new blog

February 7th, 2010
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

New Hybrid in Home Staging Training - Learn hands-on in your P.J.’s (edit/delete)

New cutting edge Hybrid in Home Staging Training combines hands-on classroom training with the convenience of learning from home.

In the past, traditional online training provided students with little or no personal interaction, the ability to ask questions or receive feedback on their progress….so The Academy of Home Staging has taken their extensive, renowned classroom training and converted it to a live virtual classroom course, where there is live instructor training via computer. Students showcase projects via this interactive virtual classroom and receive group and instructor feedback, instruction and coaching.

In addition to individual coaching and mentoring, students are also given on-going education after the certified training program is completed. This is unprecedented in the Home Staging Training Arena and fills a niche that has long needed filling, especially now that CNN and Career Builder proclaim that Home Staging is the #1 Career Poised for growth. (http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/08/04/cb.7.emerging.jobs/#ContentArea)   

The Window of Opportunity is Now Here.  

If you or someone you know is interested in a hands-on home staging training program but prefers to learn on weekends without travel, have them check out this program: http://HomeStagingAcademyOnline.com   

Posted via email from kkapellusch’s posterous

Untitled

December 31st, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

HOME STAGING – the #1 Career Poised for Growth as reported by CNN and Career Builder.

 

Are you going to miss the window of opportunity?

 

The Home Staging industry is wide open and CNN and Career Builder are saying that Home Staging is the #1 Career poised for growth. There has been so much talk the past few years about home staging and there are over 10 televisions shows that feature home staging, and yet few have jumped on the band wagon – no wonder CNN is predicting Home Staging as the #1 career for growth!

 

Home Staging is a fun and rewarding career that allows you the freedom to create your own schedule, pick and choose the jobs you want to work and earn a fantastic living, being your own boss!

 

Home Stagers arrange furniture and accessories in a creative and strategic way that sells homes 67% faster and for 10% higher offers. And according to a 2007 HomeGain study, Home Staging yields a 343% return on investment to the home owner. This means that home owners actually MAKE money every time they hire a home stager!

 

If you have been longing to design interiors for a living, this is the perfect time to get into the industry and establish yourself as your area’s expert. While others are sitting on the fence, you will have the opportunity to build your name and client base before the competition arrives.

 

The amazing thing about home staging is that it is the fastest growing segment of interior design and while training for interior design can take 2-4 years to complete, Home Staging Certification can be achieved in just 40 hours.

 

The following areas are needed skill sets in the Home Staging arena and you will want to choose a certification program that offers the most complete training in the following areas:

 

- Insider Home Staging and Design Techniques including staging tricks and techniques, space planning and color theory

- How to obtain and retain a client base

- How to build your business step by step from the ground up

- What services to offer and how to price your services

- How to stage lived-in and vacant homes with in-field, hands-on staging training

- Insurance, contracts and forms

- The opportunity to ask questions of the instructor and small class size

- Ongoing training and support

 

If you are considering a career in Home Staging, I recommend you check out http://www.TheAcademyOfHomeStaging.com for the most in-depth and complete training system available.

 

 

Posted via email from kkapellusch’s posterous

HOME STAGING - the #1 Career Poised for Growth by CNN - Are you going to Miss the Window of Opportunity?

December 30th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

Are you going to miss the window of opportunity?

The Home Staging industry is wide open and CNN and Career Builder are saying that Home Staging is the #1 Career poised for growth. There has been so much talk the past few years about home staging and there are over 10 televisions shows that feature home staging, and yet few have jumped on the band wagon - no wonder CNN is predicting Home Staging as the #1 career for growth! (http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/08/04/cb.7.emerging.jobs/#ContentArea)

Home Staging is a fun and rewarding career that allows you the freedom to create your own schedule, pick and choose the jobs you want to work and earn a fantastic living, being your own boss!

Home Stagers arrange furniture and accessories in a creative and strategic way that sells homes 67% faster and for 10% higher offers. And according to a 2007 HomeGain study, Home Staging yields a 343% return on investment to the home owner. This means that home owners actually MAKE money every time they hire a home stager!

