October 26, 2026 · Bella Virtual Staging
Sold: 2709 Arabelle Grove, Houston, Roof Deck Virtually Staged
2709 Arabelle Grove, a three-story, four-bedroom house in a gated community in Houston's 77007 zip code, was listed on April 23, 2026 at $625,000, went under contract on May 9, 16 days later, and sold on June 12 for $615,000, 1.6% under the asking price. Bella virtually staged two photos of its empty roof deck, ordered on April 22, the day before the listing went live.
The sale at a glance
| Address | 2709 Arabelle Grove, Houston, TX 77007 (Cottage Grove) |
|---|---|
| Home | Three-story house built in 2011, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 2,630 sq ft, gated community with a pool |
| Staging ordered | April 22, 2026, the day before the listing |
| Listed | April 23, 2026 at $625,000 |
| Under contract | May 9, 2026 (16 days after listing) |
| Sold | June 12, 2026 for $615,000 (1.6% under asking) |
| Work by Bella | 2 photos of the roof deck, virtually staged with outdoor furniture |
Why stage only the deck
The listing sells the house on its layout and upgrades: first-floor living, a third-floor flex room with a separate gym space, and rooftop access it calls ideal for entertaining. In the photos, the deck was an empty run of boards behind a railing, which says nothing about entertaining. On a 2,033 sq ft lot, the deck is one of the home's main outdoor spaces, so the listing agent ordered staging for just those two photos.
The deck from the doors
The first view looks along the deck past the French doors. Our designers added a long outdoor sofa with a woven frame, cream cushions and green pillows, two rattan lounge chairs, a round wicker side table with a magazine, and a bistro table with chairs at the far end, with potted plants along the wall. The photo now answers the buyer's question: yes, a full seating area and a table both fit.
The deck from the corner
The second view looks across the deck toward the neighbouring rooftops and the open sky. The same furniture, seen from the other side, shows a lounge area and a bistro dining set with room to move between them, which is what "ideal for entertaining" looks like in a photo.
What we can and cannot say
We do not claim staging sold this house. It came with a long list of recent upgrades in a gated community close to central Houston, and two staged photos were a small part of its marketing. What the record shows is that the staged deck photos were ready the day before the listing went live, the house was under contract 16 days later, and it sold close to its asking price.
Takeaways for homes with outdoor space
- Stage the space that sells the lifestyle. On a small lot, a roof deck or balcony is the yard. One or two staged photos can carry that message.
- You don't have to stage the whole house. Stage the spaces that look empty or unclear in the photos.
- Show both lounging and dining. Buyers want to see that a deck holds a seating group and a table, not just one or the other.
Want your next listing to look like this?
Bella's designers stage empty rooms, patios and roof decks 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 Texas page, browse the lookbook, check pricing, or order virtual staging now.
For more ideas on outdoor photos, read our guide to virtual staging for outdoor spaces, or browse more sold listings we staged.
Listing dates come from the Houston Association of REALTORS (HAR) MLS data and were checked against more than one source. Texas does not publish sale prices; the $615,000 figure is from an MLS-fed listing site, and HAR.com reports a sold-price range that includes it. Virtually staged photos should be disclosed as such wherever they are published.