9 Benefits of Virtual Staging
Virtual staging is a convenient and affordable method of marketing real estate listings. It's grown in popularity over the last few years - but why? Many real estate professionals still don't know the many reasons why virtual staging is the ultimate listing marketing tool.
Here are the 9 top reasons to use virtual staging in your real estate listings:
- Staging Sells Houses for More Money
- Showcase the Full Potential and Intended Use of a Space
- More Affordable than Traditional Staging
- Fast Turnaround Time
- Unlimited Design Options
- Professional Expertise
- Less Contact
- Nothing to Hide
- Bonus Benefit: Online Interior Design
9 Top Benefits of Virtual Staging
1. Staging Sells Houses for More Money
For decades, home staging has been arguably the most effective real estate marketing tool to sell properties. In fact, staging statistics show that it can sell a home for 20% more and 88% faster.
This is not a new concept, virtual staging is a new, faster, and more affordable method of enjoying similar results.
The National Association of Realtors® found that nine out of ten buyers depend on online listing photos to decide whether they're willing to walk through the home. When the home is vacant, it's difficult for potential buyers to get a true understanding of the size and feel of a space.
By adding the right furniture and staging techniques, you immediately make an empty box feel like a home. This ability to build an emotional connection between a house and prospective buyers is the key to selling homes for the most money in the least amount of time.
2. Showcase the Full Potential and Intended Use of a Space
Since virtual staging is - you guessed it - 100% virtual, there is no physical labor involved. You can save yourself from having to do physical work or hiring a moving company. Go ahead and breathe that sigh of relief you've been holding in…
In addition, virtual staging is much more than simply adding furniture and decor to photos of empty spaces. Virtual staging software also has the ability to remove and replace furniture or even renovate entire spaces.
This makes virtual staging an especially amazing tool for marketing fixer-uppers, new builds, or just homes with dated interiors.
Keep in mind that virtual staging is not meant to trick or mislead buyers into thinking the property is in perfect condition, but to show them its full potential. Read more details about how virtual staging is ethical and legal below.
3. More Affordable than Traditional Staging
Virtual staging is undeniably more affordable than traditional, in-person home staging.
In-person staging costs vary depending on your location, type of property, number of rooms, and logistics. However, a general estimate is that physical home staging will cost a minimum of 1% of the home's sale price. In addition, home staging will never cost less than four figures and can easily surpass $10,000.
On the other hand, the cost of virtual staging with Stuccco is $29 per photo. This includes receiving the same level of expertise and the best virtual staging software in the industry.
Read more details on how virtual staging compares to traditional staging.
Comparison chart of virtual staging companies including the cost of virtual staging.
4. Fast Turnaround Time
Most virtual staging companies have a turnaround time of 48 hours, 5 days a week whereas Stuccco virtually stages photos in 24 hours or less, 7 days a week. This is an enormous benefit to those in the real estate industry, where sellers want to list and close properties as fast as possible.
5. Unlimited Design Options
As every consumer knows, there's a big difference between shopping in one physical store and online shopping. Since virtual staging services use digital renderings of furniture and decor, the options for each room are vast.
With Stuccco, many of the furniture renderings used in virtually staged photos are of furniture and decor sold in popular retail stores. While this feature isn't a necessity to market and sell a home, it's another added value of using Stuccco.
In comparison, physically staging a home requires overcoming many logistic difficulties. Bringing large furniture pieces into a home with small hallways or multiple sets of stairs is a massive undertaking that can only be done by professionals.
Home stagers plan for these logistics, which can mean choosing furniture based on its convenience rather than choosing the best fit for the space.
In addition, not all traditional home stagers have the same amount of inventory. While experienced stagers will have a large amount of furniture and decor to choose from, that isn't the case for many other stagers. As the homeowner or real estate agent, you probably won't know the true inventory limitations until you see the results - or at all.
It's much more convenient - and effective - to place virtual furnishings hand-picked for each space. It takes the same amount of effort to stage large luxurious spaces as it takes to stage small apartments. With an endless pool of options, your property photos will receive the perfect pieces for the space.
