Nearly all sellers and their real estate agents take time preparing and staging a house before listing it —  a home should look its best once it hits the market to sell for top dollar. 

In this post, we’re going to highlight the best virtual staging apps and software for real estate. But first, let’s discuss why high-end real estate photography is important to market and sell a listing.

Why High-End Real Estate Photography Is Important

Most buyers conduct their home search online, therefore the quality of the real estate photography is also extremely important. 

High-end photos persuade buyers to take the next step and visit the property in person. Poor-quality photos will result in fewer showings if not fewer offers.

Therefore, it should be no surprise that image editing and virtual staging are an integral part of real estate marketing.

And many real estate photographers or agents, wanting to reduce their marketing costs, use DYI virtual staging apps. 

On the other hand, those who want to boost image quality and save time may prefer to use a professional virtual staging service.

6 Popular DYI Virtual Staging Apps and Software

Let’s take a closer look at 6 popular virtual staging apps and software for real estate, starting with the ground-breaking AI Editing app, AgentUp.

1. AgentUp

Price: $5 per virtually staged image.

With AgentUp’s AI Virtual Staging and Declutter service, you can virtually declutter and stage any room in minutes (yes, minutes!)

It allows you to select your room type and choose from 5 different furniture styles.

AI Virtual Staging starts at just $5 per image, with pricing going down even further for those with an active AgentUp subscription. 

The app is affordable and fast. You can do everything from virtual staging to basic real estate photo editing in as little as 5 minutes.

With AgentUp’s iOS app, all you need to do is point, shoot, and say hello to instant AI editing. Plus, it gives you the option to order more advanced editing add-ons, such as:

• Fire in fireplaces
• Object removal
• Day-to-dusk editing
• Lawn enhancements
• TV screen on the TV
• And much more!

Simply, scan the QR code and download the app to get started!

2. VisualStager

Price: $15 per staged photo.

VisualStager is a DIY staging website that allows an agent or owner to upload photos of vacant rooms and then easily stage them online. 

Simply upload the photos to be staged and then choose from VisualStager’s library of over 4,000 interior design pieces. 

Select the pieces you want, drag them into the photo, and export and download the photo when you’re happy with the results. Let’s review some of the benefits of VisualStager:

• The system is easy to use, even for someone with no photo editing experience
• Since the program is browser-based, there’s no software to download
• The program is compatible with PCs, Apple computers, and even iPads

If you’re new to virtual staging apps before, consider starting with VisualStager. It’s intuitive and easy to understand and is simple enough for everyone.

3. iStaging

Price: $5 per month with three LiveTours included; $2.50 per additional tour.

iStaging lets you turn your smartphone into a virtual staging tool by downloading their app. The program is fairly straightforward but also slightly tricky:

• You’ll need a full 360-degree of each room you want to stage
• Preview your tour on your phone, when done, and then upload it to the app
• Then start adding furniture, logos, and other features
• When done, embed your tour on your website or send it to clients directly

iStaging software is a little more complicated than Virtual Staging’s system, but it offers more features and creative design options.

Overall, the iStaging app offers a way for real estate agents to enhance their photography beyond simply taking good photos. 

4. Punch! Interior Design

Price: $50 for a one-time download.

For a one-time fee, you can download the Punch! Interior Design program for Mac.

Like most DYI virtual staging apps for real estate, this one follows the same process:

• Upload photos and the dimensions of the room you want to stage 
• There’s a full library of staging furnishings to select from
• There’s no need to have any special technical knowledge to get started
• The software only works on Mac desktops

Punch! is an affordable and easy option for virtual staging.

Additionally, you won’t need to worry about paying per photo or funding a continuous subscription.

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5. Cedar Architect Virtual Staging App

Price: $59 per month.

Consider Cedar Architect if you’re looking for superior images that will stand out in a crowded market.

Cedar Architects allows you to visually stage rooms and create 3D models from your computer or tablet.

Some of its features include:

• A library of highly realistic furniture and texture with its wide range of textures and pieces
• Similar to other virtual staging apps, it takes just a few clicks to add a piece
• Also, the program allows you to edit the shading and lighting on each piece for an even more realistic look
• And you can even create exterior 3D models and 360-degree room tours as well

Cedar Architect is a little pricier than the other virtual staging apps and software but is well worth exploring further. 

6. Homestyler

Price: Free.

Homestyler is a free real estate virtual staging app available for both iOS and Android.

