Staged homes VS Vacant Homes
Image Credit: Kit Goldsworthy
One of the key things you need to decide before you begin the process of selling your home is whether or not you intend to stage your house or leave it empty. A vacant home is defined as a house that does not have any furniture or decoration, and a staged home is defined as a house that has been furnished specifically for the purpose of a sale.
We firmly believe that staging your home will benefit you far more than leaving your property vacant, but don’t just take our word for it! Read on to find out the reasons why staging your home is an undeniably better option compared to leaving your home empty during a sale.
A staged home sparks an emotional connection
Most of our purchasing decisions are driven by our emotions, and this is especially true of larger purchases, which a home certainly is! In fact, a Commonwealth Bank survey of Australians found that many property buyers admitted to being influenced by emotional characteristics of the property up for sale, and get this: 44% paid more for a property simply because they “really liked it!”
So how does staging a home get people to “really like it?” In general, potential buyers struggle to visualise how their lives will fit into empty rooms. Research has shown that 83% of buyers’ agents say that staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
Whether it’s a cozy seating arrangement around the fireplace that leads to buyers imagining intimate conversations by the fire, or a well-appointed kitchen that allows them to imagine cooking up family meals surrounded by their loved ones, when a potential buyer makes that emotional connection to your home, it makes a lasting impression!
A staged home gives buyers a sense of scale
Empty rooms can appear smaller than they really are. The lack of furniture or decor causes potential buyers to lose their sense of scale/size within the space, because as human beings, we often gauge the size of the things based upon what’s in and around it. Few people know the exact measurements of their dining table, but they can generally tell whether or not it’s bigger than someone else’s!
Staging your home can help people figure out whether or not their existing furniture can fit into the space. This is especially important if your house has oddly shaped rooms, because staging it can really highlight your space’s potential and allow for buyers to visualise how the room can function for them.
A staged home can camouflage flaws
The truth is, all homes have little flaws. Even relatively new homes will have scuff marks or dents here and there. A lived in home may have much more than this and while a select few buyers might attribute this to a house having character, the truth is that most people will be put off by the sight. This isn’t just because it doesn’t look good - it’s because they know that it’ll cost them more time and money to fix these imperfections.
Defects often stand out in an empty room. When all you’ve got is ceilings, floors, and empty walls, it’s hard not to notice little things! Whether its dodgy door handles, broken tiles, or patchy paintwork, potential buyers will notice these small things and they will leave a negative impression.
Don’t get us wrong, staging isn’t about hiding flaws, but rather we want buyers to spend more time in each space visualising how their lives & furniture would work best, not how much work there is to do.
Staging your home can help minimise the appearance of these blemishes, and highlight your home’s positive features instead.
A staged home sells for more than an empty home
In general, a staged home will sell quicker than a non-staged home, and at a higher price too! 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less, and a staged home will sell for 17% more than a non-staged home.
This is why we encourage our clients to think of home staging as an investment. In fact, according to the American National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400. So it makes financial sense to stage your home and showcase its potential instead of leaving it empty.
Our own case studies from 2019 are the perfect example of this:
Property 1 Image Credit: Kit Goldsworthy
Property 1
A vacant 3 bedroom house in Mogareeka invested $3200 in staging.
Listed for $750,000.
Sold for $772,000 within 1 week (at 1st open home).
Property 2 Image Credit: Kit Goldsworthy
Property 2
A vacant 3 bedroom house in Merimbula invested $2300 in staging.
Pre-staging asking price was $500,000.
Within 3 days of staging, the property was under contract for $529,000.
A staged home looks better in photos
It’s pretty much a given fact that you need to list your home online if you want to have any hopes of selling it quickly. The truth is, buyers are more willing to walk through a home they've seen online. It’s clear that in order to get buyers interested in your home, you’re going to have to show it in the best light long before they come to see the house in person.
It is best practice to hire professional photographers to really capture the best aspects of your property. However, even the best photographers in the world would struggle to highlight the best features of a house if they’ve only got empty rooms to work with!
A furnished home simply looks better in photos, and professional home staging makes sure that your house looks polished, modern and fresh, in order to attract the right buyers to view your property.
Create a lasting impression
Remember, people don’t buy houses - they buy homes. So make sure your space makes your potential buyers feel right at home from the get-go!
Right At Home Staging has over 4 years experience in staging homes on the Sapphire Coast, and we have staging packages specifically tailored for vacant homes. Get in touch with us today to learn more!