6. Professional Expertise
Many real estate agents don't have the budget to pay for physical staging for every listing, so they learn to do some of their own staging. This is just one reason why real estate professionals are so incredible--they work incredibly hard to get the best results for their clients.
However, a real estate agent without professional staging expertise will not be able to create the same effect as a professional designer or stager. Because of virtual staging, this professional expertise is now available for agents and homeowners alike--at a fraction of the cost.
All of Stuccco's virtual stagers are professional interior designers with staging and real estate experience. There are only a handful of virtual staging companies that offer this level of expertise, so be sure you check into this before booking. Read the full comparison of all popular virtual staging services to get more details.
7. Less Contact
In a world of social distancing, virtual staging is an ideal way to keep unwanted germs out of your beautiful real estate listing.
In fact, virtual staging became much more popular after the pandemic hit. Whether you want to stay cautious, attract the widest range of buyers, or simply take advantage of all the other benefits, virtual staging offers a perfect solution.
8. Nothing to Hide
One of the most common concerns with virtual real estate staging is its ethics--is virtual staging misleading? Is it legal?
The short answer is yes, virtual staging is legal.
In addition, virtually staging a home is not misleading. First of all, you don't have to go far on our website or within the order process to learn that we highly value honesty and highly recommend all agents disclose virtual staging in the listing photos, in the description, and in the listing.
However, many people actually view virtual staging as a more honest way to stage a home.
When a home is physically staged, the unfortunate truth is that furniture can easily be placed over carpet stains and it's easy to distract potential buyers from negative parts of the home. The good news is that very few professional home stagers are intentionally making choices to mislead buyers.
However, it is somewhat common for buyers to feel very differently about their home during the final walkthrough--the first time they see the vacant space. Even though it's the buyer's responsibility to think through their purchase, it still feels jarring to see the space empty.
On the other hand, virtual staging allows the home to stay vacant during real estate showings. It provides the best of both worlds; buyers can see the home exactly as it is, but they also have a clear picture of the home's full potential.
A great way real estate agents can blend these two worlds is by printing virtually staged photos onto a sign in each room.
Read more details about how you can use virtual staging to sell houses in real life.
9. Bonus Benefit: Online Interior Design
Staging makes homes look beautiful. Most homebuyers see a staged real estate listing online or walk through a staged home and think, "I wish my house looked exactly like this."
And with modern technology, you can actually offer this to buyers.
When a property is virtually staged by Stuccco, the furniture and decor come from actual items available in retail stores. Plus, Stuccco is the only company in the world to offer both virtual staging and online interior design.
This means that virtually staged rooms can actually be turned into professionally designed homes.
%20(1).jpg)
Room designed by Stuccco online interior design
With any other kind of home staging, whether it's traditional or virtual, buyers are left to their own devices once they get the keys. If they are truly dedicated to making their home beautiful, they are left to DIY every step or spend thousands on an interior designer.
With Stuccco, buyers can bring their virtually staged designs right back to us and customize them in a way that will EXACTLY match their unique budget, space, dimensions, and integrate their existing furniture and decor.
Plus, they can do it all for a fraction of the cost of hiring an in-person designer--and a fraction of the time.
This is an extremely unique benefit for real estate agents to offer to buyers. By choosing Stuccco to virtually stage your listing, not only are you getting beautiful and highly effective designs--you're also helping the buyers seamlessly transition into their new home.
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
This will make you look like an absolute real estate rock star to your buyers because not only are you introducing them to a more affordable alternative to traditional interior design - you've already helped get them started using it.
Is Virtual Staging Right for You?
Since virtual staging is still a relatively new concept, homeowners, home sellers, and real estate agents typically have questions about the process and its results. But the benefits of virtual staging speak for themselves.
With Stuccco, you can even get your first virtually staged photo for free. Get your coupon below, or read more about virtual staging in these articles.
