Last Updated on May 30, 2023
Many real estate agents believe that home staging increases the dollar value offered for a home by between 1% and 10%. If you’re thinking about staging a home, you should consider virtual staging services.
Virtual staging is becoming the preferred option for real estate listings these days and offers a lot of advantages over traditional staging. It offers a simple and effective way to improve the appearance of real estate photos and help buyers see themselves living in a home.
So what is virtual staging in real estate and why do you need it? Here’s what you should know.
What Is Virtual Staging?
Virtual staging is the process of digitally adding decor and furniture to a property photo. With modern technology, companies that provide virtual staging services can add furniture to empty spaces. This can increase the appeal of the property and the impact of the real estate listing.
Virtual staging allows buyers to more easily imagine living in a home and will help them get a better idea of how they would feel living in it. Like in-person physical home staging, virtual staging can help to make it easier to sell a property and find a buyer.
Top Benefits of Virtual Staging
There are several important reasons why sellers may want to invest in virtual staging. Here are the top benefits of virtual staging services.
It’s Affordable
One of the top advantages of virtual staging is that it’s much cheaper than regular home staging services.
Physical home staging can cost thousands of dollars. However, virtual staging may only cost a few hundred dollars or less depending on how many photos you decide to order.
Design Options Are Endless
Another benefit of virtual staging is that there are a lot of options for how you can stage a home and alter its appearance.
It can sometimes be difficult to traditionally stage a home and come up with all of the necessary furniture and decor that will need to be used. With virtual staging, many different furnishing options are available. You’ll be able to easily update your photos to reflect the latest interior design trends.
It’s Convenient and Fast
The process of traditional staging can be tedious and difficult since you’ll need to physically move furniture and decor in and out of the home. One of the benefits of virtual staging is that it’s faster and much more convenient.
With virtual staging, all you’ll need is a service provider. They’ll be able to deliver the final photos to you without you needing to put in a lot of effort to physically move furniture around. They can also do it in a short time frame.
Virtual Staging Works
Using virtual staging is also a great choice simply because it works so well. A home that has staged photos will sell much more quickly and for a better price than listings that show empty spaces instead.
Virtually staged photos are a great marketing tool. They do an excellent job of grabbing the attention of homebuyers and helping your listing stand out from the competition.
Drawbacks of Virtual Staging
Although there are a lot of positives to virtual staging, it’s not always the right choice. There are some drawbacks to virtual staging that you should be aware of as well. Here’s what you should think about.
Poorly Done Photos Could Look Fake
When an unreliable real estate photography company provides virtual staging services, you may not get an acceptable level of quality.
Virtually staged photos that are poorly done may look fake and will give the opposite impression of what you’re probably intending. Bad virtually staged photos could actually hurt your listing rather than help the home attract a great buyer.
It’s important to check the quality of virtual staging services carefully before choosing a photography company to hire. Check out a photographer’s portfolio and ensure that you’ll be happy with the final results.
Virtual Staging May Affect Buyer Expectations
Another problem with using virtually staged real estate photos is that they could affect a buyer’s expectations. When a buyer schedules a showing, they may be surprised to find that the home is empty and doesn’t have the furniture that was featured in listing photos.
You can help to manage a buyer’s expectations by mentioning that the listing photos have been virtually staged ahead of time.
Consider displaying a disclaimer on the photos themselves or on the listing. This can help you avoid disappointing buyers and will give them a clear idea of what to expect when visiting the property.
Virtual Staging Photos Will Be Needed During Showings
If virtual staging is used, then agents should have images available for buyers to view when showing a property. It can be tough for a buyer to visualize themselves living in a home if the rooms are empty.
Being sure that virtually staged images are displayed or available to view during a showing will be helpful for buyers. You’ll need to take this extra step to ensure that a home makes the best possible impact on a buyer.
Are You Ready for Virtual Staging?
So what is virtual staging and what are its benefits? By now you should understand why virtual staging can make a big impact on your home listing. Virtually staged photos make a better impression on buyers and can encourage them to take a closer look at your listing.
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