Renting or selling a house is a laborious process, but first impression is the last impression. When potential buyers or renters spend time in a property, they are not just checking an empty shell. They are probably envisioning how their lives will look like within those walls, whether it is throwing a dinner party or making popcorn for a movie, or sipping coffee on a Sunday morning. This is where the usage of virtual home staging comes in. It’s a simple and modern way that is also cost effective of showcasing the possibilities of a home décor without the use of costly physical staging.
If you are a homeowner, interior designer, or a property owner, it is important to note how virtual home staging can provide any of you with a great competitive advantage, especially in a very busy marketplace as we are in today’s an age. This article discusses about a wide array of topics starting from why it is possible to stage a property virtually to how it can be put in practice.
What is Virtual Home Staging?
A home staging virtually includes a process of inserting interior design components into images such as furniture, décor, rugs, and art into the photos of an understaged or empty house. With the development and sophistication of building design programs, any blank image can easily and quickly be turned into a warm, ‘live’ space that will draw attention from anybody looking to rent or buy.
However, virtual home staging, which is done completely online does not involve physically staging a home. Property images are worked on remotely by professional designers who add furnishings according to the property type, its layout, and the intended audience.
How Virtual Staging is Different
Low-Cost: Physical staging charges can be approximately $1,500 to $3000 per month or higher. In the case of virtual staging, you potentially pay a small fraction of that number.
Targeting: Target buyer types or design movements specifically.
Time-efficient: No more dormant periods with regards to physical staging. In most cases, virtual staging takes about a week or two.
In What Ways is Virtual Home Staging Useful?
Virtual home staging is effective for all actors in the real estate business, but what makes it so effective? Let us try to explain this.
For Real Estate Agents
Acquire more buyers: It has been observed that photographs of staged listings attract high online activity. Also, 83% of home buyers find it easy to picture the property as their own, if it is staged, according to NAR (National Association of Realtors).
Sell/move quicker: The length of time properties take to sell is usually high for those without staged images.
As most clients want to make their searches online, stunning visuals catch buyers attention making the listing impossible to pass by.
For Homeowners
Raise the value of the property: Properties which are staged stand a higher chance of selling at higher prices. By staging, It highlights empty or disorganized spaces where buyers will not otherwise notice.
Moving furniture is inconvenient: Virtual staging implies that heavy lifting and storage areas are not needed.
Stay under budget: Virtual staging alone which is inexpensive can save you thousands of dollars in preparing your home for the market.
For Interior Designers
Make rough pitches fast: Virtual remodeling helps designers to give examples to clients eliminating the need to imagine the designers ideas.
Increased market reach: Adding virtual remodelling services can pave ways for more income.
Follow Market Trends: Technology made the job of designers much easier as they can now play around with different styles and aesthetics without incurring any cost.
How Virtual Home Staging Works
Step 1: Photograph the Property
Virtual staging begins with high quality images. Utilize expert photography to take clean, properly lit photographs of key rooms and their features and do everything that is necessary to make sure that the areas being shot are clean and empty.
Tips for the best results:
Use daylight to add space and dimension to space.
Take pictures from different perspectives so designers can have plenty of choices.
Concentrate on the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom.
Step 2: Choose a Company Providing the Virtual Staging Service
There is an array of services and software platforms that are dedicated to providing virtual home staging. A few of the notable include:
Bella Virtual Staging – Excellent for high-end real estate listings as it is photorealistic and maintains a professional appearance.
Look through the directories of the available vendors so that you will be able to find one that will be within your means and will get you the results that you desire.
Step 3: Tailor Makes the Designing Preference
The audience that you are targeting determines the most appropriate design styles and furnishings to be used to stage the property, and the staging team should assist you in this area. For instance:
A young professional may respond to more contemporary designs.
Rustic or farmhouse styles may appeal to families.
Pro Tip: Out of the loop on trends? Ask your staging provider or ask a few potential buyers through an online questionnaire.
Step 4: Acceptable Final Touches
When all of the virtual stagers are through with the rendering work and have submitted the final images, look over them once more with added caution. Confirm also that every aspect has been fine-tuned to fit the dictated theme, appears to be authentic, and supports the storyline that the property is intended to have.
Step 5: Go Mourne and Demonstrate
Take advantage of the striking images on MLS, real estate websites, and social networks. Do the same with other images that have been staged and take other professionally shot pictures.
Things to Keep in Mind About Virtual Home Staging
Furthermore, although virtually staging homes is very beneficial, it does not come without its disadvantages. Here are some best practices to observe:
Transparency: Inform buyers that the pictures were rendered and staged using computers.
Avoid Over-Staging: Use minimalistic designs whenever it is appropriate. Too much decoration or large pieces of furniture in a room may appear unrealistic and off-putting.
Accompany with Physical Visit: Virtual home staging brings the buyers into the property. While there, make sure that the property looks presentable and is neat.
The Following Illustrates the Use of Virtual Staging as a Tool – Case Studies
Virtual staging is an amazing tool that provides unlimited possibilities and ease in showcasing properties to potential clients and buyers regardless of the time or geographical distance to the viewer. An example is a real estate agent from Seattle who was able to get an outdated and naked condo staged virtually and turned it into a modern looking unit. Within two weeks of being listed on the open market, the condo was sold for a value greater than the detailed asking price.
Another instance is a New York homeowner who has an advertisement for a studio apartment. In the advertisement, they practically staged the entire apartment in a way as to maximize its functionality and usability design-wise. This led to a growth spurt in the online view counts to over 580, and three offers were placed within a span of a few days.
The new technologies enable us to replace costly designers and operators, which shortens the time for house browsing and viewings. Most platforms already now offer an opportunity for users to experience augmented reality where they can get a tour of staged apartment units using their mobile devices. With this technology to support real estate marketing, the industry is poised to undergo a new renaissance age.
If you are an agent, a homeowner or interior decor professional, the best time to start leveraging virtual home staging for properties is now. Significant in-depth transformations of showcasing properties have been seen in recent times compared to what used to be offered before. It has never been simpler, and cheaper, to cause a property to smell, look and feel the very best.
Feel free to reach out to the top rated virtual staging service providers that we recommend via our website. You can also reach out to us to book a consultation appointment before you engage fully. Remember, virtual home staging may just be the tool that you are looking for to complete some arduous tasks easier than before. Turn empty rooms to fully furnished homes within minutes!