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Even speaking as a person who always votes that they prefer viewing staged homes when this question comes up, I don't think it's worth it in this case. You aren't going to increase the price of a dated condo that needs a reno with staging.
It's been mentioned on some other threads but there are programs you can use that "stage" the photos so people will have some sense of what it looks like furnished from the photos, but then you show the actual space empty. Since chances are that most buyers will be looking to do a reno on the unit, so empty is better for them, they will want to get a good look at what needs to be done, take measurements, etc.
The key is make sure it's clean, clean, clean. Even dated fixtures will show nicely when they are super clean. Wash the walls, too.
You're selling square footage, which is why you stage with as few pieces of furniture and decoration as possible. When the place is cluttered with stuff, the potential buyers can't picture their own stuff in the place.
Make it look as spacious as possible and have it cleaned, including all fixtures and behind and under all furniture and appliances. Pack up nick nacks. Eliminate excess furniture. New bed coverings and new towels put out for showings and otherwise unused. No cooking odors. New door mat. Fix any torn screens or anything else that's broken.
Are you expected to to foot the entire bill for the staging? If so, will your broker guarantee that the house will bring in at least that much more in profit net to you or will it just make it easier for the broker to sell more quickly so s/he can go on to the next listing?
I live in a building with a lot of dated units. Realtors here want the unit pristine, not just clean, including old carpeting, wood work wiped down and all dings in the wall repaired. They don't stage a bedroom but they do lightly furnish the living and dining area, place new towels in the bathrooms. If there are heavy drapes they go, windows are washed inside and out so the unit is bright. The unit next to me is for sale and the stagers created a living room sitting arrangement and a dining table with 4 chairs, hung a couple cute pictures and put a bench at the entry (we are in a community where people don't wear street shoes in the house).
If your parent's furniture is old and dirty don't use it.
Spend money on the cleaning first and hold them to a high standard, hire a handy-person to fix dings, make sure the light fixtures work - maybe replace light bulbs. That could easily cost $1t where you live. Whether or not it is cost effective to hire a stager depends on the price point of the unit. Remember each month the unit stays on the market you are spending $ on accrued property taxes and HOAs. Ask your realtor about stagers, maybe go see a couple of their work. Ask what they charge. $1.5t for a $500t unit is chump change in the scheme of things.
i sold a condo in S. Cal and my agent staged it for free for me (especially since i'm now long distance). when i was looking to purchase a couple of years ago, we ended up purchasing an old home with the worst color scheme ever. but it didn't matter b/c it was a seller's market and i could see the potential. i guess i'm saying if you're in a hot area it prob won't matter too much and i agree remove all the excess but keep the furniture there b/c furniture makes a place look bigger.
The key is make sure it's clean, clean, clean. Even dated fixtures will show nicely when they are super clean. Wash the walls, too.
You're selling square footage, which is why you stage with as few pieces of furniture and decoration as possible. When the place is cluttered with stuff, the potential buyers can't picture their own stuff in the place.
Good luck.
Exactly.
We looked at a house that was built in the 1970s. It had ALL original flooring etc.
And it was spotless. Ridiculously clean. We liked the house, but not the location (neighbor appeared to have some kind of buisiness that involved a few trucks, so we nixed the house). Because everything was so clean we assumed (right or wrong) that the owners had taken very very good care of the house, and that an issues were probably nipped on the bud/fixed along the way. The tile floors were very pretty.
Clean clean clean. Maybe a fresh coat of paint. That's it.
I'm selling my parents' 3BR condo in Southern California. On another forum a few people said having it professionally staged makes a place sell better and higher.
This makes sense to me when the staging is very well done, although my parents place is mostly all original. Only upgrades are tile and carpet. Still, staging would look 5X better than their old furniture.
Still these stagings will cost about $1500- $2k.
The market there is good and the place will sell no matter what. I'm just trying to do right by my parents. I know it's hard to predict the value of this, but opinions are appreciated.
Why not stage it yourself with used cheaply acquired furnishings....or what your parents already have. Watch some you tube videos, or look online for ideas. You can always donate the furnishings to a charity that will pick them up free after the home is sold.
Remember, less is more....simple, uncluttered. Simply use the basic furniture to define what each room is used for. Easy.
There were several youtube videos on "How to stage your home for sale" Here are just a few.
Super clean and as empty as possible is good enough in a decent market where all the inventory in the neighborhood is the same, like condos or very cookie cutter subdivisions. Staging will help if it’s a tough market or an unusual property, I think, but in this case I wouldn’t bother. Clean as a pin, right down to some wall washing it there are ghosted studs and cobwebs removal, will sell as good or better as staging. Carpet cleaning and grout scrubbing/caulk repair isn’t amiss either.
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