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A vacant house with or without furniture?

I was reading an article about vacant houses and the perception that it can give to potential buyers. In some instances, if the house is in great shape, an empty house is ok and a buyer can visualize his furnishings in the home. On the other hand, it can be a home that needed a lot of updating that might not be as noticeable with furniture and area rugs and so on, and might show better to keep the furniture in it. Another perception is if the house is completely empty, and the owner's have moved out, the buyer's might think they are probably eager to sell since they moved out, and might be able to negotiate a lower price.

I have seen many vacant houses for sale in my area and some simply don't show well at all. I am not in the staging business, but I really think a few pieces of furniture can make a difference. I would be interested in hearing what other's think about this.

Posted by Bruce Mullen on 09/25/2007 04:13 PM

Comments (17)

staging, vacant houses, buyers

17 Comments on A vacant house with or without furniture?

SEP

2007

I could not agree more. The home does not have to be completely furnished, but a few pieces strategically placed so buyer can visualize the rooms better (such as a couch, coffee table and so forth) make a much better presentation.

I think any home will look better with at least some furnishings. It is usually easier to judge how your furniture will fit, and make the home look more inviting.

Hi Bruce - This is a topic that is continually debated. Generally, rooms look smaller without furniture in them. Only about 10% of buyers can imagine how things will look in an empty space. Having furniture tells the buyer that their pieces will fit. Furniture, in a welcoming setting, allows the buyer to linger. You'll find many blog posts with pictures demonstrating these principles. Happy selling!

Thanks Julia. I agree with you 100%. I guess we all need refresher courses on home staging.

Of couuuuuuuuuuuuurse Bruce, thats why home stagers were invented. We can make things look so perfect, buyers can't resist. Leave a house empty and buyers walk in and walk out. They don't have the creative vision to see where things can go or what they can do with this room or that!

Bruce-Another difference is that an empty house is simply an empty house (like all the rest) but a staged (furnished) house is a home. This fact has a huge impact on the buyers...

Hi Bruce...

Staging a Vacant Home sets it apart from all the other Ho-Hum Homes on the market, and we are drowning in them right now.

Same House, Same room but with Attitude!!!! Only a small percentage of buyers can imagine themselves in a room or home. By filling in the blanks, we give them an idea how their furnishings will fit and look in a given space.

By all means, staging improves the appearance, but most of all staging shortens the listing days. I have 3 houses I have vacant staged in the last few weeks that have contracted and sold in less than a month.. This home alone has yielded me 4 new clients and 3 are vacant.

I can't begin to tell you how important Home Stagers are to the Real Estate Market. Form a Partnership with your local stagers and See What a Difference a Staging Day Can Make!!!!!!

Kathy

www.ctrealtystaging.com

Hello Bruce,

Buyers scrutinize the condition of walls, flooring and fixtures when there is nothing else to capture their attention. Even in brand new homes, awkwardly placed light switches and outlets jump out. Effective staging also provides a necessary sense of functionality and well planned furniture placement creates a smooth sense of flow between rooms. You may be interested in this article I wrote on vacant properties. Thanks for your post.

SEP

2007

Jackson, those are some pretty impressive pics. Amazing what you can do to turn a room around. Great work and thanks for the comments!!

Kathleen, thank you for sharing your insight! This is helping to open my eyes. I am not hearing so much about stagers in this area, but this would be a great time for them to come out and promote themselves.

Bruce: I agree with you. Doesn't matter if the house is expansive or small. Either way, the right placement of some key furnishings can make a huge difference. I'm not a home stager, but I've been reading a lot of blogs on AR about it. Before staging and after staging is proof that after staging is better.

The majority of buyers cannot visualize the potential of home. That's why staging a vacant property is critical. It clearly defines the purpose of each space and allows a buyers to make an emotional connection with the house. The proof is in the pictures...

Bruce, I am a local stager in the Charleston area and I just sent you an email. I would love to speak with you more about staging! Please visit my website: www.StagingAndRedesign.com/Bevin for photos and testimonials. Thanks!

OCT

2007

It absolutely makes a huge difference. A home looks sparse and cold without furniture and sometimes spaces are awkward and buyers do not know how to set up their furniture. Angles fireplaces are hard to work around so you need to show buyers what they can do

Phyllis Pafumi

OCT

2007

Hi Bruce, A staged vacant makes all the difference. Potential buyers have nowhere for their eye to fall and make them want to stay. Even a small amount of furniture can create an idea and warm the space making it seem like a home and not a structure. Thanks for asking. Karen

WOW! Those before and after pictures are incredible. I admit, I'm not a huge 'staging' fan, though I do love a well presented home. These photos speak for themselves. Any seller who sees these... should fill the vacant house with as much nice stuff as they can!

OCT

2007

Hi Bruce - Could I interest you in an empty box of chocolate? Or would you prefer the box with chocolate in it?? :) Selling an empty box is a lot harder to sell then a box with something in it. :))

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