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Tony Lewis, Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo (Summit Real Estate Group)

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Rainmaker
4,582,334
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

It depends.  It really does.  

Sep 23, 2020 08:28 PM
Rainmaker
4,478,677
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Don't want to sound "depends" but  if it is overloaded with big furniture the answer is NO, Endre

Sep 23, 2020 09:33 PM
Rainmaker
913,468
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

It depends - some homes have way too much furniture. Also, depends on buyer. Many buyers can visualize home with or without furniture.

 

 

Sep 24, 2020 04:23 AM
Ambassador
2,071,256
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Almost always with furniture.  a vacant property only allows viewers to focus on imperfections... scratched floors, foggy windows, poor paint jobs...

I can't tell you how often I've had buyers look at a bedroom and suggest that it's not big enough to hold a queen-sized bed, when we just removed a queen-sized bed and it held it with room to spare.  Rooms look smaller (both in person and in photos) without some furniture to show scale.

Almost always with furniture.

Sep 23, 2020 05:28 PM
Ambassador
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Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I know for a fact that a home shows better when it is staged professionally!  Unfortunately, sellers aren't always willing to spend the money for professional staging.  Rather than leave a vacant home empty, I will always at least lightly stage it myself with plants, pictures, etc.

Sep 24, 2020 05:51 AM
Rainmaker
1,323,064
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Our Team owns a staging company. We offer (encourage) staging on all of our listings...no additional charge. We KNOW that staging brings better, faster, higher sales prices. 

Sep 24, 2020 07:53 AM
Rainmaker
5,112,581
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Depends on the furniture. But, in general, better to be furnished... vacant rooms look smaller and show all the imperfections in the home.

Sep 24, 2020 03:49 AM
Rainmaker
808,279
Steve Higgins
RE/MAX Kelowna - Kelowna, BC

I think better with furniture, that being said sometimes it depends on the furniture.

Sep 23, 2020 06:33 PM
Rainmaker
853,122
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

With the RIGHT furniture and not a lot of other "stuff", a home usually shows better with furniture (IMHO!).  But the wrong furniture can paralyze a buyer...

Sep 24, 2020 05:35 AM
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Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

If the home is vacant, it usually looks best with some well-placed and carefully selected items. If it's a rental though, it might be better empty for a smoother move-in process.

Sep 24, 2020 04:47 AM
Rainmaker
1,506,043
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

Some floorplans really need the help of furniture to help people understand the uses of them.  Others don't.

Sep 23, 2020 10:22 PM
Rainmaker
1,092,947
Diana Zaccaro Broker Associate
ZOOM Realty Group - Cocoa Beach, FL
"The Accidental Blogger" Cocoa Beach, Florida

If you're listing it for rent, go with vacant. If for sale, it depends on how it is furnished. Bad furniture and furnishings can distract buyers from the overall property and nicely furnished can help showcase it. You can always list it vacant and if you get negative feedback, look into staging. Some agents have had success with virtual staging and like the fact that it is quick and inexpensive. 

Sep 23, 2020 06:48 PM
Rainmaker
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Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

Definitely staged

Sep 24, 2020 09:03 AM
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Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I am with Mr. Michael Jacobs - it truly does depend. On many things. 

Sep 24, 2020 08:24 AM
Rainmaker
809,258
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I might be the only agent in history to say this, but I have always preferred vacant homes. -K

Sep 24, 2020 07:25 AM
Rainer
430,282
J.R. Schloemer
Kentucky Select Properties - Louisville, KY

Better furnished, but I've had a few that buyers can't overlook the disaster of the furnishings.

Sep 23, 2020 09:34 PM
Ambassador
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Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Furnished... but the key word is "minimalist".  Don't overdo it.

Sep 24, 2020 08:21 AM
Rainmaker
5,877,345
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Depending on the homeowner's (or tenant's) furniture.   There are times vacant would be better.

Sep 24, 2020 06:35 AM
Rainmaker
1,847,011
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I think it shows better with furniture but then it depends on whether the furniture of awful or not. I think that virtual staging makes that better.

Sep 24, 2020 06:31 AM
Rainmaker
3,416,038
Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

Some homes show better vacant than when there is too much furniture. I like vacant homes to see what is really there. Some buyers cant see what is not there, so furniture is needed for them. It depends on the size of the home and if luxury or starter?

Sep 24, 2020 05:46 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

It is the responsibility of the listing agent to create the 'I have arrived' sensation for a perspective buyer.

A blank slate requires the buyer to become creative.
People are overwhelmingly better critics than creators.

Now, there is the other side of the story. The selling STRATEGY may actually include making the property look like opportunity that will drive competitive bidding on strategically priced real estate.

Sep 24, 2020 05:32 AM
Rainmaker
1,206,361
Peter Mohylsky, Beach Expert
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

Shows, pictures.  Definitely need furniture/staging for pictures.

