Virtual Staging: Brilliant but Maybe Dangerous?

An emerging trend in real estate is the concept of "virtual staging," in which a sales associate e-mails photos of an empty house to a professional stager, who then digitally enhances the photos with artwork, furnishings, and other finishing touches to make the space seem more inviting.

There are several benefits to using this marketing tactic, including the money it saves sellers because they do not have to foot the bill for physical staging services that are both costly and time-consuming.

Additionally, virtual staging demonstrates that rooms are bigger than they often appear. Not only can the technique show prospective buyers how furniture will fit into a space, it also helps house-hunters who have trouble visualizing themselves and their belongings in an empty home.

However, there are some potential pitfalls to virtual staging, including liability issues. There is the chance, for example, that a buyer will challenge whether the digitally altered photos provided an accurate rendering of the space. After moving in, the new owner could make a case for misrepresentation of the property against the real estate practitioner.

Another problem is the lack of control that sellers and practitioners experience in terms of color schemes and accessories. Virtually staged properties tend toward neutral tones and commonplace art and window treatments that could turn off some prospective buyers.

Source: Examiner.com, Cece Blase (07/27/09)