The Hidden Cost of Empty Rooms
You've decluttered, cleaned, and listed your property. But there's a problem: buyers can't picture themselves living in an empty space. Studies show that staged homes sell 73% faster than empty ones, and often for 5-10% more money.
The question isn't whether to stage—it's how. Physical staging has been the traditional solution, but virtual staging offers a much cheaper alternative.
Physical Staging: The Real Costs
Let's break down what physical staging actually costs you.
Consultation Fees
Most staging companies charge €300-€600 just to walk through your property and create a design plan. This happens before any furniture arrives.
Furniture Rental
This is where costs explode. For a typical 3-bedroom home, you're looking at:
- Living room set: €800-€1,500 per month
- Master bedroom: €600-€1,200 per month
- Dining room: €400-€800 per month
- Additional bedrooms: €300-€600 each per month
- Accessories and decor: €200-€500 per month
Total monthly rental: €2,300-€4,600 for a standard home. And that's if your property sells quickly. If it sits on the market for 3 months, you're looking at €6,900-€13,800 in rental fees alone.
Move-In and Move-Out Fees
Staging companies charge for delivery and setup (€500-€1,000) and removal when you sell (another €500-€1,000). That's €1,000-€2,000 just for logistics.
The Risk Factor
Furniture can get damaged. Pets, children, or careless showings can result in repair or replacement costs. You're responsible for maintaining the staged items while they're in your home.
Time Investment
Physical staging takes 1-2 weeks to coordinate, deliver, and set up. During that time, your property isn't being shown. Every day off the market is money lost.
Virtual Staging: The Modern Alternative
Virtual staging uses AI to add realistic furniture and decor to photos of your empty rooms. Here's what it actually costs:
Pricing
With Renovate With AI's Virtual Staging tool, you can stage multiple rooms starting at €20/month. No consultation fees. No rental contracts. No move-in delays.
Speed
Upload your photos and get professionally staged images in seconds. Your listing can go live the same day you take the photos.
Flexibility
Try multiple styles without any additional cost. Show the same room as modern minimalist, cozy farmhouse, or industrial chic. Different buyers respond to different aesthetics—virtual staging lets you test what works.
Zero Risk
No furniture to damage. No logistics to coordinate. No contracts to break if you need to pivot your strategy.
Real-World Comparison
Let's say you're selling a 3-bedroom home that takes 2 months to sell:
Physical Staging:
- Consultation: €450
- Furniture rental (2 months): €4,600
- Move-in/out fees: €1,500
- Total: €6,550
Virtual Staging:
- Monthly subscription: €20
- Total: €40
That's a savings of €6,510. And your virtual staging photos can be used in online listings, social media, and print materials indefinitely.
When Physical Staging Makes Sense
Physical staging still has its place. If you're selling a luxury property where buyers expect to see high-end furniture in person, or if your local market strongly favors in-person staging, it might be worth the investment.
But for most properties, especially those marketed primarily online, virtual staging delivers the same visual impact at a fraction of the cost.
Getting Started
Ready to stage your property? Here's how:
- Take clear, well-lit photos of your empty rooms (or use your listing photos).
- Upload them to the Virtual Staging tool.
- Choose a style that matches your property's character.
- Download your staged images and update your listing.
The entire process takes about 10 minutes. Compare that to the 2 weeks it takes to physically stage a home.
Want to customize your staging further? Use the Renovation Studio to fine-tune furniture placement, adjust lighting, or combine staging with other design changes.
The Bottom Line
Empty rooms cost you money. They sit on the market longer and sell for less. Virtual staging solves this problem without the massive expense and hassle of physical staging. For €20, you can stage every room in your home and start attracting serious buyers immediately.
Don't let an empty property sit on the market. Stage it virtually, sell it faster, and keep more of your profit.