| Are you thinking about trying the services of a | | | | - Do they have any Staging Education? |
| Virtual Stager? | | | | - Are they affiliated with any reputable staging |
| Consider your options carefully. Staging is | | | | associations, such as RESA or the IAHSP? |
| unregulated but specialized field of expertise | | | | - Does their portfolio reflect a clear sense of |
| regarding many factors, including, but not limited | | | | design skill and execution of actual staging rules |
| to, the target demographic, architecture, location, | | | | and concepts? |
| and the amenities a property offers. Unregulated | | | | There is so much more to staging than simply |
| means there is no authority to oversee the | | | | photoshopping arbitrary furniture, art, and |
| education and qualifications of someone who | | | | accessories onto a photograph. True staging |
| wants to call themselves a stager, virtual or | | | | addresses more issues than just offering ideas |
| otherwise. Virtual Staging is a specialized field | | | | for furnishings and decor. Actually, experienced |
| within the staging industry. It basically breaks | | | | stagers understand quite well that staging has |
| down into the insertion of design ideas onto an | | | | very little to do with furniture and accessories. It |
| existing image of a room or exterior of a house. | | | | has to do with eliciting a response to make a |
| How one decides which ideas to use is crucial to | | | | long-term financial commitment, and savvy |
| the overall impression a virtual staging image | | | | buyers are desperately seeking reassurance that |
| makes to buyers. Experience separates the | | | | they have chosen well. Excellent staging delivers |
| wheat from the chaff. Anyone can insert images | | | | this reassurance, and Virtual Staging allows this |
| and propose ideas for staging onto a photo with | | | | bonding to occur without the distraction of |
| any Photoshop program...anyone at all. However, | | | | physical items on the property. |
| experienced, professional stagers are not just | | | | Quality staging encompasses a myriad of skills and |
| anybody. They are keenly aware of what ROI | | | | fields of study, including architecture, style, layout, |
| (return on investment) a project offers. They are | | | | demographics, color theory, ROI knowledge, |
| purveyors of cost-effective ideas that can | | | | product knowledge, DIY project experience, |
| enhance a property in the exact way that follows | | | | current trend awareness, and a strong ability to |
| ever-changing buying trends. Translating real-life | | | | create dynamic flow to tell a story about what |
| Staging skills to the Virtual Staging Arena are | | | | life could be like living at that particular property, |
| crucial to showing a buyer not only what is | | | | with a little time and investment on the part of |
| possible potential a property holds, but how to | | | | the future buyer. So, do your homework to |
| depict that potential in a straightforward, highly | | | | determine whom you are hiring to Virtually Stage |
| desirable, and cost-effective way. Virtual Staging | | | | your listing. Just like a good Real Estate Agent, a |
| is marketing, but it has an unmistakable | | | | quality Virtual Stager should have plenty of |
| relationship to the art of revealing an instinctual | | | | obvious signs that they know what they are |
| verdict of value about a property. There is more | | | | doing and exactly how to achieve maximum |
| to it than Photoshop + Furniture = Staging. If you | | | | impact to project the most desirable qualities to |
| are considering sourcing a quality virtual stager, | | | | get your property sold. Proven staging experience |
| consider these tips: | | | | in the real world is crucial to insure the decisions |
| - Do they have actual experience in the field of | | | | made on your property's behalf in the virtual |
| Staging? | | | | world are based on sound staging principles. |
| - Do they offer Traditional Staging as a Service? | | | | |