What is the number one amenity that homebuyers look for when buying a home? Space… and of course value. They both go hand in hand when you think about it. The more space your home has, the more expensive it is correct? Usually, although giving the illusion of space can make homebuyers feel better and you feel better to ask more for the price of your home than you once thought. Bringing in light, using neutral colors, and getting rid of large, bulky furniture is a start. Here are more tips to help your home look larger.
- Purge and de-clutter: While this step seems like a no-brainer, every home usually has excess ‘stuff’ that is not needed. Whether it is in your home office, kitchen counters, or kids toys lying around, you can purge and de-clutter to make your home look larger. A home staging trick? In every room you should be able to see portions of the baseboards (where the wall meets the floor). Look around the room; if you can’t see the baseboard on most walls, you may need to get rid of some items.
- Use neutral colors that are pleasing: Bringing in neutral colors into your home palette will keep homebuyers eyes moving throughout your home as the rooms flow into one another. While these colors may not be your ideal if you were living there for the next 20 years, your home is now on the market. Just like selling a car, you need to shine up the exterior, interior and give it a tune-up. Consider using a neutral palette of browns, grays, or muted greens and blues to appeal to a wider range of homebuyers. You will be surprised how large your home will look once you bring in neutrals to open the rooms.
- Bring in light and ditch the dark window treatments: Look at your windows and determine if your rooms are letting in as much natural light as possible. Dark window treatments can be hindering your source for natural light, as well as large furniture may be blocking natural light. Ensure that large armoires, entertainment centers and headboards do not block natural light. The other issue is being able to see views. Homebuyers want to feel like they are looking out at a beautiful view. If you have furniture, or heavy drapery blocking their view, they will assume you are hiding something!
- Only use essential furniture: Have you ever walked into a model home, and wondered why the bedroom only had a bed and a dresser? While this may seem a little drastic, depending on the size of the bedroom, this may be sufficient to give the illusion of more space. While you don’t want the room to look stark, the room should look livable, and inviting. If you have too much large pieces, consider putting them in storage, moving to another room in your home, or selling pieces you may not need for the next home you move into. Your rooms will grow considerably in visual space, just by following this tip.
Open up your home with the addition of these helpful staging tips. While you aren’t trying to fool the homebuyer, you are trying to showcase the best amenities about your home. Size is crucial, and an over cluttered, over furnished and dark home will sit on the market much longer than one that has been carefully staged with the above tips. If you are having troubles visualizing how your home should look, seek the advice of a professional home stager, or ask a friend who may have a better eye than you. Before you know it, your “Sold” sign will be going up in the front yard!
Sire Design readers tell us how you make your home look larger when you have your home on the market.
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