything from painting and minor repairs to obtaining rental furniture and furniture arrangement. As a stager you will want to build a team to help you execute these tasks.

As a stager, you can expect to provide the following services:

1. Remove clutter

2. Pack away any and all unnecessary items and furnishings

3. Apply a fresh coat of paint or make paint color recommendations

4. Clean and steam carpets

5. Hire a professional cleaning crew

6. Recommend minor repairs

7. Rent furniture

8. Incorporate furniture and accessories to show function

Are Courses Required?

Unlike interior design, there are no education requirements for becoming a home stager. In fact, home staging is actually an unregulated industry. The question I would simply ask someone who is considering starting a home staging business is why would you not seek training?

It is hard enough starting an entrepreneurial venture, let alone setting out on one’s own without the necessary tools and basic foundation. Taking a professional business course such as the Home Staging Certification Course offered through Certified Staging Professionals is the key to having the foundation and resources in order to set you on the proper path.

The Certified Staging Professionals website as well as their expert staff and instructors provide a wealth of resources and knowledge as well as ongoing support to help make your home staging business successful.

Related Articles

* Introducing Columnist Cathy Hobbs

Certified Staging Professionals offers classes in Long Island, N.Y., Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, San Francisco, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Miami, Detroit, and Fargo, N.D., just to name a few. If you’re interested in becoming a real estate stager, contact Certified Staging Professionals directly at (www.stagingtraining.com) or (1.888.STAGING). Good luck. And Happy Staging!

Five-time Emmy award-winning television personality Cathy Hobbs (ASID) is the founder of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes™, specializing in interior design, home staging, and model residences for luxury new developments. A nationally known design expert, Cathy has appeared on such programs as The Nate Berkus Show and HGTV’s Top Ten. Cathy was also a finalist on Season 6 of HGTV’s Hit Reality Series Design Star. Cathy Hobbs is an ASID, LEED AP (BD+C), CSP.

VIDEO CLIP: HOW TO START A HOME STAGING BUSINESS

WASHINGTON, D.C. HOME STAGING COURSES: BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER: (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 2 IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA!

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ARLINGTON, baltimore, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, D.C., design star, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, Home Staging Course, maryland, resa, Stager Training, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON

HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

Washington Home & Garden Magazine Features Upcoming Certified Staging Professionals Course In Arlington, VA With Cathy Hobbs Of HGTV Design Star

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HGTV Design Star Finalist Cathy Hobbs is bringing her home staging course to the DC-area this month!

The Certified Staging Professional™ workshop is an intensive, comprehensive program taught through hands-on interaction, group exercises, role-play and in depth practical application of work samples geared to prepare the participants to enter the staging industry with the confidence and experience necessary to succeed.
WHERE: Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge
1900 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209 703-807-2000. Meeting Room: Potomac

WHEN:
November 30th – December 2nd HOW: To sign up for a staging class with Cathy Hobbs please visit www.stagingtraining.com or call 888-STAGING.

I was able to get an exclusive interview with the designer to learn more about her background. Read more after the photo!

