Home Stagers that want to be part of a professional association that truly serves the industry from a professional perspective need to be part of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP). For nearly a decade, IAHSP has provided a professional forum for successful Stagers to join together for networking, joint marketing, and education of the public.
IAHSP was founded on the premise that education is paramount for success and therefore education in the home staging industry is a requirement for membership in IAHSP. Just like the American Medical Association (AMA) is open only to licensed and educated physicians, and the National Assocation of Realtors is open only to Realtors (not just real estate agents), IAHSP is open only to accredited Stagers that must first earn a professional designation. Members must also adhere to a strict code of ethics in order to maintain membership. Members must stay in current standing with their educational designation (like REALTORS have to with NAR) in order to maintain membership in IAHSP.
Members of IAHSP may also join local chapters serving their regions on the local level. To date, IAHSP has launched over 100 chapters to serve members and their communities throughout North America. They were the first group to organize on the local level in order to provide a better way to educate the public and provide marketing opportunities for membership.
The preferred designation for IAHSP is actually the only Accreditation offered in the home staging industry, the Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) course from Stagedhomes.com. The ASP Course was the first professional accreditation offered for Stagers and continues to set the standards of qualiity education for home staging.
IAHSP is open to all home stagers that qualify for membership based on the educational standards and code of ethics set by IAHSP. When looking for a professional Home Stager to help stage your house or listing, make sure they belong to IAHSP. Other associations allow ANYONE to join regardless of background, and this only serves to water down the overall association as there are no standards of excellence or education as a basis for the association.
IAHSP Members all have the same benchmark of excellence and training, therefore at the very least members can be assured their colleagues understand the principles and practices of professional home staging, working to honor their clients as the very first foundation of their training and the public can be assured the Home Stager they are working with has standards of quality and excellence.
IAHSP Members are not “hobby Stagers” or “HGTV armchair Stagers” that are found in other associations. Although quality stagers may be members of these other groups, there is no consistent basis of membership, so their excellence is compromised by those in the same group that operate without code of ethics, without education and training, and without accountabilty. IAHSP Members do adhere to code of ethics and are accountable to their fellow members and the IAHSP international board with enforceable corrective measures that can be put in place – which helps to serve the public and Realtors that want to partner and work with a Home Stager.
IAHSP Members are successful business owners that help set the pace in their regions with their work, ethics, and education to help keep the public informed about why home staging is a key tool to help houses sell in any market. In all areas of the country, it is an IAHSP member (past or present) that has set the pace based on their education and association with others of like minded success and integrity.
Since 2003, IAHSP has hosted the only professional annual convention for Home Staging that provides a high-level educational forum that attracts hundreds of successful Stagers. IAHSP also has a non-profit status with the IAHSP Foundation that focuses on ways to give back to their communities each year during the Worldwide Staging Service Week (WWSSW). The WWSSW gives IAHSP the opportunity to help a group or individual in need – giving of their time and talent to provide Staging work or volunteer services as needed.
IAHSP was founded by Barb Schwarz, the Creator of Home Staging and President & CEO of Stagedhomes.com. For nearly 40 years, Barb has helped educate both Realtors and the public about Home Staging and developed the first professional course to provide accreditation to those that wanted to set up a professional home staging business. The ASP Course is taught throughout North America, and the elite Accredited Staging Professional Master (ASPM) course is taught personally by Barb only 4-5 times per year, and is the highest designation and accreditation in the home staging world.
For information meeting the standards for membership in IAHSP, please go to www.iahsp.com or contact [email protected].
