Unstaged homes are put at a distinct disadvantage in the real estate marketplace, since they virtually always lack the concept of universal appeal, which is inherent to professionally staged properties. Unstaged pieces of real estate are also known as “lived-in” homes or even “as-is” properties, since what you see, is unfortunately, what you get. In most cases, there has been no particular effort made to improve the aesthetics of the house or apartment prior to listing the residence for sale.
This article details the disadvantages of listing a property for sale or rental without allowing it to enjoy the many tangible benefits of home staging.
Disadvantages of Unstaged Homes
Unstaged properties only have one advantage over staged homes. That singular plus is that not staging takes absolutely no time, effort or money. However, the rest is all downhill. Not staging also does nothing to enhance the look, feel and flow of the interior of the home, nor does it do anything to improve the curb appeal of the exterior spaces.
Not staging allows buyers to fully recognize all the potential flaws of a property, without necessarily seeing any of the positive attributes. Not staging also generally forces the buyer to concentrate on all your stuff, instead of seeing the home in its pure form, without the added visual weight and clutter of your style, possessions or taste.
Hope for “Lived-In” Homes
Of course, even the worst unstaged residence always has a chance to sell, particularly if it is offered at a price far below market value. However, why any buyer would choose to virtually give away their property for less than it is worth is beyond my ability to reason.
In my experience, sellers always want to maximize the profit from their home sales and get the transactions done quickly, so that they can move on with the next stage of their lives. Luckily, it is never too late and homes can always be staged, although once placed on the market unstaged, a property will still have an uphill battle attracting interest, compared to homes which are brilliantly staged before going on sale to begin with.
Fixes for Unstaged Homes
Ok, this advice section is really, really simple. Stage your home before listing it. That’s it. Placing a home on the market unstaged is accepting defeat before the battle. You will not get the full value out of the property and may not even sell it at all.
Meanwhile, taking some effort and initiative to actually prepare the property, using a professional stager or do it yourself home staging ideas, will certainly pay huge dividends in both a quicker sales time and an increased final sales price. Staging does not have to be difficult or overly invasive to your lifestyle. Just learn the facts about home staging for yourself and recognize the many benefits that this form of real estate marketing truly offers. Once you know the facts, you will not even consider selling your home without staging it first.
