Yes, as long as it's disclosed.  

I had a listing that had bold green walls in every room.  Most people couldn't see past it.  

I had someone photoshop the walls a neutral color.  I loaded the photos side by side, fully disclosing that the neutral color walls were for demonstration purposes only.

I know my photography company had virtual staging for vacant homes, but not many buy on-line without seeing it.   True staging is the only way to go.

I get enough pushback from buyers who think my photos already make the home look better than it is in person, when I have done nothing special to the photo, that I don't think I would do it. Not unless it was just for a before and after comparison shot like Jill suggests.

I've never done that.

Yet, I hear often complains of disappointment that the house looks not as good as online pictures. It is like dating: you see a beautiful photoshopped face and when you meet face to face.......you want to run....fast, and never look back.

Jill Murty, Realtor - Orange County, CA 's idea as great provided, again, that you disclose.

However, I have never done that.

Scratch that. I once photoshopped myself out of a bathroom mirror because it was impossible to take the picture without being in it.

Andrzej Niemyjski Cathy Perry has the right answer with virtual staging. I think PhotoShopping a photo and making it look better is misrepresenting the property. However, I don't see a problem with correcting exposure.

I showed a property that had photoshopped EVERYTHING.  The buyer was so disgusted that she wouldn't continue the tour past the front door.  They even photoshopped the a/c unit off of the roof. 

I think for the purpose of comparison that it is a great use of technology and extremely helpful if disclosed.

Andrzej Niemyjski this is a great idea. However, make sure you share that the photos are 'staged'.

You do not want to disappoint the buyers when they visit the home in person.

I think removing junk and maybe adding furniture might be OK.  But do not change or edit the real property.  (take a stain out of the carpet, cover a hole in the wall, and so forth).  

I will never do this dishonestly...

Is there a semi parked outside that's blocking the view?  Only there because the neighbors are getting something delivered?  Photoshop it out!

Is there a telephone pole directly in front of the view of the mountain?  That's not going to move... leave it like it is!

No..that would be misleading.

Andrzej - I think there are certain instances where wirtual staging would be okay, such as when showing what a home could look like with different colored walls, as Jill Murty, Realtor - Orange County, CA suggested (with full disclosure). I would also include photos of the actual green walls in the home as well, so any potential buyer knows what the walls really look like, and are not shocked when they arrive to preview the home. Also, to eliminate some personal items from the photo, as long as it had no impact on the true look of the home.

I have seen virtual staging that is great however you have to disclose that in our MLS.

I've seen it, looked into it & it looked hokey. Same plastic looking furniture thruout a staged house. We must disclose this now in our MLS.

Make the pictures show the most positive view possible.

Maybe.

Have used this for planning my office, but not for selling properties.

I don't usually add much, other than a table or or small furniture to a space that is hard to to visualize the way to use.  I have been know to take out the trash, move the dishes into the dishwasher and install a bright light bulb or two.  

sure.. that does not affect the property in any way... may help you show another side of the property. I showed a property one time and pushed them to buy and not pay attention to the trash. well I showed them the property after it was cleaned and they wanted it... sorry... it sold before it hit the market. if only I was able to show after it was cleaned I would have had a great sale.

I wouldn't consider staging a photo instead of the house. When it comes to editing photos you have to be careful that you are not misrepresenting the public. There's nothing worse than going to see a home that looks presentable from the photo, and when you get there, the home looks nothing like the picture. The clutter should be physically removed prior to photos or avoid the taking the photo altogether.

I do not think it is a good idea unless like Jill Murty, Realtor - Orange County, CA commented a side by side comparison with a disclosure. Buyers don't like to be tricked!

When I was a virtual tour photograher(PT) I was asked by the owner why I did not shoot the photo the time they wanted it so I painted it clouds and sky blue. 

I did in the past. The apartment was empty and I virtually staged the pictures. However I put both pictures online (empty and staged) so that there's no surprise when a potential visit the apartment.

I rearrange the home and furniture, sometimes add decorations and take photo's at different times of day to get the best lighting, especially outside. Do not "stage" photo's. 

I am looking into virtual staging for vacant houses - it is less than real staging and no different than photographing a house before the furniture is moved out.

Yep. All the time. We want the pictures to represent the best aspects of a home not the junk on the table. 

Good ole photoshop always works in a pinch.

If actual staging were not in the budget, I would definitely consider virtually staging an empty house.  It is difficult to gage the scale of a room in a photo if there is no furniture.  Plus, if it isn't the kitchen or bathroom, it can be challenging to even discern which room it is without furniture.  (Is this another bedroom or the same one?)   When the buyer is actually inside the home, they will have a better sense, even without the furniture, of the size and purpose of the rooms.  

When we were selling one of our houses, the agent staged all the pictures to how she wanted them to look.

