Transform empty properties into high-value dream homes for real estate sales
Time: 10-20 hours per week
Home stagers are paid by real estate agents or homeowners to prepare a property for listing. You generate income by charging a consultation fee followed by a staging fee based on square footage. The goal is to maximize the sale price by arranging furniture and decor to highlight the home's potential. In Canada’s competitive housing markets like Toronto or Vancouver, professional staging can increase a home's final sale price by 1% to 5%, making your service highly valuable to sellers.
Start by staging your own home or a friend's apartment for free. Take professional-grade photos to show a $0 to $5,000 transformation using only existing furniture and minor decor additions.
Invest approximately $500 in neutral rugs, throw pillows, and lamps from retailers like IKEA or HomeSense. Neutral palettes appeal to the widest range of Canadian buyers in diverse urban markets.
Reach out to top-producing agents on REALTOR.ca or via LinkedIn. Offer them a 15% discount on their first referral to build a consistent pipeline of residential property leads.
Set a flat fee for consultations, typically $150 to $300 CAD. For full staging, charge between $0.50 and $1.00 per square foot depending on the level of furniture rental required.
Partner with rental firms like Cort or local Canadian providers. This allows you to offer full furniture packages without spending $10,000+ on your own warehouse and inventory storage.
List your business locally and request reviews from every client. Ranking in the top 3 for 'home staging near me' can drive consistent organic leads worth thousands in monthly revenue.
Use this to research local listings and identify properties that currently lack professional staging.
The leading Canadian training body for staging certification and professional networking.
A great platform to showcase your portfolio and see trending interior styles specific to Canadian homes.
Excellent for sourcing high-quality second-hand furniture and decor items at a fraction of retail prices.
Essential for understanding when you must register for GST/HST once your revenue exceeds $30,000.