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Preparing your Home for Sale in Palm Beach County-What to Do BEFORE you List your House (Part 7)

By
Home Stager


                         

              Why Stage a Vacant Home?


Staging a Vacant Home in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, or Boynton Beach  is no different than anywhere else.  The market is difficult at best now and to sell your home, whether it is an investment property or your own home, you'll need to place it in a competitive position.  That means it's important to understand WHY a vacant property needs to be Staged, either minimally as in vignette, or fully as in a builder's model home.

Why Stage a Vacant Home?                              Room Service Home Staging
   
  1. A Vacant property can come across as cold and uninviting. It is especially true in Florida where tile floors are in many of the Living Areas. Buyers will hear the echoing of their footsteps as they walk through your house
.  You want your Buyers to feel that "I'm Home" moment.  It's hard to do that in a vacant property.
  2. Vacant rooms actually appear smaller without furniture.  Adding furniture is NOT trying to deceive a Buyer; you're trying to show how their furniture and lifestyle will fit into this space.  This is especially important when you have a room with an unusual shape.
  3. Lighting is important to create the warmth and "homeiness" of a house.  Without lamps and tables, the only lighting available will be the overhead light fixtures.  
 4.  A vacant home may signal to the buyer that the Seller may be more willing to accept a lower offer because you are already out of the house.  

Take a look at a few examples of what Staging a Vacant Home can do:


   Room Service Home Staging             Room Service Home Staging

Without furniture, a buyer will wonder where to place their own furniture, or if their furniture will fit.  By showing the room with furniture and accessories, it provides a buyer with a point of reference.

      Room Service Home Staging  Room Service Home Staging
  With just a few towels, a picture and some greenery, you can take a blah bathroom and make it more appealing.

    Room Service Home Staging        Room Service Home Staging        

 This is a large family area that needed furniture to show the Buyer how their own pieces might fit.
 


More Tips:
*  If you have extra furniture, lamps, and accessories, you could use these to Stage the rooms.  Or, you can beg and borrow from your friends and relatives.  
*  You don't have to Stage every room.  Stage your major living areas, the kitchen, Master Bedroom and Bath and be sure to Stage any rooms that may be unusual in shape or purpose.  
*  Remember, IF  you are doing this yourself, don't just toss in a hodge podge of furniture and accessories that you have sitting in the attic or basement.  

HOWEVER  You, can always contact a Staging Professional, who'll be able to determine what you need; work with your budget and provide the inventory for you!!

Posted by

Kathy Streib
Retired Home Stager
and Interior Redesign

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Comments(9)

Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

The photos are amazing-very nice work and nice blog article! Incredible how much bigger the rooms look staged.

Aug 25, 2009 04:26 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Cathy-Hi there. Thanks for commenting. I've always found it amazing that rooms without furniture actually appear smaller!

Aug 26, 2009 02:20 PM
C. Bartch
Newark, OH

Hi Kathy, I don't know how you guys are keeping up this series, sleep much??? Your work really warms up the rooms, such a difference when you walk through door, well done!

Aug 27, 2009 02:23 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Cynthia- the series had me exhausted.  It became a job besides doing my other work!  Thanks for your comments.

Aug 28, 2009 04:39 AM
Michele Rose
Rose-Colored Staging - Mount Holly Township, NJ
Burlington County Home Staging & Redesign

Kathy-- I know what you mean about the series!  I was moving during the time I was trying to get those blogs done!  Crazy!  (BTW-- have you received your points?-- I didn't and I'm thinking maybe I did something wrong...) 

Your staging is beautiful-- what a difference!  I smiled when I read to "beg and borrow from friends and relatives"-- I often recommend that as well!  I love the warmth that the colors and textures you chose bring into these otherwise sterile spaces.  Great work! 

Sep 01, 2009 03:54 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Michele- I can't believe you had to do the series AND move at the same time.  I really felt liked staged and destaged 7 homes in 14 days on this last one!!!!  I'll have to go back and check my points.  I did notice yesterday that one of the comments I made on a post had not been counted.  I'm on vacation now and have been anxiously waiting to get to AR just to make sure a new Points Challenge had not popped up!!! 

Thanks for your lovely comments.  They really do mean a lot coming from you.  Enjoy the new house.  I'm going to be trying to compose a post on Kompozer while we're in the car driving tomorrow so I can get it on AR.  We'll see how that turns out!

Sep 02, 2009 02:35 PM
Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV REALTOR
Desert Gold Realty - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale - Mesquite, NV
Mesquite NV Homes and Neighborhoods - Search MLS

I appreciate how you show that even a small staging effort can make a big difference in a vacant home - such good pics, too!

Sep 04, 2009 12:16 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Virginia-Doesn't take much, does it? Thanks for your comment.

Sep 04, 2009 12:50 PM
Eva Aliaga
Partnership Realty Inc - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton & Delray Beach: SE Florida Real Estate

Kathy, Staging a vacant home is also very important especially here in South Florida with so many homes that are vacant, good job on the series.

Feb 25, 2010 03:10 PM