Say you’re looking to buy a house (or condo or summer cabin, etc.).
Would you prefer to look at it empty or furnished?
We’re getting ready to sell our house. The layout is unusual, but we’ve adapted to it. I’m afraid if we show it empty, a buyer might not be able to see the possibilities.
Would appreciate your opinion. (And if you’re looking to move to north central Iowa, could we talk?)
I prefer it to be furnished. It gives a good idea of exactly what you can fit in a room, plus sometimes some decorating hints as well.
Furnished, but slightly so that others can see possibilities. Be sure to take down the leopard print drapes.
Empty. I’ve got more than enough furniture to choke a horse. Unless it’s really cool cottage furniture.
Just ignore me, I’m raving.
I’m convinced that we got the deal we did on our house mainly because it had been empty for several months before we saw it, and the previous owners were of another culture and had rather different ideas about interior design (particularly wallpaper) than what you commonly find. While I’m sure the fixed decor was part of the problem, I suspect that the fact that it was empty had the biggest effect. The family room, which seems quite cozy and even at times a bit cramped with our furniture in it, felt like a six-lane bowling alley when we looked at the house, and lots of other parts required some imagination to see possibilities in, though in terms of the floor plan the house is as conventional as they come.
We paid $25K less than the original asking price, or about $30K below the typical sale price in the neighborhood, for a house that had a new roof, new a/c compressor, new hot water heater, new dishwasher, new range, new carpets throughout and new flooring in the kitchen, recent interior and exterior paint job, etc. In short, everything about the house that could be expected to be needed between 15-20 years after construction had already been done, except for the furnace (which is still alive and kicking three years later). The liveable area was a few square feet smaller than the average in our neighborhood, but the lot size was well above average. The home inspector and our agent could offer no explanation for the fact that the house had been on the market for six months and had been reduced in price five times except that it was empty for all but the first month on the market and that some of the wallpaper was bit funky.
I don’t think I’d ever want to have to sell a house empty, particularly one that’s at all idiosyncratic.
I prefer to see it empty, so I can see what I really get.
But since you’re selling, I’d recommend you show it furnished, clean, reeking of loving family with a plate of cookies on the table.
Aren’t there any real estate agents on this board? I read an article in the local Real Estate News that recommended showing the house lightly and strategically furnished because this aids the viewers to picture their own furniture in the house. And careful with the cookies, any kind of odours, including food odours, is a subliminal turn-off.
No kidding? I’m a freak for Yankee Candles and had planned to keep the place reeking of Eucalyptus. Guess I won’t do that, but I don’t think I can achieve a no-smell house. (Two cats, dog, smoker.)
I’m spazzing out on some stuff though – will someone see our Vikings memorabilia and think they’re dealing with complete idiots?
Thanks for the suggestions. Lightly furnished is how we’ll go. If you’re passing through and need a slightly worn leather recliner, free, please stop.
On average, houses that are shown furnished sell faster then comparable houses that are shown empty.
Then again, houses that are shown on sunny days have a higher chance of having a offer placed on them then houses shown on gloomy days.
People are fickle. My mother is a realtor, and she thinks that potential buyers find empty houses depressing. They also tend to seem dim and dingy (fewer lights)
The main suggestions made by my mother’s firm are:
Clean out CLUTTER!!!
Remove all unnecessary itmes (like out of season clothes) closets, orgainze things in areas like closets, basements, and attics to make the space look as big as possible. Storage space is a major issue in the decisions of many home buyers. If at all possible pack as much of the unnecessary stuff as possible and move it out of the house (the new place is good if possible… otherwise, bribe a relative, or rent a storage unit). Also a good time to remove things that may be offensive or unsettling to people (no matter how much you like the moosehead above the mantle… it may be time to take it down and replace it with a cheap neutral type picture from Walmart)
Keep rooms relatively clean ALL the TIME. Despite what the agents will tell you, you will not always have a lot of notice when potential buyers want to look at a house. You have the right to refuse… but if you refuse, you could be excluding a potential buyer. If you have kids, nag them until they pick up toys when they are not using them… or do it yourself. The neater a house is, the bigger it will look.
Also, take a bit of special effort to clean appliances that will be going with the house, (oven, fridge, washer dryer… what ever…) if these look as clean and “new” as possible it will have a good impact on your asking price)
The cleaning thing also goes for out door areas like flower beds and walkways, keep things swept and weeded, and if the flower beds are looking a bit bare, buy a flat of cheap colorful flowers and stick them in the ground… or mulch the beds… this also makes the property look neat and well cared for. MOW THE GRASS BEFORE it really NEEDS it!!!
And finally, if the house doesn’t seem to be selling as fast as you had hoped, check the curb appeal… pull up in fromt of your house at night, and look at it compared to the others in your neighborhood… little things like painting the front door, or changing your outside lights to brighter bulbs can make a big difference. Also, as long as the “sale” sign is in your yard… leave your outside lights on, at least until you go to bed… may people looking for house drive around after work… if your house looks good, let them see it!
Hope that helps somewhat… If you are listing your house with a real estate agency, they can provide you with lists of tips like this.
Good Luck!
-Pandora
I found that keeping my house furnished while I was showing it was a real plus. The female half of the couple just loved the way it was decorated and it gave them ideas on where things could be placed in case they bought the house. And we all know women have the final answer on this big decision!
