Beaverton, Oregon Engineer Turns Home Staging Passion Into Business Ownership

Catherine Chandler is the true definition of “Jack of all Trades.” When she was young, she moved around the country with her family, and when she grew up and got married, she and her husband continued being adventurous, buying and selling homes, and even bought a small farm at one point. With a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Electrical Engineering, Chandler spent seven years in retail management and 14 years in engineering.

When Chandler was young and her parents were buying and selling homes, she remembers her parents pointing out which would be her room in vacant homes and promising her, “it’ll look bigger when your stuff’s in it!” So, when she and her husband bought and sold five homes since they’ve been married, she staged them each on her own. That’s why, when she started craving a career that better utilized her creative side, her husband told her she needed to “be like the people on HGTV.”

“Staging homes has been a way of life for me for a long time now, so I’m thrilled to get to do this for a living,” Chandler said. “My husband and I have fallen in love with the Portland area, so as soon as we knew this was where we wanted to stay, I knew it was time to pursue my true passion.”

Chandler plans to open the very first Showhomes location in the state of Oregon this summer. Based in Beaverton, her territory will cover the west side of Portland and plans to utilize every revenue stream available in the Showhomes system – from traditional home staging to light home updates to the brand’s unique Home Manager program.

The nation’s leader in professional home staging services was the perfect fit for Chandler not only because of her background in staging homes, but also because of Showhomes’ supportive corporate team and network of franchisees.

“Having worked as a store manager for many years, I knew I wanted to find an opportunity that gave me a lot of autonomy but also some structure and support, which is why I looked into franchise opportunities,” said Chandler. “I’m confident that my Showhomes business will take off without a hitch because the brand has already set me up for success.”

Based in Nashville, Showhomes offers franchisees the unique opportunity to either break into the rebounding real estate industry or to add another revenue stream to their bottom line. In addition to Chandler’s Oregon franchise, the brand is also actively looking to expand into key development markets including Southern California, Southwest Florida and beyond. Showhomes aims to offer affordable start-up costs, with initial investments ranging between $50,700 and $84,860, making it easily accessible to aspiring entrepreneurs.