When I launched my staging business over two decades ago, real vs virtual staging wasn’t an issue. Virtual staging didn’t exist. Recently, however, it has become increasingly popular among sellers seeking innovative and cost-effective ways to present their homes for sale. Deciding which approach is best can be challenging.
Opting not to stage at all is also a possible decision depending on budget constraints or skepticism over the effectiveness of staging.
Unfortunately, this last decision often results in less interest and engagement from potential buyers, especially for high-end properties where presentation plays a significant role.
Why Staging Matters
Let’s explore why staging — whether real or virtual — is so crucial.
The condo featured below was originally listed without staging. The white walls felt stark, the dark floors looked heavy, and the black window frames only added to the sense of coldness. Unsurprisingly, the property attracted no offers.
Once the seller chose to undertake a live staging, interest picked up immediately — even during a pandemic. The outcome? A faster sale at a stronger price point.
Could the room have been made even more appealing with the addition of window treatments or warmer paint tones? Absolutely. But the transformation achieved by staging proved how powerful physical presentation can be.
The Rise of Virtual Staging
Virtual staging gained momentum during the pandemic when access to homes was limited. Sellers and agents turned to digital renderings to showcase potential without the logistics of moving furniture.
On the surface, virtual staging appears to solve several problems: it’s quick, cost-effective, and can be visually impressive online.
But there are two important questions that need to be asked. First, how good is the technology and, second, what is the effect on the potential buyer when they show-up to the virtually-staged property?
The Technology and the Talent
There is little doubt that the technology behind virtual staging will quickly reach the point where “virtual” is indiscernible from “real”. For some observers, that point has already been reached. But for individuals with a design sense, virtual stagings still mostly look “off”.
One problem is that having a virtual design tool doesn’t make a person a designer. The selection and scale of the furnishings are decisions the individual using the software needs to make. Here you’ll find more and less skilled practitioners.
As well, the choice of furnishings available to furnish the virtual room are most often a function of what the programmers have made available. While some platforms allow the uploading of custom furniture pieces, their placement within a virtual room tends to be more limited than the stock assets.
Same property as above, virtually staged on applydesign.io with “automatic” setting on. The scale of the furnishings is wrong and no use was made of the foreground, which forms a significant portion of the room.Also set on “automatic”, virtualstaging.ai had a weak inventory of “modern” furniture and produced a poor staging.Collov.ai produced by far the best and most usable result. However, the image has the hallmarks of being AI-generated: hotel room starkness with no soul. The biggest “tell” of AI is the cookie-cutter approach to accessorizing and the under-sizing of art — two elements that help introduce “soul” into a room.
The result is that furniture often looks undersized — or worse, oversized furniture is crammed into a space that could never actually accommodate it. Often, there is a temptation to “cheat” reality a little to achieve what the sponsor wants the room to be.
Lighting and shadow effects in virtual staging software is generally good, but virtual furniture frequently has an antiseptic quality to it. Virtual rooms can look too crisp and too clean and too sterile.
At the end of the day, giving someone a paintbrush and a canvas doesn’t make them an artist — even with paint-by-number assistance. Most virtual stagings reflect this.
That all said, a virtual staging tool in the hands of an expert designer can look fantastic. So the key for those who wish to pursue virtual staging is to ensure you are hiring the best talent available. But that will likely kick up the price of the virtual staging because more talented people tend to cost more.
A well-done virtual staging from padstyler.com although, once again, the accessorizing is thin and very mercenary. The room would have benefited from bolder table lamps as well.
The Big Reveal
Every virtual staging company markets itself as “cheaper” than real staging. And yes, the upfront investment is typically lower. But, image quality aside, cost savings for the seller should not be confused with value to the buyer.
Imagine this scenario:
You’re a buyer browsing listings. In the best possible case, you see a beautifully furnished space online — warm, inviting, and perfectly styled. Excited, you book a showing. When you arrive, the space is either empty or filled with the seller’s belongings. Suddenly, the rooms feel different, colder, and less inspiring. That emotional spark you felt online disappears.
