Feb

Add Value to Your House by Creating Visual Space

By admin

All homebuyers want as much house for their money as they can get. Many buyers are looking for a larger home because
they have 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 buyers 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 are 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 friends 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 will 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 buyers 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 will be amazed at how big your closets will look to you and your buyers!

You may think after all these changes that your house does not 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!

Originally posted 2009-10-07 19:32:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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