Vacant properties... leave them empty to show that they are spacious.

HI Corinne, I know what you mean. Looking at the picture you couldn't tell what room of the house it actually was so why leave the light fixtures there.... to act as a distraction(?)

Hi Cindy, Thanks for stopping in. I think it really illustrates the importance of painting a picture for buyers. Do pictures like the befores really inspire buyers to dream about this as their new home?

Hi Janet, Love your thinking. Selling space is for when you are selling an industrial unit. This is supposed to be  home. A place to call your sanctuary from the world.  I know which one I would like to come home to.

Hi Janet, there are many real estate professionals on active rain that will tell you only three things sell real estate. Price, location and condition.

But you and I know that most buyers will tell you that they knew the house they bought was the right one for them as soon as they saw it. Now what do you think made them feel like that? That's right.... it appealed to them visually. Vacant homes just don't have that ability. Very few people can envision how a home would look furnished.

Would the average buyer have been able to see these bedrooms finished like this looking at the vacant pictures? Not likely. And that is why you will get better results staging a vacant home. Less days on market and the buyer can see that it is move in ready with little or no work to do.

Thank you Kathy! I appreciate the feature. When you start with rooms that looks a plain as these two were you can really create a pallette to turn it into a showcase. It was great fun working in this house as it was such a transformation when it was done.

Hi Shar, I haven't seen swags like that for awhile!  I don't think they could even be sold on ebay as vintage, but you never know.   Those are actually queen size beds in a 1960's bedroom. The single was in the smallest bedroom but it still showed large enough to put a school desk in. 

Hi Eugene, You are right in saying it's all in how you stage it. Neutral, pale colours with just a hint of colour for interest. In the hundreds of properties that I have staged it has never ceased to amaze me just how much bigger rooms look with furniture in them.

HI Kathy, I don't know about priceless but they were definitely jaw dropping when I saw them the first time.

Hi Kristine, the rooms definitely looked a whole lot more inviting once they were staged. At least people could see that they could put queen sized beds in there.  I don't think the lamps were ever in style. I think they were in the movies alot in that era and people thought they would live the life of movie stars if they copied the look at home.

HI Tori, that's what I said when I saw them!