Cathy Hobbs ASID/LEED AP

HGTV Design Star Finalist Cathy Hobbsis bringing her home staging course to the DC-area this month!The Certified Staging Professional™ workshop is an intensive, comprehensive program taught through hands-on interaction, group exercises, role-play and in depth practical application of work samples geared to prepare the participants to enter the staging industry with the confidence and experience necessary to succeed. WHERE: Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge 1900 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209 703-807-2000. Meeting Room: Potomac WHEN: November 30th – December 2nd HOW: To sign up for a staging class with Cathy Hobbs please visit www.stagingtraining.com or call 888-STAGING. I was able to get an exclusive interview with the designer to learn more about her background. Read more after the photo! Q: How has your experience in broadcast news influenced your experience in interior design? I was in broadcast news for 19 years, and in television especially, it’s all about the visuals.. telling a story with pictures. Having this background as really helped me tremendously with my interior design. First, it always allows me to be able to step back and truly visualize a space and focus not only on the big picture, but the fine details as well. Interior design is at it’s core, visual, so my background in television has truly helped a lot. Q: You are the first Green Home Stager in New York City. How important is sustainable design in NYC, compared to other cities? I am not sure New York City residents are more interested in sustainable design, but it is definitely a trend here. Beginning in about 2006 as new development condominium buildings were being built, many developers were looking for sustainable options, such as using recycled materials, having green roods, even down to the selection of fixtures for the bathrooms and kitchens. Much of my business is focused on new developments in New York City, designing common spaces such as lobbies, children’s rooms and gyms as well as model residences. So when my clients were looking for green alternatives, I was the company selected because of my LEED credential. Q: What do you see as the biggest mistake that homeowners make when decorating their homes? Mistake #1 Problem: Hanging artwork too high Solution: Eye level is at 5 feet.  The center point of a piece of artwork should be hung at 5 feet above the finished floor.  Adjustments up or down a couple inches may be needed but I consider this to be my general rule of thumb. Mistake #2 Problem: Painted Ceilings Solution: I tend to always leave my ceilings white, in order to help visually raise the height of a room.  While I am not completely opposed to painting a ceiling a color, people often fail to realize that a painted ceiling automatically visually reduces the height of a room. I recommend painted ceilings only if one if looking to create a certain mood or sense of coziness. Mistake #3 Problem: Decorating with too many colors Solution: I love color!  And love using color,  but as a general rule of thumb I tend to encourage people to design with (1) neutral color to be used a general wall or fabric color for upholstered pieces and then to use (2-3) accent colors that can be incorporated into accessories such as pillows, area rugs, artwork, pottery and vessels.  I also remind clients that is o.k. to create a design scheme, using shades and tones of the same color. Mistake #4 Problem: Purchasing furniture that is too big or too small for a particular space Solution: As basic as this may sound, so many people fail to measure and even loosely create a floor plan before purchasing furniture. I can not tell you how many times I have walked into rooms overstuffed with furniture..or pieces that are just to large or too small for a particular space. I suggest that before shopping always create some sort of floor plan even roughly on graph paper ..counting the squares in order to create your own scale, so that you know in advance whether or not a particular piece of furniture will fit. Mistake #5 Problem: Purchasing “sets” of furniture Solution:  I find that purchasing the “5-piece” set, seldom results in a successful interior design solution.  Purchasing sets tends to make a space look like a showroom instead of a home. I believe beyond bedroom sets, in which I tend to suggest clients purchase only lets say a bed, nightstands and perhaps (1) case good such as a dresser, purchasing “sets” are a no no.  I believe it is a far better option to purchase one main primary, solid quality, well designed piece of furniture, and create a design scheme around it. Q: How essential is quality home staging when putting a house on the market? A staged home has great appeal, enticing buyers inside, where they will see the best view of each room and the best traffic pattern throughout the home.  Further, a staged home is also in its best showcase, mint condition, so that it sells at the best possible price in the shortest possible time, an un-staged home does not. Staging before placing the house on the market, even before the “broker tour,” is ideal because realtors, as much as potential buyers, want to be “wowed”, and will be! A  staged house will stand out from the competition. Realtors will want to show it to their clients, increasing traffic to your listing and speeding its sale. Q: We love your Design Recipes! What inspired the idea? Thank you! I invented Design Recipes based on my overwhelming desire to make my designs approachable and affordable.  I was inspired to become an interior designer based on the fact that when I was a young reporter coming up I was virtually making no money.  I shopped in thrift stores and at flea markets and would go on wonderful treasure hunts for furniture and accessories!  I would have loved to be able to have the advice or tips from a professional designer without the big price tag.  That’s what design recipes is all about providing practical, affordable tips that any design enthusiast can apply to their own home.  Design Recipes feature a room on the front with the “ingredients” of how the room came together, similar to recipe instructions and on the back is all of the resource information! Design Recipes the website www.design-recipes.com has also expanded to include free recipes, a blog, design tips, videos and will soon feature podcasts.  More than 300 recipes are available on the website. –Caitlin Brown

BOSTON: HGTV DESIGN STAR FINALIST CATHY HOBBS HEADS TO BOSTON! (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS NOVEMBER 19-21 IN BOSTON!

