FURNISHING YOUR PROPERTY ABROAD

Congratulations, you have bought or are buying a holiday property!! Did it come fully furnished, partly-furnished or unfurnished? Are you going to just use the property yourself, partly yourself plus some rental income or is it just an investment property which will be rented out on a long-term or a succession of holiday lets? All these will have a bearing on the way you should tackle furnishing your property.

If you are buying a property that is “fully furnished” make sure it is that!! You should be able to move in and live with at least a basic standard of furnishings. Be aware that being furnished, unless it is to a luxury standard, should not mean that this has significantly raised the asking price over a similar property The furniture may not be to your taste but will allow you to use the property straight away without any extra cost. Then as and when you have the means you can gradually replace things with your preferences. To start with you may wish to replace more personal furnishings e.g. mattresses straight away.

Many developers can offer you furniture packages. Even in some instances they will not agree to let out your property under their scheme unless you agree to a certain standard within those packages.

If you are buying for your own use then how and when you furnish the property is entirely up to you. ENJOY!!

However if you intend to let out the property when you are not using it, you need to think about other peoples likes and dislikes by keeping the furnishings and style simple and uncluttered. More and more people do not want to rent a property with old-styled traditional furniture unless it is in keeping with an old Finca styled property.
Peoples expectations of a holiday rental are high. It is useful if you have a garage, storage room or even a lockable cupboard. With any of these you can store personal items etc when you are not in residence. If you have an apartment with a communal pool then, depending on what the community provides, it may not be necessary to provide outside items. If you have a villa with or without a pool, it would be expected that enough garden seating, sunbeds etc would be available for the maximum number the villa can sleep. Any “extras” are up to you. Providing toys etc may seem like a nice idea but be aware that some might “walk”, unintentionally or otherwise!! Pool toys are a bit of a minefield as to who will check their safety.

Whether partially or fully-renting your property out, people will be looking for Satellite TV, Wi fi etc even if you wouldn’t use them yourself. A fully-fitted kitchen with dishwasher, microwave, coffee maker, washing machine etc all add to the desirability of your property. People do compare what is on offer!! Many people will eat out for most of their holiday rental period but be aware that others may want to in-house cater. Make sure there are sufficient pots, pans, plates, glasses, cutlery etc to allow people to do just that. It may seem silly but even a small thing like “There were only six teaspoons for six of us, so that when they were in the dishwasher we couldn’t make another tea or coffee” ….silly but true!! Could affect return booking or recommendations.You need to make your furnishings commensurate with property type.

If you are renting out your property all the time, however much you spend on furnishings, you will need to have a budget to update and replace from time to time.The more the use, the more the wear and tear.

Unless you are moving permanently to the property it is rarely cost-effective to ship any furnishings from your home. Better to visit the local shops or there are even branches of Ikea!!
 

Keith Pintointernational

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Living within 20 minutes of your local town centre could add £30,000 to your home’s value

The latest research from geo-location property platform, The Property DriveBuy, has found that homes within a 20-minute walk of their nearest town centre command a significant price premium, adding as much as £30,000 to property values. The Property DriveBuy analysed more than 24,000 homes currently listed for sale across England, comparing average asking prices for…
Read More
Breaking News

Most expensive homes sold so far this year

Most expensive homes sold so far this year revealed – where does your region rank? The latest research from global HNW finance brokerage, Enness Global, has found that whilst the wider UK property market may be treading water at present, high-end properties are continuing to change hands for eye-watering sums, with the top five most…
Read More
How to help out hoarders
Estate Agent Talk

Homeowner horrors that could wipe £54,000 off your property’s value

With Halloween on the horizon, nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has revealed the housing horror stories that could give sellers the biggest fright, with subsidence topping the list, knocking more than £53,000 off the value of the average UK home. Springbok Properties analysed 10 of the most common homebuyer turn-offs,…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

£5m paid in SDLT on nation’s most expensive property

The latest research from global HNW finance brokerage, Enness Global, has found that whilst the wider UK property market may be treading water at present, high-end properties are continuing to change hands for eye-watering sums, with the most expensive homes sold across the nation going for as much as £41m – a purchase that comes with…
Read More
for sale sign london
Breaking News

New-build demand dips in Q3 as homebuyers sit tight ahead of autumn statement

The latest market analysis from Property Inspect has found that fewer than one in five new homes are currently securing a buyer, with homebuyer demand for new-build properties falling on both a quarterly and annual basis. Property Inspect analysed current market listings looking at what proportion of new-build properties are already marked as sold subject…
Read More
Breaking News

Rightmove celebrates 25 years of viral property moments

As Rightmove marks its 25th birthday, we’re celebrating the properties that stopped people mid-scroll, sparked thousands of shares, and became internet sensations. From a house with its own Tardis to a shark crashing through a roof, these homes prove that the UK property market is anything but ordinary. With billions of minutes spent on Rightmove…
Read More