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Jackson West

Home Staging Training - Online Courses are no "Field Day"

09-30-09
Jackson West

Field Day - Home Staging Training      
With the influx of correspondence and online staging training programs available today, would-be home stagers are being mislead into believing that breaking into the industry is as simple as reading a book or studying a course manual. Several of these programs are offered by people who are not active in the industry or have not built a successful staging company from the ground up.

The reality is that while some people may have a "flair for decorating" they don't succeed as home stagers because they are not provided with the tools, support and perhaps most importantly, the hands on learning or "field work" needed to jump start their venture.  

Unfortunately home staging training it seems, is becoming a gimmick for an easy buck. Too often I see people believe the promise of guaranteed employmentOver the years I have received countless inquiries from people wondering which staging training program is the best. Many of them complaining that the training they took did not prepare them to run a successful business. To be honest (even though I am a staging instructor) I cannot definitively answer the question regarding the best training since people learn in different ways and unlike myself, some don't actually need to generate an income from staging homes.

I do know that the hands on training offered by Certified Staging Professionals was instrumental in launching and growing my staging company in 2006. I was serious about breaking into the industry and I had a limited time frame before I needed to make a profit. I knew that just reading about how to stage a property and looking at photos would not be an effective way to learn for me. The unopened manuals for my cellphone, camera and laptop are testament to that.  

I clearly remember the first home I staged. It was under the direct guidance of staging guru Christine Rae. I was overwhelmed with information from the previous 2 days of learning but it all started to make sense to me once I rolled up my sleeves and actually staged a listing. The photos provided to me from that day were the start of my staging portfolio and helped me get my first client within days of taking the program. 

Fast forward a few years and now I am the one taking new stagers to actual Real Estate listings to transform the entire property.
I see first hand that students learn better and retain more by participating on the jobThe on site training is a day full of "ah ha" moments, bolsters the confidence of the students and provides them with a necessary and well deserved sense of accomplishment. 

I invite you to have a look at a few photos of recent class projects I have facilitated. Not only did the students learn the principles of home staging and how to run a business, they were given a jump start on their portfolio and did indeed have a field day!

Toronto

Toronto Class Before    Toronto Staging Class After


Winnipeg 

Winnipeg Class Before   Winnipeg Staging Workshop


Vancouver 

   Vancouver Class Before   Vancouver Home Staging Course  
    


Edmonton


   Edmonton Class Before   Edmonton Staging Certification


 

Jackson West is the owner of Reveal Estate Home Staging and is an instructor for Certified Staging Professionals.


Jackson West      
 He is also featured on a television series for the W Network. His interior redesign work can be seen in the book "Home Staging For Dummies" as well as multiple editions of the "Staging Standard" magazine. 




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It don't mean a thing if it aint got that bling!

07-24-09
Jackson West
Many people think it is simple to stage a vacant property. We've all seen the television shows and all stagers do is bring in furniture to show the size and function of a room right? Perhaps after reading this you may re-evaluate what qualified home stagers do, for there is a definite "method to our madness".

Some time ago I viewed a small, vacant 1 bedroom condo and after submitting a proposal to merchandise the property for sale, the homeowners decided they could save money by doing it themselves. They were very nice people and when they called to let me know their plan I sincerely wished them a speedy, profitable sale. They purchased some furniture, set it in place, had it photographed and waited for the offers to start rolling in. It didn't take them long (only a couple of additional mortgage payments) to realize that their listing wasn't capturing the attention of potential buyers. Have a look... can you see why?

Staged by Owner

You will notice it is a small, fairly narrow living room (not uncommon for a 1 bedroom, downtown condo these days). To the right of the sofa is a door leading out to a patio.

From this home stager's point of view, what they did isn't all bad. They used an area rug to anchor the seating and they chose light, somewhat "airy" furniture. What they didn't realize is....
  • Heavily patterned rugs make small spaces seem even smaller and pull potential buyer's eyes down.
  • Positioning furniture right up against the walls does not make rooms feel more spacious.
Perhaps they also didn't know that...
  • Flow is as important as function.
  • Color is crucial for setting a mood and creating interest.
  • Greenery provides an element of "life".
  • Angled flooring and furniture can visually widen a room.
  • Artwork keeps buyers eyes up and moving throughout a room.
  • Accessories enhance and help soften furniture.
  • Good photos are crucial for generating buyer traffic.
Something tells me that they now have a better understanding of the points I mentioned above. As of today this is what the room looks like and they have renewed hope that a sale is indeed forthcoming!