Virtually staging a home with Homestyler is simple and works from the screen of your smartphone. 

The process is very similar to that of the other apps:

• First, take photos of the rooms you need to be staged
• Next, drag and drop the items you like from the design library onto your screen
• When finished, export the final results

Unlike the other virtual staging apps and software services, Homestyler doesn’t offer professional staging services. 

If you’re looking for an affordable way to get started staging your listings today, you can’t beat Homestyler’s mobile offering.

The Best Virtual Staging Service for Real Estate

Price: $3 per virtually staged image + discounts for bulk orders.

If you’re trying to save money, the above DIY virtual staging apps are good choices to check out.

However, if you’re looking for the best staging experience possible — for just slightly more cost — consider a professional virtual staging service like PhotoUp. 

PhotoUp’s experienced and skilled photo editors and stagers do the design and editing for you so you get outstanding and authentic images.

We have the technical expertise to handle any photo editing job, big or small, simple or complex.

Our comprehensive virtual staging services make any space or room look amazing — these include:

• Staging vacant rooms with your choice of hundreds of design-styled furnishings
• Repairs and remodeling editing
• Decor updates and replacements
• Decluttering and depersonalizing rooms
• Sky replacement and lawn greening
• And much more!

PhotoUp AI Virtual Staging Demo

To see how easy it is to get started with PhotoUp, check out our virtual staging demo:

PhotoUp’s network of editors and stagers is global, but our sales and support staff are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan – ensuring you unrivaled service. 

Sign up for a free PhotoUp account today, and let us virtually stage your listings and grow your business!

So, today, in this post, you learned about the best virtual staging app and software for real estate. With this in mind, you may also want to check out the following, related resources:

• How to Virtually Stage a Room in Less Than 5 Minutes
• 10 Benefits of Virtual Staging for Estate Agents
• Virtual Staging vs Real Staging: Which Home Staging Is Best?
• Virtual Home Staging Companies – The 10 Best (Pricing + Examples)
• Make More & Spend Less With Real Estate Virtual Staging

Are you looking into virtual staging for real estate photos and want to know how and why to use this incredible marketing tool?

Then, this post is for you!

With virtual staging, you can bring life to photos of vacant listings or empty rooms while saving valuable amounts of time, money, and effort.

In this post, we’ll share how to make your real estate photos stand out and appeal to more clients with the help of virtual staging. We’ll also cover how the virtual staging process works and the main reasons why you should leverage this marketing tool to grow your business.

Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty details!

How to Make Your Real Estate Photos Stand Out

If you’re a photographer, you know that the real estate photography industry can be one of the most rewarding industries to work in.

For starters, there’s no better feeling than knowing that your realtor-client was able to sell a home because of the top-quality real estate photos you provided them. 

Second, your photos will help bring potential buyers through the doors, making your job extremely important.

In other words, it’s your job to capture buyers’ attention with professional real estate photography and make them want to take a second look.

There is a but…

Because the real estate photography industry is becoming more and more competitive, there are many photographers to choose from, meaning that you need to make sure your images stand out!

Real estate photographers need to always be on the lookout for the next best and newest thing to add to their list of services. 

So what’s the next best thing in real estate photography? 

Let’s answer that question next.

Virtual Staging for Real Estate Photos

Virtual staging has taken the real estate marketing scene by storm. 

And especially with the pandemic, which is forcing us to be more cautious of exposing ourselves and our loved ones to the virus and taking unnecessary risks.

With that, virtual staging has “blown up” and is becoming one of the hottest real estate marketing trends.  

The fact that people can get a feel for a property without even physically viewing it, and can easily imagine themselves living in the home, gives virtual staging its well-deserved spot in the limelight.

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The Process of Virtual Staging

(Click on the video to see virtual staging by PhotoUp in action).

For those who don’t know, virtual staging is a special computer-assisted design (CAD) process wherein virtually designed furniture is added to a photo of an empty room, much like traditional home staging. 

And the great news about virtual staging is that you don’t need to be a wiz in Photoshop or an interior designer in order to get amazing results. 

You can just sign up for a virtual staging service like PhotoUp to start working with a team of 3D furniture modelers and staging specialists. 

All you need to do is send over your images, pick furniture set from the online furniture library, add special instructions, and PhotoUp will take care of the rest.

Quick and Easy Order Process

To give you a quick overview, this is how the order process works:

1. Once you’ve uploaded your images and made your furniture selections, the real estate photo editors at PhotoUp take over using CAD software to place the furniture into the room, adjust the lighting, and make final edits to your photos.
2. You can then download your virtually staged images directly from our software, and voilà!

