Selling parents property. To leave it furnished or empty it for viewings?

[Friestogo]

Not sure whether to leave the furniture in so that prospective buyers can see how they could use the space or to fully empty it?

Would an empty house put you off? Would you rather see it with the furniture in?

We just had to do this and EA advised leaving basic furniture like beds and sofas as people really can have a problem visualising if big items fit in a room or not.
Otherwise , all clutter, occasional tables, shoe racks and anything taking up floor space has to go!

Our estate agents strongly recommended for viewings WITH furniture.

Obviously you can empty out the cupboards and clear clutter though.

We emptied my dad's bungalow and put it on the market though the estate agent photos were awful. Estate agents (3 local ones) said it would sell easily empty. It seems not.

We're now dressing it and it will shortly go back on the market with a new agent. We looked at the demographic of the area and likely buyer types and we're doing it up accordingly. Many buyers really can't visualise spaces - how big beds are, where a dining table can go etc.

Ironically we took out a fair bit of gorgeous mid century Ercol etc (kids all have some, so do I) as in that setting, it didn't work - looked a bit old peopley rather than edgy and designer - and replaced it with rather more standard stuff. It's all about making it appeal to the widest audience. Luckily, I love Marketplace and auctions and reusing friends' cast offs 😊

Before you start chucking out "old fashioned" furniture just have a look on Vinterior and some other vintage websites. You might be surprised at what some things are worth! Just because you don't like it doesn't mean others feel the same.

For example Mid Century modern 'brown' furniture (1950's - 60's) is actually very popular now and commanding good prices, as is some some of the 1970's retro 'space age' stuff. I paid £450 for a refurbished vintage 1960's sideboard for example, as I love that look and it goes with the age of my flat. Sets of drawers and china cabinets are also popular with crafty types for upcycling. Table and floor lamps and older style mirrors are also popular.

Agree leave large furniture items in place to help people visualise the space, with some plain white or pale coloured duvets/bedspreads/throws, cushions for a more contemporary look. Empty houses can feel sad & grubby, no matter how clean they are.

Thank you for that. I honestly never even thought that anyone would want them but there are some great pieces. Old china cabinets and sideboards and great fabulous mirrors which are very vintage. I will definitely have a look and see if someone might want them.

If it’s any help @Friestogo - I use this company for reasonably priced white bedding, sheets pillow cases, duvet covers & table linen, suppliers to the hotel trade.

https://www.richardhaworth.co.uk

I've emptied mine. I thought about leaving just the beds to help with bedroom size, but the cost of a second round of house clearance (and it being easier to clean thoroughly) made me just do it all at once.

I'd leave the more modern bits.

Beds can be particularly useful for getting a sense of room size. If they are divan type with old fashioned headboards just take the headboards off and dress with more modern bedding.

Dress it a bit with decent stuff and clear anything that's clutter or old fashioned.

Try taking pictures yourself. It really helps get a sense of what works and what doesn't. Things look different in photos/angles than in real life.

I think dressing the space with a few pieces of furniture and a few well chosen accessories makes a massive difference to how you perceive a space. I follow a woman on instagram who dresses spaces for rent or sale and the difference she makes is incredible, particularly with small or awkward spaces.

Would you mind sharing who this is. I'm about to embark on selling a relatives house.

I am in a similar situation and I asked a few Agents what to do.
They all said to de personalise it but leave some furniture so people can see where their furniture would go if that makes sense?

Estate agent has told us to keep furniture and pictures on the walls but get rid of clutter. Empty houses look sad and uninviting and it isn't so easy to see how much furniture you could get in, or imagine how you would use the space.

Most houses that are put up for sale have someone living in them currently. What difference does it make because it’s a probate property?

I’d declutter like anyone selling their house and possibly a fresh lick of paint where required but it’s not antiques roadshow… prospective buyers are looking at the house and what they can do to it….

Her website is Interior.scot but it's on her instagram that she has the before and after images, in among her own house (she's a serial renovator).