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Heading to Beantown! Looks like we will have a nice group for my 3-Day Certified Staging Professionals Course in Boston! Interested? Contact 888-STAGING or http://www.stagingtraining.com for free info!

HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER: (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS NOVEMBER 28-30 IN ARLINGTON, VA!

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ARLINGTON, baltimore, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, D.C., design star, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, Home Staging Course, maryland, resa, Stager Training, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON

HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!

Celebrity Interior Designer NYC Home Staging Instructor Cathy Hobbs Shares Tips on Photographing Your Property With The Epoch Times

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affordable decorating, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, CSP, design star, Diane James, Diane James Home, Epoch Times, Home Stager Training, Home Staging Course, NYC Home Stager, real estate stager, Stager Training, The Epoch Times

Photographing Your Property

(Cathy Hobbs)

// //

Stage! Shoot! Sell! When it comes to selling real estate, photography can seal or sink a deal. The reality is that the vast majority of potential buyers first discover a property through the internet. It is also true that photography is what prompts potential buyers to want to see a property in person.

But perhaps one of the biggest parts of this powerful equation is the staging and styling that should precede those all-important photographs. I recently partnered with Manhattan’s most prominent photography company Gotham Photo. They asked me to stage and style for some of their residential shoots, so I arrived with a goodie bag of my “must-haves.”

Staged and styled by Cathy Hobbs. (Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes)

My goodie bag consists of some of the “tricks of the trade” that I use when staging for photography. At the top of my list is always incorporating a beautiful floral arrangement to use as a centerpiece on a table, dining room console, bedside table, or bathroom countertop.

My arrangements of choice—and I am truly giving away one of my best-kept secrets here—are luxurious artificial floral arrangements from Diane James (www.dianejameshome.com). What makes these arrangements a must-have, whether it’s for staging or decorating in general, is how incredibly real they look and the vibrancy of color and texture they add to a space.

Other must-have items in my grab bag include decorative toss pillows in several different colors, a neutral-colored throw, a white sheet, neutral-colored shower curtain, a simple vase, and tray.

While my bag is brimming, these are some of my essential tools that any homeowner can keep in their “bag of tricks” when it comes time to sell their own home. A white sheet will come in handy as a potential quick slipcover over an armchair or loveseat. Toss pillows in rich, deep colors will add an instant sense of freshness and warmth. Solid jewel or warm tones are best.

A home seller will always be able to find a home for a neutral-colored throw, whether it is on a sofa, settee, chair, or ottoman. And nothing neutralizes and adds luxury to a bathroom quite like thick, plush towels, paired with a neutral and inviting shower curtain. “Lifestyle” elements and accessories such as a modern vase and tray will help complete the look.

Professional photographers charge $500–$3,000 a day, and while the cost is usually assumed by the real estate brokerage, it is still possible with a good quality SLR camera for a savvy home seller to photograph a property themselves.

Here are some of my top photography tips:

• Use natural light and photograph your property only during the day
• Take photographs from all four corners of a space
• Edit and de-clutter your space prior to the shoot
• Bring in simple accessories
• Change light bulbs to ensure great lighting

Cathy Hobbs, ASID, LEED AP, CSP
Five-time Emmy award-winning television personality Cathy Hobbs is the founder of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes™, a New York City-based firm specializing in interior design and home staging. A nationally known design expert, Cathy was a finalist on eason 6 of HGTV’s hit reality series Design Star. Cathy is currently traveling around the country as an instructor for Certified Staging Professionals, teaching their prestigious 3-day certification course. www.cathyhobbs.com.

BECOME A REAL ESTATE STAGER: (CERTIFIED STAGING PROFESSIONALS) CLASS NOVEMBER 28-30 IN ARLINGTON, VA!

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ARLINGTON, baltimore, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, D.C., design star, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, Home Staging Course, maryland, real estate stager, resa, Stager Training, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON

HERE IS JUST SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE WE RECEIVED FROM A RECENT CLASS HELD NEAR BALTIMORE, MARYLAND!!