{"id":60136,"date":"2025-07-14T14:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T21:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=60136"},"modified":"2025-12-01T03:11:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T11:11:12","slug":"is-it-better-to-have-an-empty-house-when-selling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/is-it-better-to-have-an-empty-house-when-selling\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Better to Have an Empty House When Selling?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a common question among home sellers who are buying and selling at the same time: Is it better to have an empty house when selling?<\/p>\n

Or perhaps you’re helping a parent downsize or selling an inherited property<\/a> and wondering if an empty house will sell faster or slower or for more or less money.<\/p>\n

To get expert insight, we spoke with Melanie Hunt<\/a>, a top real estate agent in Fort Worth, Texas, with 44 years of experience in residential sales. We\u2019ll combine her seasoned advice with data from agents nationwide to help you make the best decision for your sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

The Top 5% of Agents Sell Homes for Up to 10% More<\/h3>\n

HomeLight analyzes over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to determine which agent is best for you based on your needs. Connect with your top agent matches today at no cost.<\/p>\n \n

\n Get Started<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n

Is it better to have an empty house when selling?<\/h2>\n

Historically, occupied homes tend to sell slightly faster and for more money than vacant homes, but it depends on the market and the property. A 2019 study showed that vacant homes sold for around $11,000 less<\/a> and took six days longer to sell. However, if a market is active and there are more buyers than homes, an empty house might sell faster because it\u2019s ready for immediate move-in.<\/p>\n

In her experience, Hunt says selling a vacant home can sometimes be a better choice than cluttered or over-furnished homes if the seller isn\u2019t able to create a clean, minimal look.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can’t get the seller to do massive rearranging and decluttering, then it’s better that the house is vacant,\u201d she says. \u201cBuyers can actually see the bones of the house then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vacant is better than cluttered<\/h3>\n

Hunt says the best approach depends on the home. Whether furnished or empty, sellers must make it easy for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there. This means presenting a home that\u2019s inviting.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200b\u200bI think it is the HGTV effect,\u201d she explains. \u201cIf the sellers don’t have the house as neat and decorated and clean as an HGTV home, then the buyers walk in and they just see clutter, and the clutter takes away from the house \u2014 it brings the room in, and makes it smaller.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says this \u201csmallness\u201d can be felt in person and in listing photos. Even something as simple as the back of a sofa can \u201cbring the room in,\u201d distracting buyers from the space itself. \u201cAnd that’s what people are looking for, space. They don’t care about your antique doll collection; they want to see the room.\u201d<\/p>\n

In short, a house that\u2019s furnished in a way that helps buyers see themselves living there is generally going to help it sell. But if it\u2019s a choice between showing a cluttered<\/a>, tight-feeling house or a vacant open home, then it\u2019s usually better to sell the house empty.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Expert tips if you must sell an empty house<\/h2>\n

If you’ve already moved out or are clearing a home<\/a> for a parent, you may not have the option to leave furniture in place. In that case, Hunt recommends you start with lots of light.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a buyer walks into an empty home, all the lights need to be bright so it’s inviting,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt can’t be dark and dingy. You\u2019ve got to change all the light bulbs out to a bright white and have the window blinds open. It invites buyers to step in and imagine the room with their things in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are expert-backed tips that can help your empty home show in the best possible light:<\/p>\n