Why Empty Houses Sell For Less | The Home Selling Truth No One Talks About

Before you spend another dollar getting your home ready to sell — listen to this first.

In this episode of The Advisor Podcast, Randy Ihara sits down with Dayna Harris from The Ihara Team to break down the biggest mistakes sellers make before putting their home on the market.

With a background in luxury retail merchandising, construction management, and luxury staging, Dayna shares what actually adds value… and what renovations often end up costing sellers money.

In this episode, we cover:
🏡 The upgrades buyers actually care about
🚫 Renovations that can hurt your return
✅ The must-do steps before listing your home
🛋️ Why staging is about creating emotion, not just filling rooms with furniture
💰 How the right preparation can potentially net sellers tens of thousands more

If you're thinking about selling your home, this episode could change the way you prepare for the market.

Learn more at iharateam.com

@iharateam  |  iharateam.com  |  ihara@iharateam.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Most people think that staging is just putting nice furniture in a house. It's not. Staging is the difference between a buyer walking in and thinking, This is a nice place, and a buyer walking in and thinking, I need to live here. One gets you an offer, the other gets you an even better offer. Today I'm sitting here with Dana, the designer, uh stager, and real estate agent on the IHara team. And we're right now inside a staged condo in one of our luxury listings here in Kakaako. So thank you for joining the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

It's my first podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Yeah, welcome on, welcome on. We're glad to have you here. And so if you're new here, this podcast, what we do is we we want to pull back the curtain on what actually happens when you sell a home. The real stuff, not just the Pinterest version. And today we're sitting in a one-bed condo, a smaller space, but a beautiful ocean view, and it's fully staged. And my guest is the person who understands this better than anyone I know. Dana wore three hats. She was an interior designer, a professional stager, and now real estate agent. She staged homes from $300,000 condos to over $20 million luxury real estate. So no one better to talk to than Dana.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Hi.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Let's clear up the biggest misconception first. Most people think that staging is just nice furniture. What is it actually?

SPEAKER_00 1:29

Well, part of it is actually nice furniture. That is true. We do bring in um all kinds of furniture and we have a warehouse full of it. Um, but really for me and for my team, we really see it as being part of that home journey process and being able to show people what they could do with a space, how it could feel if they actually live here, and just be part of that whole imagination and like exactly how it feels when you're in a home.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

Yeah, talk about that feeling, right? Because it's not just the stuff that's in it, but you're actually looking to create a feeling in that buyer.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Yeah, and you know, I'm really excited about homes in general. Like I I loved my home growing up, and that has so many good memories for me happen in the home that when we're thinking of how we're going to lay out furniture, the way we stage it is also like not the way that I would recommend someone to live necessarily. Um, in this unit is pretty much how I would recommend someone to live. But if they have a bigger family or things like that, you can easily put in a whole modular sofa and you can have more seating space. But part of the feeling that I want to help people have more access to because I think that people want to be moved by space. People want to feel welcome, people want to feel a certain kind of way when they're in a space. And I feel like staging really helps with that. It helps you either feel calm or realize how much space and you can feel more open. It really kind of touches on all of those things.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Yeah, no, that's a really good point, right? Making a buyer feel like they want to live here, they want to make this place their own, right? Your staging helps create that environment and that feeling in these buyers.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

It's actually also for us, like not just about wanting them to make this their home, but really I think it's important that anybody who walks in that they feel like if I live here, this is what my life will look like. This is what my life will feel like, this is how I will feel when I'm home. And I'm always thinking about how can we best create what that feeling could be for anybody who wants to move into a property.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Awesome. So walk us through that. Why does an empty home fail? And why does a home that's still full of the seller stuff fail just as hard?

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Um, I think it's hard for, especially when their seller item, there's this owner's item still in the property, it doesn't allow the buyer to feel like it's theirs. And it doesn't allow them the experience of coming into the space that, you know, we'll put like cups out or like a little flower arrangement out, and it'll just feel like, oh yeah, I just left my I left my coffee on the table and I when I walked back in, it was it was nicely placed sitting there for me. When we have owner's items, and I think that some owner's items are great, and so I wouldn't always say it's to completely take everything out, but really kind of changing the energy of the home that it's everything's not placed exactly where it was, um, really helps with the whole like movement and flexibility of the space. Um does that make sense? I think that's what does it now.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

