“I need at least 2,500 square feet, three or more bedrooms and a den” are classic words uttered by every buyer. The specifics will change from one buyer to the next, but most believe there is a minimum total square footage for any home they are willing to consider.
It’s no secret that buyers fixate on the total square footage when it comes to searching for a new home. As a real estate agent and a home stager, I have learned over the years that the usable square footage is far more important than the total. Not all square footage is created equal!
This is a revelation buried deep within the labyrinth of long corridors and the enigma of oddly configured rooms, revealed by the strategic placement of doors and their swinging directions, the significance of ceiling heights, and the ability to capitalize on warm natural light from each and every room. These elements hold sway over the flow and ambiance of a home, shaping its essence and determining how expansive it truly feels.
Instead of fixating on the sheer quantity of square footage, it’s better to shift gears and focus on embracing functioning layouts and floor plans. Only then can you meaningfully unlock the latent potential of each room and realize that within the realm of real estate, the value lies not in the quantity but in the quality of every square inch.
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Keep an Open Mind
Relinquishing the tightly held grip on your total square footage requirements is no easy task. It’s safe to assume that, like most boxes you’ve potentially already checked off your list, this one feels non-negotiable. However, it is our responsibility as real estate agents to help you realize what will ultimately be most important to you. Keeping an open mind, especially in the beginning, is absolutely critical. Earning the unwavering trust of my clients is a journey that culminates in guiding them to a profound epiphany. Once they’ve gleaned how the usefulness of space far supersedes its quantifiable size, they will be that much closer to finding their home.
Size Doesn’t Matter as Much as Adaptability
Home values may be initially measured by size, but their true worth is derived from how well they can adapt to any lifestyle. While square footage provides a tangible metric, it is the layout, design and defining features that truly enhance livability and utility. It’s not just about the space itself but about how well it aligns with the needs and preferences of its potential occupants. Therefore, the true value of a home is not solely in its physical dimensions but in its ability to provide comfort, convenience and fulfillment for those who live in it.
Layout Matters Most
While the significance of this distinction may seem lost on larger-scale homes, this philosophy is most explicable when dealing with smaller spaces. Within the urban confines of New York City, where luxury collides with limitation, every square inch becomes a battleground of efficacy. The truth is that 1,500 square feet can feel “palatial” or just as easily suffocate the senses, and the primary determinant is layout.
An Inviting Entryway
Upon entry, there should always be a moment, albeit potentially abrupt, when a person first enters a home before they must step all the way inside. Failure to devote any time and space to a definable foyer can detract from first impressions. At the same time, overly commodious entryways and corridors are extremely wasteful when space must be carefully rationed. Picture the moment you open the door to any home. As you twist the knob, carefully prying the door as it invitingly swings ajar, what is the first thing you hope to see? The entry is your introduction and should offer a moment to rest your keys and your bag, remove your shoes, hang your coat and provide easy access to a restroom.
A Clear Separation of Living and Sleeping Spaces
As you continue, you should be greeted by the living room, which is essentially the heart of any home. Kitchens and dining rooms should follow on one side, with the bedrooms and remaining bathrooms on the opposing side. This separation of living and sleeping quarters makes for a cohesive living experience. Choppy and disarrayed floor plans with rooms in various unintuitive locations create space that automatically fails to function optimally. What was once a sprawling expanse of possibility becomes a windy maze of lost potential, suffocating beneath the burden of misallocated space. It is the appointment of space that dictates its perceived magnitude or minuteness. A supposedly sprawling 2,000-square-foot home can instantly be shrunk to 1,500 in a choppy layout. In contrast, when every corner is imbued with purpose, when each inch is embraced with intention, the boundaries of the home expand infinitely.
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Open-Concept Floor Plans Provide Breathability
Open-concept floor plans irrefutably shine when space is limited. Carving out long and narrow galley kitchens and awkward and internal dining rooms that are entirely separate from their corresponding living spaces diminishes each room’s breathability. When individually confined rooms are substituted with open, designated areas or spaces that effortlessly stand adjacent to one another based on their purpose and intended function, everything changes. Kitchens are suddenly more functional. Previously cavernous dining rooms transform into designated dining areas that can finally accommodate larger tables for more guests. Living rooms no longer hold their expansiveness and beaming natural light hostage — it is shared with the other living spaces so that all rooms benefit from what the home innately has to offer. Extraordinary designs create distinct zones based on a room’s intended function in an irregular way so that each space stands on its own whilst being a part of one grand expanse.
Layouts Should Be Proportional
Homes with minuscule bedrooms and bathrooms and overly and gratuitously bloated living areas will also disappoint. Primary bedrooms should comfortably accommodate king-sized beds with ample closets and storage. When dealing with challenging spaces, closet doors should slide, not swing, to avoid encroaching on space when opened. Rooms with awkward angles, jut-outs and crevices will need careful analysis to determine the best arrangements for comfort and function. Multipurpose spaces will also stand out amongst the crowd. Many times, all it takes is a nook, an alcove or maybe a recessed cavity, rather than an entire room, to satisfy a necessary function. In today’s world, work-from-home spaces are critical, and sometimes a perfectly structured sliver of space, rather than an entire office, is all you need.
Ultimately, it’s the quality, specificity and configuration of space — not its quantity — that will determine its worthiness, as not all square footage is created equal.
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The Everlasting Battle between Total and Usable Square Footage originally appeared on usnews.com
