We are truly living in a digital age, and it’s about time that home selling caught up. While we’ve had online listing websites and virtual tours for a while, it seems the real estate world has recently made big strides when it comes to home staging.
This new concept is known as virtual staging. It’s when you arrange computer-generated furnishings and props in key rooms, making it possible to stage bare-bones, vacant homes. Unlike traditional staging, there’s no heavy lifting or expensive costs. It’s all done in just a few clicks. However, before you start downloading all of the virtual staging apps, let’s talk about why many sellers are staging homes virtually and whether it’s the best option.
What is Virtual Staging?
As we just mentioned, virtual staging is when you use an app or other digital software to add interior design elements to a space. With some apps, it’s as simple as using a drag and drop feature to bring furniture and more into a room.
How does it work? You start by uploading a photo of the space into what’s known as a virtual staging platform. When choosing a photo to use, it’s best to look for one of an empty room. If there’s existing furniture, it can be hard to work around.
Once your photo is uploaded, you can place selected furnishings from a digital catalog. You’ll find computer-generated items like couches, chairs, mirrors, rugs, plants, and more. It’s all about creating ambiance. Virtual staging has come a long way, and it can make the home look very realistic with its design. To see it for yourself, check out the Virtual Staging Lab.
Why Use Virtual Staging to Sell Your Home?
Virtual staging makes sense for home sellers since you need to catch buyers’ attention online. People are scrolling quickly through online listing platforms. If your home doesn’t look like anything special, it won’t stand out.
With virtual staging, you can make an empty space feel like home. Here are the benefits of using virtual staging:
- Affordable – First and foremost, it’s affordable. This only costs as much as it is to download whatever app or platform you use. There’s no need to buy or rent furniture, most of which can be costly.
- No Heavy Lifting – One of the biggest challenges of staging a home is lifting heavy furniture. With a staging app, it’s as simple as using a drag and drop feature. There’s no need to lift anything heavy, and that can be a big help and time saver.
- Accessible – This is a tool even amateurs can use. While it definitely helps to have the help of a designer or a real estate agent, you don’t need any fancy skills or experience to stage virtually.
- Services – Finally, there are even virtual staging services nowadays that will stage the photos for you in a realistic way so you don’t have to worry about the cost of downloading an app and learning how to use it.
A picture really is worth a thousand words! When it comes to selling homes, you can’t slack on photography and staging. According to a recent study, homes with high-quality images sell 32% faster. That means buyers are looking for photos that show a home’s true potential.
Virtual Staging Best Practices
However, like all virtual tools, you need to follow some best practices when using virtual staging to sell your home. First, don’t disappoint your viewers. A lot of platforms will let you change major features about a home, such as the wall color or kitchen upgrades. Changing these things might be a good way to get attention, but you’ll only disappoint your viewers when they come to the open house and see what it really looks like.
Another important practice is to always disclose your virtual staging. If you’re not clear upfront, this could become a legal issue. Always disclose any digitally altered photo by labeling them as possibilities for the property.
Finally, don’t cover up any issues. If there are any flaws in the home, avoid covering them up digitally. This is misleading and will only lead to problems further down the line. Remember, virtual staging is a great way to transform an empty space into a home, but it shouldn’t change fundamental aspects of the property.
Is Virtual Staging Right For You?
Now, it’s clear why many sellers are staging their homes virtually. This technology really has made big strides in the past few years. It’s easy to see why it’s such a popular choice, but there are still a lot of things to keep in mind.
If you’re thinking of using virtual staging to sell your home faster, you might be onto something. It’s easier than ever to make sure your home shines online. Give this technology a try for yourself to see just how far it can take you.