What Is White Boxing? Your Guide To A New Real Estate Trend

White boxing is a strategy that’s become popular for showing your home as a blank slate in some real estate markets. You might have heard about home staging, which is cleaning, styling and rearranging the home to create a more aesthetically appealing space for potential buyers. Staging is a popular strategy for attracting move-in ready buyers, but it’s not the only method out there.

So, what is the alternative if you don’t want to stage your home but still want to attract buyers? A counter strategy that might work better for you is white boxing.

Let’s explore white boxing and how it might help you sell your home.

What Is White Boxing?

White boxing is showing a home with no furniture or decor, just blank white walls. When buyers view your home in person or look at your listing online, they’ll see your home’s bare bones. Depending on the situation, white boxing might even include removing appliances, fixtures or removing walls.

This technique is newer and has been rising in popularity in the last few years because of its advantages to buyers, especially in luxury markets. The ability to see the bare space helps buyers better envision how they would create their dream home. Instead of being move-in ready, the house is designer-ready. This is especially helpful for buyers who want to make a space their own.

Why Would A Seller White Box A House?

This strategy is a complete 180 from the more well-known home staging strategy, so why would a seller choose to white box a house?

One main reason might be the state of your home. White boxing shows a space transparently and if you’re trying to sell an older home or one that needs upgrades. For example, a white-boxed home could show off architectural spotlights of a high-end property in need of repairs. If your home has coveted features but needs renovating, white boxing could be the right call versus concealing imperfections.

A seller might also want to white box a home if they’re on a tighter timeline to move out. Whatever the reason is, like starting a new job or moving closer to family, sometimes home staging just isn’t practical. You might decide to go with a bare aesthetic and fresh white paint as an easier option.

White boxing is a strategy sometimes used in luxury markets. So, sellers with a penthouse in need of renovation or with out-of-date decor might consider white boxing when listing their home. Potential buyers looking for a luxury home may want something they can easily customize.

White Boxing Vs. Home Staging

There are a few things to consider when you’re trying to decide whether to white box a house or go with traditional staging. Let's go over some of the main considerations.

Strategy

The strategy you use for your space will be based on the condition of your home, the market and the type of buyer who might be interested in your property. This is where real estate agents (including some who are REALTORS^Ⓡ) can help you decide when to stage and when to white box.

Their experience in your area and their knowledge of home buyers who might be interested in your house. Selling a condo in a city is going to be very different from a historical property in a suburb. This is where a real estate professional’s knowledge could help increase your sale price.

Costs

The choice to either stage your home or white box it are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Since neither approach guarantees a specific outcome, you’ll need to decide if the cost is worth the possibility of swaying a buyer’s decision.

Home staging is essentially making your home look updated and trendy usually by hiring a service or going the do-it-yourself (DIY) route. If you hire professionals, the average cost to stage a home in 2023 was $1,776. This price will vary depending on your needs and circumstances.

With white boxing, you avoid staging costs but might need to repaint the walls white, remove fixtures or find storage for your things. White boxing can be done by degree and consultation with a professional, so the level of items you remove might vary depending on the property. You can lower some costs by doing it yourself, but keep in mind that white boxing involves removing all your personal belongings from your home.

Luckily, if you’re moving before you sell, removing furniture won’t add to your expected moving costs. Keep in mind that the average cost to hire professional movers can range from $850 – $9,400 based on the distance. So you’ll need to factor that in when deciding if you’ll move furniture out early.

Pros And Cons Of White Boxing For Buyers And Sellers

Now that we covered what white boxing is and why someone might invest in it, let’s look at the pros and cons of buying or selling a white-boxed property, for both buyers and sellers.

White Boxing Pros For Sellers

Here are some of the pros of white boxing to consider when selling a home:

• Appealing to buyers: Because you’ve taken the time and effort to strip down, your home is ready for customization. Buyers looking for a clean slate could be more attracted to a white-boxed home.
• Cost-efficient: Staging a home in 2023 cost an average of $1,776, so the alternative to white boxing might be a better option, especially if you aren’t actively living in the home.

White Boxing Pros For Buyers

Let’s take a look at some pros of white boxing when looking to buy a home, especially for first-time home buyers.

• Blank canvas: This is a great opportunity for you to see the house at its very core. Less clutter makes imagining your own decor and furniture that much easier to do.
• Save money: Some of the costs of clearing out the space have been covered for you. If you know you want a customizable space, you’ll save money and time in a space with neutral paint and unnecessary items removed.

White Boxing Cons For Sellers

• Cost: To get the house ready, you’ll need to consider the costs of moving your furniture out of the house and repainting. If you’re planning to strip things down further, there could also be demolition costs to consider.
• Effort: While it might sound easier, you still need to hire professional movers or put in the DIY time if you decide to white box. A lot of effort goes into moving all the furniture and clutter out before putting your house on the market. This means finding storage arrangements if you can’t move your stuff into a new place immediately.

White Boxing Cons For Buyers

• Move-in delays: Depending on the seller, a white-boxed property could be stripped down without appliances and won’t be move-in ready. While it’s nice to have a blank slate if you are planning to renovate, there might be certain amenities or features that you’ll need to purchase to move in.
• Renovation and repair costs: Some sellers choose to white box knowing their home is a fixer-upper. Buying a white-boxed house will mean committing to some extra expenses upfront. While it might be cheaper than redoing a bad renovation, you’ll need to include the costs when budgeting.

The Bottom Line: White Boxing Can Help The Right Property Sell

White boxing is a great alternative way to present your home to potential buyers because of its transparency and relative convenience. Whether you choose to white box or stage your property, you’ll have to decide if the additional costs to help you achieve this look are worth the time and effort to do it. Both are great options to choose from if you’re looking to increase home value and buyer’s interest.

Interested in buying a white-boxed house? Connect with a real estate agent and get started on finding the right property for you.