FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Real Estate | 'Virtual staging' is raising real concerns | Seattle Times Newspaper

It never ceases to amaze me how people will set out to deliberately mislead others. The article above from the Seattle Times addresses the practice of virtual staging and how there are some unscruplous types out there who will use photos that have been, shall we say "enhanced" using 3-D software in place of the real photos of a property to lure the customers in.

Many propsective buyers are overwhelmed when looking at a property that needs what is often merely cosmetic attention and a bit of updating. They often fail to appreciate the "good bones" of the property and tend to dismiss a house that sports outdated decor or general wear and tear. This can be especially true of new/first time buyers who have limited budgets but big ideas of the perfect house. The advantage of this redesign service is that it allows them to see beyond what IS to what it could be: a very livable space with a pleasing ambiance- often with a reasonable investment in time and money.

A favorite example of this in action is HGTV's "Property Brothers." I love watching them take their young buyers in to the home of their dreams, checking all the must-haves on their wish lists, and then presenting them with the reality check. The house is often double or even triple wat they can afford. Then they are taken to homes with "potential" and shown, via 3-D design software, how each property will look once it's been updated. While they do fall in love with the virtual design, the difference is that these agents deliver that new reality.

I'd love to hear what you think!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011

Let the blogging commence...

Well we've added a blog to talk about all aspects of Virtual Design. Hope you'll follow, comment and encourage.