Putting your house on the market can be a stressful process. There are so many decisions to make that will impact how quickly your house is sold and for how much you can sell it for. It’s a serious money game where you can’t afford to make the wrong decision.
One of those decisions is whether to sell your house fully-furnished or not. There are pros and cons to selling a furnished home but, in order to decide, you need to look at your housing situation. There are a few common scenarios when people choose to sell their homes with all the furnishings included.
If you are emigrating
Moving from one country to another is a huge commitment and not a decision that many people make lightly. While moving your life overseas may be an expensive cost, you’re only adding to those expenses if you choose to stuff your belongings into a container and ship it over with you or keep in a storage unit should you ever move back to your home country.
Then again, it all depends on the deal you’re getting with your new job. They may cover some of your housing expenses and you’ll just need to pay for your furniture. Or you can find a fully-furnished home where you’re going.
Emigrating is one of the main reasons why people choose to sell their homes fully furnished. It saves them the trouble of organising storage, risking damage or loss in the shipping process and organising delivery on the other side (without really knowing if it’s all going to fit or not). Just make sure that when you put your house up for sale, that you advertise a price that compensates for the new furniture you’ll have to buy.
There’s not enough space in your new home
Another common reason why people sell fully-furnished homes is that they may be downscaling and their new home may not have enough space for everything. While another option is to put the extra furniture in storage or hold your own garage sale, it’s easier (and sometimes more rewarding) to sell it all with your house. After all, buying furniture online can set you up in your new home in no time.
But, there’s also the option to sell your home as a semi-furnished house where you can leave the basics behind and take the few items you really want to hold onto for your new home. Don’t worry, you won’t have to leave all your favourite bedroom sets behind, maybe just the basic ones to add to the home’s bedroom furniture appeal-factor for potential buyers.
You need to sell big and sell quickly
The last reason people choose to sell their homes fully furnished that we’ll be discussing is if you need to sell big and sell quickly. This works hand-in-hand with emigrating or moving into a smaller space. If you’re looking to get the most money for your house and belongings in one go, then selling your house fully-furnished can do that.
It’s also more attractive for buyers who may be immigrating themselves or looking for a fresh start to buy a fully-furnished home. Which is why it may help to make the sale happen as quickly as possible.
A few disadvantages
While there are the above-mentioned advantages of selling fully furnished, there are disadvantages as well. You may be able to ask a bit more for your home by including all your furniture but, at the end of the day, there is still a “real property value” that will be the deciding factor. You won’t be able to ask for the true worth of your furniture items and will very likely lose some money by doing so.
You also need to factor in the commission the real estate agent will be earning off a home that is being sold fully-furnished and at a high price. It would make more sense to sell your furniture separately before you put your house on the market but not everyone has the time to do that before they need to move to a new place.
You know the worth of your home and how much it means to you. You also know what the future living situation will be at your new place and whether you’ll need your current furnishings or not. Be sure to consult your agent before you make a decision and also make sure you’ll still have what you need for your new home (be that in the form of furniture or cash to be able to replace what’s been left behind).
Selling your home can be difficult and definitely stressful, you’ll know what the right decision is for you to make based on your circumstances. Sometimes the best option is to leave everything behind and start again.
