Rhondabee Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 DH and I literally stumbled upon a foreclosed home last week that has the exact floor plan that just a few years ago we said, "OH, if we could *ever* get a house like this..." So, to help our current home sell as quickly as possible, do we leave some things here? (Yes, I *am* thinking of the red crayon that got smushed by the armchair and the fact that said armchair hides the resulting red stain on the carpet very well. ;)) But, DH says homes sell much faster if they're completely empty. What does the hive say? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricia Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 We were going to put our house on the market about 2 years ago. A realtor came from Coldwell and basically told us to strip it. We have 12 children and at the time we had 10 had home. Now we do well with not being crowded because I can't handle it so it wasn't bad. But that is what he said he suggested for everyone. So we rented a locker. Then we changed our mind on selling. I think with it as bare as possible people can really see "opportunity" in it. Hope this helps.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 But, DH says homes sell much faster if they're completely empty. I'm a former realtor, and though I'm sure your dh is right about many things, he's mistaken in this case. Empty houses sell more slowly than furnished, decorated homes. However, the furnishings and decor need to be simple and tasteful. That may very well mean removing a lot of stuff, and rearranging what's left to best play up the features of the home (and hide the red stains on the carpet -- which will eventually need to be disclosed to a potential buyer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 When we were thinking of leaving our house bare, the realtor told us to leave *something* in it to give buyers a sense of proportion. She said if there's a chair or table in each room it's easier for people to tell how furniture will really fit. So the chair could stay, according to our realtor, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Staging sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Very simple. My mom is a realtor extrodinaire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Staging sells. Absolutely! And empty houses don't. Many people have no ability to imagine so if you give them an empty room they have no clue what it would look like furnished. You need to paint the picture for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 where a staging expert comes in and helps a homeowner present his house to sell. In almost every home, the keys are to declutter/simplify and to remove personalization. So, for instance, a few general pieces of art are okay, but take down the family photo gallery lining the hallway. The one time I saw an empty house, they brought in items so that people could imagine how it might be furnished. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Our realtor told us, as Janet in WA said, to leave a smaller amount of things in so it feels like a home (the potential buyers can see themselves sitting in that chair, etc.), it doesn't look cluttered, which helps make the house seem more roomy, and the cleanliness can attract people too. Leave the drapes/blinds open to bring in the light. Oh, and they also said to take out personal pictures--some other pics can stay, but you want them to see THEMSELVES in the house, not you! Also, before a buyer comes, do something to help the home smell fresh and clean. A cinnamon or flowery smell is good. Best wishes, I hope it works out for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I've heard a rule of thumb that said to remove 1/3rd of the furniture in every room (within reason, of course). And, remove all personal items (photos, collections, etc). Leave a few pieces of furniture, and a few accents, to show off the room's potential. If you have any multi-purpose rooms, choose a single purpose, and stage it accordingly. What I've always done (and I've sold both of our last houses within two weeks) was imagine each room in a home interior magazine, and tried to produce something photo-worthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 In our case, we spent a small fortune staging our house and had no bites. We moved and left it bare and it sold. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Oh, thank you, ladies! I knew you all would know what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 If you have pretty, fresh, neutral furnishings, leave them in. If you have my furniture, on the other hand, the house would be better naked. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Weird. I should have read this post before posting mine above on how to stage a home to sell. :) Teresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I agree with all of the ladies who have said to stage it and remove personal items. Imagine a model home or apartment. They have very neautral furnishings and decor. Not too traditional or too modern. Remove all of your personal items - photos, collections, and any religious items such as crosses or anything like that. Silly as it may be, someone may be turned off by knowing your family or your families beliefs. Of course clean top to bottom. Another good tip is if you have a showing or an open house - bake some cookies! Anytime your house smells yummy it makes it even more enticing! Also, let a lot of natural light in. If you have a lot of curtains or blinds, open them all up to flood it with as much natural light as possible. It makes it feel more open and airy. Good luck! Also, check out some grants in your area. Some states are offering grants for purchasing a foreclosure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 When we were thinking of leaving our house bare, the realtor told us to leave *something* in it to give buyers a sense of proportion. She said if there's a chair or table in each room it's easier for people to tell how furniture will really fit. So the chair could stay, according to our realtor, anyway. Ditto. Empty rooms really do look smaller