Staged by Jackson West


Jackson West is the founder of Reveal Estate Home Staging and a Certified Staging Professional Instructor. His interior redesign work can be seen in the book "Home Staging For Dummies" as well as magazines including multiple editions of the "Staging Standard". He is also featured on a television series for the W Network. While his niche has long been downtown properties in a higher price range, the principles of design, functionality and flow he implements are equally effective in every home.

Jackson West on Twitter

Another City, a Home Stager and a Camera...

04-01-09
Jackson West
I never knew how enjoyable photography could be until I started my home staging company. Admittedly I am not the best photographer but I do have an eye for detail, and "shooting" interiors for the last 3 years has helped me learn some camera skills.

During a recent business trip to Toronto I became enamored with the abundance of historical buildings juxtaposed against the soaring, modern skyline. Talk about curb appeal! I didn't have much time away from work however I did manage to take more than 300 architectural photos (mostly drive by).

These are some of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them. My apologies if they require an extra minute to load but I think it will be worth the wait!

Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West
Photography by Jackson West


Reveal Estate Website

Jackson West is the lead designer for Reveal Estate Home Staging in Vancouver, BC. When he is not busy staging properties, teaching or filming he can be found out and about with his trusty Kodak in hand.

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Stimulating The Appetite To Buy... kitchens and home staging.

11-06-08
Jackson West
Reveal Estate Home Staging

Warning: the photos in this blog may cause you to feel a sense of hunger, thirst or the desire to stage your kitchen!

We've all heard it said that "the kitchen is the heart of the home". If you've ever had guests over for dinner or thrown a cocktail party, you know that people tend to congregate in the kitchen. In my experience as a home stager, the kitchen is often the room most overlooked by home sellers.

According to a poll conducted in 2006 by Maritz Research, 52% of buyers said the kitchen had the most significant impact on their purchasing decision. While a beautiful kitchen significantly increases the value of a home, a poorly presented kitchen can be a deal breaker. Ironically, with the kitchen having perhaps the highest impact on potential buyers, it is often the most simple and least expensive area to stage.


In this blog I will focus on staging kitchen counter tops.

Buyers love clean and ample counter space so begin by clearing everything (yes everything) from your counter tops.
  • Excess items on counters stop the eye from moving freely around the room.
  • Microwaves and large appliances "eat up" (pun intended) valuable space.
  • Blocks of knives pose a potential risk to anyone showing the home.
With the counters vacant you can thoroughly clean the surfaces.
  • Don't forget the back splash, sink and faucet.
Once clean, strategically place colorful items and/or small appliances to create focal points.
  • Take into consideration the amount of counter space available and select appropriately sized items.
  • Unless you have truly expansive counter space, limit items (or groups of items) to 2 or 3 areas.
  • Place the selected items where you want the eye to stop. 
  • Greenery and bottles of water help convey a feeling of freshness.
  • Fruit and vegetables stimulate appetite. Due to their bright colors, these will also be great items for directing the eye.
  • A cook book propped open on a stand or laying flat is also great for setting the scene.
Now the full potential of your kitchen will be visible and buyers will be able to imagine themselves preparing meals or entertaining guests.

Still unsure, perhaps these photos of our work will be of inspiration...


Vancouver Home Staging - Reveal Estate

Jackson West is the owner and lead designer for Reveal Estate, a full service home staging company located in Vancouver, BC.

Vancouver Home Staging- revealing the "Rumpus Room"

11-01-08
Jackson West
rumpus room
Reveal Estate Home Staging

When I was a kid, my cousins and I used to spend a lot of time in the big room of our grandparent's basement. It was called the rumpus room and it was our youthful domain. I am not sure if that is a common term or if it was unique to our family but I spent many hours of fun in that room well into my teenage years. For the most part we roamed unsupervised but since it was only an earshot away from the adults busy visiting upstairs, a "grown up" would be sure to appear if there was an outburst of children's tears or the basement became suspiciously quiet.

I had forgotten the term "rumpus room" until recently when I toured one of our vacant projects to prepare a staging bid. The home was brand new and the main floor had a formal living room and a family room already but the owners were keen to have the basement staged as well.

Upon descending the stairs I was instantly reminded of the times I spent in my grandparent's basement. When I was designing the room I wanted it to have a modern yet comfortably playful feel. Incorporating bright pillows, a large comfy sectional and transitional occasional tables was key to creating my version of a modern rumpus room. Call it nostalgia but for once I won't be upset if the pillows end up all over the floor and there is popcorn in the couch!


Reveal Estate Home Staging

Reveal Estate is a full service home staging company located in Vancouver, British Columbia