The Academy of Home Staging

Leaders in the industry discuss how staging has transformed their lives.

Learn how everyday people became industry leaders in the Home Staging arena.

• What are the home staging services successful Home Stagers offer
• What do successful industry leaders attribute the secrets to their success

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Corinne Wood's Success Story

The curriculum gave me a solid professional foundation on which to build my business. The school taught me about the basics of business and not just creative instruction.

"The idea was to find something creative and independent...a business that would help home sellers in a sluggish market." Corinne Wood from Virginia Beach, Virginia found exactly the right formula in home staging and out of that sprang Staged Designs of VA. She could put to work her gift for turning a home interior into an inviting, eye-appealing master-piece that would draw perspective buyers. After just nine months, business is booming and her staged homes are selling fast.

Editor: What attracted you to the business?

Corinne: Interest in design and the flexibility of being my own boss. I love the idea of creating a beautiful home interior from empty rooms and have potential buyers visualize just how a home can look with the right furniture and accessories.

Editor: How did you find the Academy?

Corinne: On the internet. I liked the idea it was a real classroom school rather than just an on-line course.

Editor: What was your experience with the Academy?

Corinne: It was great and I like the fact there were small classes with lots of excellent one-on-one learning and helpful information about building the business. I also received the practical experience of home re-designing.

Editor: What did you take most from it?

Corinne: The curriculum gave me a solid professional foundation on which to build my business. The school taught me about the basics of business and not just creative instruction.

Editor: How has it helped your business?

Corinne: My business has tripled since attending the Academy in January 2012. I am doing a steady rotation of homes monthly. All the homes I have staged have sold in just one day up to four weeks.

Corinne Wood is a local business woman (Southeast Virginia) with a built in knowledge of the market. In just a short few months she has gained the confidence of developers & realtors who see her efforts as a sure-fired way to sell homes. "I am a professional who is flexible and client-first oriented. They trust me because I do the job done right." Corinne is using her past experience in administration, banking, business brokering, and as a custom home contractor to quickly grow Staged Designs of VA. "My slogan is, "Set up to sell fast." So far we're living up to that."

How Home Staging Training at The Academy is Different

Your one of a kind, design training journey starts the moment you walk through our doors. Here are attributes unique to The Academy and not found at other training facilities:

• We work with you in a coaching setting to develop your unique marketing strategies based on your career desires and goals, experiences and connections.
• Guest speakers teach you the latest information in their field of expertise including internet marketing and rental furniture for vacant and model homes.
• In field training in 3 homes with step-by-step, hands-on guidance. You will personally be coached on every aspect of each project from concept to completion.
• Specially developed exercises allow you to explore and develop the necessary design skills needed to become a successful Home Staging Designer.
• On-going coaching and education after leaving The Academy to exponentially ensure your success. This program includes a monthly group call on business building and promotion techniques, stager forum, website and marketing material reviews, email support and private coaching.

What does The Academy offer that others don't?

The Academy of Home Staging far surpasses the level of design development ever offered in a private Home Staging training program, boasting a whopping 28 hours of staging and design learning with hands - on exercises with group and instructor mentoring every step of the way, including:

• How to and accessorizing exercises
• Design styles overview and design board project
• Space planning fundamentals, space planning guide and 6-part space planning exercise
• Seeing color, color theory and paint color selection exercise
• Selecting furniture for the vacant home project
• Out in the field for 3 homes - lived-in redesign, vacant home and consultation exercises
• The only course in the nation to offer Advanced Home Stager Certification - good anywhere in the country.

The Academy is the only training in the nation to teach the three core staging services, including a staging redesign, a vacant home bid and the consultation appointment LIVE out IN THE FIELD on REAL HOMES.

PLUS over 12 hours of Business Essentials exclusive to The Academy:

• Over 30 ways to market your new business for virtually free
• How to start your new business with almost no start up costs
• Guest speakers on internet marketing and furniture rental
• Easy Guide to launching your new business in 30 days
• Critical content to include in your +business card, brochure and website
• Business goal worksheet
• How to access the real estate industry - crucial to your success as a Home Stager
• 30 second and 5 minute presentations
• Where and how to advertise effectively with sample ad examples
• How to bid and price your jobs, contracts, phone scripts, proposal sheets and much more!!
• Plus 2 months of ongoing education included! Tele-classes, coaching and support

Why Choose the Academy?

The Academy's unique approach to training starts the moment you walk through our doors. You are invited to share your goals for your new Home Staging and Design business with your Advanced Certified Instructor so that she may coach and mentor you every step of the way through your personalized, hands-on program.

Several additional key factors make The Academy’s training program the nation's most comprehensive, hands-on training available :

• The only Advanced Home Staging Certification available for novices.
• Over 10 hands-on exercises, including a minimum of 3 in-field exercises. These exercises are crucial to providing students a complete education and insuring the ability to successfully start and manage their own lucrative Home Staging business.
• Limited class size (8 maximum students) to provide you with individualized coaching and mentoring every step of the way.
• All our Advanced Certified instructors are leaders in the Staging Industry who incorporate real life examples, suggestions, advice and ideas in each training class.
• Student and Instructor experience together, apply and discuss all solutions and approaches for all areas of the design and business aspects to a Home Staging Business.
• Student discovery and questions are encouraged in every session.
• Complete Business CD with contracts, proposals and editable advertising pieces for each student upon successful completion of the class, and passing the Certification exam at the end of the class.
• Committed to the success of every student that comes to The Academy of Home Staging with ongoing education, regular Alumni newsletters chock full of new information and tips and access to one-on-one coaching with additional advanced topic classes for graduates.

According to a study by the National Association of Realtors in 2012, 25% of homes on the market are professionally staged, up from just 5% in 2007! It is perfect timing in the industry to start your new design career and now it's easier than ever for interested students to attend the industry's leading Advanced Home Staging Certification training with our recently announced Financing program. Enrolling students can finance their new education for as little as $249 per month for up to a year - call 800-574-5576 to learn more.