How about on the other side when a home is just empty, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Yeah. So for a unit like this, if it was completely empty, you couldn't tell how much space is in here. Um, and also based on like the square footage, you would think, like, oh, how am I gonna live in a tiny little studio-sized condo, even though it's a one bedroom? And really what we were able to do is show people, like, hey, that this space could be used in so many different ways that you could put there, wow, like a dining table and four chairs fit in this unit. I would have never thought that I could fit here. Or I didn't know that, like, yeah, you could tell, wow, I could put a modular sofa, even though we have this smaller sofa here, you can really tell, like, oh, my sofa at home is like just a little bit bigger. And yeah, that would fit here. And I would actually feel like this when I sit here. So I think being vacant, especially in a smaller space, because people normally think that it looks bigger, empty, but it's actually the opposite. When you're actually able to put the right size furniture in a space, it actually looks and feels bigger because then people have an easier time imagining like what it will look like. Because if it's vacant, they're gonna be like, oh, I'm gonna bring a sofa in and it's gonna take up like half the living room. When really it it doesn't.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

Yeah, and you know, there's a stat that says that 80% of buyers, you know, they can't picture, they can't imagine themselves, you know, what to do with the space. But your staging does a great job of giving them flexibility on hey, I could fit a bigger sofa, or maybe hey, I could fit another sofa over there if I wanted to, right? It gives them um a good starting point for them to imagine how they want to live.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

And also like bedrooms are another place where we always use bedrooms too. Like, can you tell? Like, they'll ask, like, oh, is that a full-size bed? Like, oh no, it's actually a queen. Like, oh wow, I can fit like a queen-size bed in this bedroom, you know, like that gives them the idea of like they have something at home or they have an idea of how they want to live and that it would actually fit.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

So there could be two staging jobs for the same unit, right? Same square footage, but one feels open and airy and one feels cramped and small. How do you know how to make it feel and create a feeling that the buyers would actually want to be here?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Um, I'm not really sure how I know. Um, there's this weird thing that happens that when things are placed exactly how I'd want it, or things um are in a certain angle, it just has like a feeling for me. And so I really kind of base it on that. We do obviously take measurements and we have a whole layout and we prep the furniture based on size and all of that goes into factors, but we also bring a few extra items because if it doesn't quite play well together, then we make the change. Um did that answer your question.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

Yeah, no, that that does. Um, because you know, that kind of eludes us, right? If I'm someone who's looking to sell, like, hey, maybe I probably can't stage it on my own, and I need an expert like you to come in and look at the space, take the measurements, and you know, pick from your hundreds and hundreds of different pieces and real furniture and quality furniture, and know exactly where to put each thing, and have the flexibility even to bring extra and hey, maybe this doesn't meet exactly what I want. I have another option.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Yeah. And I think like a lot of furniture, the way that you feel is actually very similar to like how you feel about people. You know, like when I'm when we're like setting up a room, for example, I like to place the bed where you're it's facing you. So it might not be the wall that you would actually choose if you want to have a TV and this and that, it might not be the perfect wall. But we always want to make sure that like when you walk in through the door, the first thing is that like if if you were to walk through the door and then somebody has like, hey, hi, how are you? Like, come inside, you know, it feels different than being greeted, like, hey, hi, how are you? Like with your face to the door. So a lot of the things that we place is with the face facing where the entryway. So like a lot of thought goes into like how you walk through the house and how a buyer will walk through the house. And it really is to like place the bed so that you're greeted by the pillows, or you're great, you're um walking into a living room and then you're greeted by the sofa, right? So just like here, you're not necessarily coming in, you're the first thing you see is actually this living room sofa, and that's on purpose. That's to like say, like, hey, we're welcome. You come sit on me, you know, or come lay down over here. It really is to like, we're always thinking about how buyers and people are going to walk through a space and really trying to create a space that makes them feel the most welcome. So instead of walking into the side of a bed or you're walking directly into something, really trying to create that openness that yes, we're welcoming you into this place.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah, I love that. And for anyone listening on just audio, come to YouTube and watch Dana make these gestures so you can see what she's doing.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

I know. We may have to revise it and edit it because I think I'm pretty animated and that I can hear my mic making all kinds of noises.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

I think the question a lot of people have is you know, why do staging, why does staging never have a TV?