As simple as that!

For more information, you can check out our post on how to virtually stage a room in less than 5 minutes, or check out this tutorial video:

Best of all, prospective buyers will not even be able to tell the difference between a real room and a virtual staging image.

Why Use Virtual Staging for Real Estate Photos?

With new faster, better, and more realistic tools and techniques, virtual staging continues to become more and more popular in real estate marketing. 

Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Gives Warmth and Soul to Empty Spaces

You should use virtual staging because it’s one of the best marketing tools for real estate agents and realtors on the market and can help sell a home faster and for top dollar. 

The simple reason for this is that homebuyers want to be able to feel what it would be like to live in the home they’re exploring. They don’t want to see an empty room with white walls and a bare floor. 

In other words, an empty room doesn’t convey a homey feeling, but a beautifully furnished and decorated room adds extra warmth and soul to the space.

Furniture, pictures on the wall, plants on the counters, and books on the shelves are all the kinds of things that give a home life.

And that’s where virtual staging comes into the picture.

2. Saves Money on Costly Home Staging

On average, staged homes sell 88% faster, and 85% of staged homes sold for 5% to 23% percent over list price when being staged.

This means that staging a home before selling it is crucial to sell it fast and for top dollar.

However, the average cost for a home staging consultation is $300 to $600. According to real estate professional Crystal Leigh Hemphill, “staging a 2,000-square-foot home costs around $2,000 to $2,400 a month,” if using regular home staging.

On top of that, most professional home stagers also require a 3-month minimum staging contract, even if you sell the home in 24 hours, which could bring your final staging bill to $7,200.

As you can see, the cost of home staging can really start to add up. So, the even better and cost-saving staging option is virtual staging.

With PhotoUp’s advanced AI virtual staging technology at your service, you can get your virtually staged images back in just 1 to 2 minutes for only $3 per image.

That’s a lot more money in your pocket!

3. Can Help Sell a Property Without a Physical Showing

Nowadays, prospective buyers spend a lot more time doing their research online, rather than visiting properties in person. 

Regular drive-bys are not as common anymore since people are either buying places that are too far away to visit in person or they are too busy to see the listing for themselves.

For instance, the housing market in Florida exploded after the pandemic hit because many New Yorkers bought properties directly from the listing, without even visiting the home.    

Virtually staged real estate photos showed them the potential of the property and helped them imagine themselves living in the home.

Hence, why virtual staging has become the next big thing in today’s digital age. 

4. Realtors/Agents Can Cater to Any Market or Niche

The good news with virtual staging is that realtors and agents can dress a room exactly the way they want it and cater to any market or niche of people.

With PhotoUp’s extensive AI furniture library, you can choose between 5 professional design styles and present realistic virtual staging photos of the property immediately to any type of buyer.

In other words, virtual staging allows you to directly target the needs and wants of your market.

It makes listings more appealing to the specific buyers that your realtor or agent-client wants to reach.

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5. Saves Time and Effort

Realtors, agents, and photographers can save a lot of time and effort using virtual staging. 

Imagine this… 

First, you have to search for professional home staging companies and compare rates. Then, you have to deliver the furniture and get everything set up and photographed.

Just think of the extra time all of this takes in comparison with having a room virtually staged in 24 to 48 hours.  

When choosing the latter, you can photograph your vacant rooms one day and have the images delivered back to you the next. 

Seems like a no-brainer, right?

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are so many benefits to virtual staging. And it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular real estate marketing tools of today. 

Not only is it way more affordable than home staging, but it’s also much easier and quicker than regular staging.

And like mentioned earlier, buyers are willing to pay more for a staged home than an empty one since they can see the value and potential of the property.

So, if you’re ready to leverage the power of technology in your real estate photography business or as a realtor/agent, then sign up with PhotoUp and start providing even more value for your clients.

We hope this post helped you understand why you should use virtual staging for real estate photos and how to quickly get started using this excellent marketing tool.

Wait! Before you go, you may also find the following resources useful:

• 6 Advantages of Virtual Staging
• How to Virtually Stage a Room in Less Than 5 Minutes
• Can You Do Your Own Virtual Staging?
• Virtual Staging – Everything Real Estate Agents Need To Know
• Make More & Spend Less with Real Estate Virtual Staging

Like so many things in our mobile-first world, when it comes to virtual staging, you can safely say ‘there’s an app for that.’

