Page 3 | Staging a empty house to sell, it's it worth it?

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 2026-01-08T19:53:11+00:00

We are selling our three bed end of terrace in Kent. It's completely empty now and I was wondering if it's worth staging it? It needs a kitchen and bathroom and will be looking at a 280,000 - 300,000 sale price.

ODFOx · 10/01/2026 15:44

When we sold my DC’s flat, we came to an arrangement with the local Heart Foundation shop: we ‘bought’ basic items (beds, sofa,dining table and chairs, bedside drawers at a nominal charge, and then donated them (most of them) back 6 weeks later once we had an offer. Added in decorative bits from home. It made the photos better hence more viewings hence more offers.
The buyers actually paid for the wardrobes, bedside tables and dining set so BHF got full price from them and the ‘rental’ from us. Could a similar arrangement work for you?

Original poster

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 10/01/2026 17:03

DrPrunesqualer · 10/01/2026 13:40

What part of Medway as it really depends
Rochester for example is more likely to be owner occupier whilst Strood, Chatham and Gillingham for example you’ll pick up more landlords

I lived in Rochester for 20 years and bought and sold there and surrounding Medway
Ive sold non furnished in Strood and Gillingham to landlords, no staging. I’ve sold in Rochester to owner occupiers partly staged ie ‘looking like I’m moving out’ but still with some dec eg rugs, pics etc

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Unfortunately not Rochester as I'd be tempted to stay put. It's Rainham so one of the nicer parts of Medway if there is such a thing. I know Medway extremely well it's my childhood town. Have grown up there. I'm under no illusion I'm going to attract any high end buyer however lovely the house is. It's a nicer house in a dead end road off a green next to the rec five minutes walk to the station if that. If you know Medway you can guess the exact road.

A local family would buy it or someone starting out. So many people are moving to Medway just because it's dirt cheap. I'm now the same distance from London but in Surrey. It's so much more expensive and I would be in London at the same time.

Rochester has more protection I feel from the period high street. No poundlands and plastic bucket shops! I guess Rochester is protected from turning into Chatham or Strood because of that. Plus if moving to Rochester from London you have the joy of not knowing its dodgy parts.

OP posts:

DrPrunesqualer · 10/01/2026 17:53

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 10/01/2026 17:03

Unfortunately not Rochester as I'd be tempted to stay put. It's Rainham so one of the nicer parts of Medway if there is such a thing. I know Medway extremely well it's my childhood town. Have grown up there. I'm under no illusion I'm going to attract any high end buyer however lovely the house is. It's a nicer house in a dead end road off a green next to the rec five minutes walk to the station if that. If you know Medway you can guess the exact road.

A local family would buy it or someone starting out. So many people are moving to Medway just because it's dirt cheap. I'm now the same distance from London but in Surrey. It's so much more expensive and I would be in London at the same time.

Rochester has more protection I feel from the period high street. No poundlands and plastic bucket shops! I guess Rochester is protected from turning into Chatham or Strood because of that. Plus if moving to Rochester from London you have the joy of not knowing its dodgy parts.

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Think you’ll pick up a family where you are…the park is a huge bonus,
so focus on making it feel a little homely

Landlord buyers are focused on other stuff but you want owner occupiers to see the dream. It may not be there now but you could give a perception of it

Clean, smelling nice, warm ( if viewing in winter). The garden ( front and rear ) looking good and well kept.
Rugs add colour, mirrors reflect light,
as a minimum
beds are a pain to introduce unless you can find a company that will rent them out

I know there’s garaging near the rec and that can get unsightly so
If you are near any of the garaging in that area if I was you I’d weed and clear it all. I know it’s down to the council but 🤷, the same goes for counvil grass areas. Just mow it yourself so viewers get out of their cars and see it’s all lovely.
The drive there needs to be enticing too. It will cost Notjing more than time, so why not
( I have been known to weed an entire square in Rochester before I marketed a property )

Original poster

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 10/01/2026 22:03

Oh my if you know the garages you know I'm on to a loosing battle. My garage and drive is on my boundary footprint so no need to go to the garages. They are mostly abandoned, falling down or exploding with crap. No one knows who owns them as some belong to flats further along so most of flats will be rented out. Let's just pray no one wants to turn around up there. The green is extremely well kept by the council thank goodness. I do need to tackle the front and back garden. Need to do before photos. Got roses around the door that have grown a bit and was awaiting a winter prune. Thank you

OP posts:

KeepPumping · 12/01/2026 15:49

Fends · 10/01/2026 14:15

You can add it virtually using AI

So can potential, buyers?

KeepPumping · 12/01/2026 15:54

NotPerfectlyAdverage · 10/01/2026 10:27

Medway which isnt desirable but its cheap compared to other towns 40 miles from central London so it will sell. 280 for a house with a drive and a garage that you can walk to station in under five minutes and be in Waterloo in under a hour or drive to A2 in 2 minutes. The house prices are down right now but that shouldn't affect us as you can imagine it's gone up a lot in 20 years. All three of the very local estate agents have said 280 as the starting price. Everything ĥas dropped in price locally. What is was worth 6-12 months ago was probably a fair bit more. I think we just need try it as it is on the market first.

If I was to stage it, I only be getting two double beds, a single, a dining table and two sofas to show that it's a two double bed house and has a large dining room. It's not sell lifestyle. Just to show what fits. It looks so small empty. I could even possibly get all the furniture off market place at a pinch. But then it's the PITA to transport it around.

All that counts is viewings and offers (and then you need to get the lender valuation if the person needs a mortgage) until you get a lender valuing it everything else is just noise, including EA values, as another poster said just get it looking clean and tidy and market ASAP before mortgage rates start moving higher again.

Paulintheprocess · 12/01/2026 19:43

In my experience, full staging usually isn’t worth it for a house that clearly needs a new kitchen and bathroom. Buyers at that level are often already budgeting for works, so furniture doesn’t change the numbers much.

What does help is making it feel clean and looked after. Fresh paint in light colours, good lighting, clean floors, and maybe a few simple touches like mirrors or plants. If you do anything, keep it minimal. You want people focused on the space and potential, not the sofa.

KeepPumping · 13/01/2026 13:13

Paulintheprocess · 12/01/2026 19:43

In my experience, full staging usually isn’t worth it for a house that clearly needs a new kitchen and bathroom. Buyers at that level are often already budgeting for works, so furniture doesn’t change the numbers much.

What does help is making it feel clean and looked after. Fresh paint in light colours, good lighting, clean floors, and maybe a few simple touches like mirrors or plants. If you do anything, keep it minimal. You want people focused on the space and potential, not the sofa.

What really focusses minds is the price, people will overlook cosmetic things at the right price, if you are having to do elaborate "staging" to sell it is likely overpriced.