If you have been longing to design interiors for a living, this is the perfect time to get into the industry and establish yourself as your area’s expert. While others are sitting on the fence, you will have the opportunity to build your name and client base before the competition arrives.

The amazing thing about home staging is that it is the fastest growing segment of interior design and while training for interior design can take 2-4 years to complete, Home Staging Certification can be achieved in just 40 hours.

The following areas are needed skill sets in the Home Staging arena and you will want to choose a certification program that offers the most complete training in the following areas:

- Insider Home Staging and Design Techniques including staging tricks and techniques, space planning and color theory

- How to obtain and retain a client base

- How to build your business step by step from the ground up

- What services to offer and how to price your services

- How to stage lived-in and vacant homes with in-field, hands-on staging training

- Insurance, contracts and forms

- The opportunity to ask questions of the instructor and small class size

- Ongoing training and support

If you are considering a career in Home Staging, I recommend you check out http://www.TheAcademyOfHomeStaging.com for the most in-depth and complete training system available.

Home Staging Training Myths Uncovered

December 1st, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

So many people ask me what the best type of Home Staging training is and if they can really learn all they need to know in a Home Staging Training program to start a successful Home Staging business.

As a Home Staging educator, I have compiled the differences for easy evaluation between the different types of trainings available:

  • Online
  • 3 day Workshops
  • 5 Day Hands-On Private Training

Online Training is available for those who feel confident in their design aptitude and learn better from audio and visual, rather than by doing. Although many of these programs may be more affordable than a hands-on training experience, the trade off is this type of training has the least hands-on and instructor interaction. If you are a self starter, committed to finishing this type of program, this may be for you. We rate this type of training a Bronze.

Three day Workshops (24 hour trainings). You will likely learn a good amount about starting your business however, there is typically not enough time for much experiential learning and you will have little or no personal instructor interaction as these events can be quite large with upwards of 30 or 40 people. These workshops are great for people who like condensed, fast paced, hands-on learning but are not concerned about having an experiential journey, design training or personal coaching. We rate this type of training a Silver.

Five Day Courses (40 hour trainings) receive the Gold in terms of Home Staging Training. These types of courses generally produce the most skilled Home Staging Designers as they typically cover everything from business and marketing, to hands on design exercises that allow you to experience and learn the skill while receiving personal coaching and mentoring from the instructor along the way. Be sure to find a program that only accepts a handful of students to ensure your personal success. Speaking with the instructor by telephone prior to registering, will give you a good sense of how personal a journey the trainer will deliver.

In all cases, be sure to investigate thoroughly before making a decision. For more information, including the 8 things you must know before choosing a Home Staging Training Program, visit http://www.theacademyofhomestaging.com/8qs.html

Have a prosperous and joyous 2010.

Kim Kapellusch

818.726.6429

Academy of Home Staging Video

November 6th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

Learn How to Design Interiors In 5 Days!

August 4th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page
Discover how you can earn a fantastic income designing interiors in only 5 days of training!
Next Training starts August 11th in Newport Beach, CA.
Do people compliment you on your style?
Have you ever thought of becoming a home staging designer?
Maybe you thought the training to become a designer would cost too much or take too long. Traditional design schools are expensive and take 2-4 years to complete. What if you could train to become a Home Staging Designer averaging $75-$150/hr in just 40 hours of exciting, hands-on and in the field, comprehensive training?
In this one-of-a-kind, coaching and training program you will learn:
- How to charge, estimate and collect for your services
- A step-by-step guide to building a successful staging business
- How to attract and retain clients
- Space planning and how to select paint colors
- Staging theory and design applications
- In field practice (over 10 hours and 3 homes)

- Personalized and individual attention (class size limited to four)
- Contracts, memberships and start-up tools included

In this tough economy, home sellers are looking to Stager’s across the country to help them redesign their properties for faster sale and higher offers. With the training you will receive at The Academy, you can help people sell 2-3 times faster and for up to 17% higher.  At The Academy of Home Staging, we give you the tools necessary to be competitive and successful in this highly sought after industry.
Academy Designation
Check out our Los Angeles training locations and dates at:

Next Training starts August 11th in Newport Beach, CA.

