When selling a property, you need to highlight the things that make it worthy of time and money. It takes skills to close a deal as a realtor, but any staging director should also exert the same effort to create the best pictures of the property.
Nowadays, staging properties can be done virtually, especially if traditional home staging will take time. It is the fastest way to acquire produced real estate images.
So, if you plan to sell your home but do not know where to get compelling images of the property, it is best to seek help from an experienced real estate photographer near you.
Still, having the best photographer is not enough; you also need an expert virtual stager to help you perfect the images you have in mind.
Here are five pro tips that your virtual stager should know:
Knowledge with neutral colors
There is nothing wrong with vivid colors, but having neutral colors gives more versatile design concepts. It is easier to look for furniture and fixtures that complement the color palette.
Consider colors such as beige, cream, and light brown as paint for your walls. These colors can be paired easily with grey wood kitchen flooring, for example. It will still stand out and pop the colors, showing elegance and minimalism.
The use of symmetry
This is very basic. The human eye likes symmetry – something that is not distorted and unpleasant. Just like in photos, you want to see things in order. This is what symmetry is all about – making the right blend of lines and intersections creates the best visuals.
Thorough cleaning
Although virtual staging means editing images using software to add the furniture and fixtures, you still have to ensure that the room is already clean and presentable. This helps editors to spend less time removing the mess in the photos. Given this, they can work more and concentrate on the actual staging part, perfect the process, then make the final touches.
Do repairs and repaint
Here is one common misconception that most homeowners encounter: there is no need to do repairs. In a nutshell, yes, doing repairs may not be that relevant but still makes sense in the whole inquiry and selling process. It is best to replace broken light switch frames and burnt-out bulbs, and broken doorknobs.
On the other hand, give your house, especially the main rooms, a light change in paint color. Instead of replacing your old kitchen cabinets and other fixtures, just repaint them. Doing this can make them look good as new. A new coat of paint can bring your cabinets back to life and make your staged pictures look awesome and natural.
Invest in appliances
When you do virtual staging, you can tell the editor what type of appliances or furniture to put and where. If you have some of these major appliances in place already, then the editor only needs to add more details and perfect the photos.
Key Takeaways
In the end, virtual staging helps you get more clients and inquiries, but only if done properly. Professional virtual stagers know how to make your photos look natural, and following some tips can help you a lot.
So, here is a quick recap:
- Make use of neutral colors such as white and beige. These shades blend well with others colors, so staging could be done a lot easier.
- Symmetry rules. You need to know how to add symmetry in your rooms so your virtual stager can easily have concepts on how to improve the images.
- Clean well. When you clean the home, it should be thorough. Do not just sweep the floor. You should also include your windows.
- Repair and repaint. Work on a budget that is not beyond what you have. What matters is to repair those broken parts and repaint some cabinets to give them a new look.
- Get some new appliances. Again, it is not mandatory, but if you can pull it off, it is better.
Still, regardless of the tips, the chances of selling the property with staged images are high. Do not worry that much.