The project is finally done after months of hard work. Now that it’s time to sell, should you take the time to invest in staging an empty house? The experts say “definitely”! Studies from Realtor.com indicate that not only do staged houses sell 88% faster, but they also sell for 20% more! Why? Because buyers want to feel inspired, not overwhelmed by a potential home.
When it comes to staging, choosing which rooms you focus your attention on could make a big difference in the profitability and desirability of the home. You don’t need to stage every room, the National Association of Realtors recommends staging your living spaces in full. Buyers are more likely to be interested in seeing these rooms that they would use on a daily basis.
As an investor, you may be tempted to sell your home as-is. However, in most cases it will remain empty and make the house harder for prospective buyers to picture themselves living there. Staging a home with furniture offers real financial benefits like maximizing profit by selling at top dollar price tag provided that staging is done correctly without getting too attached to personal belongings brought from previous homes/homes of family members etc.
Hire a Professional Staging Company
If you don’t have the time, skills or inclination to stage your empty house yourself, hiring a pro is recommended. This option may cost more upfront but it will save you from all of the hassle and effort that goes into preparing for an open-house inspection with potential buyers later on down the line. Realtor reports that staging services costs range from 300$ – 600$, depending on how many rooms are being staged at once.
The larger the home, the more staging costs. Most professional house stagers will require you to sign a three-month (minimum) contract which is binding even if you sell your home immediately. However, these services are generally included with most staging companies:
- Working with furniture, art, and accessories you already own.
- Bringing in new or rental furniture.
- Purchasing fresh flowers, accessories, and art objects.
- Additional window treatments.
- Changing paint and decor colors.
Take Up Another DIY
The DIY route can save you money, but it will require planning. You should find the right furniture whether to buy or rent. If this is your first time flipping homes for profit, renting might be a better option than buying because of storage issues and cost effectiveness over long-term use situations like staging an area between flips.
Once you have your furniture and pieces lined up, lay out the space. When deciding where to put each piece of furniture, keep in mind that the goal is a welcoming area without clutter. Buyers have a hard time imagining how they can lay out an empty house. Using rugs to show where furnishings could go, in theory, is one of the “soft techniques” that give buyers ideas about using space effectively.
As a rule of thumb, leave one to two feet from the edge of your rug in larger rooms and six to eight inches for hallways or entryways. Optimize the home’s natural light, too. Use airy window treatments that open all the blinds and use strategically placed mirrors to maximize this important feature in your rooms! If you have a limited budget focus on money-rooms aka living room, master bedroom or kitchen – these are where most of us spend our time anyway.
Overall, aim for a neutral style that’ll appeal to the most buyers. No need to overdo it with bright colors or unique artwork. Final touches include fluffy towels and shower curtains in all bathrooms, pillows and throws on couches and beds, accessories such as vases of flowers from your garden in the kitchen areas , table lamps for warmth around key focal points.
Don’t forget to spruce up the outside of the home, as well! Making even small improvements to landscaping can increase a home’s value by up to 12%. So mow the lawn, trim those shrubs, mulch them beds and plant some flowers.
The Future Is Here: Virtual Staging
If you want a lower-cost way to stage your house, try virtual staging. You can do this with professional services or DIY apps that allow you to digitally move couches and decorate for free! Virtual staging is not real, so it does not help a buyer when they visit your home in person. However, the staged images may just get you attention and bring potential buyers through the door.
The selling process would go much faster and for a higher price if the house was staged. It is important to stage an empty home in order to sell it, as buyers might have difficulty imagining themselves living in rooms that are boxlike without comfortable touches.
When you’re ready to buy your next investment property, Florida Property Warehouse is here to help. We have access off-market properties that will match perfectly with what you are looking for in a portfolio!