We were lucky to catch up with Morgan Craft recently and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

In the Home Staging world, there is definitely movement towards a much more design-focused, highly-curated look rather than ‘staging’ being very different than design. Early on, staging was simply to show what could fit in a space, the items weren’t particularly high-quality. Home Staging companies leaned into very generic, low budget furniture to appeal to the masses and keep costs low.

However, todays buyers are so much more design-aware and the expectations for a staged home are much higher. It is very aspirational, high quality and design-forward. Vintage items and one-of-a-kind artwork is being incorporated. It’s about a lifestyle now, not just filling spaces. For those selling their homes, this increase in quality and style has definitely lead to an increase in the investment required. The cost of home staging has increased exponentially however, statistics show that this increased cost is recouped and then some as buyers are willing to pay more for these expertly staged homes.

Over the last couple years, I have seen numerous staging companies go out of business and it is generally the ones that have tried to hang on to an outdated way of staging. Those who are not consistently refreshing their inventory to stay current.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

CASA BY CRAFT is a San Diego Home Staging company focused on turning vacant homes into beautifully designed, curated spaces to attract buyers. We consider ourselves part of the marketing team for real estate transactions. Home Staging is a proven technique to get homes sold faster and for the highest price possible and we take our role in that seriously.

After over 5 years in business, we are really in a great place with our brand, our regular clients and internally with our staff. Like most home staging companies, I got started by renting a couple storage units and investing in some Target and HomeGoods furniture! Things have definitely changed since then as we are now one of the top Home Staging companies in San Diego!

We’ve built up to a 3,700 sq ft warehouse in Mission Valley and a team of 6. We now shop from many trade-only resources to provide the highest quality furniture and decor. We make sure our client’s homes stand out and effectively attract buyers.

Our moto is ‘We create spaces for buyers to call home’ and that is what drives us. The home staging industry is an interesting dance between having a real estate agent that understands the power of home staging, a homeowner that trusts you to make their home as appealing as possible to get their home sold, and the imaginary buyer that you are staging for.

We mainly focus on vacant properties where a homeowner has moved out, or it is a remodeled or flipped property and we bring in everything from furniture to artwork, rugs, accessories etc to make it look like a magazine worthy home!

In addition, we design and set up vacation rental/Airbnb properties locally as well. We added that service two years ago and it has truly taken off! We create design plans, do all the ordering/shopping and then over a few days, we install everything to set up a vacation rental property so it is ready to receive guests. This turn-key solution has been a game-changer for homeowners and investors looking to set up a short term rental quickly while ensuring the property is stylish and comfortable.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Reputation is so important in any service industry and in Home Staging, it feels especially crucial. Because each project requires the buy-in of both a real estate agent and a seller. As a business, you have to have the trust of both parties for every transaction. For us, that reputation is built by exceeding expectations. In order to build that trust, you have to, at a minimum, follow through on what you have promised. And, when you are able to go above and beyond, you do.

CASA BY CRAFT has a reputation for high-quality, beautifully staged homes, expert level professionalism and a focus on service. Our agents that repeatedly book us know that we value our reputation and will always deliver on what we promise!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

In my experience in the real estate industry, face to face meetings are key! I have found in-person networking events, open houses and other events to be the most effective for me to build clients. There is a great sense of community in San Diego and showing up to these events has given us both clients and friendships.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.casabycraft.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzKO4vcvSzT/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casabycraft/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-by-craft-san-diego
• Other: Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-stagers/casa-by-craft-pfvwus-pf~2083567441

Image Credits
Jenna Jo Selby