Q – I have a serious question that I hope you will answer for me. I understand the real estate and staging industries are both changing. As a Realtor, my concern is that as the staging industry grows, more and more people think they have skills enough to be involved in this field. How will the consumer ascertain how good is good and how good is necessary? Sometimes I wonder if it is all getting out of hand with renovations? I mean, how far does someone have to go to have their house ready for market? – Vanessa, Ontario A – Wow Vanessa, some great questions here; you raise some legitimate concerns too. As President of CSP International™ I understand completely how you feel, as I have felt that way myself at times. In my opinion, certification for a staging professional is as vital as a real estate license is to you. Many people think all staging takes is a “love of decorating,” but staging is far more serious than that. The work stagers do is serious… they are charged with the responsibility of securing the equity for a seller! We have always believed in best business practices, professional standards, and education as crucial components of a strong business foundation. In an industry where anything goes, and with no official measure of credibility, we thought it best to provide agents and sellers with a tangible measure of competence. The CSP© logo on their work is a symbol of a solid, quality education, a sign of their integrity, and an assurance their technical skills have been measured. To facilitate connecting agents to skilled stagers, we offer agents the CSP Elite™ agent training that teaches how to work with, benefit from, and select a great stager. CSP graduates are required to adhere to a strict code of conduct, which they sign in class, pledging their commitment to comply with things like always discussing pricing with the client before a job starts, and not accepting work they are not qualified to do. During training we discuss ways to ascertain window of value; in other words, exactly how far you go with recommendations. Research shows that 90% of buyers cannot visualize what a “tune-up” will look like and envision big dollars! Add to that, the largest buyer demographic is millennials, who willingly pay more money for a move-in ready property. You then begin to understand how vitally important a thorough and honest consultation is, and why there is a shift to include renovations. Another point I will make, Vanessa, is CSP International seriously values the reputation of our brand and its graduates. All graduates in good standing may always return to class to refresh their skills – completely free of charge. We care about the work quality in the field too, and constantly check the quality of work. Please feel free to contact me with additional questions, christine@stagingtraining.com. photo by https://unsplash.com/photos/xI2jvSc_Whg