Buyers love it when they don’t need to negotiate the closing date because you’ve already moved out.
However…
Since the majority of buyers use the personalized links their Realtors give them to view potential homes, many find it hard to get a sense of room sizes and actual home layout when the home is vacant.
Plus, they may have questions that will give them cause to think something is wrong, such as:
- Was the home on the market so long that the owners had to move anyway?
- Is there something wrong with the home?
- Was it overpriced?
Your reason for moving may simply be because you took that dream job out-of-state and has absolutely nothing to do with the home itself.
Buyers entering an unfurnished home many times struggle to see the potential of their own furnishings in the home. This often results in lower offers as they may assume the seller is desperate.
But there is help and we’d like to offer some of these staging solutions for a vacant home:
Virtual Staging
Computer-generated furnishings and accessories are placed in photos submitted of vacant rooms, enticing buyers to make appointments to see the property in person. Your Realtor can suggest a reliable company for an additional fee.
One catch: you must disclose in any advertising these rooms have been virtually staged.
Furniture Rental
Companies generally offer rental packages that include your living room, dining room and master bedroom. Many times this also includes lamps all the way down to the throw pillows.
There are usually minimums (i.e. 3 month lease). Make sure to read the fine print before moving forward.
Consignment Furniture
You can purchase enough inexpensive pieces from a consignment store to make the house look more lived-in. You could also offer the furniture to your home buyers as an added bonus, especially if this is their first home. But… please be realistic and don’t expect to recoup this expense in the sale, this is just a means to help sell your otherwise vacant home faster.
Act Sooner Rather Than Later
If this is the route you would like to go, consult your Realtor as they will be able to work with you on a solution. It’s also very possible that your home does not need any “window dressing”.
Either way, it’s better to make the decision sooner rather than later while you are at your desired listing price.