It’s the simplest thing in the world to go to the App Store on your mobile device, download one of many virtual staging apps and start virtually staging at a basic level.

But is that the best solution for you and your real estate needs?

In this post, we’ll show you what it takes to do your own DIY virtual staging and how it compares to using an online virtual staging provider.

Before we dive in, let’s take a look at what virtual staging is.

What Is Virtual Staging?

Virtual staging is simply the use of graphics software to add (and sometimes remove) items from an image.

That technique typically applies to real estate photography. And it consists of furniture, decor, and artwork that typically match a specific design style. For example, Modern, Scandinavian, or Farmhouse.

So yes, it’s possible to get started right away on your own, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting the best results.

Far from it, actually.

Sure, you’ll come up with something. But it’s not going to be the kind of real estate marketing image that can make someone stop and think: “I could see myself living there!”

In fact, that kind of work requires skilled digital artists using hi-end software packages with enough time and processing power to craft a digital masterpiece.

Unfortunately, that type of quality and attention to detail isn’t available on a consumer mobile app.

The Difference Between DIY Virtual Staging Apps and Virtual Staging Providers

There are many subtle, but quite profound differences in what you can achieve with DIY virtual staging apps vs virtual staging providers.

For starters, DIY virtual staging apps have had to give up performance and quality to focus on speed and usability. 

Second, when it comes to providing a variety of furniture sets, artwork, decor, accessories, and furniture styles, there’s no question that a virtual staging service provider can offer a wider range.

And more importantly, a better quality product than a stand-alone app.

Furthermore, the skilled professionals doing the work for you have access to better lighting and color-correcting software. That way, the finished product looks more realistic to the everyday home buyer.

On the other hand, using an app gives you more control over the final product. This is obviously an advantage if you’re a visual person and need something done immediately.

With an app, you upload an image, select furniture, perform quick placement to transform an empty room into a real estate marketing image that you can quickly upload to your listing.

Sometimes that’s all you need. So, for quick, cheap, and easy virtual staging, an app may be your best bet.

But it’s far from the best quality.

My point is that creating high-quality virtual staging requires skill and processing power.

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Pros and Cons of DIY Virtual Staging Software vs a Virtual Staging Provider

Virtual Staging providers like PhotoUp have access to a large library of 3D virtual furniture, CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software experts, and photo retouching professionals.

They also have access to a backend system that makes it simple to upload your images, select furniture, and then go about your day.

Besides, you get to choose the look and feel of your room(s). As well as collaborate with experienced designers who will deliver high-quality virtually staged images in less than 24 hours.

In contrast to using a virtual staging provider, the main benefit of using a DIY virtual staging app on your mobile device is that you get instant results.

But be warned, these apps rarely work as effortlessly as you might imagine.

First of all, your choices are limited.

Second, functionality is often not up to par, meaning that your clients may not be happy with the final results.

Time vs Quality: Take Your Pick!

Except for quality, the main difference between the two systems is the amount of time you have to spend.

Even though you can get started quickly with a virtual staging app, it’s still going to take time to get a deliverable final product.

With a virtual staging service provider, you’ll simply upload an image, select the furniture, and then sit back and wait for the image to be delivered.

Overall, the cost of DIY vs having someone else do the work for you is likely worth the small amount of money you’d pay for using a virtual staging provider.

Best Virtual Staging Providers

If you don’t believe how much better results you get from a provider, we recommend checking it out for yourself.

Best of all, there’s no commitment.

And most services will give you a free trial, where you can test drive their service, make suggestions and get a sense of how quickly they can deliver.

For instance, companies like Roomy, BoxBrownie, and 3D Stagers are all doing beautiful work with quick turnaround times.

Additionally, we strongly suggest checking out PhotoUp for a modern, high quality, and simple virtual staging experience.

Our teams of artists and editors are on stand-by right now, ready to show you what they can do.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get started with PhotoUp today, and receive 5 free credits to test out our service.

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Conclusion

Digital marketing and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic have made a profound transformation in the real estate industry.

Typically, digital marketing for real estate has become mainstream and expected on every listing.

Processes like home staging that once took hours and cost thousands of dollars can now be replicated online quickly and at an affordable price.

It’s transformed the way that almost every single real estate transaction begins, which is online.

It’s up to you whether you choose to go it alone with a virtual staging app, or if you take a more long-term, high-quality, growth-oriented approach with a virtual staging service provider.

