Staging a home sells faster and for more money than if it was empty; in fact, a vacant home sells for an average of $11,306 less and stays on the market longer.
However, what is the best way of staging a home in the Coachella Valley to sell – physically staged or virtually staged?
Staging a home has been around since 1972 and is commonplace in today’s market in the Desert with the staging done by agents, staging companies, and virtually.
According to a 2019 REALTOR Home Staging report, “Eighty-three percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.”
For sellers, “… 22 percent of sellers’ agents reported an increase of one to five percent of the dollar value offered by buyers, in comparison to similar homes. Seventeen percent of respondents stated that staging a home increased the dollar value of the home between six and 10 percent.”
Virtual Staging is Popular
Virtual staging has become popular recently because it is a fraction of the cost of physical staging. In addition, it’s fast, convenient, and flexible. A Virtual Staging computer program can remove items in a room in an image and then stage/add the furniture and decorations to the image – a transformation that is then available to download within a matter of hours instead of days or week with physical staging. Sellers don’t need to prepare for a staging appointment; however, they will still need to have their listing prepared for when buyers walk through or if there will be a photo shoot.
Staging a home virtually is also an option – your online image will be so much better and LOOK real!
Virtual staging is like Photoshop on steroids. AND it helps show the buyer what the room could look like for them. So many people can’t visualize what an empty space could look like with furniture, so it’s very helpful.
Cons of Virtually Staging a Home
However, some buyers may consider viewing homes virtually staged online misleading unless it has a distinct watermark. It’s only a rendition of the room/house, not the actual room. Noting this online will help make the buyer not feel duped. Additionally, it’s helpful to have a virtually staged image at the physical house to show what the room could look like when decorated.
Oh, home exteriors can also be virtually staged, too – adding patio furniture to an empty patio shows buyers how inviting it could be with just a few tweaks.
Not sure which would be the best way to stage your home? Why not set up a time for me to visit your home? Then, we can discuss which staging technique would be your best option and how I can help you sell your home in today’s real estate market.