Inheritance property marketed with 12% added value thanks to digital renovation
+12%
Generated added value
+90%
Requests Increase
Secured
Broker commission
The Challenge
A substantially solid single-family house from 1974 was located in one of the best residential areas of the city, but suffered from a massive visual backlog of renovations: dark wooden ceilings, floral wallpaper, outdated green bathrooms, and carpeted floors on screed. Prospective buyers (especially young families) were overwhelmed by the pending work during viewings and immediately demanded drastic price reductions of 20% or more. The heirs faced the dilemma of either selling the house well below its value or financing a risky, expensive pre-renovation out of their own pocket (similar to the financial pre-risks that we were able to avert in our case study on new build marketing through visual strategies).
Our Solution
FotoEstate developed a concept for the virtual renovation of the key areas. We digitally removed the partition wall between the kitchen and living room to demonstrate a contemporary, open living concept. The dark wooden ceilings were white-spackled, the old carpet floors were replaced with high-quality oak parquet, and the outdated green bathroom was transformed into a modern wellness oasis with a walk-in shower and natural stone elements. We presented the before-and-after comparison directly in the brochure, including a well-founded cost estimate for the modernization.
The Result
The visual presentation led to an emotional turnaround in the sales process. Prospective buyers now saw the hidden potential and reacted enthusiastically. The number of brochure requests increased by 90%. Instead of demanding price reductions, three families participated in a bidding process. The house was eventually notarized for a sale price 12% above the original appraised value. The renovation costs were rationally assessed by the buyers, and the heirs were able to close the chapter harmoniously.
Project Deep Dive: Process & Details
The Legacy of an Era: A Renovation Case in a Prime Residential Location
The detached single-family house in one of the most sought-after and quiet residential areas of the city had been the beloved home of a family for decades. But after the owners passed away, the community of heirs faced a difficult task. The building, built in 1974, was structurally in excellent condition — solidly built, dry basement, and an intact roof — but visually it was an unvarnished journey back in time. Dark, oppressive wooden ceilings in the hallways, yellowed floral wallpaper in the bedrooms, worn brown carpets on the screed, and a green tiled bathroom with matching sanitary fixtures defined the appearance. The appointed real estate agent Schmidt knew that the location was excellent and justified a high price. But in its current state, the house seemed rather off-putting to modern families. The heirs wanted a quick sale to be able to divide the inheritance, but they quickly reached their limits with traditional sales methods. No one wanted to pay the asking price without demanding significant modernization deductions.
The mental renovation brake of prospective buyers
The first viewing appointments were disappointing for everyone involved. Schmidt led several young families through the winding rooms of the house. The reactions were almost always identical: the prospective buyers saw only work, dirt, noise, and unpredictable costs. At the sight of the green bathroom, many shook their heads, and the dusty, cramped kitchen, which was separated from the living room by a massive wall, did not fit at all with the modern desire for open living. Instead of imagining how beautiful the house could be after a modernization, the potential buyers were already calculating renovation costs of well over 150,000 euros in their heads. As a result, the prospects demanded drastic price reductions of 20 percent or more on the already moderate appraiser's valuation. The heirs' community was on the verge of giving in to the demands, as the ongoing maintenance costs of the house burdened the inheritance. However, Schmidt was convinced that there was more to the property and sought a better solution that would reveal its true value without the heirs having to invest real money in advance.
The plan: to anticipate the modernization virtually
Schmidt refused to sell the house below value. He knew from experience that he had to break through the mental barrier in the buyers' minds. Since a real renovation before the sale was financially out of the question for the community of heirs—the risk was too high—Schmidt decided on a virtual renovation through FotoEstate. The plan was ambitious: We were not just supposed to place furniture in the rooms, but digitally modernize the building structure. The goal was to show buyers what the property could become if a targeted budget was invested. Together with a structural engineer, we first checked whether the wall between the kitchen and the living room was load-bearing. Since it was a lightweight wall, we decided to digitally remove this wall completely to create a generous, contemporary sense of space and open up the kitchen. This paved the way for a modern new-work kitchen connected to the living area.
The digital transformation of living spaces
Our 3D artists took the photos of the outdated rooms and started the digital transformation. In the bathroom, the green tiles were virtually removed and replaced with elegant, large-format tiles in a concrete look. The bathtub was replaced by a walk-in shower with a seamless floor, elegant glass wall, and rain shower. In the living and dining area, we removed the partition wall and designed an open-plan kitchen with a modern cooking island. The dark wooden ceilings were whitewashed, and the old carpet floor was replaced with warm, light oak parquet, which immediately gave the room a sense of spaciousness. Soft, bright light now flowed over the newly designed surfaces through the large windows. Every detail, from the modern light switches to the baseboards to the precise tile joints, was calculated in such detail that the visualized rooms looked completely authentic. The result was the perfect image of a modern dream house that you would want to move into immediately.
The Power of the Before-and-After Comparison
Schmidt relaunched the marketing and used a clever strategy in the exposé: he presented the original photo of each room right next to the virtually renovated version. An accompanying text explained precisely which measures were necessary for the transformation (e.g., wall removal, new flooring) and provided a realistic cost estimate for the implementation. This extreme transparency completely changed the dynamics of the conversations. The families no longer saw only the outdated wallpaper, but the enormous potential of the house. They realized that the building structure was excellent and that the renovation was a worthwhile, calculable project. Requests for exposés increased by 90 percent, and the on-site viewing appointments were suddenly characterized by excitement instead of skepticism. The interested parties walked through the house with the after pictures on their smartphones and were already actively planning their own renovation work.
Triumph over the appraised value at the notary's table
The emotional enhancement led to an unexpected bidding process among the interested parties. Three families submitted offers that exceeded the original estimated value of the house. Schmidt was ultimately able to close the sale at a price 12 percent above the heirs' estimated value – a financial success that more than covered the cost of the digital visualization. The buyers began the actual renovation shortly after the notary appointment, precisely following the 'after' images created by FotoEstate. For Schmidt, the project was a milestone. It proved that the visualization of renovation measures is the best defense against unjustified price negotiations and reveals the true value of a property in need of renovation. The heirs were relieved and thrilled by the quick, smooth process.
What our partners say
"The drone shots document the construction progress perfectly and are a great memory for our buyers."
"FotoEstate's renderings impress with their incredible attention to detail and photorealistic lighting."
"With virtual viewings, we effectively pre-filter interested parties, which saves our field staff a lot of time."
"Thanks to Fotoestate's brilliant photos, we were able to broker the property in record time. Highly recommended!"
"I didn't think my house could look so bright and inviting. The investment in professional pictures has paid off extremely well."
"Very reliable service. The shots were taken on time and processed and delivered to us the very next day."
"The drone shots document the construction progress perfectly and are a great memory for our buyers."
"FotoEstate's renderings impress with their incredible attention to detail and photorealistic lighting."
"With virtual viewings, we effectively pre-filter interested parties, which saves our field staff a lot of time."
"Thanks to Fotoestate's brilliant photos, we were able to broker the property in record time. Highly recommended!"
"I didn't think my house could look so bright and inviting. The investment in professional pictures has paid off extremely well."
"Very reliable service. The shots were taken on time and processed and delivered to us the very next day."
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