Furnishing a new house

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Furnishing a new house

Lake Orion Michigan · Member since 2022 · 16 posts · 14 votes

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering what are the places that you guys think its best to buy furniture for a short-term rentals? is it IKEA? or just good old facebook marketplace? let me know what you think.

Also wondering which mattresses do you prefer? I know some mattresses can be expensive but I am sure someone has found a brand that its comfortable enough for a good price

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Leslie Anne Morris

Real Estate Agent · Smoky Mountains, TN · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 984 votes

Hi there! Definitely not Ikea. We actually discussed this on a thread a week or so back. You want quality furniture and not Ikea. Some folks buy used and that works out fine. I have a particular style I go for here in the Smoky Mountains. I work with a local furniture company for the most part and I have gotten items from other cabin owners or Facebook marketplace.

Mattresses are not a particular brand but we typically go for something between hard and soft to make the majority of the guests happy. Again mostly getting those locally. We’ve ordered one or two from Amazon even and that is a memory foam style.

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Leslie Anne Morris
Real Estate Agent · Smoky Mountains, TN · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 984 votes
4y
Hi there! Definitely not Ikea. We actually discussed this on a thread a week or so back. You want quality furniture and not Ikea. Some folks buy used and that works out fine. I have a particular style I go for here in the Smoky Mountains. I work with a local furniture company for the most part and I have gotten items from other cabin owners or Facebook marketplace.
Mattresses are not a particular brand but we typically go for something between hard and soft to make the majority of the guests happy. Again mostly getting those locally. We’ve ordered one or two from Amazon even and that is a memory foam style.
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Kevin Manafi
Realtor · NJ · Member since 2020 · 277 posts · 138 votes
4y
Hi @Luis Ramirez, IKEA is always a go-to choice for a lot of investors I know--cost-effective and simple, but of course not the most durable or highest quality. You can also use sites like Wayfair and Overstock as they have hundreds and thousands of choices in all different price ranges. Believe it or not, I also have some investors that purchase almost all of their furniture off of Amazon and it has worked for them. Again, if you're looking for the longest-lasting and highest-quality furniture, that's a different story.
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Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
4y
Look for solid pieces. They do not have to be new. Think of how pieces will go together and buy what fits in the room. For STR you don't need a lot, less is more.
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William Anderson
Rental Property Investor · Mississippi Gulf Coast · Member since 2022 · 205 posts · 168 votes
4y
Luis, don't cheap out on the furniture. Guests are hard on everything, particularly on beds. If you use standard mattresses with box springs get steel frames. If you use gel or foam mattresses, get solid steel platforms. Buy separate headboards and screw them to the wall then the bed to them.
Buy sturdy kitchen/dining room tables that are scratch resistant. If you buy bar stools, don't get ones with backs, guests will break them. If you get steel stools, crazy glue the screws in. Try second-hand stores for chests that are made of solid wood.
You can live in your own house for 10 years and never break furniture. Put it into a rental and after one year, you will be repairing something. That Ikea and similar furniture will not serve you well. Watch wood chairs for tables. They are nice and I have some but make sure they are well constructed.
I have bought many mattresses from Amazon, usually foam, they are easy and don't create craters. Leslie is right about going to the Facebook marketplace. Also, when you buy appliances, e.g. Lowes, use a credit card that doubles the warranty. Amex does this.
If you are buying a dishwasher, don't cheap out. Get one with garbage disposal or you will be paying to unclog lines and clean up water.
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
@Leslie Anne Morris ^^^ Don't use IKEA, typically all junk particle board with twist-lok fasteners....
We use either high-end thrift stores or the less expensive antique stores....good solid wood furniture with character that will last forever...
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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
We mix sturdy antiques with high quality new.
[email protected]806-672-7102
SMOKY MOUNTAIN FALLS INC.51 Review
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Leslie Anne Morris
Real Estate Agent · Smoky Mountains, TN · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 984 votes
4y
Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

@Leslie Anne Morris ^^^ Don't use IKEA, typically all junk particle board with twist-lok fasteners....
We use either high-end thrift stores or the less expensive antique stores....good solid wood furniture with character that will last forever...
Exactly! If you buy cheap you’ll be replacing it fast. Not worth it.
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Leslie Anne Morris:

Quote from @Bruce Woodruff:

@Leslie Anne Morris ^^^ Don't use IKEA, typically all junk particle board with twist-lok fasteners....
We use either high-end thrift stores or the less expensive antique stores....good solid wood furniture with character that will last forever...
Exactly! If you buy cheap you’ll be replacing it fast. Not worth it.

