Virtual staging is increasing in popularity and will continue to do so in the coming years. So, what are you waiting for? Save money, your sanity, and your precious time and let your creativity shine!
KK Hart, Owner/Expert
Selling an empty home can be intimidating and a struggle to stage. Many home buyers prefer looking at fully furnished homes, as they can see the examples of the layouts of the house. Staging a home, the old fashion way, can cost sellers thousands of dollars and be very time-consuming. An empty home does not give buyers a clean visual, as it often appears musty or outdated. Unlike home staging, virtual staging promotes quick selling as well as a fast return. This is the main reason why virtual staging is rapidly gaining popularity.
TIME SAVER
Home staging requires a lot of planning and time to schedule. It requires a moving team, as well as the time it takes to set up and take away the furniture. There is not a guaranteed time frame for how long you will need the furniture, as there is no way to predict how long the house will take to sell. For virtual staging, all that is required is a good quality camera and an email address. You send the pictures of your empty house to the virtual staging company and you will typically get your newly furnished house in less than 48 hours!
MONEY SAVER
It is no secret that home staging is an essential part of selling a home. Due to this factor, staging companies can influence their own market and mark up their prices for any reason. Interior designers, along with mover cost, will quickly increase marketing costs. Home staging is not just one set cost. You have to factor in the square feet of the house, how many rooms there are to stage, and the amount of time needed to rent the furniture. You can risk only staging a home for a week of open houses, but the likelihood that the house sells in that short period of time is pretty low. Along with the time save, virtual staging is the way to go if your budget is running low. According to Hasten CEO Aleksandr Lanin, virtual staging has been proven to be 90% less expensive than traditional home staging. It is a no brainer with these statistics in mind!
CAN’T MAKE UP YOUR MIND FOR THE DESIGN? REDECORATE WITH A PUSH OF BUTTON!
Home staging can make it very difficult to redesign the house if it is not selling. The furniture is already ordered and delivered, so you are at the mercy of one interior designer. If you do not like a piece of furniture, you can simply remove it without lifting a finger. Sometimes the vision of a room can be much better in your mind then in the actual room. Virtual staging takes away this concern and gives the imagination and creativity you crave.
BUYERS VIEW HOMES FROM AFAR
Home buyers often browse homes in the comfort of their bed scrolling endlessly through listings. Do you get showing requests and listing follow ups throughout all hours of the night- no matter where you’re based? This is increasingly the way homes are gaining traction. An empty home will not stand out to buyers and will often make them click away within minutes. It is obvious that virtual staging has been done, but this gives buyers the vision they want in their future home. Many home buyers are looking at homes that are not close to their current location. This first impression of the listing is key, and virtual staging is the way to make your listing stand out 24/7/365… that’s what sells homes, fast!
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN VIRTUAL STAGING HAS POSITIVE RESULTS
In recent years, virtual staging listings have increased to 5-10%. This will only rise in the upcoming years, as sellers are leaving traditional home staging behind. The proof is in the home sales. Buyers are expecting to view a well-furnished and modern home. Virtual staging can be extremely helpful when selling older homes. Often, buyers will not be able to see the potential if it is just an empty slate. Whether you are sending pictures to a virtual staging company or designing the rooms yourself, it allows you to pick and choose the furniture you desire. In today’s real estate, 80% of home sales start online. According to the National Association of Realtors, 77% of buyer’s agents claim that staging helps their buyers visualize themselves living in the home. An empty home is just a cell that does not have a homey feel. How would you feel buying a home without any inspiration?
BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES
While virtual staging is the way to go, it is very important to be transparent to home buyers. Including the before pictures of an empty home gives buyers the reality of what they are buying. Some buyers may believe they are buying the home exactly as seen in the listing. Pictures of empty rooms gives buyers the visual they need to see what they are working with. While many people prefer to see a home listing staged, some may want to just see the empty house. That is perfectly fine, so make sure to give them the option! In some cases, buyers may think virtual staging makes the home look worse due to the design choice. The furniture may not be their cup of tea, and it is necessary to be careful while designing.
SELLING NEW CONSTRUCTION HOMES
New homes in communities are being built every single month. You often can’t drive around without seeing a new development being built. It is important to start marketing your home as soon as possible. If you go with traditional staging, you have to wait until the home is fully built. This is simply not time or cost effective. The number of potential buyers you are missing is too much to pass up. Virtual staging allows these projects to shine, sometimes before they even make ground! This makes homes stand out, as buyers often view new and old homes.
CONS TO CONSIDER
Even though virtual staging is on the rise, there are some things to consider before hopping into this new fad. While virtual staging gives online buyers the visual they need, it leaves open houses in the dust. People who view your home in person will just see the empty shell. Of course, you can influence them to view the online listing, but some people may not want to take that extra effort. The older generation especially may not even understand what virtual staging is. It is important to consider your target audience while choosing between traditional or virtual staging. New realtors will not know how to virtual stage right off that bat. It is a skill that takes quite a bit of time to master. It may be hard to find the perfect and quality driven company to hire. Real estate photo-editing comes with legal requirements due to the altered photos. Home sellers must understand the rules, and clearly inform the buyers that the pictures were virtually staged.