Regardless of the quality of the virtual staging, this is where virtual staging falls apart for me. Agents often tell me about buyers feeling frustrated — even deceived — when a home looks nothing like the photos. Empty rooms lack scale and context. Lived-in, unstaged rooms full of personal items can feel overwhelming or can make the buyer feel like they’re intruding.
And when that disconnect occurs, buyers rarely feel compelled to stretch their budget, compete aggressively, or fall in love with the property. And those are the critical impulses that real estate agents depend on to close a sale quickly.
Tangible Experience vs. Digital Promise
The difference between scrolling through photos and physically walking through a space cannot be overstated. Real stagings give buyers:
Scale and perspective: Furniture shows how large a room really is.
Emotional connection: Buyers imagine themselves living there, not just admiring a photo.
Continuity: What they see online matches what they experience in person.
The idea of a 3D headset for a buyer to wear as they walk through a home, allowing them to see the virtual furniture in the actual space, is an attempt to bridge the two worlds.
As that technology continues to evolve, most will certainly want to try it. But, when it comes to buying a home, most will still want that rush of emotion that tells them: “this is right for me.”
It’s my opinion that nothing can replace the connection that comes from sensing and absorbing all the elements that make up a room. Virtual staging through images or headsets is certainly a viable option, but it lacks horsepower when it comes to forging a crucial connection between a person and a home.
What the Data Says
Research consistently shows that staged homes sell faster and for higher prices than vacant or unstaged homes. The National Association of Realtors reports that 82% of buyer’s agents said staging made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home, and 23% said staging increased the dollar value offered by between 1-5%.
Our experience in the GTA over 23 years has been that well-executed, live stagings can increase the dollar value offered by between 10-20%.
The above reinforces what I’ve witnessed firsthand over and over: staging is not just a cosmetic exercise — it’s a strategic investment. Possibly one of the best investments any investor (agent or seller) can make from an ROI perspective.
Real vs Virtual Staging
Virtual staging has a role to play in selling properties. For long-distance buyers, pre-construction projects, when budgets are extremely limited, or for non-critical rooms (e.g. basement, patio, bedrooms other than the primary bedroom), virtual staging can help market a property online. As the technology matures and as AI tools are trained on the skills of top designers, virtual staging will become a more and more compelling option.
But if your goal is to generate strong offers and inspire buyers the moment they walk through the door (and who isn’t seeking that goal?), real staging will likely remain unmatched because buyers are human beings first — and human beings will always crave real-world emotional connection. •
Real vs. Virtual Staging
What’s the Latest?
By Carmen
When I launched my staging business over two decades ago, real vs virtual staging wasn’t an issue. Virtual staging didn’t exist. Recently, however, it has become increasingly popular among sellers seeking innovative and cost-effective ways to present their homes for sale. Deciding which approach is best can be challenging.
Opting not to stage at all is also a possible decision depending on budget constraints or skepticism over the effectiveness of staging.
Unfortunately, this last decision often results in less interest and engagement from potential buyers, especially for high-end properties where presentation plays a significant role.
Why Staging Matters
Let’s explore why staging — whether real or virtual — is so crucial.
The condo featured below was originally listed without staging. The white walls felt stark, the dark floors looked heavy, and the black window frames only added to the sense of coldness. Unsurprisingly, the property attracted no offers.
Once the seller chose to undertake a live staging, interest picked up immediately — even during a pandemic. The outcome? A faster sale at a stronger price point.
Could the room have been made even more appealing with the addition of window treatments or warmer paint tones? Absolutely. But the transformation achieved by staging proved how powerful physical presentation can be.
The Rise of Virtual Staging
Virtual staging gained momentum during the pandemic when access to homes was limited. Sellers and agents turned to digital renderings to showcase potential without the logistics of moving furniture.
On the surface, virtual staging appears to solve several problems: it’s quick, cost-effective, and can be visually impressive online.
But there are two important questions that need to be asked. First, how good is the technology and, second, what is the effect on the potential buyer when they show-up to the virtually-staged property?
The Technology and the Talent
There is little doubt that the technology behind virtual staging will quickly reach the point where “virtual” is indiscernible from “real”. For some observers, that point has already been reached. But for individuals with a design sense, virtual stagings still mostly look “off”.
