Add Value To Your House By Creating Visual Space
All homebuyers want as much house for their money
as they can
get. 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.
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, decluttering 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
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