Hi folks,

As we are in the middle of winter and I have a couple of empty properties to sell I thought I might offer some thoughts. It’s well known that empty houses usually take twice as long to sell and often sell for less. But why?

It’s hard for an empty house to ooze charm or vitality. And few prospective buyers are good at visualising a house’s charm potential. After all, people don’t buy houses they buy homes. In other words, when they walk into a property for sale, while their heads are looking at features and benefits, their hearts are engaged only when the atmosphere makes them feel at home. If their hearts aren’t engaged, the fact that the features of the property add up on paper rarely makes a sale happen.

Empty houses also make it hard for people to do decide whether their furniture will work. Without chairs or sofas to indicate size and scale, how can they make the translation from their current living room to the one they are looking at? If there are, say, two two-seater sofas, buyers can quickly make comparisons with their own living room without resorting to time-consuming measurements when they are simply trying to form their early impressions. Uncertainty makes people lose interest, especially if the house isn’t sending out lifestyle vibes that engage their emotions. Above all, when the house is empty, prospective buyers tend to focus on negative details. It is easy to see chips or cracks when there are no paintings, furniture or window coverings to take their attention and camouflage imperfections.

If you have to move out, it’s worth contacting a home styling company whose services include moving in furniture and accessories to make a house look like a home. The costs will be worth it in the long run, as the house will sell faster for a better price. You can even choose colours, furniture and fabrics that target the demographic that is likely to buy your house.Even if you’re just interested in improving the look of your home to enhance its selling potential, styling companies can help you tweak the presentation for maximum impact.