because there's nothing there for people to compare the size to. This house we just bought looked large in during the viewings but when we did our final walkthrough and it was empty I was struck by how much smaller it seemed and even had worries about whether some furniture would fit. A bed and ide table in the bedrooms. A sofa and chair in the living room, all neat enought to look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I'm a former realtor, and though I'm sure your dh is right about many things, he's mistaken in this case. Empty houses sell more slowly than furnished, decorated homes. However, the furnishings and decor need to be simple and tasteful. That may very well mean removing a lot of stuff, and rearranging what's left to best play up the features of the home (and hide the red stains on the carpet -- which will eventually need to be disclosed to a potential buyer). Absolutely! A completely empty house sometimes is a smaller house! You put furniture in there and they can get a better feel for size. Doesn't have to be a lot, but simplicity is best. Stripped isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Oh, I was so glad you posted! The more help, the better. Lots of luck with yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Of course clean top to bottom. Another good tip is if you have a showing or an open house - bake some cookies! Anytime your house smells yummy it makes it even more enticing! Also, let a lot of natural light in. If you have a lot of curtains or blinds, open them all up to flood it with as much natural light as possible. It makes it feel more open and airy. :iagree: Clean everything - walls, bathrooms, cupboards, floors, carpets - all those little splatters you stopped noticing long ago. And right before a showing, let in as much light as possible and bake something! When we sold our last house, I baked bread or brownies before each showing, and left them sitting on the counter in the kitchen. I also put a tablecloth on the kitchen table with a vase of flowers. Clean, smells homey, and feels pleasant and light! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I think it goes both ways. I have bought and re-sold 2 homes. The first one didn't sell until I moved and it had been striped...however, I think this is as much because we were picky about when we showed the house while we still lived there because I had a young child at the time and I worked full time and so did my ex-h. So, when it was empty, it got more traffic and sold. The last house I sold, we kept it furnished and, apparently, the decor was what sold the woman on the house. We sold it in 4 days after putting it on the market! She walked in and loved my decor, bought the house, and then called me to ask where I got my furniture so she could duplicate the look! LOL So...it just depends. Is your house decorated beautifully, or is it a hodge podge? It is neutrals? Or is it bright orange with green curtains? KWIM? I think it depends on LOTS of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I love this idea...once we viewed a house where they left pictures on the dining room table. The pics were of the front yard during the four seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 It depends on the looker really. We are just waiting to close on our current house in 13 days, but when it was on the market we tried to keep it clean and neat. We put so much in boxes in the attic to give it a more spacious look, I would wipe down all surfaces, we would leave a 1/2 hour before people were coming to look in order to get the dog smell to dissipate (we took the dog with us), and on and on. The people that bought it arrived early when we were in the middle of making 75 cupcakes, the kitchen was a mess, the toys were all over the house, the dog was barking, the kids were screaming, the sidewalk had chalk drawings covering it, and so on and so on. The buyers fell in love with the fact that kids could really enjoy the house, because they have 2 young kids. We got our asking price too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 You can stage some areas pretty cheaply...I know someone who stacked boxes full of books into the shape of a bed, and covered it with a nice thick blanket/bedspread (including pillow & sheets). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey in MA Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Our house sold very quickly a few years ago. We still had all the main furniture in it, but NO clutter - ZERO. And SUPER clean - beyond anything I've even kept as regular living! FWIW, (not to rock the boat, but....) we rent now, and I'm always looking for new houses so that when the time comes to buy we'll know where to look. I personally actually prefer EMPTY houses. I can mentally work the space around much better when other people's stuff isn't in the way. I know exactly what I want and how I'd use different spaces, and I'd rather SEE them empty. I also worry that furniture is hiding any damage or dirt or something. I guess that's just the exception though, not the rule. Most people say keep it furnished. GOod luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 I dislike staged homes. However, a left over couch or just a bed in a bedroom is what I actually prefer. Nothing much can hide, but you still get a feel for size! That's different from being furnished or staged and different from being empty in a way that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 In our case, the guy who bought our house was the one who saw it the day before we moved. Boxes everywhere, stacked to the ceiling, furniture in the hallways... Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I prefer to see a house empty. Plus if you can move out and clean, paint, wash out cabinets and steam clean the carpets it will show very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Well, HGTV says that homes sell better if they are staged! They need to be completely free of clutter, but still contain nice, minimal furniture arrangements and art, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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