What does a Home Stager do?

A Home Stager works with home sellers to design an environment that buyers aspire to own. Home Stager’s can work with existing furniture or stage vacant homes, or a combination. An additional 25 design-related services that home stager’s can offer are also revealed in the Academy’s Home Staging Course.
………………………………………………………………………………………


ABOUT THE ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM

Our 40-hour, hands-on program is a business start-up course in which you will learn how to market and grow your own home staging business. Our experiential training caters to creative people who prefer to learn by doing, with 10 hands-on design exercises including 3 in-field staging projects. We are one of the only training companies in the country to offer field training covering the 3 key areas that are essential to effectively staging homes. This experience gives you working knowledge that just can’t be duplicated in the classroom.

START EARNING MONEY RIGHT AWAY
While most design industries take 2 or 4 years of training, this all encompassing course is geared to get you staging homes after 40 hours of extensive training and earning The Academy of Home Staging Certification (AHSC) designation. Studies show that home stager’s earn $75 - $150/hr for their services. Even as a part timer, you can be earning what many people make working all month, but MORE IMPORTANTLY, you will be helping homeowners sell their home 2-3 times faster and for up to 17% more money.

STAGE HOMES LIKE A PRO
In this program you will learn the intriguing aspects of insider home staging techniques and tricks, design essentials such as space planning, color theory, paint color selection, step by step how to stage a room, design formulas, understanding and pricing different staging services, contracts, insurance, advertising, client relations, and many hours of marketing and business concepts as they relate to staging and project acquisition……..just to name a few. But all you really need to know about the program is that you will be learning how to stage homes and make good money doing what you already love.
“I am so happy to have taken this training. I am amazed at how much was covered and how well the teacher, Kim Kapellusch, presented the materials. This course really gives you more than your money’s worth! Thank-you so much.” Linda Spenchian, Chatsworth CA

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION
Certification is important. Upon completion of our exceptional program you will receive full certification and the AHSC designation. What this means to you is, you can use this powerful tool in your business to develop almost instant credibility. The Academy of Home Staging Certification designation logo is free for you to use on any and all of your materials including business cards, website and marketing materials.

“The learning tools you’ve given me to start my own business are invaluable.” Rose Fernandez - Santa Clarita, CA

tyler sofa
LIFETIME LEARNING AND PERSONAL COACHING
Another unique benefit of our program is that you may revisit the course at any time, for life, to reinforce or enhance your skill set at a deeper level. An expert is someone who knows the fundamentals at a deeper level and you will have the opportunity to become an expert. You will also have access to 3 hours of personal coaching on any and all projects at any time after graduating from the course.  OR EXCHANGE YOUR LIFETIME BENEFIT FOR A LOW COST, CERTIFICATION PARTNER TRAINING.
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
The most reputable businesses offer a money back guarantee. We also offer a money back guarantee. If after your first day in class, you decide the program is not for you, you will receive a refund of 75% of the full tuition immediately, no questions asked.
We understand you are busy. Most successful people are busy. If for some reason you are unable to attend the training you registered for, up to 2 weeks in advance, you may reschedule for any future event at no cost to you.

INCLUDED BENEFITS
40 hour home staging training program……………………..$2550 Value
Expert Guest Speakers……………………………………….$350 Value
Personal CD of all of our business templates, formulas and contracts ……………………………………………………..$595 Value
Starter Staging Kit……………………………………………..$85 Value
100+ page training manual……………………………………..$750 Value
1 year membership to the Real Estate Staging Association …..$120 Value
(which provides discounts and advertising for your business)
Snacks & Lunch for 5 days……………………………………..$100 Value
Transportation to the Projects…………………………………………………………$20 Value
1 on 1 Coaching (3 hours) ………………………………………………………….$750 Value
Lifetime Learning Benefit  OR LOW COST PARTNER………….$5100 Value

For course locations, pay options and dates, see this page:

“I can’t thank you enough for everything - the information, exercises, forms, and even the verbiage was truly a complete package. However the support extended to us graduates by you after our course speaks volumes of your academy.” Sondra Thieret - Palos Verdes, CA

EASY TO PAY, ENROLL TODAY!
We accept all Master Card and Visa, Paypal and money orders.
Call for our convenient payment plans 800.574.5576

Call now and get your business up and running in time for the busy summer months. Register a partner for certification for only $500! Call Kim Kapellusch directly at 818.726.6429 to register.

