Sold: 160 East 38th Street #11A, Virtually Staged Before and After

160 East 38th Street #11A, a 1,400-square-foot two-bedroom co-op at Murray Hill Mews, was listed on April 9, 2026 at $1,275,000, went into contract on May 12 (33 days later) and closed on August 13 at about $1.28 million, at or just above the asking price. Brown Harris Stevens had the listing. Bella virtually staged the rooms before it went live.

The sale at a glance

The great room: one long space, three jobs

This apartment's living space is long and wide, with a wall of windows facing the city. Empty, with worn flooring and built-in cabinetry down one side, the room shows no obvious place for a sofa or a dining table. We defined the zones in one view: a sectional lounge area, a media wall and a dining table by the window. Buyers can see that the room holds both living and dining, which matters in a city where every square foot counts.

Pictured at the top of this post.

Living room

From another angle, the same room becomes a real living room: two lounge chairs, a low coffee table, a slim media console and a floor lamp. The furniture is placed to keep the walk from the entry to the windows clear, so the room stays open.

Dining area

The dining corner is a sunny room with a strong city view. We put in a stone-topped table with chairs, so it reads as a proper place to eat and not leftover space.

Bedroom

The bedroom is a good size but was empty and bare. An upholstered bed, two nightstands, a rug and a dark console give it a finished, hotel-like feel while keeping the window and the light in view.

A note on floors and disclosure

The after photos show light wood flooring where the original floors were worn. Wherever virtually staged images are published, they should be labelled as such, and any change to fixed features such as floors should be disclosed to buyers. Bella recommends adding a clear "virtually staged" label to every staged photo.

What we can and cannot say

We do not claim staging alone sold this home. It was priced for the building and had a strong broker behind it. What the record shows is that the staging was ordered before the listing went live on April 9, the apartment was in contract 33 days later, and it closed at or just above asking.

Takeaways for New York listings

• Order staging before the listing goes live. The first photos buyers see on StreetEasy and the MLS set the first impression.
• Show how a large room divides. A long open room is easier to sell when buyers can see the living and dining zones.
• Label staged photos. Disclosure builds trust and keeps the listing compliant.

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.