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!
Article Author - Sharon Wong
Sharon Wong is President of Ready Set
Sell and an accomplished interior designer. Since 1991, her
company has helped home sellers get the quickest sale and
the highest price for their homes. Sharon also teaches
Realtors how to ready their customers' homes for a fast and
profitable sale. Her company offers in-home consultations,
seminars, videos and articles to help in the home selling
process. For more information about her services and
products, visit her website at:
http://www.ReadySetSell.com
