With the rise of Virtual Reality, especially during the recent pandemic, it’s no surprise that digital staging is changing how real estate agents do business. From touring properties or even creating interactive training, the technology is here to stay. In terms of virtual staging though, there are many examples of digitally created images that you can check out on this website. Through these virtually staged homes, owners have benefited from exceptional marketing and higher selling prices.
Traditional Staging versus Digital Staging
Of course, you can still do traditional staging but reviewing the difference with home staging might help you decide on what you should use:
- Vacant homes are more difficult to sell
- People browse online
- Collaborate with potential buyers
Vacant homes are more difficult to sell
Any real estate agent will tell you that empty rooms are tough to sell. On the flip side, a virtually staged home allows potential buyers to dream a little. Perhaps they want to see their kids grow up there? Whatever the story is, you can’t tell it with empty rooms which are where home staging comes in.
Of course, you can rent furniture to try to make everything more inviting and homely in real life. However, don’t underestimate the time and money this takes up. Home staging not only saves you time but also allows you to step things up with a redesign of your home at a fraction of the cost.
People browse online
These days, it’s a fact that people browse online before making any decision. Having virtually staged images are more likely to catch buyers’ attention. With the right design style, you can create emotions and curiosity such that they might not have otherwise called your real estate agent.
It might be useful to note that, according to the National Association of Realtors, over 50% of people found their homes online rather than through a real estate agent. Of course, people still work with agents because it’s a great way to get inside information on the real estate market. Nevertheless, the best agents are the ones who successfully combine digital tools, including digital staging into their portfolios. Furthermore, home staging is easy to do and very efficient with fast turnaround times.
Collaborate with potential buyers
Another great benefit of working with virtual staging services is that you can also collaborate with potential buyers. If someone has shown interest, why not work with them to create the space they’re dreaming of? Perhaps you can change the color of the walls with your home staging service? Alternatively, you can add in some special quirky furniture that your potential buyer is not sure will fit into your home.
Collaborating with potential buyers might sound strange. Nevertheless, if they start playing around with the interior design through your virtual staging service then you’ve almost got them over the line. Once people start looking at options and possibilities then they are more likely to keep going through to the final sale.
Real Estate Agents are Opting for Virtual Staging
- Easy to use and affordable
- Quick turnaround time
- Widens the buyer pool
Easy to use and affordable
Most virtual staging services tend to work directly with real estate professionals. That way the agents can get deals for use over several months. Nevertheless, there’s nothing stopping you from specifying which digital staging company you want to work with. Regardless of your choice though, staging your home is an easy process that comes at a very affordable price. In fact, you can expect prices ranging from around $25 to $50 per image.
Quick Turnaround Time
Digital tools are fast and efficient to use. This is also the case for staged photos that come with an average turnaround of 48 hours. The best part of virtual staging is that you can then tell your virtual stager exactly what you want to keep and remove when you review the staged photos. You’re essentially revamping your interior design at a low cost. Contrast this with the cost of traditional staging that involves renting furniture and doing various refurbishments and you’ll soon see the advantages.
Widens the Buyer Pool
It’s worth remembering that photos create emotions and images in our minds. As people browse, they might find themselves drawn to your virtually staged photos. Of course, your virtual stager will have advised on the right design style for those potential buyers. This could be different from your original interior design which is where the true advantage of virtual staging comes in. There’s no doubt that digital staging is a powerful tool for reaching out to buyers that might not necessarily have noticed your property in the past.
In general, virtual staging comes at a fraction of the cost of virtual staging. Also, people feel more in control when they’ve been able to do some research online. This means that they’ll reach out to a few different real estate professionals whereas in the past they might have simply stayed with one agent. Suddenly, you’ve reached out to that many more potential buyers.
Final Thoughts on the Future of Digital Staging
The world is changing and digital technology is only going to keep growing. Whatever your thoughts on digital tools, it’s hard to ignore them. If this all sounds daunting then work with a virtual staging team who can liaise with your real estate agent on your behalf. They’ll do the heavy lifting and all you have to worry about is to give feedback on the virtually staged photos. For such a great price, it would be crazy not to use this powerful tool.