Can virtual staging replace real furniture for in-person showings?

Virtual staging cannot fully replace real furniture for in-person showings. While virtual staging is effective online to help buyers visualize potential, actual staging remains the gold standard for tactile and emotional impact during tours. Real furniture allows buyers to experience room scale, traffic flow, and ambiance firsthand, which virtual images cannot fully replicate. However, when budgets or timelines limit physical staging, virtual staging paired with transparent photos is the next best marketing approach.