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.

You do not need furniture or soft furnishings to sell any property.

However, I would recommend a deep clean & ensure that it smells nice.

I have sold empty properties.

Ditto to realistic pricing! And I’d also recommend asking EAs to be realistic, not just telling you what they think you want to hear - which is what often happens.

I would not waste money on this. It’s typically only done to sell those multi million dollar properties in the US. Crazy for an EA to advise money spent on staging a flat. Depending on price point even painting walls and changing flooring can be a false economy.

Speak to other agents.
Far better the house is spotless, bright, windows clean, smells nice.
The garden looks well and the house has kerb appeal.
I really wouldn't bother with staging.
Far better to invest in it looking clean and fresh.

Give it a deep clean and leave it empty. No need to stage it. People are not stupid they can visualise where they'd put a bed or sofa.

We did this when our tenants moved out. Managed to borrow a sofa,which looked okay with a throw. used our spare double bed in one room and got a bed and chest of drawers from Facebook - used an air mattress on it. Old tressle table for the dining room and our dining chairs. You get the idea. We spent a bit on throws table cloths and plants from ikea. It didn’t look amazing but it let people ‘size’ the rooms relative to the furniture and it sold quickly after that.

Exactly. Everyone looks at room measurements, so even if their visual judgment isn't great, they can work out where to put a sofa or a double bed.

Sadly not true. See this recent post: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5150113-to-not-view-this-house?page=1.

I don't know why it's hard for some people, but clearly it is!

I'm not going to read a whole other thread, but empty properties are bought and sold all the time.

I do think just a few key pieces of basic furniture are very helpful to give an idea of the scale of each room. Why put prospective buyers to the trouble of calculating whether a double bed or a dining table or sofa will fit, when you can let them see at a glance from the photos?

We were selling a house which had two double bedrooms. Most local houses don't have two decent sized bedrooms, though plenty of sellers claim they do! So we put a double bed in each room to show that it wasn't an exaggeration. Likewise, the only living area was a lounge/diner, so we stuck a sofa, an armchair, and a dining table with a few dining chairs in there to illustrate that.

We didn't spend much money. Several pieces of furniture were borrowed, one came from a charity shop, and a secondhand shop provided the beds at minimal cost - I didn't bother with mattresses but just put a duvet on each bed.

Of course, but OP is thinking she might add value to encourage offers also from those who can't visualise well, by spending some minimal amounts. I don't understand why people can't figure it out from floorplans, just demonatrating that apparently it just isn't an "everyone" skill.

I wouldn't stage it. Just make sure it's clean (no dust/spiders/dead flies & clean windows) and smells nice not fusty.

Judging by threads on here, Mn has a disproportionate number of posters who not only can’t visualise whether their furniture will fit in a room, but who also can’t see past clutter or the current owners’ decor.

Having said that, I wouldn’t dream of going to the faff of ‘staging’ just to cater to these people. Unless it’s a difficult market or a difficult to sell property, there will be enough other potential buyers, assuming it’s realistically priced.

@CitrusBeanie - nail on the head - the price.
If it's priced well for the size and location, it will sell.

Just clean the place and paint it a plain colour if it needs a freshen up, but staging? Sorry but that sounds ridiculous.

I'd guess estate agent has a pal who does staging? Win win for both of them

Don't waste money on furniture

If you want to do anything, perhaps paint white and get some cheap neutral carpets

Most important - clean and fresh

Staging makes,a huge difference HUGE but you can self stage. Depends on size, target buyer & location as to what you do. White paint also goes a long way.

No it doesn't.

Houses that are empty have been sold, houses that are full of junk have been sold.
If it's the right price,it will sell.

I'd try it empty before you bother staging it.