Home Staging Specialist: role and functions

The real estate market is a constantly evolving sector that increasingly demands specialisation and creativity to attract buyers and successfully close sales. In this context, the figure of the home staging specialist emerges, a key professional who helps to revalue properties through strategic decoration and presentation techniques.

If you are passionate about design and real estate marketing, this specialisation can be an excellent opportunity to develop a creative and highly sought-after career. In this article we will explain what home staging is, what the main functions of a home staging specialist are and what training options are available to work as a home staging specialist. 

What is home staging?

Home staging is a real estate marketing technique that aims to prepare a property for sale or rent in order to make it more attractive to potential buyers. The central idea is to improve the appearance of the property without carrying out major renovations, achieving a visual impact that stands out from other offers on the market.

The term "Home Staging" literally means "staging of the house" and can be loosely translated as a set of techniques to arrange a property in a way that highlights its attractiveness to potential buyers or tenants. 

The practice began in the United States in the 1970s, but has been gaining popularity in Europe and the rest of the world over the last few decades. The term was coined by Barb Schwarz, a real estate agent who realised thatcreating different atmospheres in the rooms of a house improved the buying and selling experience. From then on, she dedicated herself to popularising this practice, which she christened Home Staging.

According to several studies in the real estate sector, a well presented home can reduce the selling time by up to 50%. 

Tasks of a home staging specialist

The work of a home staging specialist encompasses a variety of tasks that combine interior design, photography and marketing skills. Here are the main functions of a home staging professional:

1. Property analysis

The first step in any home staging project is a detailed analysis of the property. The specialist must evaluate the current state of the property, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and determine what changes can generate a greater visual impact with a minimum investment.

2. Defining the presentation strategy

Once the property has been analysed, the next step is to design a customised strategy. This involves understanding what the buyer's needs are for this type of home and converting the space into something that fits those needs.

3. Creation of spaces

The home staging specialist is in charge of giving meaning to a property by using colours and elements such as furniture, textiles and accessories that enhance its aesthetics and functionality.

4. Improving lighting

Lighting is a fundamental element in home staging. The professional must ensure that the home has adequate and warm lighting that makes the spaces more welcoming and spacious.

5. Professional photography

The specialist must know how to bring out the potential of the property through high quality images, which know how to transmit the main attraction, attracting the highest number of potential buyers in the real estate portals.

6. Follow-up of the sales process

In some cases, the home staging specialist also collaborates with real estate agents, providing their vision and advice during the sale or rental process, with the aim of ensuring that the property is kept in optimal conditions during the visits.

How to train to become a Home Staging specialist?

If you want to become a home staging professional, there are several training options that will allow you to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to stand out in this field. Below, we show you some of the most recommended alternatives:

1. Home Staging courses

Nowadays, you can find specialised home staging courses, both on-site and online, that offer a complete training in decoration techniques, space optimisation and real estate marketing. These courses usually include theoretical and practical modules, as well as final projects that will allow you to apply what you have learned in a real environment.

2. Interior design training

If you want to become an interior design professional, specialising in housing, the best option is to take a Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design, as this training will provide you with a solid foundation in design.

For four years, you will work on all the areas that make up Interior Design: among others, the distribution and renovation of space, air conditioning, acoustics, choice of colours, lighting, materials, etc. 

👇Whatbaccalaureate do you need to study Interior Design?

If you already have previous training and what you are looking for is to reorient your career or specialise in the field of Interior Design with the aim of becoming a specialist in home staging, a Master's Degree in Interior Design may be your best option. You will acquire knowledge to be able to create and differentiate spaces that connect with people and respond to their needs.

3. Master's in Real Estate Marketing

Home Staging is a professional who must also understand the real estate market and the needs of the buyer. Therefore, complementing your training in Interior Design with a master's degree in real estate marketing can be an excellent idea to enhance your professional opportunities.

Professional opportunities for the Home Staging specialist

Once trained, home staging specialists can work independently, offering their services to homeowners who wish to sell or rent their properties more quickly. They can also work in real estate agencies, helping to improve the presentation of properties for sale; property developers, preparing show homes for new developments and interior design consultancies, collaborating in design projects focused on the real estate market.

In addition, given the growing demand for this type of service, many specialists are choosing to set up their own home staging companies, becoming entrepreneurs in the sector.

Controversy with this new profile

Home Staging is an exciting and booming discipline. In fact, last November theHome Staging and Real Estate MarketingForum was held, the first and most relevant event of its kind in Spain, which brought together nearly 400 professionals.

The emergence of these new profiles, the result of the transformation of sectors that need to adapt to the demands of the market, always raises possible controversies with other existing ones.

There are those for whom these specialists are simply decorators who focus solely on the aesthetic level of the property. However, this new field is an opportunity for Interior Design professionals. Interior Design graduates are the most complete profiles, as they have a solid foundation in design and know how to transform or build spaces that maintain a balance between the aesthetic and the functional, putting the user at the centre. One of the professional options that is opening up in the real estate sector is to specialise in home staging.

If you are an interior designer, becoming a home staging specialist will allow you to develop a creative and dynamic career, giving you a chance to make a difference in the competitive real estate market.

Do you want more information about our Interior Design offer? At UDIT we offer specialised programmes that will help you become a successful professional,contact us and find out what we can offer you!

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