10 Best Virtual Staging Apps And Why You Should Use Them

As real estate agents, we know that bringing the most value possible to our clients is a critical component of our success. When it comes to listings, this means making sure the house presents in its best light. From high-quality photos, to enticing property descriptions, to targeted marketing, everything is geared toward getting the home sold as fast as possible for the highest price.

When homeowners have impeccable taste and keep their home spotless, this becomes infinitely easier. We all know that’s not always the case though, so removing the existing furnishings and having staging companies come in to set up a more appealing aesthetic is a common strategy.

Staging is expensive though and, for some buyers, it can actually hurt their ability to envision their own furnishings in the home. So, how can you present furniture options for potential buyers who lack imagination while still appeasing those who like to see everything bare? The answer lies in virtual staging.

Virtual staging allows the photos to provide visually appealing concepts around furnishing while at the same time providing the in-person showings with a blank canvas. All at a fraction of the cost of physically

The photos you have taken of the listing (either by yourself or a professional photographer) are used by you or a virtual staging expert to superimpose furniture into the pictures of empty rooms. Some virtual staging companies make the selections for you while others allow you to drag and drop the items yourself from a selection of furnishings.

It all depends on the home and the client, but virtual staging can be a great way to showcase the home in a polished, highly marketable way, all while reducing your budget in relation to physical staging companies. This is an especially appealing option when people are spending a lot of time searching online and are weary about in-person tours, like during a pandemic, for example.

The costs of virtual staging varies, but budgets are in the tens and hundreds instead of the thousands like physical staging services. For agents looking to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to their listing budget, virtual staging is a great option.

It’s always best to hire a professional photographer, but if you’re taking the pictures yourself, make sure to get a lot of different angles and photos that capture wide open spaces. This will provide more flexibility later when you or the virtual staging company digitally add furniture. Make sure the rooms are completely empty as well, as combining actual physical furniture with virtual pieces can result in inconsistencies and compromise image appeal.

There are a lot to choose from, as this industry enjoyed a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a list of some of the best, including what they cost, as well as what they each offer.

1. Box Brownie ($32 per image)

A good, low-cost, all-in-one real estate virtual staging service, Box Brownie features include image enhancement, day-to-dusk editing, item removal, floor plans and renders.

2. PadStyler ($29 – $49 per image)

With similar features to Box Brownie, PadStyler differentiates itself by offering design collections that were created by professional interior designers.

3. Virtual Staging Solutions (about $75 per image)

In addition to adding or removing furniture to a room like most staging companies, Virtual Staging Solutions allows you to create a virtual room, a property, or setting from a floor plan, at an additional cost, of course.

4. VRX Staging ($35 per image)

Another good, low-cost virtual staging service, VRX Staging includes popular features like virtual twilight and making the sky bluer and the grass greener.

5. roOomy (about $109 per image)

Similar in many ways to other staging services, roOomy sets itself apart by offering furniture from leading home furnishing retailers like Crate & Barrel, Wayfair and Design Within Reach.

6. Visual Stager ($15 per image)

Have an eye for design? Visual Stager is the DIY option for virtual staging. This software was created to allow real estate agents to quickly add furnishings to a home for sale.

7. Styldod ($16 – $19 per image)

Similar to Box Brownie and other low-cost, serviceable staging apps, Styldod offers everything you need for basic staging but not much more at a very affordable price.

8. VSH Media ($30 per image)

With an affordable initial price, VSH Media offers a number of additional services on an a la carte basis, including commercial staging, virtual twilight, virtual landscaping, true blue skies and image enhancement.

9. IBD Luxury Home Staging ($119 per image)

Founded by celebrity home stager Ilaria Barion, IBD offers luxury staging for both empty homes and already-furnished rooms. IBD is one of the most expensive virtual staging services. However, it can be worth the extra money for high-end agents who want the best staging team at their disposal.

10. iStaging ($5 monthly subscription)

iStaging’s app design is a real draw. It allows you to start by shooting a virtual 360-degree shot of the room you want to stage with their app and then upload it to iStaging’s online design center and start adding furniture, logos and more.

The options can seem overwhelming, but choosing a virtual staging app that works for you and your clients is a great way to tighten your listing marketing budget while at the same time bringing added value to your clients. Keep in mind that different virtual staging services might work better for different homes or clients, so be sure to get familiar with a few different ones that you can keep in your listing presentation arsenal.