The Risks of Virtual Staging of Your Home

About Photo Enhancements and Virtual Staging

Professional listing photos can inspire buyers to want to see the home. However, virtual staging through various forms of technology can have a negative impact on buyers once they see the home.

Digital vs. Physical, On Location Staging

Online staging companies can offer online furniture placement and the promise to astonish buyers with enhancements to exteriors and interiors. They claim their work will drive sales and improve your sale price because staged homes sell faster and for more money. However, they do not necessarily make a distinction between digitally altered rooms and on-location physical staging which can improve a home’s desirability on viewing.

Truth in Advertising as Suggested by OREA

About truth in advertising, OREA suggests the following: “It’s important to make clear in the listing that these are virtually staged photographs. You want potential buyers to feel guided and supported by your efforts, not manipulated or misled. Label each photograph as ‘Virtually Staged’ and pair it with photos of the actual rooms so they can compare.”

From the Real Estate Council of Ontario

Real Estate agents cannot falsify information in their advertisements, and that goes for photos and videos as they can be deceptive and misleading, a prohibition under licensing regulations. The government recently amended the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act and will soon be coming out with new advertising guidelines which should address new technologies.

One Local Photographer’s Opinion

We spoke to one photographer who takes pictures for several Niagara Brokerages. Outside of enhanced lighting, some wide-angle work or removing something minor, like an oil stain in the driveway, this company does not digitally alter pictures to the point that they alter the real look of the home. They believe their reputation would be tarnished with such practices.

Some Reader Comments from torontorealtyblog.com
“I want to see what I am actually buying.”

“…my gut feeling would be to expect a discount on the actual house because it’s not “good enough” in its present state.”

“Virtual staging is adding insult to injury.”

“…virtual staging is misleading and misleading your customer is a no-no.”

How Far is Too Far?
Minor edits and enhancements should, for the most part, be acceptable. But changing the physical characteristics of a home in a photo or video will likely be viewed as deceptive and misleading representations of the property. This can only lead to buyer resentment for being misled.