Staging a Home Today May Hurt More Than It Helps

The housing market before the pandemic is not the housing market now. Standard practices are being thrown out the window and replaced with healthier, safer options. This time, it’s whether or not to stage an empty home. Buyers today are more likely to view a vacant home compared to a professionally staged one, says Apartment Therapy. One economist explains that no furniture makes buyers believe their potential exposure to COVID-19 is minimized. Several real estate brokers corroborate this claim, saying vacant homes are no longer a negative thing, but actually help homes sell faster. In addition, vacant homes are much easier to show because there are no workarounds of occupants’ schedules needed.

Agent Domingo Perez Jr., also with Warburg Realty, agrees that there are many advantages to showing vacant homes.

“An empty apartment instinctively leads you to the windows as there’s nothing to navigate around—a positive if you have a view worth showing, as it’s done even before you can bring it up,” he says. “And my favorite part: an empty apartment allows you to show off the interior designer in you by having a conversation about the infinite possibilities of this empty space.”

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