Vacant homes sell quicker and for more money than staged ones.
Almost every single time I meet with a seller, I get asked the same question: Do we meet your stager?
My answer always makes them drop their shoulders and breathe a huge sigh of relief: Nope, no stager. We’ve found that a vacant house sells quicker and for more money than if that same house was staged. If you’ve already bought a new house that’s waiting for you, don’t feel inclined to keep your furniture in your old house.
Buyers prefer turnkey homes, but the real reason vacant homes sell quicker and for more money is that they give the buyer the perception that the seller is paying two mortgages. In their mind, if the seller is paying for this house and the one they’ve just moved into, maybe they’re more motivated to accept their offer. This could be false, of course, but it’s still the reason vacant homes fetch offers quicker than staged homes.
Don’t stress about having your home completely vacant, though. In terms of photography, your kitchen and living room shots are most important. If you worked with our team, for example, we’d have you clear everything off of your kitchen counters when we brought our photographer out to your home. Any knick knacks or other items that make your house feel like home should be put away. You can put everything back after the photo session is done, but the kitchen and living room should look like you’ve already moved out.
In terms of photography, your kitchen and living room shots are most important.
Lastly, a word about exterior photos. Our photographer uses blended twilight shots, so we send him out during the mornings and evenings. If you look at our online listings, you might notice that the Texas skies—while very pretty—are probably not as pretty as the skies in our exterior photos. This is because our skies are photoshopped (as is the grass 😋). If you’re listing in the winter or fall and your grass is turning brown, don’t worry about it—we have you covered there. All you have to focus on is the kitchen and living room; if you make these areas look vacant, you’re setting yourself up for success.
As always, if you have questions about this or any real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m happy to help.