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The answer to this question is determined by many different factors, including the type of property you are selling, the city in which the property is located, local rent control ordinances and the length of time the tenant has been in the property. I’m going to treat this scenario as a single-family home, not under rent control, with tenants on an existing lease.

If the intention is to close your home sale without the tenants in place, the first step is to give them notice that you do not plan on continuing their tenancy. You’ll need to give 30 days’ notice if they have lived there less than a year and 60 days’ notice for a year or more. Legally, you may proceed with listing the house while the tenants are still living in the property. However, this can pose significant marketing challenges. 

With tenants in place, you have very little control over how the property looks for showings. It complicates your ability to do pre-marketing prep work such as painting, cleaning and staging, and these steps are extremely important if you are trying to maximize your profit. Your tenants would need to cooperate with your requests for showings, which need to be made at least 24 hours in advance. They are under no obligation to tidy the house or leave the property during showings. Listing with tenants in place can also be a red flag for buyers who want to owner occupy, because they may be concerned about the possibility of the tenants refusing to leave. 

The bottom line is if you are looking for the highest possible sale price, and your tenants only have one month left on their lease, your best option is likely to wait until the property is vacant to put the home on the market. That being said, if you absolutely need to sell as quickly as possible, an experienced Realtor can help you to navigate a tenant occupied property sale to minimize the impact of these challenges as much as possible. 

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area

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Why would a seller pay for staging when they can just virtually stage instead?

I completely understand why virtual staging feels like a no-brainer at first glance, especially if your home is empty and already clean. AI has advanced to the point where almost anyone can enhance photos of an empty room to make it more appealing to buyers, often at little to no cost. That said, it’s important to remember that staging is meant to deliver two distinct benefits to sellers. The first is marketing: eye-catching photos that are compelling enough to motivate buyers to schedule a showing—something that’s becoming increasingly difficult. The second is experiential: creating a showing environment that feels welcoming, polished, and design-forward so buyers can easily imagine themselves living there.

Virtual staging can absolutely deliver strong photos. We’re long past the days of awkward, obviously fake images, and today’s tools can create staging that complements nearly any home style. However, the ideal showing is one where buyers walk in and say, “This looks even better in person than it did online.” When buyers view virtually staged photos and then arrive at an empty house, many feel misled or that their time has been wasted—and those negative feelings often become associated with the home itself. The reality is that a clean, furnished home will almost always show better than an empty one, and most buyers actually feel that furniture helps rooms appear larger and more functional.

Finally, when choosing between virtual and physical staging, sellers should be aware that as of January 1st, any Realtor who uses virtually staged or digitally altered photos in an MLS listing is required to also include an original, unedited image. So while virtual staging can still inspire buyers and help them visualize future potential, it can no longer be used to entice buyers to visit the home without clearly showing its current condition upfront.

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area