I think the bigger benefit, in my opionion, would have the house look as close to the pictures as possible, so if you stage them, keep the house staged.

With sales photos, I try for the best angles, but I don't photoshop except maybe crank the colors. It feels dishonest.

I always make sure the room or area is presentable before I take photos;

and this might include making sure beds are made in bedrooms, there are no dirty dishes in the sink, etc.  Adequate lighting is also important , and taking photos at a decent angle.  I do add some light accessories when needed also; such as, hand towels and soap dispensers in the bath, centerpieces and runners on dining tables, artwork or mirrors on mantle tops, etc. 

eh.. a smiggin, but that's it.  I had a 4 poster bed frame in a home and I got a "bed" and throw pillows photoshopped in. That was okay.

I wouldn't consider it.

It sort of depends.  We have a professional photographer on our office staff, and he is very careful about how we edit photos.  He will use Photoshop to pick up toys from the living room floor, but not to refinish the floor if it looks funky.  He fixed the arm of a sofa for me (it had been their cat's scratching post), but hey, the sofa didn't convey!  If the dog had chewed up the front door, the chew marks would remain until the seller had them fixed.  

Absolutely and I do it all the time. Rearange furniture, add or subtract items but I do not photoshop things in or out-that is just wrong.

I don't use virtual staging but some agetns in my area do. They have gotten lots of flack and now write disclaimers all over their photo library so people will not be disappointed. 

No! What is the buyer going to do, just show up and be surprised?

No...that would feel like false advertising to me.  I feel more comfortable shooting photos of the home as it really is.

I am hesitant to manipulate photos to make a sales point...

I often take personal property out of photos; trash cans, cords, personal photos on walls, etc...  Sometimes, it's easier than physically moving it to get the shot.  I never edit the property itself and have never done any type of e-staging. 

I started out as a real estate photographer, and I remember getting this request from clients from time to time. As long as whatever you are removing or adding isn't a gross misrepresentation of the actual home, I don't see it as a problem. 

Those things you mention are so incredibly easy to remedy before taking the pict that image deception would not cross my mind.

Recently a Home Team inspector left the irrigation system disabled and destroyed much of the front yard. I did not and will not retake the street image that currently shows a front lawn of plush St Augustine grass.. A house that was occupied when the picts were taken and eventually vacated will not have the images retaken.  Looks better with furniture.

I do not think it unreasonable to require a buyer to apply simple reasoning to see the situation of a property may change. 

I would however, see value in taking new images when the 10 inches of snow has melted.

You can also illustrate vacant homes with a tablet, laptop or pictures with furnishings either at an open house or posted to the vacant rooms. 

No, I wouldn't worry about it. Show true picture in all advertising.

I've never done that.  However, when I'm taking photos I have often moved a few things to make the picture more attractive.  My clients are pleased with the results and the buyers always say my photos are a good representation of the actual property compared with some agents who use strange lenses and make the room look way larger than it really is.  They angers the buyers and they walk away.

The only thing we have ever allowed our professional photographer to photoshop is to add "live screens" - such as a golf course scene on TVs that are turned off at the time of the shoot.  I'm with those that believe, don't change anything significant unless you fully disclose what you've done, and staging a vacant room with "virtual furniture".

Andrzej,

I think you can give a visual of what a place can look like, and of course disclose.  A

Probably not, and certainly not without disclosing - too many buyers complain about photos anyhow. But perhaps before and after photos?

I've never done so myself, but have seen plenty of virtually staged homes listed recently - agree it should be disclosed.

Nope - and I am not sure that it's allowed. I spoke with one of our best instructors at the state level and she said that NAR has in the last 2 years been cracking down on 'airbrushed' i.e., changed photos both inside and out to mask inperfections.

I'd rather go to my seller and show them wonderful pictures then show them theirs and say "sooooooooo, which home would you buy?"  :-)

I would not do it . 

I have staged the home, and (back in the day when things took longer than a minute to sell) had to pull the staging out prior to selling... but I did find the staging works to give the buyer a good idea to space and depth of a room... unfurnished is very hard for most people to see what will and wil not fit...

I have used virtual staging and disclosed that on MLS. The house was empty when they moved but I felt the empty house was better then the dated furnishings the seller had in the home.  This upscale neighborhood with designer homes gave my seller so much competition.  I really thought the virtually staged pictures got the public/agents to take a look as pics of the empty rooms just did not do it. Sold shortly thereafter when before virtual staging pics there were over 75 showings.

Jill makes a great point!! I am going to incorporate that in the future.

However, I much prefer the real deal when it comes to staging. It's much easier to visual the space as their own with minimal staging.

Dear Andrzej,

No. I am all for honesty. Have had some really ugly houses sell anyway & have a really nice one now that is taking a while. You never know, what will get someone excited or what the holdup with the lender might be.

Don't think so, although it would probably be cheaper.