Wishing you a prosperous year. If I can support you in any way,
please let me know,

Kim Kapellusch
Creative Facilitator

staged room
The Academy of Home Staging

Valencia, CA
1.800.574.5576

How much do home stagers make?

June 8th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

How much do Home Stagers make?

Have you ever wondered about entering a design field but thought it would take too long or cost too much money? Typical design schools take 2-4 years and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Many people who dreamed of doing something creative for a living have discovered a lucrative and rewarding career in the field home staging. Home Staging is a design marketing tool that has been utilized by home owners and real estate professionals for over 30 years. With multiple t.v. shows featuring home staging these days, it is now becoming the fastest growing real estate marketing tool.

Home Stagers around the country average anywhere from $50 - $150 per hour for their talents which include redesigning interiors to facilitate a faster sale, design consultations for staging, redesign or new design, and staging of vacant and model homes including furniture and accessory selection and design installation.

How can I become a Home Stager?

Home Staging is best learned from experience in the field. Because Home Staging is so specific in nature, there is little training available that teaches all the aspects necessary to excel in this exclusive industry. When comparing, you will want to find a certification program that covers the following areas that affect your success:

  • Design skills such as space planning, color theory and accessorizing
  • Home Staging tips, secrets and how to’s
  • Marketing and advertising your staging business
  • Insurance, contracts and forms
  • Pricing your business and how to make additional streams of income utilizing your new Home Staging design knowledge.

For more information on becoming a home stager, visit http://www.homestagingcourses.net

Staging Tips- Getting the sellers on board

April 17th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

From Everyday to Showcase -

How to Motivate your Clients to make changes

It’s no surprise that many people are feeling a bit overwhelmed by today’s Real Estate market. It’s up; it’s down, with foreclosures all around.  This is a confusing time for home sellers because a couple years ago, a good percentage of homes were selling in as little as a few weeks, some with multiple offers. In today’s market we have more inventory and ever changing interest rates.  On one hand, buyers have more choices when seeking to purchase.  On the other hand, home sellers have more competition in attracting a buyer for their home.

In both circumstances, it comes down to the home owner delivering a product that buyers are seeking. Clean, well balanced, neutral and inviting spaces that showcase all the features the home has to offer.

With so many homes having the same floor plan as the next, it is imperative that homes be designed in a manner that differentiates them from their competition. Hiring a Professional Stager works because many homeowners are not able to look at their home objectively with “buyer’s eyes”. People live in their home the way that works best for them but this is typically not the “look” buyers get excited about or make higher offers for. Staged homes statistically receive 3-10% higher offers than homes that are not staged.

So, what do I say to motivate my clients to make the needed changes?

When I am preparing a customized staging plan for home owners, I typically refer to the trends of buyers when trying to motivate a home seller that is unsure about committing to my suggestions. I am not the reason they need to make changes - the consumer who is demanding a certain level of standards is.

So here are a couple of statements that help sellers understand why they might benefit from improving the showing condition of their home:

-         Buyers are seeking move-in condition homes and willing to pay more money for them. By addressing these things now, you will appeal to a broader audience of buyers.

-         Neutralizing so buyers can envision their belongings in the space will help them form emotional attachments to your home. Emotional connections procure offers.

-         Buyers find the space easier to relate to and more valuable and relevant to their wants and needs when rooms are staged in the manner in which they are meant to be used. For example a dining room should be staged as a dining room rather than an office or play room.

-         I am here to help you sell your home faster and for more money. All of the advice I am giving you is based on increasing your bottom line.

-         By following through on these suggestions, you improve your chances for a quicker sale. If by selling faster you save at least one price reduction, you will retain several more thousand dollars of equity in this home.

-         Staging every room in your home creates a consistent look and feel. The more attractive your home is, the higher the offers people will make. Why? Because in our society, people expect that highly attractive things usually cost more and we tend to “bargain” less when something is just what we have been looking for.

