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CYBER/VIRTUAL HOME STAGING. Great concept! But....but....but...

By Pacita Dimacali

Real Estate Agent with Alain Pinel BRE 01367196

July 19, 2009 09:25 PM

We've heard and read about cyber or virtual staging for at least two years now when the concept was introduced. San Francisco Chronicle featured this story today (geez --- what took them so long?)

And we've also heard that staged properties sell faster, and at higher prices than non-staged homes.

We also know that recent National Association of REALTORS studies show that 87% or more of buyers and sellers go on line to look at homes for sale.

So it seems natural to blend cyber staging with online marketing.

For agents and their sellers who are strapped for funds and can't afford the cost of traditional staging, the next best thing is cyber or virtual staging. The agent provides photos of vacant rooms. The designer digitally furnishes and stages the rooms, provides the images to the REALTOR who then uploads the photos on the MLS and other websites.

But....but...but.,,buyers expect the rooms to look like they do onlne when they come!

First, be thankful they came. You got them through that door.

Simple enough solution: the designer can provide photos of the rooms that the REALTOR can display on the wall, on an easel. The point is, this gives the prospective buyers ideas on how to furnish a vacant room.

AND download the staged photos into a CD you can hand out to prospective buyers. Naturally, the CD will have your name, number, website, etc. Get the picture?

But...but...but...it's gonna cost money.

Well geez, yeah....but not as much as traditional staging. For an average sized home (not McMansions), it could cost $2,000 - 3,000 for initial set up, and then monthly fees of $500-1000 until the house sells.

Compare that to cost of $200-300 to digitally stage a room. Economies of scale may apply: the more rooms staged, the less incremental cost per room.

But...but....no one I know is doing this.

Just watch. It's going to happen more often as people overcome their initial resistance, and as the next generation of SimCity aficionados start buying real homes.

HGTV'S HIDDEN POTENTIAL

If you've ever seen this show on TV, you'll get the idea. Check this out for full episodes of HGTV's "Hidden Potential"

Oh, such fun!

RESOURCES: Here are some virtual stagers. Check them out!

Michelle Molinari provided a video on how this works in her blog
Dennis Miller at http://virtualstagingsolutions.com/
www.Staged4More.com
www.VirtualEnrichingHomes.com
www.VirtuallyStagingProperties.com
www.HomesDesignedToSell.com
www.george.aguilar.com/metaverse.htm

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FN LN

Toronto, ON

I hadn't heard of virtual staging in the past but I can see it working in some situations in the future. This type of technology is going down in price and becoming more accessible.

Jul 19, 2009 11:27 PM

Missy Caulk

Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI

Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

I am a huge proponet of stagging. I know it helps sell, not sure if for more more but definately helps the buyers choose your home over a vacant one. In our area, where there are many vacant homes, the buyers prefer the ones that have some staging done.

People buy with emotions, and then justify the price. It takes a sharp cookie to buy a vacant house over one staged.

That is why model homes sell, the elevation the builder picked out sells the most.

Jul 19, 2009 11:30 PM

Terri Adams-Scott

J. Rockcliff, REALTORS - Walnut Creek, CA

Realtor, Walnut Creek CA Real Estate

Pacita, I saw this article in the Chronicle this weekend as well and it caught my eye. I also checked out the virtual staging websites and it was pretty interesting. I came across another website that allows the buyer to virtually decorate the home themselves and switch out colors on walls, cabinets and countertops. I am a believer in staging as it is personal property and helps give the buyer perspective of room size and how the home could be decorated. There is no disclaimer now on 'staged homes' so I don't see the difference...but probably would put one in myself should I choose that service. Thanks for sharing!

Jul 20, 2009 03:01 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Lenn --- just like magic, right? Smoke and mirrors provide the illusion that entertain. It was just a matter of time.

Margaret --- I once had a cute little bungalow. When the owners vacated, there wasn't much to work with. Tried to show it vacant. Then put staging materials together (borrowed this and that) and voila! Instant charm. It sold soon after that. Do I attribute it to staging? Absolutely. Not to mention good photography, another critical factor in presenting a home for sale.

