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My feeling is that home builders wouldn't spend the amount they spend to stage model homes if that wasn't giving them an advantage when selling. Although I guess that an unoccupied but staged home is a third category that is separate from vacant vs. occupied and seeing the reminders of someone else actually *living* there isn't the same thing as seeing a home that is tastefully but minimally furnished and decorated to give some inspiration as to what a new buyer could do with it.
In any case, if you've already paid to have the walls all patched and painted, I would not start putting a lot of artwork back up. Maybe a very few things just to keep it from looking barren, although I might try to pick out lighter weight decor and use Command hooks rather than putting new holes into the walls.
Planning to sell the house, so did a full interior paint job. All the wall art was taken down and nail holes filled in. Same with window treatments. We were planning to sell vacant but now we’re having second thoughts. Everything looks so blah without the added color so if not vacant it wouldn’t look right without re-hanging everything.
What is the current thinking on this? Do vacant houses sell well? Or do buyers really lack ability to envision basic furniture placement and potential?
So three possible scenarios. One is to sell when vacant. Two is to sell with furniture still in place while decor is packed in one of the rooms. And three is to attempt to put everything back for optimal presentation. Walls are freshly painted gray, of course. Putting everything back on the walls means lots of nail and screw holes...and labor.
At this point if you have it cleaned and painted, I'd choose Option One.
Nice staging can help, but clean and fresh is never wrong.
I've said before, sometimes it's nice to leave a kitchen table and chairs so that if people want to linger and talk about it, they can. If there is NO PLACE to sit anywhere, people tend to get in, get back out, they don't linger. Some people can't stand long periods so they don't stand there and talk. Sitting and talking is usually a good thing you may not want to rush. You can even leave a binder on the table with house information, or flyers people can take with them.
Also, if you want people to remove shoes or put booties on, leave a bench for them to sit on to do that. Not everyone can safely do this without being able to sit. A little side table with a sign to use booties that are in a basket, with a little bench next to it, by the door or on the porch, will work nicely.
At this point if you have it cleaned and painted, I'd choose Option One.
Nice staging can help, but clean and fresh is never wrong.
I've said before, sometimes it's nice to leave a kitchen table and chairs so that if people want to linger and talk about it, they can. If there is NO PLACE to sit anywhere, people tend to get in, get back out, they don't linger. Some people can't stand long periods so they don't stand there and talk. Sitting and talking is usually a good thing you may not want to rush. You can even leave a binder on the table with house information, or flyers people can take with them.
Also, if you want people to remove shoes or put booties on, leave a bench for them to sit on to do that. Not everyone can safely do this without being able to sit. A little side table with a sign to use booties that are in a basket, with a little bench next to it, by the door or on the porch, will work nicely.
No bench? No chair? Imma walkin until I find a good sitting spot.
I have sat on kitchen islands to get shoes or booties on or off.
Honestly.
If it is a serious request, sellers will make provisions.
So three posible scenarios. One is to sell when vacant. Two is to sell with furniture still in place while decor is packed in one of the rooms. And three is to attempt to put everything back for optimal presentation. Walls are freshly painted gray, of course. Putting everything back on the walls means lots of nail and screw holes...and labor.
Don't pack a room with decor. Move it to a storage unit. People want to see the entire space. I prefer vacant homes. I can actually see the space not cluttered up with the owner's stuff. If you did put anything back I would NOT put holes in the walls. Use 3M Command Hooks. No need to hang up anything that screws into a wall.
My feeling is that home builders wouldn't spend the amount they spend to stage model homes if that wasn't giving them an advantage when selling. Although I guess that an unoccupied but staged home is a third category that is separate from vacant vs. occupied and seeing the reminders of someone else actually *living* there isn't the same thing as seeing a home that is tastefully but minimally furnished and decorated to give some inspiration as to what a new buyer could do with it.
In any case, if you've already paid to have the walls all patched and painted, I would not start putting a lot of artwork back up. Maybe a very few things just to keep it from looking barren, although I might try to pick out lighter weight decor and use Command hooks rather than putting new holes into the walls.
They stage homes to sell entire communities. They RARELY stage a house that isn't being used as a showcase home. If you tour new housing developments the only ones staged are their model homes. The houses that are completed and waiting for a buyer are not staged. The model homes are used as offices and are used for years. Some developments use them for 10 years! They have on display different upgrades available for a reason.
At this point if you have it cleaned and painted, I'd choose Option One.
Nice staging can help, but clean and fresh is never wrong.
I've said before, sometimes it's nice to leave a kitchen table and chairs so that if people want to linger and talk about it, they can. If there is NO PLACE to sit anywhere, people tend to get in, get back out, they don't linger. Some people can't stand long periods so they don't stand there and talk. Sitting and talking is usually a good thing you may not want to rush. You can even leave a binder on the table with house information, or flyers people can take with them.
Also, if you want people to remove shoes or put booties on, leave a bench for them to sit on to do that. Not everyone can safely do this without being able to sit. A little side table with a sign to use booties that are in a basket, with a little bench next to it, by the door or on the porch, will work nicely.
Until I became deathly ill - literally - I had no idea how many people struggle with standing for long periods of time. I have an autoimmune disease and it's progressing rapidly. You can't tell looking at me. You can't tell that I struggle to walk and stand and am slowly becoming disabled. So few homes have a chair to sit on. I can't imagine house hunting nowadays with my issues.
And yes in the past I have seen baskets of booties but nowhere to sit and put them on. My own realtor said F that. We kept our shoes on without the booties. If you want them used then you have to give people a place to sit down. Also understand that there maybe disabled folks who can't do it and just deal with it. You're selling your house not a museum.
Until I became deathly ill - literally - I had no idea how many people struggle with standing for long periods of time. I have an autoimmune disease and it's progressing rapidly. You can't tell looking at me. You can't tell that I struggle to walk and stand and am slowly becoming disabled. So few homes have a chair to sit on. I can't imagine house hunting nowadays with my issues.
And yes in the past I have seen baskets of booties but nowhere to sit and put them on. My own realtor said F that. We kept our shoes on without the booties. If you want them used then you have to give people a place to sit down. Also understand that there maybe disabled folks who can't do it and just deal with it. You're selling your house not a museum.
Yes, to all this! You're not the only one. And it can be a safety issue to ask for people to hop around trying to put on booties with nothing to hang on to. Good for people to think about.
Last edited by Diana Holbrook; 07-14-2021 at 12:38 PM..
You just went to all the expense/trouble to repair the walls. Why damage them all over again? Hint: everyone knows the house is being shown for sale, not a decorator magazine article .
I had a neighbor looking to sell. Very meticulous guy but the colors were late 90s. Realtor says lets repaint, guy says lets list it as is and got a full price offer on day one.
The only thing that I think needs to get removed are animal heads and overly religious things. I had a buddy looking to sell a house he had owned 35 years (he built it new). They were painting the garage floor, sanding/painting the front doors, doing everything to spruce it up yet had 35 yr old purple deep shag carpet in the master bedroom. I told him the house was going to likely get gutted so make it clean but don't go crazy. Sold in a week to a young guy.
Young guy dropped off 2 dumpsters and gutted the whole house (doors/windows/roof included).
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