I thought those 'virtual staging' services were a total gimmick for my listings. | Freelance Real Estate - Freelance Forum - The Community for Independent Professionals
I thought those 'virtual staging' services were a total gimmick for my listings.
My first client in Phoenix insisted on it, and the photos got 40% more online saves in a week. Anyone have a go-to company they actually trust for this?
Watch people do this all the time with their own social media photos. They'll add a filter or tweak the lighting, not to lie, but to show the best version of the thing. A plain room is like a raw, unedited photo. Virtual staging just adds that filter to make the space feel possible, not just empty. It gives the mind a place to start, which is half the battle in selling anything. The numbers just prove we all respond to that little bit of polish.
Totally get the initial doubt, but like carr.luna's friend found out, it just works for getting attention. I used BoxBrownie for a tricky empty townhouse and the traffic jump was real. The key is picking a service that doesn't make the rooms look fake and tiny.
I actually used BoxBrownie for a listing in Scottsdale a few months back and the results were solid. But I gotta say @carr.luna, that Tempe story rings a bell because I had a similar thing happen with a plain unit near Arizona State. The reading nook idea sounds nice but honestly those cozy touches can backfire if the room is too small. Virtual staging can make a space look bigger than it really is if you aren't careful with the furniture placement. The key is finding a company that scales things right so buyers don't show up and feel cheated. BoxBrownie worked for me but I also hear good things about VHT Studios for more modern looks.
Yeah, my friend had the same thought about it being a gimmick. She tried it on a pretty plain condo in Tempe, you know, with builder-grade beige walls and that empty look. The staged version added a cozy reading nook and some warm lighting in the kitchen. Her phone started blowing up with showings the next day, which never happened before. It totally changed her mind.