A TV is part of almost every home’s decor. Sometimes it is front and center, the focal point of the room, with furniture arranged for optimal viewing. Other times it is incorporated tastefully into the home’s decor as in the picture above.
The dilemma comes when it is time to list a home for sale. We often remind clients that a well-staged home isn’t necessarily they way they would choose to live.
In the case of this living room, we recommended that the wall-mounted TV be removed to sell the home. It is on a prominent living room wall, great for viewing but possibly distracting to a potential buyer. This meant that the wall needed to be spackled and repainted, but it became a ‘blank slate’ for the next owner.
This TV immediately went on the ‘to be removed’ list! Not operational, it is being stored in a lower level bathroom. The side of the shower stall remains unfinished — a turn-off to a potential buyer.
This living space incorporates the TV into a built-in bookcase. It is easily removed when the home is sold. A buyer can see that this space works for a TV but it doesn’t overwhelm the room.
So, the guidelines are fuzzy for whether to leave or remove a TV when marketing a home for sale. Demonstrating how a room can be used for TV viewing is a good idea. Allowing the TV to become the focal point can distract a buyer from the features of the home.