October 16, 2026 · Bella Virtual Staging
Sold: 143 Avenue B #8A, Virtually Staged Before and After
143 Avenue B #8A, a 600-square-foot one-bedroom condo in the Christodora House in the East Village, was listed on April 6, 2026 at $1,100,000, went into contract on May 20 (44 days later) and closed on September 16 at $1,070,000. Brown Harris Stevens had the listing. Bella virtually staged five photos of the empty apartment four days before it went live.
The sale at a glance
| Address | 143 Avenue B #8A, Christodora House, East Village, New York, NY 10009 |
|---|---|
| Home | Condo in a 1928 building, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, about 600 sq ft |
| Staging ordered | April 2, 2026, four days before the listing |
| Listed | April 6, 2026 at $1,100,000 |
| In contract | May 20, 2026 (44 days on market) |
| Closed | September 16, 2026 at $1,070,000 (2.7% under asking) |
| Staged by Bella | 5 photos: living and dining room (two angles), kitchen, bedroom, entry hall |
Living and dining room: one long room, two clear zones
The main room is long, white and bright, with beamed ceilings and two windows looking out over the East Village rooftops. Empty, it photographs as a white box with a wood floor, and a buyer can't tell where the sofa goes or whether a dining table fits as well. Our designers split the room into two zones: a cream curved sofa, two cane lounge chairs and a round wood coffee table on a textured rug at the front, and a round dining table for four by the far windows. Warm wood, rattan and two large pieces of art keep it calm, and nothing blocks the windows.
The second angle shows the same room from the kitchen side, so buyers can see how the seating area, the dining corner and the kitchen island connect. In a one-bedroom, that is the question buyers ask most: does the room hold a real sofa and a real table at the same time? Here the answer is in the photo.
Bedroom: proving a queen bed and a reading chair fit
The bedroom has two windows on adjoining walls and a beamed ceiling, which is lovely in person and hard to read in an empty photo. We placed a bed with layered linen bedding, a rounded lounge chair with a side table in the window corner and a small desk by the far wall. The furniture is scaled to the room, so the photo answers the size question honestly instead of making the room look bigger than it is.
The kitchen and entry hall got lighter touches: two counter stools at the island and a small console, mirror and art in the hall, enough to make them feel finished without hiding the finishes.
What we can and cannot say
We do not claim staging alone sold this apartment. The Christodora House is a well-known building, and price, location and the broker's marketing all play a part. What the record shows is the timeline: the staging was ordered before the listing went live, the apartment was in contract 44 days later, and it closed 2.7% below its asking price. For comparison, the same unit last sold in December 2024 for $1,025,000.
Takeaways for New York listings
- Zone the long room. Prewar and loft-style living rooms read better when the photo shows a clear seating area and a clear dining area.
- Stage before the listing goes live. The first photos on StreetEasy and the MLS set the first impression, and this apartment was staged four days before it launched.
- Light touches work for small rooms. A kitchen or hallway often needs only stools or a console to feel lived in.
Want your next listing to look like this?
Bella's designers stage empty rooms in New York listings in 24 to 48 hours, from US$37 per photo, and every image is designed by a person, never AI. See more on our virtual staging in New York page, browse the lookbook, check pricing, or order virtual staging now.
Sale details come from public listing and city records and were checked against more than one source. Virtually staged photos should be disclosed as such wherever they are published.