Because of the excess inventory in the Annapolis MD real estate market, agents are showing a lot of vacant homes to potential buyers.

Vacant homes can either look spectacular or they could look a bit depressing.  Once you take down all your pictures and remove all your furniture you would be surprised at all of the little nicks and spots that show up.  Without something to take the buyers attention away, every little thing that’s wrong seems to be exaggerated.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when selling your empty house:

• Curb Appeal: You may not be there but buyers may be coming to see your house regularly.  The curb appeal is extremely important.  I’ve seen many buyers drive up to a house that doesn’t have decent curb appeal and never bother going inside.  Grass and bushes need to be trimmed.  Put a new coat of paint on the front door if necessary.  Gutters, downspouts, etc…you get the picture.  This is the entrance to your house and if it doesn’t appeal to buyers they will just move on.
• Paint: Without pictures and furniture the bare walls will show every irregularity.  A simple coat of paint will do a lot for a room.  New paint is probably the single best investment you can make when selling your vacant house.
• Carpets: Wow…same as paint.  Once all the furniture is on the truck all those spills over the years can look pretty bad.  If it can’t be cleaned than you should consider replacing dirty and worn carpet.  Offering a carpet allowance is an option but I’ve found that replacement is a better way to generate buyer interest.
• Staging: Empty houses look like, well, empty houses.  In many cases they aren’t very appealing to the eye.  Many buyers can’t really visualize what it would look like with their furniture.  This is where staging can help.  The placement of selected pieces of furniture and accessories gives your vacant house a more lived in feeling.  It can also help to focus buyers attention on the areas where you want them to focus, rather than on the areas that may be a challenge.

Another thing to keep in mind about your vacant home for sale is homeowners insurance.  You should contact your insurance carrier and make sure they know that the home is vacant.  Many insurance companies will require a slightly higher premium when a house is vacant.