To think I can stage an empty flat with absolutely no experience

[Canistageit]

I am having to sell a flat for a deceased relative. The money is not coming to me and there is no benefit to me but i am happy to help as the people inheriting are the best. I’ve been quoted a fortune for putting furniture and curtains etc in it to make it look better and easier to sell. I have no doubt the person who has quoted would make it look amazing but the estate cannot afford to pay this much surely I can do this myself with a little time and buying some things new but getting some things from charity shops. If you agree then please help by adding anything you think I should buy, if you don’t please tell me so I can write it off as a silly idea.

I’d just make sure it’s clean and if needs be give it all a fresh coat of paint but I wouldn’t bother ‘staging’ it whatsoever.

I’ve never understood people who can’t visualise their own things in a space or how you’d redecorate- for the sake of missing out on a few incredibly unimaginative buyers I’d just get it on the market asap.

Be practical. Don't waste money on furniture.

As long as the property has been cleaned and that everything is in working order, then you can market it.

I would phone a couple other estate agents in the area and ask their opinion. I thought staging was very much an American concept. I've viewed empty houses before and it didn't put me off but I'm no expert.

I think I’d consider adding the basics, like bed(s), sofa, table and chairs- especially if the rooms look smaller. And maybe a fresh coat of paint and perhaps cleaning the carpets so it smells nice.

Depends where you are/ price point but I’d go for more modern stuff, like ikea or second hand loaf etc (try eBay or Facebook marketplace) over charity shop stuff.

It's probably easier to sell with furniture in it because some people find it easier to visualise as a 'home'. But second best is completely empty, clean and tidy. There is no point going to any expense and buying an entire houseful of beds and sofas, it'll sell as it is.

If there's a garden, make sure that is tidy with lawn mowed and weeds removed.

I'd bung it on the market for a month first tbh. Estate agents say all kinds of random stuff.
For every person who can't visualise what a double bed looks like, there will be one who sees furniture as in the way. If it's clean and decorated just put it on.

Question, we will soon be selling PIL s large bungalow, its very neutral so easy to envisage once we declutter. However the kitchen is dated and the bathroom is beige and very neutral but a bit dated too, BIL wants to put a new bathroom in to sell but DH and I think the buyers will prefer to replace with their own style of bathroom and it wont add that much on the price considering the hassle and delay, neither DH or BIL live close to oversee such work easily. Its very much aimed at retirement from SE folk as its in a very nice and popular west country small town that many SE folk have retired to ( including the PIL) whats the general feel on replacing?

I'd say no as well. Replacing kitchens and bathrooms very rarely adds value (or rather it adds some value but not a good ROI considering the hassle and the delay putting it on the market). Bungalows in general, particularly if on a good sized plot tend to attract developers anyway or people looking for a big project, who would probably be looking at a total renovation or maybe even pulling the whole thing down and rebuilding if they can get planning permission, so in that case putting in a new bathroom would be a total waste of time. Or you may look to sell to an older person or couple who often really don't mind a functional but 'dated' kitchen or bathroom as much as a younger person would (speaking as an older person myself, I'm really startled by what my kids and their generation consider hideous and dated, to me it often looks really nice and fashionable 😂).

I'd stick it on the market as is myself, you want to get moving before winter ideally, if you do find it's slow to sell then consider doing the bathroom then (or simply reducing the price by £5k or £10k or whatever you'd be spending on it!).

The whole “staging” thing is so odd - possibly made more popular by Selling Sunset and the like. I’ve sold a lot of properties. If you have money to do some work then new carpets/ floors fresh paint would be more meaningful than random stuff.

personally I prefer to buy places that are completely empty as can then envision where I would put furniture.

I think the importance of staging is a bit over exaggerated tbh. Most intelligent buyers will be looking for space, aspect, condition and price. You may get a soft advantage, but nowhere near what those who make a living from it tell you. So can you do it yourself, absolutely! A quick Google will tell you how best to arrange furniture, how to 'dress' a bed and sofa and how to place plants, flowers and the odd picture and decorative piece to good effect. Alternatively look at new build flats at the same price point on right move or visit a show flat and copy it.

i think it’s better off empty then not furnished well. If you do put furniture in, make sure the beds look beautiful, I can see past furniture in a house but I do hate seeing unmade/bloody ugly beds in a priority listing, even if it’s clean and tidy it looks like an effort hasn’t been made.

Leave it empty but have a tape measure available so people can measure out if they need too

but I think the estate agents are trying their luck, did they also recommend the staging person?

My advice would be don't.

People either buy with a view to doing it up to their own taste or buy a fully done up property.

I would be really really put off by a partly done house because I can't justify ripping out a new bathroom for the sake of style but it would irritate me too much knowing that ill be using it everyday and feeling constantly low level resentful.

I certainly wouldn't pay more. If anything I'd put in a cheeky lower offer to offset my irritation! Only you know if the property is likely to hang around or not based on area. But if you end up in a buyers market or family pressure to sell, you may lose out. Plus the time then property is off the market to make the changes

I don't think adding a few bits will be a bad idea. How fast / slow is the market in your area? It really depends on the house. Some properties sell themselves with light airy rooms, beautiful features etc. Some need a little help, if they have a quirky layout or are a bit small then some help is needed for people to imagine living there. The main thing might be to show a sofa, kitchen table /dining table, beds and maybe see if you can squeeze a desk in. Second hand furniture would be fine and some nice cushions / duvet cover and a few plants.

@WonderingWanda But where is the OP going to get these 'few bits' of sofas, beds, dining tables and desks? If she wants to furnish the place she needs to do it properly and that will cost a lot of money and effort. It's very unlikely to make enough difference to be worth the bother and cost.

No, OP is talking of buying the furniture herself instead of using stagers. So she would have to spend time and money finding the furniture, moving it in and then getting rid of it again when the property is sold

I'd buy a flat totally empty. I don't see the point in adding charity shop curtain etc. it's not a furnished rental.
Just make sure it's clean and maybe just a coat of paint on the walls. If there's any horrible carpets etc it's best to just take them out if you can. The less stuff in there the better.

Completely empty is fine imo. The first thing that many buyers do is rip things out when they move in so things like white walls are handy so that they can decorate to their own taste

The only time I find furniture helpful is if I plan to use a box room as a bedroom. Last time I house hunted, box rooms that couldn’t fit a bed were automatically rejected

Myself, I prefer a nice warm cream for walls, pristine white or natural wood for the woodwork. No carpets unless brand new. Any old carpeting is going. Carpet is not as popular as it used to be and I don’t want to be messing with someone else's old minging flooring. It always makes me wonder about previous pets, piss and fleas. Clean is most important. Furniture, I don't want to see.

If you mess about staging it, there may be more cost than will be gained from a higher sale price. Just freshen it up and get rid.

I would stage it - use cardboard boxes for beds with proper pillows, sheets duvets. Ikea for a clean sofa with a fancy throw. A rug does wonders for making look spacious. Full length curtains make ceilings look higher.

Where do you get enough cardboard boxes from to make a bed sized shape??

Just empty and squeaky clean.

I would stage, even if using inflatable beds as per poster upthread. Empty properties really do look smaller. I walked into my unfurnished rental a few weeks after viewing it furnished and thought I'd walked into the wrong flat it looked SO small compared to before.

This. No unnecessary expense. No faffing with boxes or inflatable mattresses.
Clean and empty - it will sell.

Full-length curtains may well make ceilings look higher, but are you actually suggesting the OP goes off and buys some to ‘stage’ a flat she’s selling for someone else?