NAPA, Calif., Feb. 12, 2026 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Staging
Collective, a growing organization of more than 45 leading staging
companies in North America, sees the challenges that virtual staging
creates for consumers in purchasing homes every day. Though there is
growing investment in virtual and AI design tools, particularly at Zillow,
this group of business owners know that virtually staged homes take longer
to sell than homes being traditionally staged after lingering on the market
virtually staged.
Traditional staging creates an in-person sensory experience for buyers as
they walk through homes. It invokes a lifestyle buyers aspire to that is
curated and intentional in its presentation of the home's assets. Virtual
staging is designed to create attractive photographs but consumers report
feeling duped when they arrive to empty or occupied homes that look nothing
like the listing photos. Most buyers simply are not creating emotional or
psychological connections to virtual homes.
This is a familiar experience for one of The Staging Collective's founders,
Anne Furlow, whose company, Step by Stage Interiors, provides luxury
staging in Central Florida. "We had a listing recently that the realtor
told us had been virtually staged (twice) and wasn't selling," reported
Furlow. "We were brought in to provide a consultation and curate a
real/traditional staging and the home sold immediately - after the first
open house!" This is just one of numerous examples we've tracked Furlow
stated where their traditional/real staging is consistently outperforming
virtual staging in her market. "You get what you pay for," says Furlow.
The Staging Collective members collect data on their staged homes'
performance in their markets and are increasingly tracking the performance
of virtual staging. One member, Lori Bitter of Napa, California's Dalia
Staging & Design, spent the last year tracking the performance of virtual
staging in her market. The findings are bleak. While her actual staged
homes are selling up to three weeks faster than un-staged homes in the
market, from the data Bitter has tracked the virtually staged homes are
sitting; most take two to three weeks longer to sell than un-staged
properties.
Lest anyone think this collective of high achieving stagers are luddites
when it comes to artificial intelligence tools, nothing could be further
from the truth.
Melinda Christman, partner in Olive + Opal Interiors in St. Louis,
Missouri, and a Collective founder, says, "Like a lot of our members, we've
started using AI to take some of the busywork off our plates so we can
focus on what we actually love - staging and design. It's been a
game-changer for quick writing tasks in marketing or client communication,
and we're constantly swapping ideas on how to use it responsibly and
effectively in our businesses."
ABOUT THE STAGING COLLECTIVE
The Staging Collective is a North American network of home staging business
owners who are redefining what it means to grow, lead, and thrive in this
industry. This curated group of like-minded entrepreneurs - one per market
- believe in collaboration over competition, in building better businesses
together. The Collective is equal parts strategy, support, and shared
success. The Staging Collective is a movement designed to re-shape and
elevate the home staging industry.
Our strength comes from shared experience and peer-to-peer wisdom. With
approximately $35 million in combined staging revenue in 2025 and hundreds
of homes staged every month, we bring real-world insight, tested systems,
and a deep bench of support. Together, we influence how staging is priced,
perceived, and practiced across North America.
Learn more at: https://www.the-staging-collective.com/
