Virtual Staging: What Is It & How It Works

Virtual staging definition

Virtual or digital staging is a technique that involves using specialized software to fill empty rooms with furniture and decor. While many people are familiar with traditional staging, when sellers buy new furniture and decor items to enhance vacant homes, virtual staging achieves a similar effect by placing real furniture models in the space digitally. This method makes it possible to create inviting interiors in empty rooms, all done using computer technology. Skilled architects and designers can craft unique solutions that significantly increase the visibility of property listings thanks to access to thousands of high-quality digital models.

What makes virtual staging valuable?

Virtual staging is popular in various spheres, but the real estate market has recently taken advantage of this service the most actively. Buyers are more inclined to look at staged homes in the listings instead of vacant ones. This method is highly effective in attracting interest to empty properties and can help facilitate quicker sales. A visually appealing interior can captivate potential buyers and encourage them to consider the home for purchase. Moreover, it helps them envision how they might utilize a free space.

Only 10% of people can really understand the actual size of an empty room and picture how furniture would fit in it. The rest of the people tend to see only bare walls, which is why interior items are so important and help them visualize the space. Digital staging is a popular choice among real estate agents for creating interest, and it successfully copes with this task.

4 Reasons that make virtual staging an outstanding service

Real estate marketing encompasses many strategies, but virtual staging is the primary choice for selling empty homes. The reason for its popularity lies in the extensive benefits that this service brings to customers.

• Affordability. Virtual staging services make up only 1% of the traditional staging cost or even less.
• Minimum delivery time. You may get a completed virtual staging order within a couple of days or during a week, depending on the project’s difficulty and the number of images ordered.
• Flexibility. Virtual staging gives a chance to test various interior styles in one space, make necessary changes easily, and take advantage of images in all possible ways.
• Ease of order placing. The only thing required from a client is to take photos of the property and send them to the staging company by mail. 

Other ways to use virtual staging

You can use virtual staging services to declutter, depersonalize, or change the design of a room. These services offer numerous benefits, making it easier to sell empty properties, which can leave the market twice faster than previously.

Although there are many companies offering virtual staging today, some clients are disappointed by the quality of the photos they receive. To achieve truly stunning and lifelike images, it’s essential to select a reputable staging team and consult with professionals in the field.

Virtual staging peculiarities and price

Many average buyers fail to imagine an ideal interior design for each empty room. In fact, only about 10% of people can visualize this effectively, and the rest of the people tend to seek help from professionals who specialize in physical staging services. They often hire an interior designer to create a tailored design for a specific room and choose complementary furniture. This service is particularly appreciated by real estate agents looking to sell vacant homes, as staging can help speed up the sale process. 

It’s clear that the goal of both actual and virtual staging is to drive quick sales. However, the costs involved are quite different. Physical staging usually costs between $5,000 and $7,000, while 3D home staging is a more affordable alternative, with prices varying from $60 to $200 per photo, depending on the company you choose.

How is virtual staging performed?

When a person sees a stunning photo of a stylish interior in a home offered for sale, the first thought that occurs to that person is how his family would thrive and create joyful memories in that space. This highlights the effectiveness of virtual staging as a marketing strategy that influences buyers on a psychological level.

However, there is still little information about the way digital staging solutions are created. The interview of Andrew Zlobin, Spotless Agency CEO, explains that virtual staging professionals focus on 3 key aspects:

1. Real property photography. Many realtors prefer to work with professional photographers to get stunning images of rooms that focus on the perfect angles and lighting, which they later share with the staging company.
2. Reference images. It’s essential for designers to understand what each client wants to see in terms of furniture, interior aesthetics, and the functionality of their spaces. Reliable digital staging firms offer free revisions to guarantee total customer satisfaction without any extra charges.
3. A floorplan. A property layout is required to ensure that scaling is done properly and the image looks very realistic and detailed.

Key aspects to make virtual staging projects exceptional

It’s clear that technical details are important to achieve outstanding results, but the true success of any project depends much on the designer’s education, experience, professionalism, skills, and talent, as well as the virtual stagers involved. They should possess degrees in Architecture and Computer Design, along with a strong proficiency in top visualization, 3D virtual staging, and other relevant tools and software that enhance advanced virtual staging solutions.

Time is another significant factor when it comes to processing virtual staging orders. Reputable firms try to deliver top-notch solutions within 24 hours if the number of photos is reasonable. While there might be occasions where the waiting time increases a bit, the overall turnaround is still much quicker than conventional staging, typically just a few days. It’s clear that virtual staging is an innovative approach that is likely to replace physical staging in the real estate industry and other fields. It provides many benefits for clients and acts as a powerful marketing tool that leaves a great impression of empty properties.