Real Estate
What to make of virtually staged listings
BY MARTHA WILKIE
Out of sheer nosiness, I’ll occasionally look at
listings in our building. One fl oored me: I
had no idea our neighbors were so chic!
Then I clicked the next photo and saw reality:
a vacant unit with rusty radiators and peeling
paint. It was virtually staged — digitally
repaired and repainted, with new lighting,
furniture and art added to the photos.
Welcome to the brave new world of
virtual staging: no matter how terrible a
place looks in person, it can be magically
transformed for the Internet — with the
help of a little computer-generated imaging.
It’s often hard to tell actual from imaginary
space. Architects have always produced
renderings, and agents stage with
rented furnishings, but now it’s commonplace
to do it all on the computer.
Scott Harris of Brown Harris Stevens likes
it.
“Virtual staging is really helpful to give buyers
a glimpse of the future,” he said. “New fl oors, new
kitchens appear magically — all without a seller having
to commit to doing that work before selling. Buyers often
The same Perry St. apartment “virtually
staged” with furnishings added via computer
imaging.
can’t see themselves in an unrenovated space. They
need help with the vision part.”
Unlike some agents, Harris shows the unvarnished
fl oors, too.
“We always show the actual condition,” he explained.
A one-bedroom at 167 Perry St. as it actually exists.
“It’s important
not to create a feeling of
disappointment when
buyers arrive. Our
relationships with
agents and buyers
are built on trust
and I wouldn’t
want to mislead
anyone. There
are many opportunities
for
agents to grow
buyers’ trust,
and many ways
to erode it. I
wish all agents
took the longer
view, which requires
truth in advertising.”
Here are four listings
— three staged virtually,
and one decidedly not.
A one-bedroom, one-bath in a
doorman co-op at 167 Perry St., with river
views, a wood-burning fi replace and a small balcony
is on the market for $1,399,000.
(ht tps : //www.bhsusa.com/manhat ta n /
downtown/167-perry-street-3n/coop/19267685)
In far west Soho, a one-bedroom, one-bath with high
ceilings and huge windows at 255 Hudson St. is for sale
for $1,175,000.
(ht tps : //www.bhsusa.com/manhat ta n /
downtown/255-hudson-street-5f/condo/19401875)
In Carnegie Hill, a two-bedroom, one-bath in a
doorman building has a serene bedroom sporting the
kind of complicated bed linens you rarely see in real
life. $999,999.
(https://streeteasy.com/building/60-east-96-streetnew_
york/6c)
Nothing virtual about 434 E. 52nd St., a two-bedroom,
two-bath with yards of built-in bookshelves, 13-
foot ceilings, and a wood-burning fi replace, going for
$1,695,000.
(https://streeteasy.com/building/434-east-52-streetnew_
york/4e)
Festive virtual furnishings enliven this Upper
East Side offering.
38 March 21, 2019 TVG Schneps Media
/4e
/manhat
/6c
/6c
/6c
/manhat
/4e
/4e
/manhat
/manhat