The Basics of Virtual Staging

7/23/2020

Most of us are familiar with traditional staging; the act of decorating and furnishing a home for sale to appeal to potential buyers. A well staged home can produce stunning listing photos that will encourage buyers to tour the home. It can also help buyers envision themselves living in the house. In recent years, a new trend has emerged in home staging: virtual staging.

What is Virtual Staging?

Virtual staging takes photos of empty rooms and then uses photo-editing software to add in attractive furniture and decor (like mirrors, plants, rugs, etc). While it is possible to download a DIY staging software, typically, you will get the best results by having a professional company virtually stage the photos. It’s also important that the photos you use are high-quality, preferably taken by a professional photographer.

Why opt for Virtual Staging?

When compared to traditional staging, virtual staging is much less expensive and saves the hassle of moving lots of furniture into the house or painting several rooms. According to realtor.com, “the average cost for most stagers is $300 to $600 for an initial design consultation, and $500 to $600 per month per staged room.” By comparison, most virtual staging companies will charge between $50-$200 per room depending on how much redecoration the room requires. Virtual staging can even include decluttering or “painting” rooms. In addition to saving money, virtual staging can be done quite quickly. Most companies offer a 2 day turn around on your photos.

Keep in Mind:

Bad virtual staging can immediately turn buyers off from perusing your listing photos and make them write off visiting your home. Alternatively, when you use a professional company, you should have a disclaimer in the caption of the photo that it has been virtually staged so the buyer is aware that when they visit the house, it will not look the exact same as the photos. You may decide you want to include the original photos of the empty rooms with the staged photos for this purpose. Virtual staging is not intended to trick buyers; it is a tool sellers use to help showcase a property while providing depth to the rooms so buyers can envision the space better. Ultimately, you may still decide to physically stage your house or use a mix of virtually and traditionally stages rooms for your listing. As always, a realtor can offer great advice and guidance for your particular situation.

Sources:
https://www.homelight.com/blog/home-staging-tips-first-timers/
https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/what-is-virtual-staging-home-selling/
https://www.homelight.com/blog/virtual-staging-sell-home-faster/
https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/how-much-does-home-staging-cost/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenparis/2019/11/18/an-increasing-number-of-real-estate-agents-are-choosing-virtual-staging-to-lure-buyers-to-their-listings/#41e61b8b3432
https://www.redfin.com/blog/impress-buyers-with-virtual-staging/
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/housing/virtual-staging-home-sales-philadelphia-20200415.html

5 Comments

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8/12/2020 04:36:09 am

I totally agree with having a disclaimer in the listing about the house being virtually staged so the buyer won't feel deceived or misled on visiting the house in person. Not mentioning it in the listing can be deal breaker for you.

Staging Services link

9/10/2021 01:13:02 pm

In my opinion, virtual staging is better than traditional staging in many aspects. You can always edit or replace some elements in the photo to make them more appealing to the buyers. Although some might think it's fake, most would rather believe that the home staged photo is the real property. This article was a worthwhile read. I might have to opt for virtual staging if it's time to sell my house.

Homes for Sale in Sherwood Park link

10/29/2021 09:24:41 am

The price of virtual staging varies from service to service. It also rests on how many rooms you need staged, the amount of space you're looking to cover, and the turnaround time you need for the images.

Realtors Edmonton link

12/10/2021 09:12:43 am

Staging a home is highly recommended when selling a vacant property, particularly when showcasing the home online. Home staging is used to assist potential buyers in visualizing themselves in the space and to offer a better perspective of how the home could look when furnished.

Real Estate Photo Editing link

1/10/2023 07:06:38 am

When you combine PhotoUp's virtual staging software, exclusive virtual furniture library and our seasoned professional artists, you get photorealistic renders for marketing that are far superior than free virtual staging software.