Can’t Beat the Real Thing – Virtual Staging vs. Professional Home Staging

Technology is in every area of our lives.  Real estate is no exception.  Buyers can “shop” for homes anywhere they have WiFi.  And based off what they see online, they develop a list of potential homes they want to visit.  Home staging has benefited sellers by creating beautiful spaces for beautiful online photographs.  Buyers are not only looking for a new house but they are visualizing a home when they shop.  According to the National Realtor Association, 44% of agents feel staging increases the dollar value offered for a home and 53% say staging decreases the amount of time a home is on the market.  So if staging is so beneficial – which is better – virtual or professional home staging?

First let’s address - what is virtual staging?  Virtual staging is the process of using software to enhance photos of an empty home.

BUT in reality – the house is still an empty box. 

Professional home staging makes a connection between the home and the buyer. From start to finish, professional staging caters to the demographics of the buyer and furnishes the home with that in mind. Professional home stagers also use design principles to space plan accordingly to the design of the house. When buyers walk into a home they need to visualize the space for their needs.  Seeing a home is also an emotional experience for a buyer.  The feeling a buyer gets when walking into a home is a clear directive as to whether they love the home or not.

Professional home staging may be a little more expensive upfront but it’s proven track record of selling homes faster can’t be beat.  Virtual staging is a risk.  We have encountered countless clients who have started with virtual staging, then a price reduction and finally end up coming to us for professional home staging. Once our work is done, the house sells quickly but it cost the seller more time and money in the long run. All of this could have been avoided if a little more money up front were given to professional staging and the home could have sold for top dollar. You can’t beat the real thing.  Professional home staging works.

If you are wanting to sell your home fast, give us a call for a home staging consultation.  Or simply click here for our online scheduling form.  We want to give you the real deal for real results!

2019 Loudoun's Best Interior Designer

Leigh Newport was named 2019 Loudoun's Best Interior Designer by the readers of Loudoun Now, a Virginia based news media outlet.

Thank you to all our clients, friends and fans that voted! We are humbled and excited to receive this award.

Our team would love to help you with home staging or design needs. Give us a call at 703-552-4545.

Home Staging - Levis Hill House in Middleburg, VA

We recently had the pleasure of donating a full home's-worth of furniture and decor to a very deserving resident of Levis Hill House in Middleburg, VA. Watch her reaction here. Thanks to the Windy Hill Foundation and My Guys Moving for their much appreciated help and coordination to change someone's life!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-anAGraKCo&feature=youtu.be

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. 

Contact us

 today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

Professional Home Stager for Oakridge Communities

Oakridge Communities is a locally owned and operated home-building company in Northern Virginia. We have had the pleasure of working with Mike Gorman of Oakridge Communities over the last year. Catering to the millennial generations, Oakridge has recently built new homes in up-and-coming neighborhoods of Hamilton and Haymarket, Virginia. We have also had the opportunity to stage these homes and have enjoyed implementing the projects immensely. Thanks Oakridge Communities!

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

professional home stager arlington, professional home stager falls church

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. 

Contact us

 today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

Most Saved Image on Houzz

For those of you who know and love Houzz, it provides endless opportunities for home ideas, decor inspiration and renovation updates. We recently received the 1,000 saves badge as a result, meaning our photos have been saved over 1,000 times! The photo below which has received the most saves overall continues to be popular, we think due to the fun color and soothing aspects of the decor we chose for this model home. Hope you like it too!               As Northern Virginia’s premier professional home stager we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!  Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make.

The Politics of Staging Your Home for Sale

• As the incumbent homeowner, your goal is to no longer think of your house as a home, but as a product to market and sell.

• Your platform is the demographic of the buyer. Who are they? Where are they moving from? How old are they? Is this a dual market?(new home buyers AND downsizers). Ensure that the visual presentation of your home matches the expectation of the buyer.

• Your photo-op is ongoing, not just a one-time event. Be sure to leave your home in show-ready condition every day.

• When your caucus convenes, (open house) or primaries take place (broker's open) ensure your home is extraordinarily clean. You may be able to get away with stashing a few items in a closet before photos were taken, but showings and public events are time to shine. Don't let the other parties expose the skeletons in your closet.

• Be conservative in the display of your collections. Group items in arrangements of three, in heights tall, medium and small.

• Apply pops of color liberally. Create a palette of no more than three colors and incorporate it throughout the home, in artwork, pillows and accents.

• Rugs are the moderates of home decor when staging. Neutral is best overall. High contrast rugs overpower a room in photos.

• Don't let there be any debate over the condition of your home. Proactively address all deferred maintenance issues before listing, or your offers will reflect the poor upkeep of your home.

• Seek the assistance of your professional stager for help before you list your home. Don't be forced to lose your funding by incurring a price reduction.

 Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!  

From Staged to Sold in...

Staging works for all property types as seen in our recent successes in this info-graphic. 

Staged by Design is Northern Virginia’s premier home staging company. Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your property can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

Investor Home Staging

The real estate investment market is still strong in Northern Virginia. We are seeing an increase in the investment "spec" home in addition to smaller, older homes simply being renovated and quickly re-sold. The smaller, less elaborate properties always benefit from staging to incorporate charm and style, regardless of the price point. The larger, luxury home investors often have a greater financial investment in the property. Staging is essential in reducing the days on market, carrying costs and results in a faster sale.                   Staged by Design is Northern Virginia's premier home staging company.  Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your home can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!

Luxury Home Staging

The Northern Virginia market has many levels of "luxury" properties, from the estates in Great Falls and Mclean, to the rolling hills of Beacon Hill and Creighton Farms in Loudoun County. Staged by Design® can meet the demographic of the luxury buyer by incorporating our extensive inventory of high-end furnishings to sell the lifestyle that meets and exceeds the expectation of the buyer.                  Staged by Design is Northern Virginia's premier home staging company.  Contact us today to schedule a home staging consultation and see what a difference staging your home can make. With our extensive experience in home staging and interior decorating, we help homeowners sell their homes for more money in less time!