Staging vs. Empty

Should I stage my home or leave it empty?

Like it or not, staging a home has become an essential step in the selling process.  Prospective buyers have come to expect neutral walls, minimal decor, and yes, even furniture with clean straight lines, appropriately positioned in each room.  Despite all the effort you may have to put in, the actuality is a well-staged home WILL SELL. Lately, our clients have sought our opinion on staging a home as opposed to leaving it empty.  Our own Realtors have seen everything, from staging, to empty, to lived-in.  Here’s the reason why we believe keeping it clean and nicely decorated is important:   Leaving your home empty leaves is susceptible to criticism Think about an empty room – what’s left to look at? - The walls, the molding, the ceiling, maybe a rack in the closet?  If everything is not up to snuff, you’re leaving your empty space pretty vulnerable.  People will critique even when there is little to critique about.  Filling a room with furniture may make them concentrate more on the overall room and not on a small hole left by a hanging picture frame. How should we use this room? Taking the guess work out of the layout of your home will make the selling process faster and more efficient.  Ultimately, buyers will step into your home and imagine their own.  They may be looking for certain types of rooms – an office, a playroom, a dining room, a guest bedroom, etc.  Showcasing these rooms gives them the opportunity to mentally check them off their list. It’s hard to gauge the size of an empty room Finding the perfect home is a mental process.  Upon entering a room, buyers are picturing how their own furniture and décor will come into play.  Will the king size bed fit in this room?  Where will we put the desk?  Having furniture in place, though it might not be the same size and dimensions, will assist in giving a good reference point as to how their own will fit. An empty house is not a home This is a fine line.  On one hand, you have to remove everything that says “you” – pictures, knick knacks, and any excess of décor.  On the other hand, emptying it completely makes it look less like a home and more like an abandoned house.  The key is to fill it with just enough to make it presentational.  Not “lived-in”, but inviting, so that anyone can picture themselves living there. Statistics have shown that a staged home will stay on the market for approximately 32 days, while an unstaged home will remain for up to 200.  Investing in something you’re ready to get rid of might not be what you want to hear, but the return is great. Homes that sit on the market, usually see 1 to 2 (sometimes 3) reductions in price – depending on how long they sit.  And, if you’re still making monthly mortgage payments, you can add that in as well.  A well-staged home will give you license to increase the listing price, speed up the selling process and in the end, put more money in your pocket.

Article by Kim Fromentin

for Compass Real Estate Group, LLC

www.compassreg.com