7 Tips to Avoid the Vacant Home Look
Included in every listing I take is 2 hours of staging help. My stager can help your home look it’s very best, whether it’s being lived in or not. Here are some general tips for vacant homes:
- Give the house a lived-in look. Get a neighbor or family member to make the house look occupied by parking a car in the driveway, opening and closing the drapes and taking in any mail.
- Groom the yard. Use a lawn service during the summer to keep the grass cut and a snow removal service in the winter to scrape the walks and driveway.
- No outstanding nicks. Hide the effects of missing furniture. Paint and replace rugs so there are no faded spots or blemishes on the walls. Cover accent paint that alone looks odd.
- Leave some furniture. A few chairs, tables, lamps and beds (or empty mattress boxes with spreads) give buyers a sense of space.
- Keep the utilities on. Set the thermostat at a comfortable level during the winter and summer.
- Hire a cleaning service. Make sure the home remains spotless. (I can recommend a good one, if you need it.)
- Check the homeowner’s policy. Understand the coverage when the home is vacant.