In the end, the choice is yours, so choose wisely.

That’s all for today!

We hoped this post helped you decide whether to use a DIY virtual staging app or a virtual staging provider.

Before you go, you may also want to check out the following resources:

The benefits of virtual staging for real estate agents is undeniable. To be able to present a room that is beautifully furnished, well-lit, and decorated to match the tastes of the buyer is a very persuasive sales tool. Not only are buyers more willing to commit to a visit when they see a furnished room, but according to an article from design blog DesignBlendz shows buyers are willing to pay higher prices once they get a sense of how the room will look when they move in. that they are also willing to pay more for a property that they can quickly move into.

Virtual staging removes the headache of having to stage the home yourself which involves renting furniture and decor, transporting it to the house, setting everything up, taking photographs, having an open house, and paying a weekly fee in order to keep the property furnished until it sells. Or, hire a home staging company to do this for you and it might end up costing twice as much… As you can imagine, the costs can add up quickly.

Using virtual staging software to achieve the same effect at a fraction of the cost makes good business sense. But you do have an important choice to make: Whether to do it yourself using virtual staging software (or virtual staging app) or whether to work with one of the many reputable virtual staging companies out there.

Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of each approach.

The Benefits of Virtual Staging Companies

Compare that scenario with what you experience when working with a virtual staging company. You have access to a large library of 3D virtual furniture, CAD software experts, and photo retouching professionals. You get to choose the kind of look & feel for the space, collaborate with the team around specific pieces that you want to add and take the time to make something that looks realistic and livable.

PhotoUp virtual staging offers free quality checks before delivery and free revisions to the work if you’re not happy with the result. We also guarantee a turnaround time of 24-48 hours for every virtually staged image. Our goal is not just to provide realistic virtual staging but to also make it look as realistic and aesthetically pleasing as possible.

Our professional interior designers keep up to date with the latest trends in home decor and produce beautiful, crated pieces for our Virtual Staging catalog. Our in-house virtual staging team designs and models all our own 3D furniture models, ensuring you have unique, modern, and high-quality furniture placed in your vacant home photos.

Take a look at some examples of the beautiful work that our team has produced over the years.

The downside of working with a professional team is that it is not an instant process. If you’ve got only 30 minutes to get your virtual staging image done, then using a virtual staging app or software is probably the better way to go.

You typically pay for what you get, and PhotoUp virtual staging is no different. Our virtual staging cost slightly more than your average virtual staging software. We average $20 per image for standard staging, which includes up to 7 pieces of furniture and 1 room per frame.

Click here for more details on the cost of virtual staging.

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Interiors. Landscapes. Commercial. Virtually transform any space.

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The Benefits of Virtual Staging Software

This approach can work for you if you’re in a real-time crunch and need to get something together quickly for a prospective buyer. All you need is a professional real estate photo and you can use any number of virtual staging software or virtual staging apps out there to drag and drop pieces of furniture into the room to give it a look that the buyer might appreciate.

It’s a good option to have when you need to move fast, and the virtual staging software providers generally offer a pay-as-you-go system of credits that you buy upfront and then work through, depending on how many images you need to stage.

The Issues with Virtual Staging Software

There are a number of drawbacks to using virtual staging software:

• You’re on your own. Virtual staging software can be tricky to use. Fitting furniture into the perfect spot, sizing furniture correctly so it doesn’t look too big/small in a space, not to mention making sure your final virtually staged photo actually looks realistic. There’s not a lot of room for error when you’re using a software-as-a-service (SAAS) solution for your virtual staging needs.
• Software can crash. The software almost never works as smoothly as you imagine it will. It’s fairly common to find yourself settling for a finished photo that you’re not entirely happy with. Getting the lighting in the room right, creating realistic shadows from the furniture and getting it all in proportion are harder to achieve than you imagine. There’s a reason that interior designers and photo editors are sought after professionals – it’s hard to do – so unless you’ve got a great design eye, well…the results can be a bit hit-or-miss.
• Doesn’t look realistic. Virtual staging looks best when it’s hard to tell that the furniture in the room is, well… virtual. Go figure! The process of making virtual furniture look realistic takes a great deal of time and skill that can not be implemented with simple virtual staging software or a free virtual staging app.

So if you’re ready to add virtual staging to your list of services and build your portfolio, then it’s certainly worth using professionals to make your virtual staging look as realistic as possible.

Start a trial account with PhotoUp today for a professional, stylish new look to your portfolio.