When did everybody start staging houses?

[Anonymous]

Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

My mom’s furniture wasn’t generic “colonial.” It’s genuine Queen Anne (1720s) and one piece is even earlier than that. Arranged with lots of floorboards showing and all that good stuff in rooms with tons of natural light.

[Anonymous]

Sellers don’t get that buyers don’t love what you do. The antique furniture will kill a house sale.

[Anonymous]

It makes a huge difference. You definitely leave money on the table if you don't do it. Not saying you have to rent a bunch of stuff, but you need to get rid of like 50% of what you have and then arrange what's left in the most HGTV way possible.

[Anonymous]

I prefer an empty house, because staging can hide a host of ills. Think the younger buyers like it because it makes the house look better to them, and they are more likely to overlook flaws.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It makes a huge difference. You definitely leave money on the table if you don't do it. Not saying you have to rent a bunch of stuff, but you need to get rid of like 50% of what you have and then arrange what's left in the most HGTV way possible.

Said the agent. Yes, we all know we need to put 50% of our stuff in storage, but that’s different from paying you to cart away our furniture and bring in a stager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

My mom’s furniture wasn’t generic “colonial.” It’s genuine Queen Anne (1720s) and one piece is even earlier than that. Arranged with lots of floorboards showing and all that good stuff in rooms with tons of natural light.

The number of people who like that type of furnishings is going down. If you staged with her furniture, you might get a few people who loved the antique look, but you'll turn away many younger buyers who don't have an eye or appreciation of antiques who will write off your house because it looks old. The point of staging is to appeal to the most number of buyers to get them in the door and interest them in the house. In general, it's been shown in the last several years that staged houses tend to get more traffic and, on average, more offers than empty, vintage, or owner furnished houses.

So, you may find buyers who really appreciate the tasteful older furniture, but you'll probably have fewer eyes on your property than if you staged with modern furniture.

If you aren't paying for staging (many realtors will pay for this), then it's a win-win in that it will likely increase traffic and bids. If you are paying for it, you have to weigh the cost vs the gains; hard for others to determine how much staging is worth. Realistically, you only need one bid to sell the home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

My mom’s furniture wasn’t generic “colonial.” It’s genuine Queen Anne (1720s) and one piece is even earlier than that. Arranged with lots of floorboards showing and all that good stuff in rooms with tons of natural light.

.

You’re not selling the furniture. It doesn’t matter who decorated the house, smart staging will always look different and much more pared down. If your house was just in AD, you’re still going to take out any interesting art and a lot of the furniture and maybe even some wallpaper before you sell it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

My mom’s furniture wasn’t generic “colonial.” It’s genuine Queen Anne (1720s) and one piece is even earlier than that. Arranged with lots of floorboards showing and all that good stuff in rooms with tons of natural light.

The number of people who like that type of furnishings is going down. If you staged with her furniture, you might get a few people who loved the antique look, but you'll turn away many younger buyers who don't have an eye or appreciation of antiques who will write off your house because it looks old. The point of staging is to appeal to the most number of buyers to get them in the door and interest them in the house. In general, it's been shown in the last several years that staged houses tend to get more traffic and, on average, more offers than empty, vintage, or owner furnished houses.

So, you may find buyers who really appreciate the tasteful older furniture, but you'll probably have fewer eyes on your property than if you staged with modern furniture.

If you aren't paying for staging (many realtors will pay for this), then it's a win-win in that it will likely increase traffic and bids. If you are paying for it, you have to weigh the cost vs the gains; hard for others to determine how much staging is worth. Realistically, you only need one bid to sell the home.

I have lots of beautiful antiques, and, unfortunately, pp is correct. Antiques are just not as popular as they used to be, and that’s reflected in prices at auction. My house has a mix of furniture/decor and I think I have enough modern art and furniture to keep it from being too “old,” but even if the house doesn’t look “stuffy,” I think it can look unrelatable or intimidating. People have to be able to envision living there themselves, with their own stuff. If the house is full of priceless antiques, it’s hard for a younger person with Crate and Barrel furniture to see themselves in the house.

[Anonymous]

18th and 19th century furnishings are not lovely to me. I would rather see modern or nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. You are kidding that modern buyers don’t like colonial furniture. It’s outdated.

My mom’s furniture wasn’t generic “colonial.” It’s genuine Queen Anne (1720s) and one piece is even earlier than that. Arranged with lots of floorboards showing and all that good stuff in rooms with tons of natural light.

The number of people who like that type of furnishings is going down. If you staged with her furniture, you might get a few people who loved the antique look, but you'll turn away many younger buyers who don't have an eye or appreciation of antiques who will write off your house because it looks old. The point of staging is to appeal to the most number of buyers to get them in the door and interest them in the house. In general, it's been shown in the last several years that staged houses tend to get more traffic and, on average, more offers than empty, vintage, or owner furnished houses.

So, you may find buyers who really appreciate the tasteful older furniture, but you'll probably have fewer eyes on your property than if you staged with modern furniture.

If you aren't paying for staging (many realtors will pay for this), then it's a win-win in that it will likely increase traffic and bids. If you are paying for it, you have to weigh the cost vs the gains; hard for others to determine how much staging is worth. Realistically, you only need one bid to sell the home.

I have lots of beautiful antiques, and, unfortunately, pp is correct. Antiques are just not as popular as they used to be, and that’s reflected in prices at auction. My house has a mix of furniture/decor and I think I have enough modern art and furniture to keep it from being too “old,” but even if the house doesn’t look “stuffy,” I think it can look unrelatable or intimidating. People have to be able to envision living there themselves, with their own stuff. If the house is full of priceless antiques, it’s hard for a younger person with Crate and Barrel furniture to see themselves in the house.

* leaves DCUM to run off and buy cheap antiques on eBay before they come back in style *

[Anonymous]

Honestly most people have terrible style and terrible furniture so it’s better to get it out. It often looks cheap

[Anonymous]

First, I am not an agent. I despise them. But I’m in a real estate related field and have sold at least 30-40 houses in the last decade.

20 years ago I thought the same as you. That staging was a completely unnecessary expense. Today I wouldn’t sell a property without it. I have a hard time imagining that any property would not sell for an increase greater than the cost of staging and it will always sell faster.

Most buyers do not have vision and empty houses look smaller. Staging is about scale foremost and showing the typical buyer how they would use the space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is read this forum to see that many (most?) people can’t see past decor and paint.

We owned a house that had a small living room that was difficult to furnish. We had purchased furniture that was scaled properly for the room and when we got ready to sell, we worked with a stager to make the most of the possibilities and it sold quickly (even in a relatively slow, post 2007 crash market). The house is back on the market and has sat for two months, despite being in a very desirable location. The current owners only have a couple of pieces of furniture that are way too big for the room, and it makes the room look unusable. I think the fact that the awkward living room is the first thing people see when they walk into the house is a big factor in the house not selling.

Yes I saw this with neighbors who listed their house in Del Ray when the market was white hot. The house had small rooms and an awkward layout, but staging could have shown some possibilities. Instead they listed unfurnished and it languished and only sold after the price was reduced.