Kris --- really? The furnishings are not for sale, virtual or not. So if buyers come to the house, they're looking to buy the house. And if the pictures are there to illustrate how it can be decorated, that should help. It's like picking up paint strips. Paint manufacturers provide brochures that show how the colors would look like in certain settings.

Irene --- I certainly would strongly consider it if the sellers are amenable to this less expensive alternative.

Michael --- many folks look for decorating ideas. It certainly can't hurt to provide them. And yes, the disclaimer is important. But when we take pictures of homes and post them on the MLS, we rarely put a disclaimer that the home is staged, that the furnishings are not for sale. But it's an easy enough thing to say.

Marc --- like most new technologies, this will take time to gel and to gain acceptance. But we'd be foolish to discount what could be a new marketing tool for us in the future.

Missy --- I am also sold on staging. Even if the place is not professionally staged, we can still provide the seller with guidance to de-clutter, clean, re-arrange, enhance, etc --- all basic principles of staging your home to sell (as in HGTV's Designed to Sell show)

Terri --- I'd be interested to check out that site where the buyer can do it himself.

Jul 20, 2009 04:21 AM

Terri Adams-Scott

J. Rockcliff, REALTORS - Walnut Creek, CA

Realtor, Walnut Creek CA Real Estate

Pacita, here's the link: http://www.obeo.com/Public/Solutions/ProductIndex.aspx?defaultPage=spacedesigner

Jul 20, 2009 04:43 AM

DriveBuy Technologies

DriveBuy Technologies - Austin, TX

Pacita-

NAR is a great organization, but they are behind the times, technologically speaking. Just look at the questions they ask in their yearly technology surveys. No mention of SMS or mobile real estate whatsoever. Hopefully this year..

Great article, thanks.

Jul 20, 2009 06:43 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Terri --- thanks for the link. I was playing with it....but the only one I can do is plop down drawings of the furnishing. Nothing like what the virtual stagers can do. Guess this is one of those things I will have to leave to the experts (like home sellers should hire realtors, realtors should hire stagers!)

Ian --- I must admit I didn't know about your company. Checked your blog. Geez, man...you should blog more often! And, to get more leverage out of your blogs, join a few groups, and post your blogs there. Some groups that come to mind:

http://activerain.com/groups/almostanythinggoes

http://activerain.com/groups/blogging

http://activerain.com/groups/epro

http://activerain.com/groups/marketing

http://activerain.com/groups/techstuff

http://activerain.com/groups/internet_leads

http://activerain.com/groups/techstuff

Jul 20, 2009 07:07 AM

Sandy Shores FL Realtor®, Melbourne Real Estate

M & M Realty of Brevard Inc. - Melbourne, FL

Brevard County Real Estate, Florida's Space Coast

Hi Pacita, This is certainly an interesting concept. Hmmm, have to think on this one. It will be very interesting to see just how well it really works.

Jul 20, 2009 11:02 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Sandy --- I like the concept. After having seen many shows on HGTV's Hidden Potential where they take pictures of rooms and then give the rooms a total makeover complete with furnishings (and even table settings) I can see how it can truly unearth the hidden potential of any house.

Jul 20, 2009 12:39 PM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

It's the same theory on the "model" homes with the paint, high-end appliances . . . and then the real home is a bare boned, no frills, plainly painted neutral walls unit . . . if people can't see they are buying SIZZLE not the steak . . . I'm glad it will cost less then staging. That's a plus.

Jul 20, 2009 01:08 PM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Carla --- presentation is a big part of getting a client to buy what you're selling. I think that applies to almost anything we buy. Why do we pick up a magazine? Because of what's on the cover. Why do we choose an ad agency over the other? The presentation concept and the materials. Ever go into a restaurant and crane your neck to see what the waiter is bringing out for the folks at the other table? Presentation!

Jul 20, 2009 01:21 PM

AMBER NOBLE GARLAND - Top Real Estate Expert, Property Tax Appeal Specialist & Author

Strategic Marketing Expert & Relocation Specialist Serving New Jersey and nationwide! - Marlboro, NJ

- The Agent You Can Trust To Deliver REAL Results!

This sounds like a really ground-breaking concept in home staging. I will def be on the lookout for more developments. Thx!