And people can spot cheap a mile away......
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Paul Sandhu
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
I get most of my big ticket items from estate auctions. Washer, dryer, fridge, stove, bedroom suites, living room furniture, tables, lamps, blah blah blah. I'll spend less than $1000 to furnish a 3BR. Small things like silverware and towels I get from Sam Walton. I met him. He was hunting quail without much success and he got a phone call. Someone said that there are quail in Texas. Him and his group hopped in his charter plane and flew to Texas to hunt quail. It must be nice to be a billionaire.
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Bailey Kramer
Rental Property Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2019 · 231 posts · 256 votes
4y
Hey @Luis Ramirez I have found the best success with local furniture stores as they usually have a local warehouse with the items in stock. For mattresses I like Zinus or for a more high end property, I like Casper. Facebook Marketplace also has some gems as well!
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
Like @Paul Sandhu we spend little on our houses and they get rave reviews. We spend more than $1000, but the last 4 BR was done for <$3000. All the furniture is antique or vintage (hey some 50s stuff was pretty nice :-). Pictures, artwork, and other swag came from nice thrift stores (think a little higher-end than Salvation Army/Goodwill). Definitely buy all of your kitchen stuff at a Goodwill type place. You'll get brand new (looking) pots and pans for $1 each. Complete silverware sets for $2. Toasters/Blenders/Coffeepots/Etc for $5....
It's just foolish to buy this stuff new - unless you have a very specific theme where you need oriental flatware or something crazy like that.

Speaking of mattresses, we've been happy with the memory foam ones on Amazon, just check reviews and you'll find the good ones.
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John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
4y
FB marketplace is good for used stuff.
Idea, wayfair etc for new stuff.
Rooms to go is ok to.
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Michael BaumPro Member
Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
4y
I will give a vote to SOME Ikea stuff. they make a lot of solid wood items and we have several pieces in our vacation rental. Dressers and nightstands for instance. All of them have been holding up just fine for the last 5 years. All are the solid pine Tarva units. I got them used off Craigslist for pennies. Just a quick sanding an a coat of poly and they look and work great!
As for the rest, I have all USA made furniture that we bought off Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and OfferUP. Basset and Lay Z Boy couches and chairs, Thomasville beds etc. All were in excellent shape in cheap. Way cheaper than anything on Wayfair or the like for much better quality. All the furniture still looks great and has been working for 5 years. I expect them to all keep going strong for more years.
Mattresses are all Zinus Green Tea 12". They are an excellent mattress for the $$$. On sale, they can be had for around $200 for a queen and under $300 for a king. Twin mattress are all Northwest Bedding for bunk beds made in Spokane. They came with the bunk beds we bought, also off Craigslist. Brand new for $200 with 4 mattresses and 2 bunk beds. We get regular positive comments on the beds. No complaints at all. I do have 2" memory foam pads and a Serta Black water proof padded cover over the whole shebang.
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Lauren Kormylo
Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
I got most of my furniture from local furniture stores and Big Lots, a store that refinishes vintage dressers with chalk paint, FB Marketplace, Wayfair, Pottery Barn, AllModern, Bed Bath Beyond (online), Home Depot (online), Amazon, and Target for outdoor furniture. Almost all of the online furniture required assembly, which takes someone being there for delivery, handling huge heavy boxes sometimes up stairs, and the time to put it together, so think about what that time adds to your costs.
I got my 6 mattresses from a local mattress store that delivered. TVs from Best Buy, who put up the mounts and TVs for me.
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Sergey A. Petrov
Real Estate Consultant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 784 votes
4y
As others mentioned IKEA or other cheap furniture is not the way to go. You’ll be replacing it non stop. IKEA might be ok for silverware, pretty pictures you hang on walls, and other things that don’t get heavy use.
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Katie HartungPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Durand, WI · Member since 2021 · 15 posts · 2 votes
4y
@Luis Ramirez we are going to try out Host GPO if the seller does not include furnishings.
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