Staging for viewings or not

brainiack

About to begin the process to list my 5-year old two bed flat (new build when originally bought) with a local estate agent.

No valuations or decision on agent yet, as considering whether to furnish/'stage' the property, as currently all my own stuff has already been moved abroad as I'm emigrating.

How important is it to furnish/stage a property? Does it increase agent's valuations and does it really have an impact on buyer's perceptions, and getting offers quickly?

I could find random furniture cheaply online and place it in some of the rooms, but more worried that will look worse as items may not flow or look good together if just cobbled together and clearly placed randomly around the property. 

If I was to add anything it would mainly be a pretend 'bed' in the main bedroom as I appreciate due to the small size of the bedroom it may be hard for buyers to see how a double bed could fit. I would make a bed out of boxes with an air mattress and bedding rather than an actual bed itself.

GDB2222

I am not convinced it makes any difference. If the place is empty, the rooms look bigger. Against that, some buyers will be put off. 

Does it all look clean and well cared for?

lika_86

I wouldn't both staging unless it is literally a couple of super cheap double air beds if you think necessary. 

Do make sure that there is a floorplan and it has dimensions though.

RHemmings

I agree with the pretend bed. I looked at one house where the box room was marginal, but an odd shape. The EA encouraged me to view saying that an oddly shaped bit of the room was for a single bed. I confirmed with a tape measure that it would work. If that room had a pretend bed (as you mention), then I would have been more likely to have viewed if not encouraged (and within walking distance). 

While it's often mentioned here that buyers should have the imagination to view what an empty room with furniture in it will look like, I certainly couldn't be sure until I measured the space. Some furniture to clarify space is, for me at least, useful when space is tight. 

brainiack

Thanks for the replies so far, glad that most seem to favour just leave it! Obviously when I bought it all I had was some floor plans, so hoping for similarly open-minded and imagination from the next owner. I'm doing a fresh lick of paint where needed and making things look there best, no issues really there.

I may consider the pretend bed in the main bedroom, and either a desk or another single pretend bed in the second bedroom, as it is fairly small dimensions (9x12), and make sure the agent produces a floor plan, or I have the original floor plan provided in the new build documents.

Scotbot

Staging with cheap furniture will make it look worse than if it is empty 

Cloth_of_Gold

Scotbot said:

Staging with cheap furniture will make it look worse than if it is empty 

I agree with this. 

It might not be worth it now because your flat might sell quickly but if it fails to sell, and you/your EA think having it staged would help, you can rent furniture for staging and the company will come and set it up for you. A quick Google brought up this company https://www.roomservicebycort.com/dress-sale-or-rental but doubtless there will be many others doing the same thing.

Hal17

Just completed the sale of my dad's 2 bedroom terrace house after he went into care. We cleared it completely and it needed decorating top to bottom, but estate agent said it was an "honest" house and don't do anything.

Accepted an offer from the first person to see it.

What was really sad, is the family that purchased it were in rented furnished accommodation and had nothing of their own. If we have left it furnished whilst it was being viewed, we could have left anything that they wanted for free. I would wait see what happens. 

lika_86

brainiack said:

I may consider the pretend bed in the main bedroom, and either a desk or another single pretend bed in the second bedroom, as it is fairly small dimensions (9x12), and make sure the agent produces a floor plan, or I have the original floor plan provided in the new build documents.

I'd actually do it the other way around, it's presumably the second bedroom that's more of an issue in terms of size, so if you show you can get a double bed in there then anyone wanting to use it as an office will be able to visualise a desk or single bed/sofa in there. 

If you got an airbed you could actually just shift it between rooms for the photos so you get photos of both with a double in. Just make sure you add two pillows side by side (no need to both with other bedding in my view) so people can tell it's a double.

Van_Girl

As described above, dressing can help in certain situations - My last house had 2 equal sized double rooms, one had wardrobes in and the other I never bothered with them. I got feedback from two viewings that the master bedroom was too small for wardrobes. So I bought massive triple wardrobes for £60 off FB and set them up, leaving loads of room still around the bed and dresser. Then got three offers within the week. 

However, if it's totally empty, I'd personally just leave it that way. Just make sure the agent you use has a very good photographer, as it's harder to get good shots without focal points like furniture

propertyrental

If you are going to stage, then do it well. Cheap rubbish will make it look worse, not better.

Best just leave it empty (but clean!).