Everywhere you look these days there is advice on how to best sell a home, how to stage it just right, and what to do (and not do) in order to sell your home quickly. The fresh-baked cookie trick might well be a determining factor in home sales, but, apparently so is the decor you choose. Experts in the field now say that if your home is filled with antiques, you may have a harder time selling it.

Via/ Flickr

According to a recent New York Times article on the subject, even the fast-paced and cutthroat New York City real estate market can be slowed down by antiques. The problem comes when the antiques fill a more modern space. The potential buyers, who may themselves furnish such a space with modern decor, may have a hard time picturing their own style in the space when surrounded by antiques. And, considering how popular minimal and Mid-century Modern is right now, the number of buyers who think like this could be no small number.

Via/ Flickr

There is a theory that, instead of being timeless to the average bear, antiques have become a dated way to furnish one’s home. This is a completely subjective opinion and there are plenty of young people who love antiques. However, the main point is to decorate in a style that is in keeping with the age or appearance of the building.

What this means is that 1950s kitsch in a ranch home or Victorian furniture in an 1880s brick home will probably “read” as appropriate. To home buyers those same pieces in a new and modern home apparently don’t read as coordinating at all. This can also make it hard for them to imagine their own belongings in the space.

Via/ Flickr

Every home has to go through some sort of staging when being sold- it’s just the name of the game if you’re looking for the best possible profit. However, in the case of modern buildings some real estate agents will actually pull pages from recent home catalogs and magazines and instruct their clients to aim for that look.

Via/ Unsplash

Another problem, despite the recent trends for camel, khaki, and beige, is that “brown furniture” no longer sells. Presumably this means anything dark, from wood tones to brown leather to mahogany velvet is no longer fashionable. It’s another sign of changing tastes.

Via/ Flickr

One of the other problems with many antiques in for sale homes is that they have not appreciated in value over time. This means that they don’t look like expensive items signifying luxury to young buyers. That could only come with modern pieces that cost much more than your average Victorian settee or Eastlake side table.

It’s funny how things change. Antiques were largely thought to be the height of sophistication once upon a time, but now that’s no longer the case. And, like it or not, selling aspirations and selling a property often go hand-in-hand. Simply put: many people today don’t aspire to own antiques at all.

What do you think about this home selling advice? Would you change your home in order to sell it quicker and for a better price?

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