Marketing the Property as Vacant
The absence of furniture, artworks, rugs, decorations and lighting solutions makes it difficult for buyers to establish an emotional bond with the property. Vacant homes (as opposed to unoccupied homes from which the seller has temporarily moved out to list and market) take longer to sell than occupied houses. Buyers need to see the house as a home, and if it’s empty, it’s merely a shell of a home. Vacant rooms can look much smaller than they actually are. It’s difficult for potential buyers to visualize how their furniture will fit in a space if they have no furniture to visualize in the space. The best tip for home selling is to create the best possible first impression. A vacant home doesn’t present a subtle suggestion for how to arrange the buyer’s own furniture and other amenities inside the home. Be sure to stage the home, using some good furniture, rugs, lighting decorations, and wall art as accents to enable the buyers to imagine living there. When presented with an empty space, buyers are prone to focus on the negative aspects of the property, including wall cracks, missing or chipped paint, small repairs undone, the outline of the couch on the rug, and other distractions. A well-staged home can help cover up the small bothering issues.
Not Getting the House Appraised
An appraisal by a professional home appraiser is a critical tool in selling a vacant house. Having one prior to listing the home is helpful in setting the listing price, working with comparable sales and local market trends. Having an appraisal to show buyers gives the seller credibility and might reduce the negotiation period. Buyers who can see an appraisal will feel more comfortable with your selling price and their offer price. If
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