One problem is that having a virtual design tool doesn’t make a person a designer. The selection and scale of the furnishings are decisions the individual using the software needs to make. Here you’ll find more and less skilled practitioners.
As well, the choice of furnishings available to furnish the virtual room are most often a function of what the programmers have made available. While some platforms allow the uploading of custom furniture pieces, their placement within a virtual room tends to be more limited than the stock assets.
The result is that furniture often looks undersized — or worse, oversized furniture is crammed into a space that could never actually accommodate it. Often, there is a temptation to “cheat” reality a little to achieve what the sponsor wants the room to be.
Lighting and shadow effects in virtual staging software is generally good, but virtual furniture frequently has an antiseptic quality to it. Virtual rooms can look too crisp and too clean and too sterile.
At the end of the day, giving someone a paintbrush and a canvas doesn’t make them an artist — even with paint-by-number assistance. Most virtual stagings reflect this.
That all said, a virtual staging tool in the hands of an expert designer can look fantastic. So the key for those who wish to pursue virtual staging is to ensure you are hiring the best talent available. But that will likely kick up the price of the virtual staging because more talented people tend to cost more.
The Big Reveal
Every virtual staging company markets itself as “cheaper” than real staging. And yes, the upfront investment is typically lower. But, image quality aside, cost savings for the seller should not be confused with value to the buyer.
Imagine this scenario:
You’re a buyer browsing listings. In the best possible case, you see a beautifully furnished space online — warm, inviting, and perfectly styled. Excited, you book a showing. When you arrive, the space is either empty or filled with the seller’s belongings. Suddenly, the rooms feel different, colder, and less inspiring. That emotional spark you felt online disappears.
Regardless of the quality of the virtual staging, this is where virtual staging falls apart for me. Agents often tell me about buyers feeling frustrated — even deceived — when a home looks nothing like the photos. Empty rooms lack scale and context. Lived-in, unstaged rooms full of personal items can feel overwhelming or can make the buyer feel like they’re intruding.
And when that disconnect occurs, buyers rarely feel compelled to stretch their budget, compete aggressively, or fall in love with the property. And those are the critical impulses that real estate agents depend on to close a sale quickly.
Tangible Experience vs. Digital Promise
The difference between scrolling through photos and physically walking through a space cannot be overstated. Real stagings give buyers:
The idea of a 3D headset for a buyer to wear as they walk through a home, allowing them to see the virtual furniture in the actual space, is an attempt to bridge the two worlds.
As that technology continues to evolve, most will certainly want to try it. But, when it comes to buying a home, most will still want that rush of emotion that tells them: “this is right for me.”
It’s my opinion that nothing can replace the connection that comes from sensing and absorbing all the elements that make up a room. Virtual staging through images or headsets is certainly a viable option, but it lacks horsepower when it comes to forging a crucial connection between a person and a home.
What the Data Says
Research consistently shows that staged homes sell faster and for higher prices than vacant or unstaged homes. The National Association of Realtors reports that 82% of buyer’s agents said staging made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home, and 23% said staging increased the dollar value offered by between 1-5%.
Our experience in the GTA over 23 years has been that well-executed, live stagings can increase the dollar value offered by between 10-20%.
The above reinforces what I’ve witnessed firsthand over and over: staging is not just a cosmetic exercise — it’s a strategic investment. Possibly one of the best investments any investor (agent or seller) can make from an ROI perspective.
Real vs Virtual Staging
Virtual staging has a role to play in selling properties. For long-distance buyers, pre-construction projects, when budgets are extremely limited, or for non-critical rooms (e.g. basement, patio, bedrooms other than the primary bedroom), virtual staging can help market a property online. As the technology matures and as AI tools are trained on the skills of top designers, virtual staging will become a more and more compelling option.
But if your goal is to generate strong offers and inspire buyers the moment they walk through the door (and who isn’t seeking that goal?), real staging will likely remain unmatched because buyers are human beings first — and human beings will always crave real-world emotional connection. •
Things you can do next…
Catch-up on the art of staging
Get inspired by some beautiful rooms
Browse our catalogue of furniture rentals
Explore our new Project Planning tool. (See FAQ for instruction.)