All homebuyers want as much house for
their money as they can get. Many buyers are looking for a larger home
because they've outgrown their current one, and especially desire more
closet and cupboard space as well as larger rooms.
Visual space makes your home appear larger by allowing the buyer's eye
to move from one side of the room to the other without interruption,
giving the illusion of more space and openness. In contrast, a cluttered
room stops the eye repeatedly and gives the illusion of less space.
In order to make your home appear larger, de-cluttering and removing
unnecessary furniture is essential. The goal is to create a comforting
atmosphere in which buyers can imagine their furniture and belongings
easily fitting in. Once a buyer has this image in their mind, you're one
step closer to a sale!
Follow these easy tips to add space and openness:
1. Pack away family photographs and small accessories. Family
photographs make your house personal, but you want the buyer to see the
house as theirs, so pack away all family pictures and mementos,
including awards, trophies, plaques, etc. Small accessories
(knickknacks, collections, figurines) distract the buyer by focusing on
many small items instead of large, open spaces. These items should also
be stored away.
2. Take small pictures off the walls. Small pictures break up the space
of a wall and cause the buyer to stop and look at the pictures instead
of allowing their eyes to see the wall without interruption. Keep large
pictures above areas you want to highlight, such as over the bed,
fireplace or sofa.
3. Leave accessories that add color and interest. A room without any
accessories feels cold and sterile. Large accessories such as books,
chunky candles and silk flowers should be left to give the room warmth
and character.
4. Store small and unnecessary furniture. Many pieces of furniture, such
as TV trays, end tables, and magazine racks can be put in a storage
facility or at a friend's until you move. This immediately creates space
between the larger pieces and makes the room appear more spacious. Now
is a good time to decide what you'll take with you when you move and
what you want to get rid of. Keep larger pieces of furniture in place
(sofas, dining room tables) so the buyers can get a better idea of how
their furniture will look in the space.
5. Clear off countertops. Remove all personal items in the bathrooms and
kitchen. Items such as makeup, medicine and toothbrushes can be left in
baskets on a shelf, to be brought out when you need them. In the
kitchen, remove salt and pepper shakers, the dish rack, and small items
on windowsills and on top of the stove. Clear countertops of all but
large items such as canisters, a colorful cookie jar or a decorative
plate. Have as few items as possible on the countertops to give the
illusion of extra space.
6. Show off your closets. Perhaps number one on the buyer's "must have"
list is more closet space. To make even small closets appear large, show
shelf and clothes pole space by packing up and storing out-of-season
clothes and sporting equipment, and donating unneeded items to charity.
Now is the time to sort through all that clutter and decide what to keep
and what to discard. You'll be amazed at how big your closets will look
to you and your buyers!
You may think after all these changes that your house doesn't look like
your own, but remember, the house you sell is not the same as the house
you live in. By creating visual space, you are allowing the buyer to
easily imagine integrating their life into your home - the first step to
selling your home faster and for more money!