I work, so I had to schedule appointments for potential buyers to tour the house in the evening, but made sure almost all the lights were on; showing it in the evening seemed to make the house “cozier.” Must have worked since I sold it in four days.
Good Luck!
I seem to have read a lot of articles lately about people who’s job is to get houses ready for sale in the ways you are asking about. I know that there have been several articles in the New York Times in the Home section (Thursday) in the past year or so. Of course, these stylists mainly work on multi-million dollar places…but you can use their ideas. The difference in sale price once a house has been “styled” for sale is quite astonishing.
Apparently, the key is for the house to be furnished, and it should look like people live there. But it should not necessarily look like YOU live there. Rather, the house should imply a lovely lifestyle that may not be exactly your lovely lifestyle. You want people to be able to “project” themselves into the house–to imagine themselves living there.
Some of these ideas have been mentioned above, but here are some I remember:
–Get rid of clutter. Now is the time to get rid of the stuff that you have been meaning to get rid of. Stuff that you want to keep, but can live without for a few months, pack up and move it off-site. Less stuff in the house will make it seem bigger.
–Remove anything that is TOO idiosyncratic. Box up the Vikings stuff. If you have hundreds of family photos, remove some, and leave a few. Also, remove anything that might turn potential buyers off–your Montana Militia magazines, stacks of Jehovah’s Witness literature, sex toys.
–Add some “accessories,” like fresh flowers in a vase, a book on the nightstand. You want to suggest that life in your house is relaxed and enjoyable.
–Spruce it up. Steam-clean the carpets (this will help reduce the smoke/dog odor), polish the woodwork, plant some flowers. A weekend of work could pay off handsomely in a quick sale and a higher price.
My husband and I got a real bargain on our house because it had been on the market a long time. I think potential buyers were instantly turned off by a few things–like the fact that the whole house smelled like ferrets. We were imaginative enough to see past these things, and we were willing to take the time and trouble to remedy them. (We ripped out the wall-to-wall carpet and the ferret smell went with it.)
But most people don’t want a “fixer-upper”–so do what you can to make the place as instantly appealing as possible.
Good luck!
How bad do you want to sell it? Cecil has reported on the custom of burying a religious statue upside down in your front lawn. Are you that desperate?
I think the best thing you can do is make sure the front yard and entryway are very nice looking. That first impression will carry you the rest of the way during the tour of the house.
Good luck and let us know how things turn out.
The house will sell - there is no doubt. I say this because I have read your other posts, and someone so kind must surely have a home filled with love. Anyone who sees this will want to buy the place.
As for other details, excellent advice here already - furnished lightly, clean and bright, neat around the entrance. The smells are better off gone, but say for instance you had a pie baking in the oven - this kind of aroma will definately help.
Good Luck, and I hope your new place is nice too.
Sili
Good luck selling your house. Just wanted to get that out of the way first.
To answer your original question, I have to weenie out and say it depends on the buyer. My wife and I bought our house in October, and were actually sold on it before we even saw the interior. Well, practically. We live in suburban New York City, and a lot of the houses are Baby Boomer Post WWII era developments. But we both like funky, older houses with little quirks and more individuality to them.
When the house was listed, we made an appointment with the realtor to see it, then we both had occasion to drive by it (separately, at different times). We both fell in love with the location and the exterior appearance (it has a screened-in front porch, which we both wanted in the worst way. My wife said she was even moved to tears by it. And we both thought, “If it’s as nice inside as it is outside, it’s the place for us.”
The place was completely devoid of all furnishings when we looked at it, but that didn’t really make a difference. We could imagine our furniture in each room, and we weren’t too far wrong, when it comes to that.
That’s why I say I think it depends on the buyer. Some people are going to be able to visualize themselves and their furnishings in a room whether it’s furnished or not, and other people won’t be able to visualize their furniture in a place until they actually get their furniture into the place.
Good luck again.
sili, how nice of you to say that! Thank you. And you’re invited to the housewarming at the new place.
Okay then, smoke outside (I’m taking Zyban now anyway, so this will work out fine), more plants and flowers around the entry (we just poured a new sidewalk too), the Vikings stuff goes in a box, clear out the closets and the pantry, scrub down the appliances, no Eucalyptus, the altar to Satan can be disguised as a bread machine.
There goes my weekend.
You guys are tops. Practical, do-able suggestions – just what I needed. Thank you!!!
Just as a complete sidebar hijack (doesn’t that sound like a gymnastic move?) , but semi-related in a non linear way:
Since we are the first owners of our house, I’ve always thought that putting a little photo album of what the area looked like, the construction, the first owners ( dopey and clueless) and any other history for the house and property, into a book to give/pass along to the next owners ( who will probably be our kids.) in hopes they do the same with pictures and a little family history. You know, personalize the place.
If we ever did sell, the prospective home owners could look through it and see that it’s not just another little house. It’s a slice of us.
Good Luck cleaning!
Shirley, nice hijack! That’s a wonderful idea. Wish someone would have done that with our current house. Might solve the mystery of the floor plan!
A friend just finished renovating a kitchen in a Victorian home – there was a place on the wall behind the cupboards where the cabinetmaker had carved his name and the date.
When we moved in here, we found a photograph of a little boy standing on the front porch – from the way he was dressed, it looked like it was taken in the 40’s. Wonder who he was, and if he’s still alive.
How nice it would be to know some history of the places we live in, and having photos would be even better.