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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
By Leah L. Culler of MSN Real Estate
When you buy or sell a home, you have to deal with the hassle of packing and moving. But what if you could skip that part? You can, if you buy or sell your place furnished.
While some people may have been gathering furnishings for years or have precious family antiques and want to take everything with them, others may appreciate the simplicity of buying or selling a furnished condo or town home. That's especially true for buyers who are just starting out and don't have their own furnishings yet, or for those who are starting over in a new place.
Furnished properties are also common in vacation markets, where many people may be buying a second home.
Here are condos and town homes that are being sold furnished in 11 U.S. markets, including those near vacation destinations such as beaches and ski slopes.
NOTE: All descriptive information is courtesy of listing agents. Properties were on the market and listed as available at the time of publication in August 2012.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Seattle
1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 985 square feet
$415,000
This condo used to be a two-bedroom unit, but it is now a spacious one-bedroom unit after a recent renovation. It has brick wall accents, hardwood floors, cherry kitchen cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances. It also has views of Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, the Space Needle and Lake Union. Listing agent Lin Shih says that furnished units are rare in Seattle but that the furnished-condo purchases she has helped buyers with have been "a match made in heaven. It's very convenient for buyers who don't want to deal with it."
This particular unit was a second home, and the seller doesn't need the furniture at the primary residence.
Find more Seattle homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Atlanta
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,075 square feet
$339,000
This condo building has hotel amenities, including a 24-hour concierge, fitness center, pool and private clubroom. The building is next door to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's (MARTA) Civic Center Station, so getting around the city is a breeze. The unit has stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors, a walk-in closet in the master bedroom and views of the city.
What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Miami
2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1,314 square feet
$695,000
This condo's architectural design was inspired by French product designer Philippe Starck. The unit was furnished by an interior designer and has Italian kitchen cabinetry and floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as views of the Biscayne Bay and city. The condo building has infinity-edge pools, a spa and a fitness center, as well as 24-hour valet and front-desk service.
Of the approximately 7,000 active condo listings in Miami, 690 are being sold furnished, listing agent Jenny Huertas says. Two unfurnished units of similar size are for sale in the same building; one is priced at $675,000 and the other at $680,000.
Huertas says that selling furnished can set a property apart and that buyers of furnished condos usually are busy or are foreigners who just want the convenience of a furnished property. Furnished condos are most common in downtown and near a beach, she says.
"As you go away from those areas, people tend to have their own things," she says.
Find more Miami homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Austin, Texas
1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 833 square feet
$325,000 (unfurnished for $320,000)
This condo building has a heated lap pool with a cabana, spa, gym, 24-hour concierge and room service. The unit has floor-to-ceiling windows, bamboo floors and a long balcony.
Austin real-estate agent Susan R. Brown, who is not the property's listing agent, says people tend to sell units furnished more frequently in places such as Lake Travis, which is more of a resort area. Many of those buyers are purchasing a second home, she says.
Some people may also sell furnished because their furnishings fit the lifestyle of the area and won't fit a new lifestyle in a new location. For instance, "In Austin, we have a lot of Tuscan, and if you move to Boston, you need Williamsburg," Brown says.
What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
San Francisco
Studio, 1 bathroom, 511 square feet
$470,000
This renovated unit, in a building atop Nob Hill, has views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge and comes with an assigned parking space, which is a huge perk in this city. The building staff includes a 24-hour doorman, and the building has a heated pool and a spa.
Find more San Francisco homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Chicago
1 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1,037 square feet
$489,900
This unit has views of Lake Michigan and Navy Pier from the private balcony. It has an open living and dining room for entertaining, and the building has a 24-hour doorman, fitness center, business center and two rooftop decks.
Find more Chicago homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Westbrook, Conn.
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,200 square feet
$800,000
This unit is one of 20 fully furnished waterfront condominiums at the Water's Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook. Prices for the units range from $550,000 to $1.2 million. The unit has a private balcony, and owners can use all resort amenities.
What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Solana Beach, Calif.
2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1,440 square feet
$735,900
This town home is in a seaside community about 30 minutes north of San Diego, where temperatures average 62 degrees in the winter and 77 in the summer. The unit is in the Solana Beach and Tennis Club and was remodeled last year. It now has two private balconies, upgraded kitchen appliances and a walk-in shower in the master bathroom.
What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Kihei, Hawaii
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 949 square feet
$500,000
This unit is part of the Wailea Fairway Villas, on the Wailea Old Blue Golf Course. It was recently renovated and has an ocean view. The community has a heated pool and hot tub, exercise room and barbecue area. The unit comes with everything, down to dishes and linens.
Find more Kihei homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
Park City, Utah
3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1,591 square feet
$499,900
This town home is between Deer Valley and Main Street, with easy access to town, as well as the skiing, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities for which the area is famous. The unit has a private hot tub, hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings.
Find more Park City homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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- On our blog, 'Listed': Retirees thwart Vegas condo scam
- Video: Furnished home came with $23,000
What you can buy furnished in 11 cities
New Buffalo, Mich.
2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1,254 square feet
$499,000
New Buffalo is at the mouth of the Galien River on Lake Michigan's east coast, just north of the Indiana border. It's about a 90-minute drive from Chicago. This unit is part of a beachfront condominium complex and has new sliding glass doors for access to 1,300 feet of sandy beach.
Find more New Buffalo homes for sale on Realtor.com.
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