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Erin Thompson

Virtual Home Staging: The Secret to Faster Sales

Introduction


In the domain of real estate marketing, a powerful tool has emerged to captivate potential buyers: Virtual home staging. As technology continues to enhance, the importance of virtual staging in the real estate market grows exponentially. Virtual home staging allows the user to see the potential of any space without even worrying about the hassle of physically setting up the furniture. This article dwells into the concept of virtual home staging, its benefits, the staging process, and offers tips for effective implementation.


Virtual home staging


What is Virtual Home Staging?


Virtual home staging involves digitally enhancing property listings by adding furnishings, decoration, and other elements to vacant or poorly furnished spaces at a substantial cost. It is different from traditional staging, which involves physically furnishing the property which requires a lot of time. Through digital tools and creativity, virtual staging transforms empty rooms into inviting living spaces, attracting the prospective buyers. Virtual staging is gradually becoming more popular than the traditional staging as it cuts down the cost along with improving the efficiency of staging the rooms. If you want to visit a website which is into virtual staging you can consider checking oflisting.com to get the idea about it. 

Let us take a look at a property which was enhanced using virtual staging:


Before virtual home staging

After virtual home staging

Benefits of Virtual Home Staging


The advantages of virtual staging are manifold. Some of it are mentioned below:


Increased Sales


It has been marked in a report that by using digital home staging and providing potential buyers with visually appealing representations of the property, there seems to be a 1-5% increase in the dollar value offered by the clients compared to the properties that were not staged. Virtual staging helps and enhances the visualisation of the potential buyers, making it more appealing which in turn, increases sales of such properties.


Cost effective


The traditional home staging can cost us anywhere around 1000-5000$ for a house, and for high end properties it can even go beyond 30000$, on the other hand, the virtually staged photographs can cost us anywhere from 30$-300$, making it roughly around 97% of the total cost reduction. Therefore, virtual staging is far more affordable and a cost effective staging.


Offers creativity


Digital home staging offers 100% creativity to the users, they can design the property according to their own needs and demand, they have varieties of options to choose from, in the form of design, style, decorations, and whatnot! The sellers and the clients can stage however they want the property to be staged. The versatility offered by the virtual staging, helps it to stand out from the traditional staging. 


Easy visualisation


According to the National Association of Realtors, around 81% of the users are able to visualise their property better by virtual staging. It is easy for the users to visualise their  empty future spaces virtually in such an appealing manner which makes it efficient yet attractive at such an affordable price!


Fast turnaround


Staging furniture virtually is quicker than staging it physically. In traditional staging, it takes more than 3-4 days to initially begin the process of staging, but, on the other hand, virtual staging can be done within 24 hours of time making your property suitable to be listed in the real estate market.


The Process of Virtual Home Staging


The process of virtual home staging typically begins with :


Preparing and decluttering the room


The cleaner the space will be, the better will be the results of virtual staging. Sometimes, if the room or the space is not properly decluttered or cleaned, it can act as a barrier and can dilute the interest of the potential buyers towards that particular property. The stains and unnecessary items if not removed properly can create a lot of impact in the results of the staging. Therefore, it is suggested to remove all such items and make the space as clean as possible!


Brightening up the space


Lighting is a game changing element in the virtual home staging, it can ease out a lot of complications and will help make a room look more appealing and inviting, while photographing, it is necessary to consider perfect lighting along with the angle to create something best out of it.


Photographing the space


The next step is to click some pictures of the space, so that the potential ideas can be implemented and tested on it. High-quality images serve as the pillar for the digital transformation. Photographers are required in this process as they are skilled at taking photos from various angles, which provides the virtual stagers an ease and they can create the best out of the given space. But, don't worry ,if they are not available, you can also consider taking it with your own phone or camera by keeping in mind the angles and the lighting!


Submission and final results


After all these steps, the last step is to submit the picture and wait for the results! The user can choose amongst various styles available (Modern, Minimalist, Scandinavian and many more!) and the virtual staging service providers will help you beautify and embellish the spaces accordingly! 


Tips for Effective Virtual Staging


A basic comparison of how the digital staging can transform you listing


Below are some tips mentioned which can be helpful for an effective virtual home staging:


  • To maximise the impact of virtual staging, it's essential to choose the right elements that appeals and attracts a broad audience towards the property.

  • Neutral colour palettes, modern furnishings, and cohesive design themes are often recommended. However, customization based on the property's unique features and target demographic can also enhance effectiveness of the respective company.

  • Maintaining realism is paramount in virtual staging to avoid misleading potential buyers. While the goal is to showcase the property in its best light, excessive editing or unrealistic representations can lead to disappointment and distrust and can imprint a wrong influence on the buyers. 

  • Keeping it minimal and simple is better than overdoing it, as it can even act as a hitch in the business. Minimalism is the new trend! 

  • Striking a balance between enhancement and authenticity is key to a successful staging. 

  • It should be kept in mind that there is no place for misrepresentation when virtual staging is considered.


Can Virtual Home Staging be used for Unfurnished and Furnished Spaces both?


The answer is YES! In the unfurnished or vacant properties, virtual home staging adds life to such monotonous spaces, making the property more appealing and enhances property listing, helping the clients envision the possibilities of each space effectively, hence attracting lots and lots of potential buyers towards it and increases home sales. As you can see in the picture at the top right corner, the place was all empty, by using virtual staging, the furniture and decorations were added to make it more appealing and inviting.

As far as furnished spaces are concerned, it helps such space in transforming and creating the best out of it, allowing the users to see the potential of the space without any hassle of removing and trying the decorations physically. The versatility is what gives it an upper hand over the traditional staging methods. The picture below is one of its examples, the furniture was already there, still by virtual staging we can enhance the listing! 


Conclusion


In conclusion, virtual home staging has become a valuable tool for enhancing property listings and expediting sales in the competitive real estate market. With its ability to create visually compelling presentations at a fraction of the cost of traditional staging, virtual staging offers undeniable benefits to sellers and agents alike. By leveraging digital technologies and adhering to best practices, sellers can significantly increase the speed and success of their home sales. Embracing virtual home staging is not just a trend but a strategic investment in the future of real estate marketing.


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