September 29, 2026 · Bella Virtual Staging
Sold: 165 West End Avenue #15M, Virtually Staged Before and After
165 West End Avenue #15M, a corner two-bedroom, two-bath co-op at Lincoln Towers with an oversized private balcony, was listed on May 14, 2026 at $1,495,000, went into contract on June 22 (39 days later) and closed on September 16 at $1,465,000. Brown Harris Stevens had the listing. Bella staged the living and dining area, both bedrooms and the balcony two days before the listing went live.
The sale at a glance
| Address | 165 West End Avenue #15M, Lincoln Towers, Upper West Side, New York, NY 10023 |
|---|---|
| Home | 15th-floor corner co-op, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, private balcony |
| Staging ordered | May 12, 2026, two days before the listing |
| Listed | May 14, 2026 at $1,495,000 |
| In contract | June 22, 2026 (39 days on market) |
| Closed | September 16, 2026 at $1,465,000 (2% under asking) |
The balcony: the feature most buyers will remember
A big private balcony 15 floors up, looking over tree-lined blocks and the Lincoln Towers skyline, is rare in Manhattan, but bare it is just grey floor and a railing. We staged it as a place to sit: a small bistro table with chairs, a patterned outdoor rug and large planters. Buyers can tell at a glance how much space there is and what it feels like to use it.
Pictured at the top of this post.
Living room: giving a long room a layout
The listing describes a sprawling 26-foot living and dining area, and in an empty room that length is hard to read. A sectional sofa, an armchair, a wood coffee table and a large piece of art define the seating area, and two counter stools at the kitchen peninsula show where casual meals happen. The windows and their skyline view stay open.
Open plan: living, dining and kitchen in one view
From the entry side, the same room shows how living, dining and kitchen connect. We added a round dining table with chairs beside the kitchen and a sofa with a low table in front of the door, so buyers can see the room supports both ways of living.
Primary bedroom
With two windows and a view of greenery and towers, the primary bedroom is bright but was an empty box on parquet. We placed a queen-scale bed with layered bedding, a leather bench at the foot, two nightstands, a rug and a plant, showing that a full bedroom set fits comfortably with space to walk.
Second bedroom
The second bedroom is a good size but easy to under-imagine when empty. An upholstered bed, a curved wood console, a mirror, a rug and a plant show that it works as a proper bedroom, and equally well as a guest room or a home office.
What we can and cannot say
We do not claim staging alone sold this apartment. Price, the corner exposure, the balcony and the broker's marketing all matter. What the record shows is the timeline: the staging was ordered before the listing went live, the apartment was in contract 39 days later and it closed at 2% under asking, within a normal negotiating range.
Takeaways for New York listings
- Stage the balcony. Outdoor space is a lifestyle feature, and one staged photo shows scale and use.
- Give long rooms zones. Living, dining and kitchen areas are easier to sell when buyers can see where each one goes.
- Stage before you list. The first photos buyers see set the first impression.
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.