Is it Better to Sell a House Empty or Furnished?

Furnished or unfurnished? It can be confusing to decide whether to furnish the house before putting it up for sale or leaving it as is. An empty house can be seen as lacking visual appeal by some people which means the buyers won't buy into the idea quickly.

However, there is also the argument that furnishing a house just to attract buyers is inconvenient and expensive and still according to Dorrmat the best real estate lead generation strategy is cold calling. Nonetheless, it all comes down to your circumstances and personal preferences. Looking at the pros and cons of each option will help you determine the choice that is best for you.

Advantages of selling a furnished house

• Buyers can see how the available space can be utilized. It is difficult to visualize that when the spaces and rooms are empty.
• Charms people quickly making them feel at home. If the house is empty it feels like just another building they will have to look at.
• Furnishing the house will hide scratched floors or chipped paint. Small imperfections shouldn't be a big deal but some fussy buyers might blow them out of proportion.
• If you furnish the house perfectly it will be more aesthetically pleasing than an empty house. Some buyers might even request to buy the furniture as well and keep the decor as well. If you can, consult an interior design for this project for the best outcome.
• A well-furnished house will make a great first impression on potential buyers. Also, it stands out among the many they will see given that most of them will be unfurnished.

Disadvantages of selling a furnished house

• Quite inconvenient if you have to move immediately. Leaving behind your furniture once you have moved out and put the house for sale means putting your new life on a halt. Unless you want to waste money buying new furniture you'll have to wait until the house is sold to furnish your new house.
• It will be expensive if you decide to hire furniture for showing purposes. Every day that goes by without getting a buyer the cost of selling the house goes up.
• If you put ugly furniture in the house the aesthetic appeal will be seriously affected.
• Overfurnishing will make the rooms look cramped up which drives away potential buyers.

Advantages of selling a house unfurnished

• You won't have to leave your furniture behind for the sake of showings or hire hefty price tag furniture for that purpose.
• The potential buyers can mentally plan how to furnish the "blank canvas" especially if they have a good imagination. Not everyone will have your taste in furnishing a house.
• Unfurnished houses have no occupancy most of the time hence potential buyers can see the house any time they want. Therefore, there will be more showings compared to furnished houses. The more people who see the house the higher the chances of getting a buyer quickly.

Disadvantages of selling a house unfurnished

• They look smaller to some people.
• An empty house doesn't have a great visual appeal. They may seem lifeless or dull.
• Without furniture it might be hard for potential buyers to visualize how they will decorate or furnish the house should they buy it.
• Empty houses seem abandoned which gives the potential buyers the idea that the seller is desperate to close.
• All dings and dents will be open for everyone to see in an unfurnished house and that can be a problem.

To furnish or not furnish!

Furnishing or not furnishing a property should be considered based on your individual situation. Will you have to buy or borrow the furniture or will you be using the ones you already have? If you have to spend a lot of money to furnish the property it isn't worth it. That money could better be used in updating the property. You don't have to go all the way in to renovate or decorate the property but rather implement some home improvement projects that will increase the curb appeal.

The appearance of the house will bring in more potential buyers as opposed to improving the decor. Also, your timescale, budget and even the effort you are willing to put in this case will shape your choice. If the house looks unloved, cold and poorly maintained, you won't gain much from putting in a load of furniture. Repairing a house costs much more than furnishing it and not everyone is looking for a fixer-upper property.

You need to start with the basics first to attract potential buyers. That means fixing the outlook of the property so that its beauty can bring more people in. You won't have an easy time selling a house that looks abandoned. Many people understand that houses on sale are usually empty but they won't understand why they should put their money on a house that is falling apart. If you can afford to furnish it impeccably then go for it but it should be after you have updated the property.