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My Property is Vacant-Why Do I Need a Consultation?

By
Home Stager

My Property is Vacant-Why Do I Need a Consultation?

 

Sellers don’t often think of investing in a home staging consultation especially if their property is vacant.

However, a consultation could save you money, or at least give you some should i stagedirection about where your funds should go to help protect the investment you have in your home.

 

If my home is vacant, couldn’t I just get some furniture and accessories for each room?

 

 

That depends!

A consultation will show you what you need to do to maximize every showing you have. It will point out what buyers will notice that can enhance your sale or could derail it.

And...it’s not just about moving furniture around.

 

What are some things that a vacant home staging will point out if there’s no furniture???

 

~Paint-your property may need a good fresh coat of paint or one that will appeal to all buyers

~Curb appeal-poorly maintained lawns and vegetation can turn buyers away before they even stop the car.

~Deferred maintenance-no amount of furniture can hide projects that you’ve been postponing for years. A roof that needs to be replaced, broken tile, non-working lights, missing light fixtures...all become glaringly evident when there’s nothing else for the buyer to look at.

~Lack of basic updates-a buyer may not dismiss considering your property but any offering price will take into consideration what it will cost them to update your property to their satisfaction

 

What we can suggest…

~If hiring someone to stage your property is not in your budget, we can draw up a game plan for you to follow to purchase items that will help with the sale

~We can help you prioritize where you need to invest and what items can be tackled if your time and budget allow.

 

Staging isn’t a one size fits all solution. And, vacant homes do sell.

 

To maximize the investment you’ve already made in your property, hire a local home staging professional.

 

 

Posted by

Kathy Streib
Retired Home Stager
and Interior Redesign

In Person Consultations in Texas
for Houston & Harris Counties
and
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for all states


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Comments(24)

Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Kathy. Sometimes a few tips make a home sell quicker. Pay me now or suffer later! Enjoy your day!

May 16, 2019 05:06 AM
Rick Frissell
HomeXpress Realty - Valrico, FL
aka "The Red Baron of Real Estate"

I really like vacant home listings because it is like a blank canvas for my stager.  It also helps when a stager give credibility to an agent's suggestions regarding items like paint or repairs.

May 16, 2019 05:32 AM
Andrea Bedard
Thompson Company, REALTORS® 240.593.2860 - Silver Spring, MD
Fluent in Real Estate & German, M.A. ABR ASP CIPS

A home staging consultation is especially important when a home is vacant! The transformation from an empty space to a staged home is truly something. I always love the reveal, when my sellers see the magic the stager worked for the very first time: "oh wow, this is my house?"! 

May 16, 2019 06:34 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

When a home is vacant, that is the most important time to have staging, accents are needed at a minimum to showcase the property properly!

May 16, 2019 06:48 AM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

HI Kathy Streib - I have found over the years that it is often necessary to call in the calvary (you!) to help with clients who may not understand the importance of what staging is all about!

May 16, 2019 06:55 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Most people don't understand just how much more than "furniture" home staging actually is!

A consult for a vacant home, even if the sellers don't end up bringing in furnishings, can make a huge difference in the end result!

May 16, 2019 08:54 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Kathy,

As with everything in real estate, no one size fits all.  I have seen beautiful homes without furniture completely pristine show well as well as with furniture.  A

May 16, 2019 09:11 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Good afternoon Kathy Streib - knowledgeable stagers like you and Sharon Tara know that it is a holistic process.

May 16, 2019 12:00 PM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Kathy,
I consider not staging to be a penny-wise and dollar-foolish decision.  If I ever sell again I will most definitely get a stager involved. 

May 16, 2019 01:27 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Donald Urschalitz all houses can use some amount of staging. 

Michael Jacobs that's it in a nutshell. 

Cindy Edwards Clean is the word!!!

 

May 16, 2019 05:54 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Barbara Todaro whatever we can do to assist the buyer's imagination helps!

Wayne Martin exactly. And, sellers don't have to break the bank. 

Rick Frissell I think when stagers reinforce what their agent recommends, it certainly helps. 

May 16, 2019 06:00 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Andrea Bedard I will never forget the first vacant home I staged when the agent saw the "After." They were totally amazed!

Brian England We all know that vacant homes can sell but they need to be ultra clean!

May 16, 2019 06:02 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Sheri Sperry - MCNE® that's what we're here for! We want to help agents get their listings sold. 

Sharon Tara we've been fighting this battle for years, haven't we?

Ron and Alexandra Seigel I agree. I assisted with a multimillion dollar property. Short of ordering tailor-made furniture, there was no way we could stage all of the rooms. We opted to stage the master bathroom (hers) and the kitchen. The rest remained vacant. 

May 16, 2019 06:05 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Thank you Grant Schneider     Sharon Tara performs miracles with occupied homes!

Carol Williams I worked with a first time flipper who wanted to bring furniture in. After the consultation, I pointed out areas that needed to be addressed before and if any furniture could be brought in. 

 

 

May 16, 2019 06:08 PM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

I must agree with Sharon Tara on this Kathy Streib 

May 17, 2019 12:08 AM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Morning Kathy.

On a personal note, my wife likes to look at homes that are vacant.  

May 17, 2019 01:11 AM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Hi Kathy,  Can this be done this long distance?   You are so good at it and your suggestions are always right on.  Hope all is well!

May 17, 2019 03:27 AM
Anne Corbin
Long and Foster - Lake Anna - Spotsylvania, VA
Serving Lake Anna & Central Virginia

This is a MAKE IT SHINE moment!!!!

May 17, 2019 06:05 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

For me, the point you prove is that sellers don't always know what they don't know, Kathy Streib ... sometimes there are important things they've not considered or know about that will help them sell more quickly and at a higher price.  As with mortgages, have the consultation ... discover all your options and best path for success ...

Great post!

Gene

May 17, 2019 08:19 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

Great idea offering a Plan B for sellers who don't have the budget for staging.  

May 23, 2019 05:25 PM