For more information on staging, please visit our website at www.preparedtosellstaging.com.

Former real estate agent Kim Kapellusch has over 10 years experience staging interiors for commercial advertising, vacant and lived-in homes, model homes and personal residences.

Call Kim today with your project details and get an over-the-phone estimate.

Serving Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas - 800.574.5576
Specializing in staging lived-in and vacant homes.
A Staged Home is a Sold Home!

How to Become a Home Stager in 5 days?!

April 5th, 2009
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

Have you always dreamed of having an exciting career in design but didn’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars and years in training?

 

Are you like me? Watching all the design shows on tv and wondering, how can I do something that is rewarding, challenging, fun, creative, and here’s the big one……….get paid for it? Preferably, enough money to make a good living…..

 

How I discovered Home Staging

 

One day, my Mom was telling me how my cousin had hired a stager to come in and stage her home for sale. She said it sold in less than 2 weeks while others in the area had been sitting for months. Many of her neighbors had taken price reductions of ten to fifteen thousand dollars per adjustment while my cousin had only spent 2,000 getting her home ready and sold in 12 days for almost full price. I was happy for my cousin, but why all the talk about home staging?

 

Then the conversation took an interesting twist. My Mom told me that my cousin was thinking about becoming a home stager and that anyone could become a stager in just 5 days of training!!!

 

Could this be true? 5 days?? I could hardly believe my ears. Could I really become a designer of homes in 5 days? Sure enough, after researching, I discovered many “schools” delivering a complete ‘business in a box’ program for home staging and never looked back.

 

Today I am a successful home stager with a school of my own located in the beautiful town of Valencia, located in northern Los Angeles County in California. I have incorporated all of the things I thought were missing from other training programs and have what I consider to be the most comprehensive home staging program available. For a fraction of the time and cost of traditional design schools, you too, can learn the craft of home staging and be paid handsomely for your professional skills that help homeowners retain as much profit for their home as possible.

 

What can you expect to learn in a Home Staging Program?

 

The investment in home staging training can save you thousands in costly business mistakes. In a good home staging program, you will learn trade secrets that take years to learn and develop, along with staging specific business and marketing essentials that enable you to start a staging business immediately upon graduation. In addition, some programs teach space planning, color theory, design essentials, and have multiple in-field exercises where you will gain invaluable design and critical thinking skills. Small class size, and a format that allows you to ask questions, is also a plus.

 

Research is the key. Many programs are 3 days instead of 5, or only have 1 in-field exercise or assume you already have a design background and gloss over this area. There are online programs as well but if you are a person that learns by doing, then reading a book or watching a video about how to be creative, rather than experiencing the actual creative process, may not be for you.

 

Click here for more information about choosing the right home staging design course for you. http://www.theacademyofhomestaging.com/8qs.html.

 

Awaken the inner designer in you and start a new career in 5 days!  

Click here for more information on choosing the right home staging design course for you

http://www.theacademyofhomestaging.com/8qs.html

Your Own Successful Home Staging Practice

November 19th, 2008
Click Here To Visit The Academy of Home Staging Home Page

Phillip was a successful realtor for over 15 years. He enjoyed his work, and attributed his success to good customer service. Phillip made it a point to coach his clients on how to sell quickly and more likely get their asking price. One of those ways was to make aesthetic improvements that would offer more value to their home and impress potential buyers. His suggestions worked. Phillips clients often sold their homes twice as fast as others in their neighborhoods.

Realizing that his flair for creativity was an asset, Phillip decided to become certified as a home stager. He soon began making more money as he learned how to increase revenue with affiliate vendors. Since the main target market for staging is real estate agents, Phillip was able to build rapport easily with colleagues he had interfaced with over the years. He also built new relationships with companies that had a specific “Realtor Partner” marketing plan that encouraged strategic partnerships between agents and stagers. Phillip enjoyed diversifying his career, and the skills he acquired made him one of the most successful realtors in his market.

If you have a real estate background and would like to explore home staging as another stream of income, call Kim Kapellusch of The Academy of Home Staging at 800.574.5576.