Staging Wars: Virtual Staging vs. Traditional Staging – Which to Choose?

	Traditional Staging	Virtual Staging
Pros	Provides real-life experienceEstablishes stronger emotional connectionAllows easier visualization for buyersCreates greater clarity and trust	Reduces costsSaves time and laborIs more affordableGives creative freedomProvides various designs, styles, and layoutsCan be catered to different/wider audiencesIntegrates various processes (e.g., decluttering & staging)
Cons	Has fewer design optionsCan be costly in various aspectsIs time-consuming and tiringProves inconvenient for everyone	Can look fake if not done correctlyMay not appeal to a certain audienceIs quite sensitive when it comes to customer trust May give a wrong first impression

When it comes to selling a property, presentation is key. Staging, the art of setting up a home to make it more appealing to potential buyers, has long been a trusted strategy in the real estate industry.

Traditional staging involves physically furnishing and decorating a property to create an inviting atmosphere that allows buyers to envision themselves living in the space. The practice has been around for decades, and it is one of the main go-to processes, especially for real estate agencies, to grab greater market shares and sell homes faster.

However, with the rapid advancement of technology, a new, more versatile, more flexible player has entered the staging arena: Virtual staging.

Virtual staging has gained significant popularity in recent years, revolutionizing how properties are showcased to potential buyers. Instead of physically staging a home, virtual staging relies on advanced computer-generated imagery (CGI) to digitally enhance photographs of empty rooms. This technique allows real estate agents and homeowners to virtually furnish and decorate a property, giving buyers a realistic visual representation of the space.

With the rise of virtual staging, a crucial question arises for all real estate players alike: Which staging approach is the better choice?

Let’s put on a helmet, dive into the staging wars, and determine which approach is the ultimate winner.

Staging: A Tradition With Roots

Traditional staging (AKA real, actual, or physical staging) involves physically furnishing and decorating a property to create an inviting and appealing atmosphere for potential buyers. Professional stagers carefully select furniture, décor, and accessories to highlight the property’s best features and create a warm, welcoming ambiance. The goal is to help buyers envision living in the space and showcase the property’s full potential.

It all started back in the early 70s when Barb Shwarz, with an artistic background in theater, entered the realm of real estate and recognized the vast potential, and wide gap, of staging home spaces for better property presentations and sales.

Manual Work Has Upsides!

Physical presence and tangibility

One of the main advantages of traditional staging is the physical presence it brings to a property. Buyers can walk through the staged rooms in person, touch the furniture, and get a real sense of the space’s size, layout, and flow.

This tangible experience can create a stronger emotional connection with the property and help buyers imagine themselves living there, highly increasing the possibility of further considerations.

Authenticity and emotional appeal

Traditional staging can evoke emotions in potential buyers. Using carefully curated furniture, décor, and personal touches creates a sense of authenticity and warmth that resonates with buyers on an emotional level. This emotional connection can significantly impact a buyer’s decision-making process.

Showcasing the potential of the space

This real-life approach to staging excels at highlighting a property’s potential. There’s nothing like seeing something for yourself.

By strategically arranging furniture and décor, stagers can emphasize a home’s best features, such as architectural details, spaciousness, and functionality. This can help buyers envision how to utilize the space and maximize its potential.

Downsides of Traditional Staging

High costs and time-consuming process

Traditional staging can be an expensive endeavor. The cost of renting furniture, hiring professional stagers, and maintaining the staged property for the duration of the listing can quickly add up. Additionally, the process of physically staging a property can be time-consuming, requiring coordination between stagers, real estate agents, and homeowners.

And that’s in case the property is clean and clear. More often, the properties put up for sale are either occupied – and you’ll have a whole other story with the residents – or have been hastily vacated, giving you and your contractors a great pile of dirt and mess to clean up.

Limited design options and flexibility

Traditional staging is bound by the limitations of physical furniture and décor. There’s simply no way around that. Stagers must work with the available inventory and may not always have the perfect pieces to match a specific property or buyer’s taste. This lack of flexibility can hinder the ability to create a truly customized and tailored staging experience.

Moreover, you can use each space for one style of design and staging, which limits your options to showcase properties with different settings. Let’s face it: You’re not IKEA.

Logistically inconvenient for all

Traditional staging can be inconvenient for real estate agents and homeowners alike. Real estate agents must coordinate with stagers and manage furniture delivery, setup, and removal logistics, not to mention photographers or videographers who are required to prepare visual content for online advertisement.

From another viewpoint, living in a staged property can be challenging for homeowners, as they may need to keep the space in pristine condition for showings and be mindful of not disrupting the staging setup.

Traditional Staging at a Glance

Despite its advantages, traditional staging has its drawbacks. Below is a list of the pros and cons of physical staging.

Pros

• Provides real-life experience
• Establishes stronger emotional connection
• Allows easier visualization for buyers
• Creates greater clarity and trust

Cons

• Has fewer design options
• Can be costly in various aspects
• Is time-consuming and tiring
• Proves inconvenient for everyone

Virtual Staging: New Sherrif in Town

In stark contrast with the traditional attitude, virtual staging is a modern approach to staging that utilizes CGI to digitally furnish and decorate empty rooms in property photographs.

Through advanced technologies such as computer image analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc., virtual stagers can add furniture, decor, and other design elements to showcase the potential of a space without physically moving any items. The result, if done correctly, can be a realistic and visually appealing representation of a staged home.

