Do you offer virtual staging services?

Often times I am asked by clients if I offer virtual staging services.

The short answer: no.

But let me tell you why!

I do not find virtual staging to be effective or honest.

For those of you who don’t know, virtual staging is interior design created by software.

I’ve seen terrible examples of virtual staging as well as VERY realistic images where it’s almost hard to tell if it’s virtual or real!

When potential buyers show up to a view a virtually staged property in person, they often feel duped, especially if the staging appeared realistic.

Also, not all virtual staging is true to scale! A lot of times potential buyers show up and question if the pictured furniture from the listing photos will actually fit in the space!

My personal mission when it comes to home staging is not only to illicit positive feelings as soon as potential buyers walk through the door, but to answer questions and solve problems before they even know there is a question or problem!

What do buyers frequently ask? What are their concerns (besides the systems and the roof, of course!)?

They want to know: “Where will I put my couch? Where does the T.V. go? Will my queen bed fit in here?”

Virtual staging gets potential buyers through the door, but it doesn’t finish the job and get their signed offer on the table. It doesn’t continue to illicit those positive feelings and answer those questions and solve those problems. In fact, it does the opposite: They feel duped, tricked and left with more questions and concerns about the property. Not the recipe for making a best and final offer!