SPEAKER_00 9:51

You know, I think that staging never has a TV. There are people actually who stage with TVs, but the reason why we don't stage with TVs is because I think life is more beautiful, like just as this is. Like I will always suggest where a TV can go because that is a question that comes up a lot. Like, oh man, if I sit here, where my where's my TV gonna go? It's like you don't need a TV. You're gonna be looking at the surf and you're gonna be out in the world, you're gonna be wanting to enjoy your space. You know, you're gonna be reading a book, maybe. Um, and so I think also that a TV just aesthetically is like a black hole, and it's like much nicer to look at. Like, for example, this is um a local artist, her name is Adrian Mizuera. I can give you the exact spelling, but she's incredible and she paints and does local art. So to me, instead of looking at a black hole, it's better to see some kind of art where we can celebrate the people and the creators and the artists of our community. Um, so yeah, that's why I don't stage with TVs.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

Yeah, I love that. I love showing, especially the local artists. Um, I love that you you know want to highlight them as well.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

Yeah, they're they're a big part of why I think homes here in Hawaii feel different, is that it's a lot to do with not only the people, but the people who take the time to create things and are creative and um are able to build items. Like this chair is a um chair that I got from Fish Cake in Kakaako, and it's actually a vintage chair. And you know, the owner Mara, she went out and she sourced it and then put it in her store. And there are like all this, there's always like really good stories for everything that we have, and it's all really just a celebration of the people. And like I think every time we put things into a home, it really has like an energy to it, and that's like I think what I really want to showcase is like how you feel, and I think all of the little things in our lives and the things that we keep around us, the people we keep around us, all have an impact on how we feel.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Yeah, that's beautiful. I like that a lot. I like that. You know, every home has a you know significant selling point or main value. How do you make sure that the staging can kind of highlight that and bring that out for the buyers?

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Um, it's all about like placement. And so because I always think about the way that someone is gonna walk through the property, I always try to keep that path very clear. And so it's like even on the lanai, right? So the chairs are slightly more to the left so that we can make sure that there is a path that based on the way that the door opens, that we're that side of the lanai will have access. And then there is it's placed so that you don't walk straight through. You actually go around and get to experience that there is more to a lanai than just going straight out. And then you're actually like welcome to like either sit or stand and be in that space.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Wow, even to the little details like that. Yeah, I think about those things, right? Even these little, you know, decorations on the table in the kitchen and the bathroom. Yeah. To the little details.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

Yeah, every single thing that we choose um is specific to that house. So we do have a warehouse of thousands of items, like we talked about. But every time um our team comes in, they walk the property, or I'm walking the property, and we're choosing that based on that exact spot. So we're like our our little checklists are like to the left of the sink, to the right of the sink, right? Like in the corner, right? Like what is on the coffee table, and the every single item is handpicked and chosen and then installed, and then also packed up and taken back home later. But every single item is chosen specific for that particular listing.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Yeah, that's what I really like about you guys, because I always would tell you, right? Why don't you just move staging from one house to the next house? You would save so much money and you're it's not about that.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

Yeah. I mean, it it's staging is not a very good like business model because there's such a whole high overhead cost, and if you want to do a really good job, it takes a lot of time. Um, but I feel like people, when they're selling their home, it's like one of the biggest investments that they've ever made. And if I'm asked to come into a space and do the best we can, like I cannot feel good about just taking something out of this condo. Like if we were to take it out of this condo and then put it into a three-bedroom house, this sofa is gonna be way too small, right? And it's like, yeah, it's it is like furniture that can fill a space, but it's not doing it justice. And it really is about for us creating the most value um in the service that we provide.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Yeah, and I think the question that every seller has is hey, Dana, you know, if we have a three-bedroom house and we only stage half of the home, is it gonna be half the cost?

SPEAKER_00 14:45

Yeah. You know, and we're actually asked that a lot too. And the truth is that it doesn't quite work out like that because of the way our systems are and the the detail that we put into everything that we do, that in order to set up one bedroom, we're already still gonna have staff for two days prior to pack and choose and do the measurements and make sure everything's to scale. We're also still bringing in a team of at least four guys to help move everything. That one bedroom or two bedrooms, not doing those two maybe saves a few hours. And it in the overall presentation, that's not really creating the most value for you.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

Yeah, and you already have the same set hard costs of the movers and all the staff and all the people and the time.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

So it's better to just do it right. Yep. You know?

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Yeah, yeah. 100% agree. I think the hardest hitting question, Dana, is is staging worth it? If I'm a seller, should I spend the money and should I stage my home?

SPEAKER_00 15:45

I think it really depends. You know, I I do believe that if we are chosen and we do come in, that everybody on my team is gonna do the their best to make sure that it's presented in um in all of its glory. Um, but staging is expensive and it really comes down to um your ability and actually it also also the property, right? Of maybe you've you're gonna be selling for less than you bought it, and so you don't actually have any more funds to pay for it. And in that case, you know, we'll do our best to sell it without it being staged. But we have found that the properties that are staged, even if they're staged by other stagers, we've actually come in after them too, um, that they sell quicker and faster, right? And they they spend less days in the market. And um, those are three ways of saying the same thing. But it's also like, but it also sells for more. And you know, there's a reason why um there's such a demand, and there are statistics out there that show that your house will sell for more and faster if you stage your property.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Yeah, we just had a listing in the YK where the seller hired another agent, they were on the market for a year, that didn't work out, they couldn't sell it, they hired us. We brought you in to stage it, boom, right off the back, we got an offer.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Yeah. We've actually had that happen a few times. And I think the staging community here in Hawaii is great. Like now, all of the people that are in the scene and all of the other um stagers all have a very similar ethos to them. Um, and so I think choosing to stage is important and it's it's proven to be very successful for our clients. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

