What is Virtual Home Staging?

The process of selling your house requires a lot of time, energy and money. But what if there is an easier way to sell your house in these days of COVID-19 pandemic, which is less expensive and less time consuming? Virtual home staging is becoming increasingly popular in the Toronto real estate market these days.

Virtual home staging in digital era

The selling process would be more successful if it uses the best ways to attract the potential buyers. Many home buyers start their search online. Undoubtedly, both buyers and sellers will use virtual marketing more and more in near future. So, maybe virtual house staging can be a cost-effective alternative method or used as a supplementary method to the old-fashioned staging.

This newly used service of virtual house staging is more effective for vacant houses or pre-construction condos with no furniture. Because they can show the potential buyers the final view of the condo before it completes. Empty houses seem smaller and stay longer in the market. Virtual staging uses the furniture with the approximate size to show the real dimensions and usability of the house space.

Some people may think that there is no experience of the exact “feel” or “soul” of the house in virtual staging. But, the fact is virtual staging helps buyers to visualize their future house in the exact view, color and furniture they choose.

A top Toronto real estate agent can tell you how to use the high quality photos of your house to get more interest and sell your house with less expenses. This technological advancement in the real estate market increases the possibility of receiving multiple offers on your home. Viewing a home online in high-quality photos is the most important factor for 90% of potential buyers.

The main process of virtual home staging includes: first a photographer comes from the virtual staging company. The photographer takes the picture of empty rooms with the best lighting and space balance. After 24-48 hours, you receive the photos to upload into a software which allows you to add furniture, lights, and rugs or even change the color of the walls. It also lets you convert the room for different uses, for example choose a bright color for a child’s bedroom, or put office furniture or book cases for an older couple.

There are many reasons to prove why many sellers choose virtual home staging as a more effective method than traditional staging, including:

It is a strong digital marketing tool

Based on the reports, more than 90% of potential buyers agreed that photos are the most important factor of the home search online. Virtual photos let the buyers to visualize the house aesthetically picturing it with their own furnishings. Since the vast majority of buyers start their searches online, it is crucial to attract the potential buyers using visually-interesting listings.

It is cheaper than traditional staging

Not everyone has the budget to buy expensive home furnishings or rent furniture for home staging. In traditional home staging you should pay $2,500 to $4,000 per month for each staged property. But in virtual home staging, the realistic pictures of your house show the exact spaces and potential of the rooms. So you just need to pay 8-10% of the cost of the traditional method.

It is the best option for sellers who still live in their house

If you are going to sell the house you are already living in, the virtual staging would be an excellent choice for you. It is not easy for everyone, especially families who have little children, to keep their house clean while their house is on the market. But if you use virtual staging, you can clean your house once and just simply remove your personal items from the photos.

Staged homes sell faster

It is a very frustrating and time-consuming process to sell your house in Toronto’s competitive real estate market. If the house stays longer on the market, its selling price will drop and puts more pressure on you. Since the staged houses sell 88% faster, it seems necessary to use virtual staging as a supplement tool in the staging process showing the best first impression possible.

Best choice for vacant, renovated or new-construction homes

When you choose virtual home staging, you can put your house on the market even when your house is still under construction. You can start the listing process before the home is actually completed.

Perhaps this method can also be used for vacant houses or by sellers who are going to renovate their house. A completely empty house costs a lot to put in the necessary furniture and accessories. Using virtual staging, they would be able to show the potential buyers the future view of the house, once it is complete. Virtual house staging will help you to save your budget.

Therefore, if cost is important to you, virtual home staging can be the best alternative to save time, energy and of course money. But if cost is not important to you, you can still use virtual home staging as a great complement to your home sales process. The combination of these two methods has proven to be an effective marketing tool for real estate sales.