Selling a home tips

[Monello]

I'm looking for input on personal preferences. Do you find it easier to see a future home's potential if it is full of furniture(staged) or completely empty? How about when you sold a place, did you remove any items to give it the appearance of appearing larger? TIA

 

[RPMDAD]

First 2 houses we sold, we had already moved into another house so both were completely empty. Feel it makes the rooms seem larger. However i am not a professional real estate type person.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I would say lightly furnished so that it looks really neat, I think most people want to live that way but just can never achieve that look.

I would also try to highlight useful features.

 

[Tilted]

I'm looking for input on personal preferences. Do you find it easier to see a future home's potential if it is full of furniture(staged) or completely empty? How about when you sold a place, did you remove any items to give it the appearance of appearing larger? TIA

Staged is the conventional wisdom, and I strongly suspect it's correct. Unless you're showing it to me that is. I think I'd rather see a house empty myself - but I've always found question marks to be the most interesting things in the universe, so...

I think fully furnished, but uncluttered and unpersonalized, is the best bet.

 

[nutz]

I'm looking for input on personal preferences. Do you find it easier to see a future home's potential if it is full of furniture(staged) or completely empty? How about when you sold a place, did you remove any items to give it the appearance of appearing larger? TIA

HGTV, DIY, etc. are having an impact on what people are buying. Internet pictures are really important. Little stuff like paint colors can throw the sale. Clutter in the wrong places really throws things off. This one I picked as an example just because; landscape - needs help plus wrong color shutters; you can get crap in the garage but not two cars; closets are stuffed - too small; most of the house will have to be repainted; deck built around pool - not a plus.

If the house doesn't need a full on remodel from age/ wear and tear, consult with a couple of staging pros. Their job is to make the house look like a home, warm and inviting.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Mechanicsville/28540-Meadow-View-Ln-20659/home/15296402


for reference only, not a recommendation

http://homestagingbyvivian.com/

http://www.doneinaday.com/Articles/Home Staging Tips.pdf

 

[vraiblonde]

I'd rather see the house empty so I can imagine my own furniture in there. Plus I can get a better look at the house without a bunch of stuff in the way.

When I bought my house it was freshly painted and had new carpet in the living room. The FIRST thing I did upon moving in was...repaint and tear up all carpet in favor of laminate flooring. So I'd have preferred the seller drop the price instead of waste that money.

I looked at how well maintained the house appeared. Cracks in the ceiling or walls, rust stains, general grubbiness, etc. Small problems tell potential buyers that there may be large problems not readily seen.

But it depends on the potential buyer, too. RE agents will tell you that there are some prospects who reject homes because they don't like the faucets in the bathroom, and other easily changed cosmetics. Other buyers look at the big picture and see potential, and realize they aren't going to find a resale that is perfect in every way.

 

[nutz]

I'd rather see the house empty so I can imagine my own furniture in there. Plus I can get a better look at the house without a bunch of stuff in the way.

When I bought my house it was freshly painted and had new carpet in the living room. The FIRST thing I did upon moving in was...repaint and tear up all carpet in favor of laminate flooring. So I'd have preferred the seller drop the price instead of waste that money.

I looked at how well maintained the house appeared. Cracks in the ceiling or walls, rust stains, general grubbiness, etc. Small problems tell potential buyers that there may be large problems not readily seen.

But it depends on the potential buyer, too. RE agents will tell you that there are some prospects who reject homes because they don't like the faucets in the bathroom, and other easily changed cosmetics. Other buyers look at the big picture and see potential, and realize they aren't going to find a resale that is perfect in every way.

Exactly part of the problem. There are plenty of discount shoppers on the market, everyone is looking for a "deal". Not every buyer can visualize a property with their changes employed. Mostly, it's all a trade-off with how long your property goes unsold. How long are you willing to sit and wait for a contract, 45 days, 60, 180? Are you going to play the game and reduce the listing price after x number of days? There are also a surprising number of sales that aren't happening because the "pre-approved" buyer gets turned down. As a seller, you have to consider how to minimize the financial impacts.

 

[ArkRescue]

I like seeing vacant homes, because like Vrai, it allows me to visualize the space and how my stuff would fit, and which rooms would serve which purpose. Also seeing the house vacant allows you to see some of the potential issues with walls, floors, ceilings, especially in the lower level where signs of water damage can be missed with furniture in the way. I make the mistake of seeing each place I live as the final, long term place, so I do upgrades/repairs as though I will live there forever. I did that with house #1 and replaced the roof, new furnace, new central air, remodeled kitchen,heavy-up on electrical, freshly painted neutral, etc. I was there 10 years and sold it fast (less than 30 days) due to all the upgrades. At the time of listing the house was full of boxes as we prepared to move (and we were already busting at the seams there) and it was not easy to navigate around all those boxes, but the buyer was happy to be getting all new HVAC, appliances, roof, etc. so they paid full asking price which matched the appraised value. So for me I like to see it empty but many people prefer that you show them how nice it can look with minimal furniture and be neat and clean like we wish our house was all the time, but usually isn't lol.