Designer Vision

Move-in ready takes another meaning when you purchase a fully furnished home

Anyone decorating a large home knows the frustration of trying to pick out coordinating accessories and well-crafted furnishings that complement the interiors. It can literally take years, or you can move into a fully furnished home and enjoy the space immediately. Though not the most common situation in Raleigh, there are several instances where a show model or custom home is sold fully furnished.

“We sell all of our models completely furnished with accessories, paintings, TVs on the wall, window treatments, everything a homeowner would expect for a ‘move-in’ condition,” says Brian Strombotne, Sales Consultant for Arthur Rutenberg Homes. “We will also furnish a home completely for new custom home clients. With a staff interior designer and an orientation to assisting each client so they don’t have to ‘settle’ for a home that is less than they need or want – including furnishings.”

If there are specific items in the model home that the buyer does not want, they often get donated to a church or charitable organization.

Some benefits of purchasing a fully furnished home include reducing the stress it takes to move into a home and cutting the time it takes to get settled and start entertaining friends and family.

Furnishings also play a key role in selling the home, creating a cohesive vision for the buyer. “Most of the time people just want to be able to experience the feeling of ‘Oh, I could see myself living here!’” says Sheri Hagerty of the Sheri Hagerty Realty Group. “We are living in the days of HGTV and buyers expect to see a presentation.”

Hagerty says she doesn’t often sell homes fully furnished; however, there are instances when buyers fall in love with a piece of furniture or item within the home and would like to see if the seller is willing to part with it.

“This can be a delicate situation; we would tell a buyer to not get their hopes up on personal property, and never to make a lower than market value offer on a house and also ask for personal property like furniture,” says Hagerty. She advises making an offer on the house then negotiating a separate bill of sale for any furnishings you might be interested in.

Strombotne says an open dialogue is always a good starting point.

“In my personal opinion, if I had a strong attraction to something in a home for sale I would say something like… ‘I have noticed that piece every time I’ve visited your lovely home…perhaps you didn’t plan to sell it, but would you consider including it if I included it in the offer?’” he says.

Just don’t lowball the seller and expect to get the item thrown in as well. “I would suggest offering a strong price for the home itself,” says Hagerty. “Never give an insulting offer and ask for personal property.”

The Ballantyne model home at 2101 Blue Haven Court in Wake Forest can be sold fully furnished for a total price tag of $1.35 million. Visit arthurrutenberghomes.com for more information