What is Virtual Home Staging?

An important factor that influences a buyer's decision to purchase a property, is the furnishing and staging images of the home. In recent times, there has been a shift from traditional and physical home staging to virtual home staging.

As the name implies, virtual home staging is the use of graphics editing technology and related tools to create a furnished photo-realistic version of the home. It provides a naturalistic picture of the home decor. Real estate agents worth their salt capitalize on this by utilizing any of the virtual home staging options and make the home selection process easier for their clients.

Unlike traditional home staging, virtual staging offers a more realistic image that can be subject to change. Some of the benefits of virtual staging include:

• Cost-effective alternative: When compared with conventional home staging, virtual home staging is more affordable and less expensive as it doesn't require rent or maintenance of physical furniture.  
  
• Offers a realistic image: Virtual home staging software affords the client a photo-realistic view of the furnished property.
  
  
• Less time consuming: Very little time and energy is required for virtual home staging as the simulation is done online.
  
  
• Limitless possibilities: Most virtual home staging apps create several patterns of the interior decor and redesign the home.
  
  Advances in technology have improved the ability of many virtual staging apps. For instance, the RICOH360 Tours boasts an AI staging feature that provides clients with a 360° degree view of their selected furnished home.

‍

Virtual Home Staging Service Options

Virtual staging can be done through the use of home staging companies, home staging softwares, or home staging apps.

• Home Staging Companies: Virtual home staging companies offer professional virtual staging services for real estate agents. They have a wide range of virtual furnishing and staging designs to select from. However, they are quite expensive and energy-consuming. They require some amount of time and are not typically the best option when time-constrained.
  
  
• Home Staging Softwares: Virtual home staging software costs considerably less than the staging companies and offers the opportunity of designing the home yourself. They are easy to operate and can quickly be completed in under 10-50 minutes. They have several features such as restyling the furnishing and giving a 360° view of the home interior.
  
  
• Home Staging Apps: There are also several virtual staging apps available to select from. You can design the home interior, change the flooring or remodel the furnishing all from your mobile phone. This option is less strenuous and some apps provide restyling options for the prospective buyer while touring the property. Most home staging apps have different payment plans depending on the number of pictures and furnishing features available.

‍

Tips for Choosing Virtual Staging Services in General

When opting for virtual home staging, there are certain factors to look out for and they include:

• Image Quality: Images with higher resolution are typically sharper and more attractive than low-quality images. They provide a clear view of the home and make it easier for clients to select their choice. Before making use of any virtual staging app, make sure they have good image quality as that is the initial product your client will be seeing.
  
  
• Speed: Not all virtual staging options provide service at the same speed. While virtual home staging software and apps deliver the desired results within minutes, virtual staging companies take at least a day or two. If you're short on time, it is advisable to go for a virtual staging option that gives you results within the shortest time possible.
  
  
• Ease of Use: There is various home staging software you can use, each of them with varying degrees of complexity. Select a software that is user-friendly and can easily be operated. This will help you understand the features and better employ them to your advantage when furnishing the property.
  
  
• Cost: The cost of utilizing a home staging software varies between the range of $25 - $150 per image. Different factors determine the price for a virtual home staging, one of which is the number of images you'll be getting.
  
  
• Features: Each virtual staging app boasts unique features that can be used to provide an optimal user experience. However, there are certain features to look out for before making a selection. They include 360° view, 3D virtual furnishing, painting, redecorating, floor plan retouching, day and night virtual staging, architectural rendering, furniture replacement, and bedroom virtual staging.
  
  

Why Choose AI Virtual Staging Beta of RICOH360 Tours

There are several reasons why the AI Staging feature of RICOH360 Tours stands out among others. Some of which are,

• It is added to the virtual tour software at no extra charge: Alongside other features, Ricoh's AI staging technology is accessible to anyone with a RICOH360 Tours account for free. Once you upload the 360° panoramic image of your vacant space, the AI generates the appropriate furniture for the room thus giving the client a visual representation of how the furnished home is going to be like.
  
  
• Staging in 1 Click: Ricoh's AI staging technology is easy to use and time-saving. With a single click, the virtual home staging is set up and clients can tour the home in no time at all.
  
  
• Speedy: Time efficiency is one of the strengths of Ricoh's AI Virtual Staging Beta feature. It functions at a fast rate and so real estate agents can make sales at a faster pace also.
  
  
• There are up to 4 Variations to Select from: Another reason for you to choose the AI staging technology of RICOH360 Tours is the multiple staging options you get from a single image. The software offers you up to 4 different virtual staging images that you can select from and begin the virtual tour of the home.
  
  

Summary

Many industries are making the shift from physical to digital and the real estate industry is not left out. Virtual home staging is fast becoming the mode of home furnishing as it is convenient, affordable, and offers many features. The AI Virtual Staging Beta technology of RICOH360 Tours is one of such features. Easy to use, multiple staging options in a single click, and highly time-efficient, it is the ideal virtual home staging software for real estate agents.

‍