Sep 24, 2020 04:18 AM
Rainmaker
5,239,949
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Furniture can be a help and sometimes a definite hindrance. That said furnished is my preference.

Sep 24, 2020 04:04 AM
Rainmaker
2,245,675
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Take a video both ways just in case... sometimes you wished you had for better staging. A new renter can make it look better than the original owner too and have had one month to month renter help me sell three homes because of her housekeeping and flare with interior decorating. She did not mind moving as long as I found her a month to month rental as the wait for spring to build on her land played out. Depends on the furniture, no smells, lights on and clean as a whistle shown at the drop of a hat availability ... and it depends on the buyer. Some can see it's only furniture and imagine their own instead. Others go ooh la la over the furniture, the vet in the garage and all the toys that make them want the same climb the status stairway of home, better home, best home. With or without, It depends if the empty place shows where the couch was against the wall, coffee table spared the wall to wall floor covering. Or the chalk body outline under the removed area rug from a past homicide, etc. 

Sep 24, 2020 03:38 AM
Ambassador
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Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Definitely a better look with furniture. Vacant homes look so...vacant...and for most it's hard to acnhor the space in each room without furnishings!

Sep 23, 2020 07:52 PM
Rainmaker
4,176,793
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Hello Tony, I think a home shows better with furniture.

Sep 23, 2020 05:18 PM
Rainmaker
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Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

Depends on the furniture.

Too big or too much just clutters it up.

Staged looks better in pics.

Buyers can more easily envision THEIR stuff in a vacant home.

This is why I do commercial, LOL

Sep 24, 2020 08:09 AM
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Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Generally speaking, a staged home with furniture is most desirable. However, there are exceptions depending on the lifestyle of the occupants and the condition of the furnishings.  A well cleaned vacant home is more desirable than a home with ratty furnishings and an appearance of being too "well-lived in". 

Sep 24, 2020 06:13 AM
Rainmaker
1,513,143
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

If the home is "livable" have some staging done, if it needs rehab it shouldn't have any!

Oh and if Casper lives there, none as well!

Sep 24, 2020 04:56 AM
Rainmaker
1,153,794
Kevin J. May
Florida Supreme Realty - Hobe Sound, FL
Serving the Treasure & Paradise Coasts of Florida

I'd say with for the customer's sake but for me personally without, imagination left the bulding decades ago for most buyers.

Sep 24, 2020 09:43 AM
Rainmaker
2,817,727
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Usually, but not always, they look better and larger w/ furniture.  Yes, I have been in many homes w/ the furniture before closing and then after when it's time to refinish and it's empty. Wow, what a difference in the appearance of size.  Also, with an empty home, people notice every little scratch on the floor and smudge on the wall.

As a contractor, I prefer when the home is empty as it's easier to estimate...or that it will be empty when the job is done as it will be less expensive for the customer.

Sep 24, 2020 08:30 AM
Rainmaker
5,772,587
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Tony,

It depends, I have seen homes both way, and I prefer vacant.  A

Sep 24, 2020 08:24 AM
Rainmaker
2,784,696
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Having seen both vacant and staged results come forth each time. Interesting to note that price-point, location and condition of the property all play a part

Sep 24, 2020 06:04 AM
Ambassador
3,589,741
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Staged properly with furniture.  Better to have tennants out of a home before putting on market in my experience.

Sep 24, 2020 01:59 PM
Rainmaker
7,863,525
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Staging is effective unless you are selling to an investor.

Sep 24, 2020 09:11 AM
Rainmaker
693,775
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

I think most homes show better with some furniture if it is done right.

Sep 24, 2020 09:07 AM
Rainmaker
2,071,025
Evelina Tsigelnitskaya
SIB Realty - Sunny Isles Beach, FL

Yes 

If the furniture compliments the property

If not - unfurnished. 

Sep 27, 2020 07:16 PM
Rainmaker
1,598,452
Valeria Mola
SIB Realty - Miami, Sunny Isles Beach - Sunny Isles Beach, FL
305-607-0709 SIB Realty Condos for Sale and Rent

Unfurnished. 

Sep 27, 2020 06:09 PM
Ambassador
5,254,045
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hands down, WITH - but, only if it is staged nicely (whether with the sellers' furniture or the stager's).

Sep 26, 2020 02:35 PM
Ambassador
5,851,191
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

It depends. If the furniture is only covering up a home that needs paint, repairs etc, then put the money towards that.

Sep 24, 2020 04:33 PM
Rainmaker
902,038
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Definitely WITH furniture, but it has to be tasteful and not look cluttered.

Sep 24, 2020 12:07 PM
Rainmaker
715,802
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

A staged home always shows better, in my opinion. A home lived in may be worse than a vacant home, however.

Sep 24, 2020 11:09 AM
Ambassador
3,167,614
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Nicely furnished or staged is best.  But right now in my market it would be sold before we could get it staged so vacant and clean would be fine.

Sep 25, 2020 01:13 PM
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