Floor Plans To Avoid When Buying A Home

There continues to be a large inventory of homes for sale in nearly every market. One of the problems is that among the listed properties are many that pose less-than-ideal floor plans. While long-time homeowners might immediately identify layouts that are poorly designed, first-time homebuyers may be less familiar with them. This can lead to mistakes they'll regret years down the road.

With this in mind, we'll take a closer look below at several floor plans to avoid when looking at homes for sale. Each of the following layouts can make selling your house more difficult in the years to come.

A Dominant Dining Room

Houses that force people to traverse dining rooms in order to reach key areas of the home are inconvenient. They also "feel" wrong. For example, someone who enters the house from the front entrance may be forced to walk through the dining room to access the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms. The reason for this layout is uncertain, but it can - and likely will - make selling your property more difficult.

Inability To See Other Areas From Major Rooms

If you are sitting in your living room, you should be able to see other areas of the home through one or more doorways. For example, one doorway might lead to a family room while another opens into the foyer and entrance. The more you can see, the more expansive the house seems.

By contrast, a poor layout is one that prevents this level of visibility from major rooms. This has the opposite effect, making the house seem smaller.

Stairs Facing The Front Entrance

Many people are feng shui enthusiasts, and thus look for floor plans that accommodate this system of aesthetics. The front entrance of a home is known as the "Mouth Of Chi." It is through this opening that many people believe a house receives its energy. When stairs face the entrance, the energy is believed to flow immediately up them, leaving the ground level devoid of feng shui energy. For this reason, those who are devoted to feng shui design are unlikely to purchase a home with this feature.

Even for those who are unfamiliar with feng shui, however, the stairs can appear jarring. If they are positioned to one side, the effect is minimized, but still less than ideal.

An Isolated Family Room Or Living Room

Many houses are designed with the living room or family room set off to the side so they seem sequestered from the rest of the home. In most cases, these areas are attached to the main foyer or entrance, but otherwise remain isolated. From a practical perspective, the rooms maintain their usefulness. Family and visitors can still congregate in them. However, because they are remotely located from other rooms in the home, there is a pervasive feeling of detachment.

If you plan to use the family room or living room on rare occasions, this may not pose a serious issue. Keep in mind future buyers may feel differently.

Tight Hallways Leading Into The Home

When you walk through the front door of a house, and are greeted by a long hallway, the hall seems intimidating. It is unpleasant. Even if the hall is well-lit, the enclosed space might appear stifling. Contrast this with an entrance that opens into a foyer with the living room to the right and a path to the kitchen on the left. It is far more inviting.

Many homebuyers consider floor plans on an instinctive level. They may be unable to pinpoint the reason they feel unsettled about a given layout, but they can "feel" something is off. Moreover, this feeling surfaces within seconds. When you are looking at homes for sale, keep the above layouts in mind. Even if you are willing to overlook an unappealing floor plan, future buyers may be unwilling to do the same. When the time comes to sell your house, this can greatly influence the bids you attract.