Go Digital with Virtual Staging

In another recent article, we discussed the importance of visual imagery in the marketing of your rental or sales property and in particular, dressing & styling packages for rental properties.

In recent years however, another alternative has become a cost-effective way to show your property to best advantage… virtual staging.  

Particularly helpful where a property is completely empty, virtual dressing is a game-changer to make marketing photos more visually arresting, particularly for lower value sales and rental properties where the cost of ‘real’ (i.e. physical) dressing and staging might be prohibitive.

Having furniture in the rooms of your property gives potential viewers a better sense of the size of the rooms and how their furniture will fit in the space. It also provides far more visual interest and that all important #HomeInspiration than an empty white box. A virtual staging company works with your existing high-resolution images to digitally place furniture in the space and with an endless array of options at your disposal for a fraction of the cost of renting or buying physical dressing items and furniture - as well as none of the carbon footprint. Best of all, it’s quick! Images can usually be turned around within 24 hours.

Images can also be altered to adjust light levels, add a cheery blue sky to brighten often overcast British exterior shots and remove unslightly items like road signs photos or waste bins. Costs typically range between £20-30 + VAT per image for full ‘furniture dressing’ with the removal of items depending on the complexity of the background.

We’re astounded by the results that virtual staging can produce. Can you tell that the furniture in these images has been added digitally?

Dress for Success (aka Property Staging)

There’s a saying that you should dress for the job that you want. We think the same applies when it comes to finding new tenants or a buyer for your property.

We’re all well-versed in the concept of property dressing within the sales market. You may even have heard stories of people putting the coffee on or leaving out freshly baked bread in the kitchen before viewings to create that ambiance. What is becoming far more common however is dressing lettings properties to attract discerning tenants, particularly in central London.

When marketing, if a property looks a little bit tired and run down – even something as simple as not being professionally cleaned or if it has a few marks on the wall – it sets the tone. Our experience is that tenants look after a property in line with it is handed over. Start with a property in good/great condition and with the right tenant, it will stay that way. Wear and tear is natural, however this can be minimised from the start along with the cost of repair works and void periods between tenancies.

Property dressing is a fantastic way to present your property in the best possible light. For this recent project, we arranged a dressing rental & styling package on behalf of the landlord to supplement the existing furniture already in place. Costs vary, but expect to spend at least £750+VAT for dressing and styling on a two bedroom flat. Typically you’ll have the option to keep the dressing items in the property for an agreed length of time (rather than just for the photos) which means it still looks impressive for viewings.

If you choose the to do-it-yourself approach, bear in mind that A LOT of property searching now happens via mobile phones - so the images are small and need to stand out whilst scrolling. Avoid too much clutter (if in doubt, less is always more). Colour can be eye-catching and greenery makes a property immediately look more appealing (and is very on trend). Ultimately, your images need to be arresting enough for someone to click on your listing and book a viewing. Your property needs to stand up to the visual standards most people have come to unconsciously expect via social media. A well-styled property can produce excellent images that do this for you and make yours stand out from the crowd.

Next week, we’ll be featuring a truly surprising method of dressing your property – virtual staging.

For more details or recommendations to our preferred interior designers, get in touch and check out more before and after photos on our Instagram @maplewoodproperty.