When listing a Lake Tahoe property for sale, the seller and Realtor will typically do a walk-through of the home to get it ready to list. We have discussed tips for de-cluttering and staging in addition to several other ways to make a house feel like a home to a potential buyer. However, what if the property is vacant? Selling a vacant home sometimes comes with a set of questions from a buyer such as “Is the home vacant because it has been on the market so long, the owners cleared all their stuff out?” or “Is there something wrong with the home that it is not selling?”. With Lake Tahoe being a second home resort market, there can be several quality reasons that a home is left bare and unfurnished. For example, a job relocation would require the sellers to move quickly to a new area and take their belongings with them. One tricky thing Realtors run into when it comes to marketing properties that are left vacant is that on some occasion, especially in photos, it can be hard for a buyer to imagine the layout or size of the rooms and how they can be used. Truth be told, it also has some perks. After all, you don’t have to negotiate the move in dates of the buyer with the move out dates of the seller. If you are getting ready to sell your home as a vacant property and are worried that you may be looked over for furnished properties, we have some helpful tips for you to consider.
Virtual Staging
What will they think of next? Virtual staging is where furnishings, accessories and general décor are computer generated and placed in photos of the vacant rooms. Some Lake Tahoe Realtors have the ability to do this on their own computer programs, while others will out-source the project. Just keep in mind that if this is the route you go, you will need to state in the advertising that the rooms are virtually staged.
Consignment Furniture
Consignment furniture is one way to make your house look more lived in and on the cheap too. This option allows a seller to purchase enough pieces with an inexpensive price tag and make the home look a little more lived in. Thanks to Pinterest, we now can get a step by step on turning the ugliest of items into a glamourous work of art with a quick trip to the fabric store. The perk to this option is that if you don’t want to keep any of the pieces, you can offer the furniture to the buyer as an incentive.
Furniture Rental
If you want to have furniture in the photos AND the house while people are touring, leasing your furniture may be the way to go if you don’t want to commit to pieces of furniture you will later need to get rid of. While this option gives you the perk of not dealing with the furniture after your home sells, you will need to realize that you will have to sign a lease agreement and depending on the size of your home, costs can vary quite a bit.
Closeout Furniture
This is similar to the consignment furniture idea except that the furniture in question is brand new. Even if it is just a few major pieces like a sofa or a dining set, you can still make the home look inviting and cozy. Head to TJ Maxx for the side tables, accent chairs and lamps and you can have a fully staged room for cheaper than a price reduction.
Regardless of what you choose to revitalize your Lake Tahoe home for sale, time is of the essence in real estate. In fact, a listing is in its prime the first two weeks it hits the market. That is your time as a seller to make your property shine compared to the competition. If none of these options will work for you, be sure to chat with your Realtor about what you can do and how they can present the property during showings to make it stand out as a blank canvas. Are you getting ready to sell your Lake Tahoe home? Contact us at 530-543-6676.
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