A living room in a vacant home staged with a modern wood coffee table, beige area rug, wall art, and grey loveseat

Vacant Home Staging

A vacant home frequently lacks definition and appears smaller than it actually is. Vacant home staging makes an emotional connection with a buyer both in-person and through the realty listing images by allowing them to see the possibilities of a home. Furniture and decor appropriate for the area can help buyers visualize their own items in the house. In short, home staging is an essential step to take when selling a vacant home.

Is Home Staging Really Worth It?

A frequently asked question is whether it’s necessary to stage a vacant house for sale. The quick response is YES! 

An empty property is known to be more difficult to sell for a variety of reasons. Below are just a few examples: 

  • Vacant homes appear smaller 
  • An empty home’s flaws will be evident to buyers 
  • Unoccupied homes draw burglars 
A vacant home staging of an office space with a traditional brown writing desk, accent lamps, wall art, and a faux tree
Image Credit: First Impression Home Staging 
Before spending money on home staging, do as much improvement work as possible, such as patching drywall cracks and removing carpet stains. Home staging can’t always address severe visual problems. 

Here is why you should stage a vacant home: 

Staged Homes Sell Quickly And Make More Money

Homes that were staged sold almost nine days quicker than the typical days on the market, according to a survey of more than 4,000 properties. On average, staged homes sold $40,000 over the listing price. 

Staging Facilitates Buyers' Visualization

Home staging may assist potential buyers in visualizing themselves in the property while also helping to present the home in its best light. Purchasers like seeing how a space appears and functions, especially after a move-out or before a home has ever been owned. 

What Does A Home Stager Do?

The first step in optimizing the ability of your property to be sold is hiring a professional home stager, whether the home is inhabited or vacant. The possibilities are endless when you hire a professional stager. 

In Episode 6 of Design Time: From the Floor Up, expert home stager Sherrie Medeiros of First Impression Home Staging explains the myriad of home staging essentials she offers. 

“We have 5000 square feet of warehouse inventory. We’ve got furniture, art, accessories, area rugs, lamps, floor lamps… There’s a lot of stuff here. This year, we maxed out at about 23 houses of furniture,” Medeiros mentions.

Vacant home staging experts like Medeiros will:

  • Work with you to discuss the needs of your space and design a strategy for transforming your empty house into a buyer’s ideal residence. 
  • Use the furniture, accessories, and artwork in their warehouse as needed. 
  • Utilize the art of staging to effectively and tastefully select the ideal items to add character and distinction while raising the perceived worth of your property.

Remember that buyers are purchasing a dream, not simply a house. When choosing a home stager, consider the location, size, price range of the house, and the rooms that need to be staged. These elements heavily influence the cost of home staging. 
A vacant home staging of a modern master bedroom suite with black furniture and blue and white accent decor
Image Credit: First Impression Home Staging 

How Do You Stage An Empty House?

The best home characteristics can be highlighted in multiple ways by sellers who stage their houses. 

Employ an Expert Home Stager

You can hire a professional to stage your vacant property if you live far away or need more time to do it yourself. Staging an entire house typically costs around $2,000 per month or higher, depending on the required furniture.   

However, if you can’t afford to spend too much money, you can request that the home stager concentrates on the most significant rooms. The living room, kitchen, and master bedroom are where buyers spend the most time. Outfitting these rooms can increase your property’s likelihood of selling without breaking the bank. According to research, buyers deemed staging the living room to be highly significant (46%), followed by staging the master suite (43%) and kitchen (35%). 

Soft Home Staging

Soft staging is a less expensive service that many seasoned stagers provide. To warm up your property and increase its appeal to potential buyers, they will bring items like carpets, paintings, mirrors, and accent lamps. 

Virtual Home Staging

Virtual staging is a different approach to making your property appear more inviting. This type of home staging involves adding furnishings to the listing images. Although this approach is less expensive than hiring a staging company, the results might not be as good. Because the house isn’t adorned, potential buyers may still have a wrong impression after visiting the property in person. 

A vacant home staging of a contemporary living room with fireplace, blue accent chairs, grey loveseat, and other home staging essentials
Image Credit: First Impression Home Staging 

DIY Home Staging: Should I Stage My Home By Myself?

Doing your own staging is an additional approach to save money. You might be able to decorate your home without spending any money if you borrow extra furniture from friends and family.  

However, if you don’t have much decorating experience, you should schedule a meeting with a qualified stager to seek guidance on decorating your home. Make sure the furnishings you choose are stylish because poor decor can hurt your house more than it helps and might reduce the sale price.

Locate a Real Estate Agent That Offers Home Staging

Staging expenses are typically not covered by real estate agents. The owner of the home is often responsible for the cost of staging. However, some real estate agents will prepare your property or contribute funds to help you pay for expert staging services.   

Try browsing UpNest if you’re searching for a real estate agent that will go above and beyond to sell your home. Regardless of whether you decide to stage your house, this network can assist you in connecting with top local agents who can help you sell your home. 

Author

  • Sarah Dyer

    Sarah is the Communications Manager at Floorily. With a strong background in digital marketing, she develops strategies and marketing material to help grow and promote Floorily. In her free time, Sarah enjoys camping, hiking, and being a passenger on flights flown by her aviator husband.

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