Tips for Staging a Vacant Home

Selling a vacant home requires a little more attention to detail than if you are still living in the home.  Hiring a professional stager to bring in furniture will help you sell your home faster and for more money. But if that is not in the budget, here are the best tips for staging a vacant home from Myra Jensen at BRIX Real Estate.

1. Paint – When a home is empty, buyers will notice every little mark on the wall.  Hire a professional (this is not the time for a novice paint job) to paint the rooms a warm color – and keep it to one neutral color throughout. My favorite color right now is Modern Gray by Sherwin Willams

2. Stick with a Theme – Every house has a “feel” to it.  No matter what that feel is, run with it and promote it to the buyer.  Don’t have one room with a “country” feel and one contemporary.  If you home is a farmhouse – stick with that farmhouse feel – don’t try to make your home something it’s not, buyers will just be confused.

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3. The Kitchen – Kitchens and baths sell homes – make sure the kitchen in your home feels cozy and comfortable.  Highlight a breakfast bar by adding stools and placemats.

PLEASE DO NOT decorate your table with formal china, napkins and wine goblets, unless you have a million dollar home with a very formal diningroom.  A bright table runner or placemats will do the trick.  Typically I say no to table cloths, because they are too distracting.  

Put a rug in front of the sink  – to help the buyer imagine themselves standing there.  One or two decorative items are plenty in this space.  I do suggest highlighting over the cabinet space by placing one or two items there if it’s not too distracting.

4. The Bathroom – Make sure your bathroom is sparkling clean, and keep that toilet seat down for photos andshowings.  Add a fluffy rug and a couple hand towels.  If you do not have a shower door, a contemporary looking shower curtain (new, not a dingy old plastic one) will add a lot to the bathroom.

5. Provide seating – If a buyer is comfortable enough to sit down in a house, they are comfortable enough to buy it.   If you have a great porch or deck, let the buyer get comfortable by providing seating – we love Adirondack chairs for that purpose.  And a kitchen table is a plus to provide the buyer with a place to write the purchase agreement!

6. Snow Removal and Lawn Care – You may not be at the home, but you will still need to maintain your home. Make sure you hire snow removal and lawn care professionals that will attend to the home on a weekly basis.

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Follow these tips for staging a vacant home and your listing photos will look amazing, and buyers will be ready to move right in!  Contact us for more information on listing your home for sale and to schedule your free consultation.