Vacant Staging - What You Don’t Want to Do
If you are considering selling your property and leaving it vacant or are an investor with a vacant property, there are tips to help you make sure that it stands out to all potential buyers.
Empty properties can present a different set of issues for sellers.
Vacant homes have nothing to cushion footsteps and voices, so buyers will feel like everything they say echoes throughout the house.
Even with overhead lights, vacant homes can appear dark. There are no table or floor lamps to provide additional lighting.
With nothing else to catch their eyes, buyers are more likely to see the flaws.
Vacant homes do sell, though. And while it would be nice for all vacant homes to have been professionally staged, sometimes time and/or the bottom line don’t allow for it,
So here are some things that you don’t want to do if you are selling your vacant property…
Vacant Staging Don’ts
1. Don’t paint the walls all white- they only serve to make the room appear cold and empty.
There are some beautiful professionally designed all-white rooms (I loved the all-white kitchen in the movie Something’s Gotta Give) but they also have accessories to break up the white.
2. Don’t leave items scattered here and there thinking this is staging.
It’s confusing to the buyer...is someone living here? Have they not yet moved out?
3. Don’t leave hangers, etc in closets.
There’s nothing more “buy me” inspiring than seeing a few wire hangers left in closets!!!
4. Don’t forget the style of the house you are staging
If you do decide to stage the property, keep the style and color palette of the home in mind. Placing ultra contemporary furnishings in a Tuscan style home can be a head-scratcher. And bringing your brown bathroom towels to use in a grey bathroom won't cut it!
5. Don’t think that you can use furniture, rugs, and accessories to hide or cover up a flaw
This is true whether your property is vacant or occupied. Small throw rugs eat up square footage and break up the visual a buyer is looking at.
6. Don't leave cable cords curling out of your walls.
When a buyer looks into your room, instead of seeing the space, they'll see a cable cord crawling out of the wall. Very distracting.
7. Don’t neglect something more important than furniture and accessories...the condition of your property.
This is key. The condition is important for your property...occupied or vacant to get top dollar.
First, invest in any repairs that are needed.
Update where needed if you hope to get top dollar. This may include your light fixtures, appliances, countertops, or flooring.
Clean in, around and under. Dirt and grime will catch a buyer’s eye immediately.
Vacant homes will sell but like occupied homes, they need to be able to catch the eye of the buyer!
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