Jul 20, 2009 03:50 PM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Amber --- I have a listing that's coming up which will be vacated. I may just do it this time and see what happens. I'm excited to have this opportunity to try something new.

Jul 21, 2009 05:34 PM

Ana Hitzel

AccentPositives Home Staging - Corona, CA

Professional Home Stager Inland Empire

Pacita, please post your experience with this if you end up doing it....

following..can't help myself...:)

Lenn said "First of all, I'm not sold on staging as anything more than smoke and mirrors. I am still of the belief that cleaning out the clutter, cleaning, etc., will sell a home just as well."

You above described major components of Staging.

I am definitely sure people don't like the listings they walk into in which they have to step over things or hold their noses.

If so, all you would do is stick the sign in the front yard on all homes for sale...(you wouldn't need to market....just show and show)

that is Staging not smoke and mirrors.

Lenn also said "The claims of more sales for more money are impossible to document. Mostly just claims by stagers." Not true, the web is full of non-stager provided statistics, and some of those statistics happen to come from Realtors!

Virtual Staging, not up with that yet, that could be "smoke and mirrors" depending on how it is done, that is why I have been reading so much about it lately.

All you Realtors who stage on your own or work with a professional know the value of this (non virtual)service to your clients! Happy Staging!!

Ana

Jul 30, 2009 10:34 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Ana

I am anxious to try this as soon as I have a vacant listing which may be coming up. I will certainly post the before and after.

I am a firm believer of doing even the simplest of staging beyond the usual clean up. It makes a huge difference to have something colorful, something warm. Even a pot of coffee (hazelnut) is a bit of staging.

Thanks!

Jul 30, 2009 07:00 PM

Krisztina Bell

Virtually Staging Properties - Atlanta, GA

Virtually Staging Properties

We are excited to see the response and feedback on this new Patent Pending Virtually Staging Properties service that we are offering to agents and sellers of vacant properties that are listed for sale!

My company, Virtually Staging PropertiesSM, Inc has been featured in the recent articles that the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune interviewed me and my husband for and we are excited to get the word out to realtors nationwide. We were so surprised that they used our before and after pictures in the articles but thankful that this has been helping to teach agents that this is really a great new marketing tool for those sellers who are a bit strapped for cash but want attractive and attention getting pictures online. This tool was created to specifically drive buyer traffic to the listings when buyers view the hundreds of listings online which is where most buyers do their shopping for a home.

I am excited to offer this service to agents and this is not a get rich quick scheme nor are we taking the actual pictures of the property and altering the photographs in any manner. I am a realtor in Georgia and have my own home staging and residence management company as well but wanted to simply provide agents and clients another option and creative marketing tool - because presentation is everything to get a property sold in these economic times! www.virtuallystagingproperties.com

Aug 26, 2009 03:47 AM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Kriztina -- thanks for stopping by. I am sure this is the going to be the rage. I've had folks in my office ask me about this. Down the road, there should be more realtors and their sellers who will want to do take advantage of this technology.

Keep spreading the word. Post as many before and after pictures as you can, and each time you do a project.

The more we see, the more sold we will be.

Aug 26, 2009 04:24 AM

Krisztina Bell

Virtually Staging Properties - Atlanta, GA

Virtually Staging Properties

Ana,

My husband and I were already talking about featuring some before and after pics each week on a blog. That is what definately brings the "wow" factor to this new service and how much of a difference a nicely staged room looks as opposed to the vanilla empty pics of rooms we get emailed to us daily. We sometimes even amaze ourselves once we get done virtually staging a picture as we try to make it very realistic but agents need to keep in mind the higher quality the picture the better the results! Thanks once again for your support and we just got interviewed by another California newspaper that will be helping us to spread the word about Virtually Staging Properties.

Aug 29, 2009 01:47 AM

Tara Stone

eXp Realty - Alexandria Township, NJ

NJ Estates and Stables

I really love this concept and I am on a mission to find out more!

Oct 17, 2009 02:52 PM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Tara --- I haven't run into a situation yet where I can use this....but I for one will not hesitate to use virtual staging when the situation presents it!

Oct 17, 2009 06:55 PM