A Step-By-Step Overview of Virtual Staging for RE Professionals
Listings with beautiful photos and well-thought-out room staging attract more attention, spark more interest, and eventually help homes sell more quickly and for more money because over 90% of home buyers start their search online.Â
This is where virtual staging has made a big difference for my business.
For traditional house staging, you have to physically furnish a property.
With virtual staging, I can decorate and turn empty or out-of-date rooms into move-in-ready homes that buyers can picture themselves living in.
The effects look incredibly real, and the whole process is easier, more flexible, and less expensive than real staging.
This piece will explain my step-by-step method for virtually staging homes.
This will give you an inside look at how this cutting-edge technology works and what great benefits it offers.
If you're an agent, a seller, or just interested in this growing trend, keep reading to learn how virtual staging can help RE professionals improve their listings and get more buyers.
Capturing Quality Photos
High-quality pictures of the property are the first and most important step in virtual staging.
The photos will be used as a base for the virtual furniture, so it's important to get the area looking its best, both literally and figuratively.Â
A professional real estate photographer with the right tools, training, and attention to detail is always the one I hire to get the best shots from the best angles.
The photos should be crisp and clear, and they should show off the best parts of each room.
So the space looks its best, I make sure the property is cleaned, decluttered, and empty of personal items before I move in.
If the house is empty or has old decorations, however, the great thing about virtual staging is that everything can be changed later on.
Choosing a Virtual Staging Company
Next, you need to find a reliable virtual staging company to make the listing photos look more appealing by adding digital furniture and decorations.
There are a lot of providers out there, and each one has different features, looks, and prices, so it's important to look at portfolios and do your study.
Virtual Staging AI is what I use for most of my listings because I love their unique AI-powered technology, large furniture library, low prices, and quick turnaround.
Their team of professional designers has experience with both interior design and staging homes for sale, so they know how to make each area work best for potential buyers.
Some key things I look for when evaluating virtual staging companies include:
- Realistic, high-quality renderings that look natural, not fake or cartoonish
- Wide range of on-trend 3D furniture and decor options to fit any style or aesthetic Â
- Ability to do custom work and special requests
- Transparent, affordable pricing with bulk discounts
- Fast turnaround, usually within 24-48 hours
- Positive reviews and testimonials from other agents/sellers
Staging the PhotosÂ
I'll start the real work once I have the photos of the property and have picked a virtual staging partner.
I upload the pictures to their platform and give them some information about the house, like its size, layout, price range, and ideal buyer.
I also tell them how I want the room to look and what style of staging I like.
The virtual staging designers then carefully choose furniture and decorations that go with the home's existing features, make the room feel warm and useful, and suit the tastes and demographics of my target audience.
The way they arrange things and pick out pieces that are just the right size and shape for each room is truly amazing.
Within a day or two, I receive the virtually staged photos back and am always blown away by the results.
The before and after transformations are stunning.
Vacant rooms now look warm and inviting, filled with stylish, perfectly-placed furnishings.
Outdated or cluttered spaces are reimagined as move-in ready dream homes.
Every detail from the wall art to the plants and accessories look incredibly realistic and natural, not fake or digitally altered.
The virtual stagers are also able to make cosmetic updates like changing wall colors, updating floors, and swapping out fixtures which is an amazing value-add.
I can even have them stage multiple versions of the same room - like an office, nursery or guest room - to show the versatility of the space and appeal to different types of buyers.
Marketing the Listing
It's time to show these amazing virtually staged listing photos to as many possible buyers as I can!
As the big hero shots, I put them on the MLS, my website, and all of my marketing materials.
I always make it clear that the pictures were virtually staged for display reasons only and that the house will be sold without any furniture.
But in my experience, buyers love being able to picture what the room could be used for and relate to the way of life that the staged photos show.
As buyers look through online listings, the staged photos really help the property stand out and catch their eye.
My virtually staged listings get a lot more views, questions, and showings than homes that aren't for sale.
The staged photos did their job of grabbing attention and making buyers want to see more, even though they know the house will be empty when they visit in person.
At open houses and showings, I always bring printed copies of the staged photos so buyers can reference them as they walk through the empty rooms and imagine how their own furniture and belongings could fit.
It's so helpful for them to be able to visualize the space furnished versus having to imagine it all in their head.Â
Conclusion
As you can see, virtual staging is an incredibly powerful tool that has transformed the way I market and sell homes.
What used to take weeks and thousands of dollars with traditional staging can now be done in a matter of days for a fraction of the cost, while still achieving the same (if not better) results.
Virtual staging allows me to:
- Enhance vacant or outdated listings to make them more appealing to buyers
- Showcase the full potential and intended use of each space
- Stage the home in multiple design styles to cater to different target audiences
- Update the home's finishes and fixtures without any construction
- Attract more attention, showings and offers with eye-catching listing photos
- Save time and money compared to physically staging the home
- Help buyers visualize and emotionally connect with the property
- Ultimately sell homes faster and for more money
If you're a real estate professional looking to gain an edge in today's competitive market, I highly recommend incorporating virtual staging into your marketing strategy.
It's a cost-effective, convenient way to make your listings shine online and appeal to the widest pool of prospective buyers.
With the right photographs and virtual staging partner, you can transform any property into a buyer's dream home - no heavy lifting required!
I've seen firsthand the amazing results virtual staging can achieve and can't imagine listing a home without it.
FAQ:Â Virtual Staging for RE Professionals
1. What is virtual staging, and how does it differ from traditional staging?
Virtual staging digitally furnishes empty or outdated rooms using realistic 3D renderings, allowing buyers to visualize potential living spaces. Unlike traditional staging, it's less expensive, more flexible, and doesn't require physically placing furniture.
2. How can virtual staging help attract more buyers to a property listing?
Virtual staging showcases rooms with eye-catching, stylish furniture, highlighting their full potential. Professionally staged photos stand out on MLS and other platforms, generating more interest, inquiries, and showings from prospective buyers.
3. What qualities should I look for when choosing a virtual staging company?
Choose a company with realistic renderings, diverse furniture styles, fast turnaround, transparent pricing, and positive reviews. Customization options and a professional design team experienced in real estate also ensure tailored, high-quality staging.
4. How do high-quality photos impact the effectiveness of virtual staging?
High-quality photos form the foundation for digital furniture placement. Crisp, clear images taken by a professional ensure realistic staging that aligns with the home's features, making each room feel inviting and visually appealing to buyers.