According to the 2023 report on Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends by NAR (National Association of Realtors), more than 95% of all home buyers have used the Internet for home searches. Also, for almost 50% of all home buyers, the first step in their house-hunting adventure was to look online for properties, with more than half of all successful buyers finding their future properties online.

These figures and the fact that 85% regard photos as the most valuable website feature sure have a point: Putting listings on the Internet is important, and photos of online properties will make a difference.

Is Virtual Staging Any Good?

Cost- and time-efficient

One of the significant advantages of virtual staging is its cost-effectiveness. Compared to traditional staging, virtual staging eliminates the need for renting or purchasing physical furniture, reducing expenses significantly.

Additionally, virtual staging can be completed much faster than traditional staging since there is no need for furniture delivery and setup. Also, if you’re faced with a cluttered space, similar CGI techniques come to the rescue and clean those nasty spaces. This time efficiency is particularly beneficial for agents and homeowners who want to quickly list and market a property.

In addition, if you have not one but a number of properties on your hands, the needed costs and time can rise exponentially, making virtual staging a much more desirable option.

Design possibilities and customization

Virtual staging offers unparalleled design options. With virtual staging software and technologies, stagers can create different styles, rearrange furniture, and experiment with various layouts to cater to specific buyer preferences.

This flexibility allows for creating highly personalized and tailored staging solutions that can appeal to a wide range of target audiences. How? You can stage a single property in a variety of styles. Go for a modern, minimalistic look for younger house hunters but present the same property with a cozy farmhouse design for the elderly.

Accessibility and convenience

Virtual staging provides high accessibility and convenience for all sides, including real estate professionals, possible residents, and potential buyers. The Internet has made pieces of cake out of many life aspects, and selling houses is no exception.

Staged photos can be easily shared online, making them readily available to anyone browsing real estate listings. Buyers can view staged properties at their convenience, eliminating the need for physical visits until they are genuinely interested. Also, occupants of a house on sale can go on about their daily lives without limiting their whole life to the bedroom for a few months.

Moreover, this level of accessibility opens up opportunities for buyers from other regions or even countries who have difficulty attending in-person showings.

Downside of Virtual Staging: Nothing Comes Without Flaws

Lack of physical presence and tangibility

The main drawback of virtual staging is probably the absence of physical presence and tangibility. Buyers cannot physically walk through a staged home and experience the space firsthand. This limitation may impact the emotional connection and genuine experience that traditional staging can provide.

Potential for misrepresentation and deception

Virtual staging can lead to misrepresentation and deception if not done ethically and responsibly. Since virtual staging relies on digitally enhanced photographs, there’s the risk of misleading buyers about a property’s actual condition and size.

Real estate professionals and homeowners are responsible for employing the best professionals and/or services. Moreover, they must be transparent and clearly disclose that the images have been virtually staged.

Limited to online platforms and digital marketing

Virtual staging primarily caters to online platforms and digital marketing channels. While this aligns with the current trend of digital property searches, it may exclude potential buyers who rely heavily on traditional methods or prefer physical showings.

Virtual staging should be supplemented with other marketing strategies, such as 360-degree virtual tours or video walkthroughs, to address the limitations of online platforms.

Virtual Staging in a Nutshell

Pros

• Reduces costs
• Saves time and labor
• Is more affordable
• Gives creative freedom
• Provides various designs, styles, and layouts
• Can be catered to different/wider audiences
• Integrates various processes (e.g., decluttering & staging)

Cons

• Can look fake if not done correctly
• May not appeal to a certain audience
• Is quite sensitive when it comes to customer trust
• May give a wrong first impression

Why Should You Go Virtual?

Virtual staging has gained popularity for several reasons, offering distinct advantages over traditional staging methods. These benefits make virtual staging an appealing option for those looking to enhance the visual appeal of their properties and attract potential buyers.

What’s the Verdict?

Naturally, each approach has its ups and downs, and based on your circumstances, resources, and goals, you can decide which type of staging serves you best. Showcasing several listings in a huge metropolis can be very resource-intensive, for which you may lean toward virtual staging. But putting a single, large estate for sale in a posh suburb may call for traditional staging since buyers need a much greater level of personal experience.

Nevertheless, it appears that for the majority of players in the real estate industry, both users and providers, virtual staging can be a more favorable option. This approach offers numerous benefits, making it a compelling choice for homeowners and real estate professionals.

It is cost-effective, efficient, and provides endless design possibilities. It also allows for targeted marketing to a wider audience and the ability to showcase multiple design styles within a single property.

But remember, virtual staging is not an absolute replacement for traditional staging. You can still benefit from physical staging, and by combining the strengths of virtual staging with the physical presence of traditional staging, you can create a comprehensive and impactful staging experience that captivates buyers and increases the chances of a successful sale.

Interested in Virtual Staging? Start Here!

Considering the advantages discussed, it’s clear that virtual staging offers a compelling solution for staging properties. But here’s a new pressing question: Which virtual staging service should you use?

There are many applications and platforms that offer virtual staging services. They vary in price, turnaround time, and quality. After using several services, I’m here with my personal choice: Revivoto.

Revivoto has brought a breath of fresh air to real estate photo editing. Specializing solely in photo editing services, they offer virtual staging and other relevant services, namely, image enhancement, item removal, day-to-dusk transformation, and 360^o virtual staging. Their competitive prices have made ripples in the industry, making already cost-effective services much more affordable.

If you have time on your hands, I suggest you head over to Revivoto’s website and give it a try. See whether you’ll be as satisfied as I am. I think you will. Wanna bet?