Why Stage a Vacant Home?

Before Staging

One question I am asked is "Why Should I Stage a Vacant home?"
It is really hard for buyers to visualize furniture placement in a vacant home. Staging a Vacant home is just as important to staging an occupied home. When Staging a vacant home the 3 most important spaces to Stage are the Kitchen/dining, Living room and Master. If you can not afford to do the whole house doing these 3 rooms will still be a BIG return on staging investment. (ROSI)

After Staging

Real Estate Staging Statistics Report By RESA
Released February 2010

Vacant Homes Previously on the Market

In 2009 vacant homes in our study that were previously on the market on average of 277 Days as un-staged properties had not sold. Those same homes were then taken off the market and staged and re-listed. Those properties on average sold after 63 days on market after they were staged, which is 78% less time on the market.

1) Vacant homes tend to look cold, sterile, and uninviting. A few pieces of furniture + area rugs and accessories such as art and florals in each room add the warmth that help buyers envision the house as a home.

2) Empty rooms - especially particularly large or small ones - often raise questions in buyers' minds about whether, where, and how furniture will fit and how it should be placed. This is magnified even more if the room has unusual angles or oddly-placed windows. Staging provides solutions to these dilemmas that will show the home in its best light!

3) Vacant homes can look as if they have been sitting too long on the market, conveying the impression that sellers may be desperate and that the house hasn't been well-maintained or may have unknown issues. Furnishing a home helps give it a lived-in feeling that makes it competitive with other (furnished) homes on the market and makes it look move-in ready.

4) Staging creates a preferred lifestyle buyers aspire to; a professional stager appeals to your target demographic by using design elements to appeal to buyers' emotions. Stagers also have the experience to know who your target demographic (buyers) are, and what style of furniture, bedding, and accessories will "wow" them.

5) Since 85-90% of buyers start their home search on the internet, having attractive MLS photos on-line is critical. Furnished and decorated rooms are much more appealing to the vast majority of buyers than empty rooms!

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