Virtual staging is the use of graphic design software to add decorations, furniture, and color to real estate photos.
This software will allow you to add beds, chairs, dining tables, kitchen cabinets, and more. So, potential buyers and investors can better visualize living inside the property.
Sounds cool, right? But what are the benefits of virtual staging and is it really worth your time to invest in virtual staging technology?
In this article, I’m going to cover everything you need to know about virtual staging and whether it’s right for your real estate business.
What Is Virtual Staging?
Simply put, it is dressing up a property digitally to get it ready for sale using specialist graphic design software.
The idea is that virtual staging removes the need to physically dress or decorate an empty property before commencing with a photo shoot and online listing while still significantly improving the property’s appeal.
With virtual staging, you can add furniture, including dining tables, chairs, sofas, lamps, etc., change the color of walls or even add wallpaper, change aspects of any outdoor areas, and more.
3D software is also an option, which allows users to move around the inside of a property from their computer or smartphone — similar to Google Street View.
How Could Virtual Staging Benefit Your Real Estate Business?
There are several ways that this could improve your real estate business’s success.
One of the key benefits is reducing the cost of marketing your property. Physical staging can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, while virtual staging can cost up to 97% less.
Staging in general can also increase the price at which you can rent a property. Research by Qblends found that staging helped to increase property rent prices by 9%.
Here are some other key benefits:
- Increases interest as the property is more appealing.
- Helps clients better visualize themselves in the property.
- Allows you to easily create multiple versions of each room.
- Removes the need for physical viewings.
As the software can help clients get a better idea of what the property could look like simply by viewing it online, it reduces the need for in-person viewing, especially if you’re using 3D virtual walkthroughs. This allows you to increase the number of potential buyers or investors.
What Do You Need to Setup Virtual Staging?
Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need to start:
- High-quality, clear photos of each room of your property.
- Virtual staging software (if you’re looking to do it yourself).
- A professional virtual staging service provider.
- Somewhere to post your finished images (website, social media, marketing emails, etc.).
The most important thing you need, aside from the software, is excellent photos.
I highly recommend that you book a professional photoshoot of each property before using any kind of staging software or service.
Next, you need to choose a software or professional service.
If you feel like you’re able to virtually stage your own photos, there are plenty of options, including roOomy and VisualStager (online services), and Apply Design (downloadable software). Technically, you could also use Photoshop to virtually stage your photos, although it may be better to use software that’s purposely built for staging (unless you’re a Photoshop whiz!).
However, many realtors also like to work with a professional service providers, as they can be a much more cost-effective option that guarantees high-quality results.
Platforms like roOomy also offer professional services, however, you can also find hundreds of professional service providers just by running a quick Google search.
Final Thoughts on Virtual Staging: Is It Worth Using?
In my opinion, adding virtual staging to your real estate marketing plan is essential and it’s definitely worth using.
This is an excellent way to improve your real estate photos. Not only will this increase the interest and appeal of your properties, but it’s also significantly more cost-effective than physical staging services.
Even though this staging is relativity cheap it provides an excellent ROI. You can use your images on most platforms. These include: social media, in videos, marketing emails, and of course on your website.
So, are you going to start using virtual staging? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you’re looking for more ways to improve your business’s real estate marketing plan, check out some of the latest posts on the Intentionally Inspirational blog.