Staging company for selling an empty house

[ThatPosterIsSoRight]

Has anyone used a staging company? Not for multi million type properties but for a fairly standard, empty, house. I’m wondering if it might be worthwhile.

It’s worth £550k+, on the edge of a not too great area. It’s 10 years old, good size 4 bed plus study, good layout, huge garden. The road itself is really nice, but you have to go down a not-so-nice road to get there, which I know put people off when a neighbour was selling. So I need to entice people to look at it who wouldn’t normally consider the area.

If it was in the nicer side of town it would be £75-100k more. It also needs to compete with shiny (but smaller) new builds.

The market isn’t super hot where we are - prices are up and things are selling but we’re not in ‘best and final offers’ territory.

There is a company with good photos who bring the furniture and accessories, do the photos for the agents, and leave the furniture for 3 weeks. Says it’s £2,000 for a 4-bed.

I was going to say that I think it would depend hugely on your market and competition but you seem to be describing a lot of factors that could make it worthwhile. Particularly the slight challenges with local area, the competition from new builds (that will be beautifully staged), the age of the house, the not so hot local market and the size. It’s in that slightly awkward position of not being as shiny new but also not really needing working.

How does the garden look, and how fresh is the paintwork? I’d be tempted to consider those too if needed. I think really good photographs make a huge difference and they’re hard in a big house if it’s unfurnished.

The price doesn’t seem steep if it results in great photos and the ability to launch with a buzz. Have you seen photos of their work (also desperate to see them!). Make sure whoever you are using will design with your actual target market in mind and to the loca tastes

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. You are right, it sits in an awkward point of the market.

More fuel to try and persuade DH it’s a good idea!

I almost used this company, as I'd read very good reviews about them on Houzz:

https://www.homestaginglondon.co.uk/stage-property-to-sell-quickly

I ended up deciding to do it myself after reading loads of websites and advice, and spending about £500 on soft furnishings and pictures for the walls (that I will use in the new house).

Sold my house in 3 days

If it's just to get people to come and view in person after seeing pictures online could you just pay to stage for photos and immediate removal rather than the ongoing weekly rental costs?

I have looked into this as we have a house we let out and one day will want to sell it, and I fully intend to stage it. Rooms look bigger with furniture in and you will easily recoup the £2k you spend on it.

What I'd suggest though is picking up some furniture from marketplace, as advised by the staging company, rather than renting it. You could then freecycle it afterwards or sell it to get the money back.

@Starseeking

I almost used this company, as I'd read very good reviews about them on Houzz:

[[https://www.homestaginglondon.co.uk/stage-property-to-sell-quickly]]

I ended up deciding to do it myself after reading loads of websites and advice, and spending about £500 on soft furnishings and pictures for the walls (that I will use in the new house).

Sold my house in 3 days

It’s the furniture though as well, as the house is empty. A house looks smaller without furniture.

@BonnesVacances

What I'd suggest though is picking up some furniture from marketplace, as advised by the staging company, rather than renting it. You could then freecycle it afterwards or sell it to get the money back.

Downside is that’s a lot of time and hassle and need a van.

I’d give it a go selling it empty first, then if no takers, pay for it to be staged.