Prepping flat for sale

[Sarah_W]

I've just finishing off my first flat renvoation that I bought last year and it will soon be on the market. I don't intend to stage it with furniture, or even to add shelves to the bedroom/sitting room or blinds/curtains etc for the window to save cost and allow the purchaser to personalise it.

However, it's got a 60 by 140 storage cupboard/room which the estate agents suggests shelving for storage, but personally I think it feels bigger without shelves and also as a buyer, I'd prefer to have my own shelving made and fitted, than someone elses solution imposed on me.

What are your views - should I get sjhelving to complete it as a storage cupboard, or would most buyers rather get their own done to their requirements?

[jas xjr]

i would stage the flat. in my opinion a lot of people do not have the imagination to visualise how the flat would look. i know its more work but you can take the furniture to the next job. at the very least put some artwork on the walls and a few plants around the place. makes it look more homely and less sterile.
as for the storage , it could be important in a flat with less space, not really my area as i have never bothered with flats.
i have staged a house , with advice from a friend who is more design savvy , and the buyers wanted to buy all the furniture too.
good luck with the sale

[loltolhurst]

wouldnt do the shelves but wuld stage it and put eg flat screen tv in it to make it look funky + flowers etc

[Spudler]

I'd stage it. My last property was completly refurbished but left empty, feedback from the viewings was "didn't feel lived-in and homely" and took quite a while longer to sell.

[touching cloth]

I am seeing a trip to Ikea in your future

For what it's worth I also think it is worth staging - it doesn't need to be much be much but a sofa in the living room, a bed (with linen) in each bedroom and few sidelights will make all the difference.

[Simon Brooks]

chuck in a few tasteful pictures on the walls, would def try to add a feeling of home to it. think about the companies that build lots of houses they always tend to make the show house welcoming. trick is to make sure that you do not over clutter it, dont forget the bread maker and fresh coffee !!!

[B17NNS]

Stage the flat. Most buyers have little imagination. Beg, borrow or steal stuff or use things from your own house if needs be. It doesn't have to full of stuff. Just a bed in each room, sofa in the lounge. Table in the kitchen if you can fit one.

You are not selling a flat, you are selling the idea of a home to someone. The more effort you put into this aspect, the more rewards you will get.

Why do you think national house builders spend thousands and thousands of pounds providing show homes?

[foggy]

Freecycle could be useful for picking up a few things to stage with.

[BoRED S2upid]

Having dabbled a bit before I would also suggest staging the flat. it doesn't have to cost you a fortune but might make you more or get you a quicker sale, in this market you can't really afford not to.

Borrow items from friends, you would be suprised how quickly you can furnish a flat. a £100 4th hand sofa from the small adds or a free one from Freecycle can be made to look nice with a couple of cheap throws, people need to see a double bed in a room thats advertised as a double bedroom, its hard to envisage the size of a double bed and when viewing 5 flats in a morning yours is going to stand out as the newly refurbished one that didn't have any furniture rather than that one with the lovely living room with flat screen tv and funky coffee table.

As for the storage don't bother, people are going to look in there for a whole 15 seconds.

[Dupont666]

Is there any home staging companies or is this something that someone can make a profitable business...

Or is it too much hassle to make a profit?