West Penn MLS Virtual Staging Rules

Important rules regarding virtual staging on West Penn MLS. 

Failure to comply with Virtual Staging Rules and Regulations will result in a fine in the amount of $500+ per occurrence and the staged photo being removed from the listing. The fine for repeat violations may increase at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Prohibited Uses of Virtual Staging in the Service: 

• No photos of the exterior of the property shall be virtually staged. 
• No permanent fixtures of the interior shall be removed, altered, or added. 
• Modifying photo(s) rendering(s) to include visual elements not within a property owner’s control is strictly prohibited. (Example: editing in a view of a golf course, lake, ocean, mountain, or any other scene or location which is not an accurate description of the actual background of the subject property)
• Modifying photo(s) /rendering(s) to exclude negative visual elements is strictly prohibited. (Example: holes in the wall, exposed wiring, damaged flooring, etc.) 
• No branding is permitted. The use of people or persons and/or words on any property photograph submitted to the Service is strictly prohibited. 
• Modifying photo(s)/rendering(s) to distort the dimensions of a room or space is strictly prohibited. (Example: placing small furniture to make a room appear larger than it actually is).

Definition: Virtual Staging is defined as using a photo-editing software to create a photo or conceptual rendering of what the interior room(s) and/or interior of the property could look like, if it was staged or lived in. Virtual Staging shall only be used for the interior of an existing structure. Virtual Staging shall not be used for Under Construction properties. Disclosure of virtually staged photo(s) is required in the specified field, namely the photo description entry field, by adding the words “Virtually staged” and indicating “Yes” in the Virtually Staged Y/N field. Additionally, the first words of the public remarks must read “One or more photo(s) was virtually staged.” Photos are intended to present an accurate representation of the property, and if any of the photos have been digitally modified, this information should be noted.

Permitted Uses of Virtual Staging in the Service: Modifying photo(s)/rendering(s) to include personal property items not conveyed with the real property is permitted. Permitted personal property modifications include but are not limited to: applying digital photos of furniture, mirrors, artwork, plants, etc. into a photo of a room. Removing existing furniture from a photo and replacing it with digital images of furniture, mirrors, artwork, plants, etc. is permitted so long as the box noting the modification has been checked.

Check this box ONLY if one or more photos have been digitally edited by adding images of furniture, mirrors, artwork, plants, or any other item which was not actually present at the time the photo was taken. Removing existing furniture from a photo and replacing it with digital images of furniture, mirrors, artwork, plants, etc., is allowed. However, if this has occurred, this box must be checked.

Altering the background of the exterior of the home, i.e., Twilight or similar feature, is the ONLY allowable exterior virtual staging feature permitted. You are REQUIRED to click YES on the Digitally Enhanced box if Twilight was utilized. If the Agent has not checked this box and Twilight was utilized, there will be a fine levied