Although houses for sale are commonly filled with the seller's furniture, decorations, and other items, there will occasionally be times in which you'll want to sell your house when it's empty. For example, perhaps you've already bought a new home and moved in, emptying your home for sale in the process. Your real estate agent can give you some advice about finding yourself in this unusual situation, but there are several factors that you can evaluate when you're looking at selling a house that is empty. Here are some positive and negative aspects of doing so.
Pro: It Will Look Large And Open
When the house is empty, each of its rooms will appear large and open. This situation can be favorable if your home was filled with items and had a cluttered appearance before you cleared it out. Rooms that are cluttered often appear smaller than their true dimensions, which won't do you any favors when you're trying to sell. When each room is empty, any interested buyers will be able to easily walk around in the space and imagine how they'd set up their furniture; doing so might not be easy when the room is cluttered.
Con: It May Not Appear Inviting
Sellers often go to considerable lengths to make their homes look inviting before putting them on the market. For example, in addition to tastefully decorating each room, sellers may even light candles, bake fresh cookies so that the scent fills the house, and use other similar techniques. An empty home doesn't feel very inviting, and it may not give interested buyers a cozy feeling upon entering.
Pro: It Allows For A Fast Move-In Date
One of the challenges of selling your home can be agreeing on a move-in date. A keen buyer, for example, will often want to take possession quickly, but this might not always be possible. When the house is empty, the buyer knows that he or she can likely take possession as soon as he or she is able, which may help you to get an offer quickly.
Con: The Buyer Knows You May Be Desperate
A challenge of selling an empty house is that the buyer assumes you've already moved into a new home and are thus making mortgage payments on two properties. Doing so can be a financial burden, and any informed buyer will predict that you'll want to sell as quickly as you can. This could compel a shrewd buyer to submit an offer well below your listing price with the hopes that you're desperate enough to take it.
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