Blog
Why Vacant Homes Struggle to Sell (And How Staging Helps Kent, Bromley & Bexley Sellers Achieve Better Results)
Monday 23rd March 2026
Selling your home is one of the biggest steps you’ll ever take. Whether you’re moving on to your next chapter, supporting a family member through downsizing, or dealing with a probate property, there’s always a lot to think about. And one question I hear all the time across Kent, Bromley, Bexley, Petts Wood and Orpington is this:
“Does it matter if the home is empty when we sell?”
The honest answer?
Yes. It matters a lot. Vacant homes almost always underperform.
In this blog, I’m going to walk you through:
1.Why empty homes struggle to sell
2.What the data shows
3.Real examples from our work at Farrow Home Staging
4.How staging transforms the outcome
5.Why this matters especially for Kent & South East sellers
This is a full, friendly, helpful guide — the kind you’d want if you were preparing a loved one’s home for sale or trying to get the best price in today’s market.
Most people think an empty house is easier to sell.
No clutter, no personal items, no mess… what could go wrong?
But here’s the truth: buyers don’t fall in love with empty rooms.
They fall in love with possibility — the lifestyle your home represents.
And empty rooms rarely communicate that.
📌 Empty Homes Are More Common Than You Think
Before we even get into why they don’t sell well, it helps to look at the data. Across England:
There were 303,143 long‑term empty homes (empty 6+ months) in 2025 — the highest level since 2011
When all empty categories are included, there are over 1 million vacant homes across England alone
In the South East, where Kent and Bromley sit:
There are 82,000+ empty homes, with more than 28,000 long‑term empties in the region
That’s a lot of competition if your home is empty too.
Why Buyers Struggle With Vacant Properties
Here’s what I hear again and again at viewings:
“It feels smaller than I expected.”
“I’m not sure where the sofa would go.”
“I can’t really imagine living here.”
“It feels a bit cold.”
Buyers aren’t being awkward — this is simply how our brains work.
A furnished room gives us:
Scale
Warmth
Purpose
Lifestyle
Emotional connection
An empty room gives us… a cold box.
And online, empty rooms look even worse. Buyers scroll past because nothing captures their attention.
What the Evidence Shows — Vacant Homes Sell for Less
This isn’t just my opinion.
There’s strong evidence to back this up.
📌 Buyers Offer Less on Empty Homes
Sold.co.uk reports that vacant homes often signal to buyers that the seller is keen to sell quickly, which leads them to make lower offers. Empty homes can also appear less cared-for, even if recently refurbished.
Buyers think:
“Maybe the seller is under pressure.”
“Maybe there’s a problem.”
“Let’s try a lower offer.”
Staged homes can sell three times faster
Staging can increase the sale price by around 10%
75% of estate agents say buyers spend more time viewing staged homes
Professional photos increase online viewing time by up to 1,000%
This is huge.
For a typical property in Bromley or Orpington, where homes often sell between £450k and £650k, a 10% uplift can mean £45,000–£65,000 more in your pocket.
That’s the power of presenting a home at its best.
Real Local Results: Staging Success Stories in Kent & Bromley
Here’s where the numbers meet real life. At Farrow Home Staging, we stage properties all across the South East — and I see the transformation daily.
Two recent examples really stand out.
🏡 Case Study 1: 3‑Bedroom Renovated Home in Petts Wood
This was a gorgeous property — newly decorated, modern, and freshly renovated.
But empty.
The rooms felt:
Smaller
A bit echoey
Hard to imagine as a family home
We stepped in with a full staging package.
Once staged:
✨ The living room felt warm and welcoming
✨ Bedrooms looked bigger and more inviting
✨ Buyers understood the flow of the home
✨ Viewings increased immediately
✨ The home sold quickly for an excellent price
The owner later told me staging was “the best decision they made.”
🏡 Case Study 2: 2‑Bedroom Property in Orpington
Two-bedroom homes can be tricky. When empty, the second bedroom often looks too small to be useful, and buyers struggle to picture its purpose.
After we staged it:
The space suddenly made sense
Buyers could imagine an office, child’s room, or guest room
The home looked fantastic online
And it sold within a few weeks for a great price
⭐ Why Staging Works Especially Well in Kent, Bromley & Bexley
After years of staging homes across BR6, BR5, BR1, DA5, DA14 and surrounding areas, I’ve noticed a few patterns unique to this region:
Here’s what I want you to take away:
Vacant homes struggle — but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Staging:
Adds warmth
Helps buyers picture their future
Makes rooms look bigger
Improves online performance
Reduces time on the market
Increases your final sale price
💛 A Personal Note From Me
Selling a home is emotional, whether it’s your own or a loved one’s. My job is to make that journey easier, smoother and more successful. I truly care about the homes I stage — and the people behind them.
At Farrow Home Staging, we love taking a vacant home and giving it that spark of life again.
We want buyers to walk in and think:
“Yes. This is the one.”
And time and time again — they do.
📞 Ready to Transform Your Empty Property? Let’s Talk.
If you're selling a vacant home in:
Bromley
Bexley
Petts Wood
Orpington
Chislehurst
Sidcup
Sevenoaks
Or anywhere in Kent…
I’d love to help.
Whether you need full staging or key rooms dressed beautifully, we create spaces that attract more buyers, better offers, and faster sales.
Get in touch today and let’s bring your property to life.