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Virtual staging company Rooomy announced last week a collaboration with 3-D property modeling provider Matterport, who just last month partnered with one of China’s largest real estate agencies.
In what seems like a very sensible partnership, Rooomy will offer its virtual staging and 3-D interior design capabilities to Matterport customers, allowing them to curate and experience fully-furnished and decorated homes on their browsers and in sales offices.
“We are the market leaders in virtual staging. This new collaboration with Matterport eliminates the many hurdles and extra steps that often come with physical staging and allows buyers and renters to see and feel an optimized rendition of the listing from anywhere,” said Rooomy CEO and co-founder Pieter Aarts, in a release.
Rooomy’s virtual staging platform allows interior designers, stagers and homeowners to select and place renderings of furniture and home decorating accessories.
An example of a virtual staging by Rooomy
Rooms can be designed to help sell an empty home or new construction condos or apartments, or assist design professionals in creating new projects.
Rooomy’s relationships with popular furniture brands will also be augmented by the agreement.
Customers can decorate rooms using a deep catalog of products from companies like Havertys, Wayfair and even Amazon. Renters and homeowners can purchase items directly within Rooomy.
It has not been disclosed if Matterport will receive compensation for furniture purchased from Rooomy’s catalog when viewed in one of its 3-D tours. In an email, Rooomy’s PR company told Inman that ” … it is Rooomy’s corporate policy to not comment on furniture sales structure with any partners.”
Matterport is the industry’s most well-known 3-D real estate modeler, offering solutions for several real estate verticals beyond residential sales, including construction and hospitality.
Tours created with the software and specialized cameras can be viewed in an array of media formats but are best experienced with virtual reality (VR) headsets, where augmented realty (AR) features can enrich a property’s appeal.
The December 20 press release stated that multifamily property managers and agents will especially benefit from the partnership; maintaining model units cuts into property management profits, and rental companies can theoretically reduce the use of model units thanks to virtual tours with decor and furniture.
A report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies states that renters today are older and wealthier, and suggests that the simplicity of virtual staging and shopping is a convenient approach to relocation.
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