Present2Sell - Devon Today May 2008

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Empty room fright

Everyone knows by now that when selling a property, it's important to remove our day-to-day clutter to give buyers an overall and undistracted sense of the space. So it may come as a surprise to know that often, a completely empty property can actually cause potential buyers a problem.

Strangely enough, rooms can look smaller without furniture; there's no point of reference for buyers to compare their own pieces; the property can feel devoid of personality and welcome, and there are no helpful hints on how best to use the space.

So if your empty property has been stuck on the market costing you money, here's how a small investment will get it off your hands.

Assuming there's no remedial work needed (always the priority) - take a colour point of reference from within the space, or from something visible outside.

In this example, I began with the living room and sourced accessories related to the curtain colour. Seating furniture was in keeping with the floor area and the likely number of people to live in the house. I kept things neutral but added colour zest with cushions, candles, ceramics etc., and defined the dining area as a separate space by accessorising with a complementary colour. Do the same with at least 1 bedroom, and complete with colour-related artwork. It all cost less than £2000 - a tiny proportion of the price the property sold for, very soon after. Definitely a good investment!