121 Real Estate Agents. One Class. A Record for the Real Estate Staging Association®.
On February 24, 2026, a milestone was reached for RESA® and it took place in Calgary’s real estate community.
Grant Findlay-Shirras, owner of DEKORA, taught RESA’s Staging to Sell: What Every Agent Should Know course to 121 agents for the Calgary Real Estate Board.
That is the largest single class ever delivered in the history of this RESA® program since its launch in 2010.
For a Canadian real estate board.
Without CE credits.
With agents choosing to attend because the content matters.
This was not just a well-attended session. It was a statement about the growing role of professional home staging within the Canadian real estate industry.
What Is “Staging to Sell: What Every Agent Should Know”?
Since 2010, the Real Estate Staging Association has provided a standardized course designed specifically for real estate agents.
The goal is clear:
To help agents understand the measurable business impact of home staging on pricing strategy, buyer perception, and days on market.
The course covers:
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The psychology of buyer decision-making
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The difference between decorating and staging
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How staging supports listing presentation and marketing
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Conversations agents can have with sellers about preparation
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How to position staging as part of a fiduciary strategy
For over fifteen years, RESA members have taught this course to brokerages, real estate boards, and agent groups across North America.
In many U.S. states, the class qualifies for continuing education credits. In Canada, it does not.
And yet, 121 agents attended at CREB.
Why This Record-Breaking CREB Class Matters
When a major real estate board like CREB hosts a staging education session and 121 agents show up, it signals something important.
It signals demand.
It signals recognition.
It signals that staging is no longer viewed as optional décor support. It is increasingly understood as part of listing strategy.
For Calgary home stagers, Alberta staging professionals, and Canadian real estate educators, this is meaningful progress.
The real estate market in Calgary is competitive. Agents are looking for ways to:
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Win more listings
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Differentiate their marketing
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Reduce time on market
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Strengthen seller conversations
Education is how that happens.
And education delivered by a professional stager positions that stager differently within their market.
Education Over Incentives: A Canadian Perspective
One of the most common hesitations stagers express is concern about CE credits.
In Canada, this particular RESA® class does not currently offer continuing education credits. In many U.S. states it does, but not all.
Yet at CREB, 121 agents still attended.
That attendance reinforces something important:
Agents attend valuable classes because the information helps their business, not simply because they earn credits.
This shifts the narrative for Canadian stagers who may hesitate to teach.
The value is in:
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Visibility within the brokerage community
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Authority positioning
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Relationship building
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Being introduced as an educator rather than a vendor
Grant’s record-breaking class demonstrates that when the content is strong and the need is clear, agents show up.
How RESA® Approved Instructors Have Been Raising Awareness Since 2010
The Real Estate Staging Association did not wait for staging to become widely accepted.
Since 2010, the organization has focused on structured, repeatable education for agents, positioning RESA stagers as the experts who teach it.
Not social media trends.
Not informal presentations.
Not one-off workshops.
A consistent, professional course built specifically for the real estate industry.
Over time, this approach has:
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Educated thousands of agents across North America
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Elevated the professional image of staging
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Positioned RESA members as industry educators
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Increased awareness of staging’s measurable impact
This is long-term industry building.
And record-breaking attendance at CREB is evidence that the strategy continues to work.
What This Means for Canadian Home Stagers
If you are a professional home stager in Calgary, Alberta, or anywhere in Canada, this moment represents opportunity.
The Staging to Sell, What Every Agent Should Know course is available to:
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RESA PRO members
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RESA Accredited Staging Businesses
When a stager steps into a classroom of agents, they are not just teaching. They are:
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Establishing authority
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Becoming known within the local real estate community
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Influencing listing preparation standards
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Building long-term referral relationships
If 5 Canadian stagers per province consistently taught this course each year, the cumulative impact on listing standards would be significant.
This is how staging becomes expected.
Through repetition. Through structure. Through leadership.
Interested in Teaching in Your Market?
If you are a RESA PRO or RESA Accredited Staging Business and have considered teaching:
Now is a strong time to evaluate that step.
The curriculum is established.
The demand is present.
The opportunity is measurable.
When agents understand staging at a strategic level, the entire industry benefits.
And as Calgary just demonstrated, they are willing to fill the room.
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- How Operational Systems Help Scale a Home Staging Business: Why I Asked the Finessed Team to Lead This Conversation - March 3, 2026
- Record-Breaking Attendance at CREB: 121 Calgary Agents Attend RESA’s Staging to Sell Class - March 2, 2026