I think for me, when when I'm selling a home, I can the pictures come out so much nicer too.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

Yeah. Right. Especially now that everybody looks at properties online and the way that we receive information is different. But there is something about coming into the house that when you finally do your walkthrough and you're coming through, you're like, wow, it actually looks just like the pictures too. It doesn't just look that way in the pictures. Um, we get that a lot. That, oh my gosh, it does look exactly like you thought. Like nobody's catfishing here. We're definitely, we're definitely looking, we want to present it exactly how it is.

SPEAKER_01 18:04

Yeah, yeah. Cause a lot of people they want to just virtually stage it because it's, you know, much, much cheaper. Yeah. But then sometimes when a buyer sees it online and they come into the house, it's kind of a letdown, like, oh yeah, oh, it doesn't look like this.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

Yeah. We always want to like exceed the expectations, right? We always want people to experience it and do better. And and the one part of it really is for furniture placement, is one thing, but also like you miss all of those, like the energy of all the things, too. Yeah. You know? So then the feeling and the vibe is different.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Something too that I just want to share that I really like enjoy about you is the detail of even the like chopping the pillows.

unknown 18:41

I love.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Can you show can you show everyone? I don't know how to chop a pillow good. You have to make sure that when you chop it, it doesn't look too pointy, I would say. That's the biggest, that's the biggest thing about chopping the pillows. I'm not really sure when that started, but um it's because in order to chop a pillow, it has to have good like feather inside of it. Because if it's just like um, you know, a cotton, not all of them chop. So when you chop the pillow, you're saying like this I'm bougie. I got some feather in me.

SPEAKER_02 19:14

That's so funny. I just remember coming into listening and you're just chopping off the pillows and I'm like, what are you doing? And it looks so much better. Yeah, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

And that's why we love working with you.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

Oh, thank you. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Um, anything else that you want the listeners to take take out of this conversation?

SPEAKER_00 19:31

I think I would want people to know that like any recommendations that when you invite me into your home, um, that it really is just to help you sell your property for more. Um there's a little bit of of like, oh, I'm sorry it's like this, or oh, like I'm saying that something's wrong. And really the way that we're doing it, even if it's as beautiful, and I've been to homes that are beautifully set up, that really, though, my job is to come in and shake that feeling up, to make it feel like it's ready for someone new. And part of that is if you're gonna be owner-occupied, especially, right? That you start feeling like this is not your home. And when that feeling kicks in, that's actually like my job. Because then that means that someone else that's coming in, they're gonna feel like it's their home. And so I think I would want people to know that staging um really is meant as a tool to help you get the most amount for your property, and that when we come in to do that, it has nothing to do about how you live is right or wrong, right? It's a more the the change of the energy and really wanting it to start to feel like it's open for someone else to come in.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Yeah, that's such a good point, right? Because a lot of people that are living in their properties and trying to sell it, the buyer comes in and they like, oh, it's their property. Yeah. They need it to be feel open so that a buyer coming in could think, oh, this is my property.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

Yeah, yeah. I want them to feel like, oh, that that's my stuff. And if I bought a if I bought a house like this, this is exactly like the way I would want to do it.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

This is you know so many times, you know, when you're selling a property, they're like, Can I buy all this furniture and leave it like this?

SPEAKER_00 21:11

Yeah, that that's actually happened for us a lot. Um, that we've sold it to the clients because they're like, you know, it comes with a lot of sourcing and back end things for us, but like when people are that excited about what we've done and about their house, like it's hard to say no to that. You know, I want definitely want to be a yes.

SPEAKER_01 21:28

Well, thank you, Dana, for joining us. We out.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Well, yeah, if you if you enjoyed what you heard and you want to bring in Dana because you're thinking about selling, hit up Redesign Hawaii. She's the best stager out there. She would do a very good job, and we can definitely vouch she's done hundreds of our homes. So um, and now she's a part of our team on the IHara team, and who can help sell your home as well, right? So if you like what you heard, um be sure to subscribe to listen to more episodes and reach us, reach out to us on our website. website um or yeah just reach out to us on youtube or spotify whatever you're listening to and we can help already talk to you soon