To me, move in condition means that I will have to do very little before I move in. No extensive cleaning, no painting, no repairs, no updating.

As long as your furniture and belongings don't overwhelm the house or hide things that might be an issue it doesn't matter to me if the house is empty when I view it.

This post was edited by deee on Fri, May 16, 14 at 10:04

"move in condition" has nothing to do with whether you show the house with stuff in it or not.

In general, an uncluttered but furnished house shows the best.

"move in condition" means that after the house sells and you close, the new owner won't have to do extensive repairs before they move in.

Declutter and clean before you list.

I would move the trailer from the front of the house before showing it, first impressions only happen pnce.

Lightly furnished is better than empty. Do you have a house to move to? Or, when you say "everything except for bare essentials" do you mean that the beds will still be there, nicely made, about 1/2 of your plates/utensils still in the kitchen with clear counters, pantry 2/3 empty, closets 2/3 empty, etc?

Having some furniture and utensils and food in the pantry contributes to the "environment" of the home. It helps people imagine living there (assuming you have reasonably nice furnishings, typical taste, etc).

But you certainly can be 1/2 packed and moved out--non-seasonal clothing and decorations don't need to be in the home during showings.

Thanks all,
I'd like to clarify that most items are alredy out . 1 queen size bed, and remaining boxes / personal items like clothes,and kitchen things remain. I want the house empty. She wants things moved after the house s sold.
So, which is better?
smg1dav

Where are you living? If you are sleeping/cooking/eating in the house, it is fine to keep those items in the house. If I were her and my options were the kitchen with my utensils or eating/sleeping in a trailer, I'd prefer the house too.

But, make sure it isn't just a mattress. Have the bed be a real bed. With sheets and comforter. A bed in a room helps people judge the size of the room better.

What you are really asking is if a house shows better with or without furniture.

Are you still living in the house? If so, I can understand why your wife wants to have normal, everyday things still in the house--you are using them. There's no gain by taking these things out.

If you have moved out already, leaving some furniture behind can give buyers a feel for the size of the rooms and possible furniture arrangements. It's one thing to guess if a room can hold a queen bed and two dressers, it's another thing to *see* the queen bed in place.

I'd get boxes out of the house, but leave the furniture that is there.

1 queen size bed, and remaining boxes / personal items like clothes,and kitchen things remain

If that's truly all that's left, I'd say remove it. An empty house is appealing to some people. A furnished house is appealing to most people. A practically empty house with random boxes scattered around appeals to no one.

But if you're still living there, the hassle of removing/replacing those last few items for every showing is probably not worth it.

When you go to buy newly-built homes, they're always decorated. Decorated sells; empty doesn't. Homes look better (and bigger) if they are tastefully furnished.

A staged home with carefully chosen furniture and accessories sells better than either an empty home, or a cluttered lived in home. Whatever you do, do NOT show a home without furniture in it to illustrate the scale of the rooms. People have a much harder time envisioning themselves moving into a space, and many homes feel smaller without furniture than with just a few pieces in the rooms.

Move in condition is neutral color scheme, flooring that is neutral and not worn, no major repairs, cracks in walls etc., and clean. The way you choose to show your home and with how much furniture falls into the category of "staging". I fall into the camp of choosing to stage rather than leave rooms uninhabited. Staging (cleaning, major decluttering etc) tends to let buyers envision a lifestyle in your home. It helps them to envision scale, and when properly done, actually shows off features of the home that are hidden rather than spotlighting cluttered rooms and showy decor to distract buyers. You want buyers to spend time discussing your fireplace NOT commenting on how the owner "must love penguins" or some other overly personal artifacts you have around your home. Also, a seasoned realtor told us, years ago, that empty homes (generally speaking) indicate that the seller will be willing to lower the price because most owners can't afford the carrying costs on a vacant home forever and are likely paying two mortgages. As you only have one first impression to make as a seller and the first month is crucial (as the longer a home sits, the more it becomes stigmatized), I would prefer to spend the time making it look its very best to subtly convey to buyers what you love about this particular home than to empty it of furnishings and have it appear that you couldn't wait to get out.

Hi smg1dav,

because you said "I want the house empty" then I think that is what you should do. It is better to have it empty as greg_2010 suggested and I agree entirely that to have a practically empty house with random boxes scattered around appeals to no one.

Showing a move in ready home is the better plan.

No boxes, no trailer for sure!! I would NOT have moved my belongings out before showing it, but apparently you have. I think you are going to get less money because of it being empty. Not being lived in says to me you just need to unload it. Everything I have ever read on the subject says it's best to show a house furnished (or staged).

Studies have been done and empty houses stay on the market longer.

You misunderstand the meaning of "move in condition".

Years ago we learned from a successful realtor that it is more difficult to prepare and present an empty house because it shows any large or small imperfection on every single surface. It takes a lot more work to make an empty house looks perfect.

If I have a choice, I would never sell a house empty. Empty house sends a message the owner needs to sell it, and it invites low offers.

Selling house empty also miss the opportunity of using furniture as a selling tool to touch "emotion" side of home purchase.

When using it right, furniture highlights attractive features of a house, creates good impression and suggests desirable lifestyle. I believe when everything is equal, a nicely staged house will sell at a higher price. It is the reason builders use model homes.

Yeah, I agree. You shouldn't have moved out. Move in condition means "in good repair," not empty.

But since you have, you should move COMPLETELY out. And make sure the house (floors, walls, bathrooms, closets, kitchen) is spotlessly clean. Obviously, the buyers won't have anything to look at in your house except the house itself, so it better be clean.

Maybe 'move in condition' has different meanings in different parts of the country.

Here in New England it means:
Everything works!
No drippy faucets.
Clean, functioning appliances.
HVAC, well, septic, are in good condition,
No broken or cracked windows.
All windows are clean inside and out.
All doors and windows open and close easily.
The yard is well maintained.
Gutters are clean and have no leaks.
The only vehicles are the daily drivers.
The garage is clean and uncluttered.
No bright colors on the walls, especially in the kids' rooms!
And have all carpets professionally cleaned, especially if you have pets.

Hi all,
We are sold to stage the house. All rooms are empty except for the kitchen as the nook table is staying.
What is the price range? Northen New Jersey location.
Colonial Cape.
Thanks, you are really helping quite a lot, and it is
VERY much appreciated,
smg1dav

Grew up in North Jersey. Western Morris County.

Ask your agent who they like to work with for a stager. Your agent will also know how much they charge.