When it comes to selling your home, you want to make an outstanding impression with buyers – and one of the ways to achieve that is by staging. However, not all sellers choose to stage their spaces and, in some instances, they opt to list their vacant homes for sale.
There are some challenges with this approach, and it can make it harder to attract buyers to a listing. Here’s what you should consider when deciding to sell a vacant home:
1. Buyers can’t make an emotional connection
Maybe it’s a relaxing master ensuite, a gourmet-inspired kitchen or a play area for kids to use their imaginations. Either way, buyers want to be able to feel that a space is somewhere that they can call their own and make memories. These types of emotional connections can be harder to develop in a home that feels empty, stark and cold.
2. Imperfections are emphasized
Showcasing your rooms with furniture and décor can highlight the best parts of your home and detract from the areas that need finessing. By leaving your home vacant, imperfections, like worn carpets, older windows, scratched hardwoods and tired paint, take precedence and can impart a less-than-desirable impression with buyers.
3. Spaces lack definition
Many homes now feature open-concept layouts, which can feel like vast empty spaces without a defined purpose when left bare. By staging a living room, dining room or bedroom for its intended purpose, buyers will have a better idea of how they can use and enjoy the home. This is especially important for homes that have a unique layout, like a loft space or bonus room.
4. Buyers can’t envision potential
Staging is one of the best ways for buyers to visualize themselves living in a home, as existing furnishings and décor can help them gauge how their furniture and belongings will work in a space. By listing a home vacant, buyers may have a harder time envisioning how they can create a liveable space.
5. Rooms may appear smaller
Believe it or not, a vacant space may appear smaller than a furnished space because it lacks the perspective that furnishings can provide. Seeing a three-seater couch, dining room suite or a king-size bed in a room will show buyers what furniture can fit, making it easier for them to see themselves living in the home.
Final Thoughts
If you are deciding between listing your vacant home for sale or taking the time to have it staged, it is highly recommended that you consider staging the main areas of your home so that you make a better impression with buyers. Chances are you'll sell faster and for a higher price.
To learn more about my comprehensive home selling service, please contact me, Deborah Clerk, Real Estate Sales Representative, ASA with Keller Williams Realty Solutions, Brokerage in Mississauga, Ontario.
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