There has been a long-running debate among both home sellers and real estate professionals whether a vacant or furnished home attracts more buyers and reaps a higher sales price when all is said and done. It is oftentimes an overlooked element when people are eager to move and get settled in a new locale, posing issues about moving all their belongings at once or leaving some behind for the purpose of “staging” the home for sale.
The first question you must ask yourself is: do you want to market your home to the broadest pool of buyers possible? If you don’t know what kind of buyer is most likely to tour your house, how can you assume that they have the kind of visionary skills necessary to picture their lives there? On dozens of reality TV shows, you can see how Realtors can come in to a home that has been on the market for eons, make some quick judgment calls, perform some magic and suddenly see the visitor count increase tenfold – while others get offers the same weekend of the big “reveal.” The bottom line is that –especially in a highly competitive market -- you need to be prepared for ALL types of buyers – visionaries or not.
Lots of people can’t see past the vacant look of a house no matter what it has to offer. That’s the reason homebuilders will invest up to 10% of the selling price of their new homes on model home décor and furnishings. I doubt they would go to that kind of trouble if it were not a time-tested marketing tool. Properly placed furniture and well-thought-out accessories, whether it’s an attempt to make you master bathroom look “spa-like” or placing just a few pieces of furniture in the most important rooms (called “vignetting” a house) – in addition to a squeaky-clean presentation – can tie potential buyers to your house emotionally. It’s difficult for vacant homes to achieve the same connection.
The “cost”, therefore, of leaving a house vacant can result in a lower selling price or a longer listing time. Why? Vacant homes bring attention to flaws. Normal wear and tear is what is seen when there is nothing else to look at. An oddly-shaped room, a room with strange features, or some overly-creative paint colors will scream out when the house is empty. When furnishings that are designed to deal with those issues are present, it takes the eye away from those seeming anomalies.
You have a choice of how to proceed if deciding to present your home full or partially furnished.
(1) If your move is due to a corporate relocation, you may negotiate with your company to include the costs of staging in your relocation package.
(2) You can leave some key furniture and decorating pieces behind for this purpose.
(3) Ask your Realtor to direct you to a professional stager he or she has used in the past as well as give you examples of how this practice has aided past clients in selling their homes.
Dena Kouremetis is a veteran freelance real estate consumer journalist and California real estate broker. She may be reached by email at REritr@aol.com.
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