What Helps You See the Possibilities in a Home?
At the premiere of Invisible Imagination, I found myself thinking about a phrase I might use while showing a home: “Can you picture yourself living here?”
For me, picturing things comes easily. I can imagine a different paint colour, furniture in an empty room, or a space being used in another way. The film prompted me to think more carefully about what I’m asking when I invite someone else to do the same.
Is that question helpful? And if it isn’t, what could I offer instead?
We don’t all experience mental imagery the same way
Invisible Imagination, directed by Sarah Taylor and Anna Cooley, explores aphantasia through Sarah’s experience and conversations with other people and researchers. I thought it was beautifully done, and it gave me a reason to reflect on my own work.
Aphantasia commonly refers to an absence of voluntary mental imagery: someone may know what an object looks like without seeing a picture of it in their mind. Mental imagery varies, with very vivid imagery often described as hyperphantasia. The Aphantasia Network offers an accessible introduction to these experiences.
For my work, the useful question is what helps the person in front of me. I don’t need to assign someone a label to ask whether an explanation is working.
An empty room can invite different questions
Imagine walking into a vacant living room. I might immediately picture a couch along one wall and a reading chair beside the window. Someone else might want a floor plan, a furniture layout, or the room’s measurements before deciding how it could work.
Neither response tells me whether the person likes the home. It tells me I need to ask more useful questions.
“Would seeing an example layout help?”
“Should we measure where your couch could go?”
“Does this help you see the possibilities, or does it make it harder to focus on what you want?”
A furnished rendering might help someone explore an idea. Another person might prefer the room empty so the example furniture doesn’t distract from their own plans. We can try an option and check whether it actually helps.
And however vividly either of us can picture a couch, measurements are how we check its fit.
The things we bring have meaning
Think about a vase given to you at a wedding shower or by someone you love. When you’re looking at a new home, finding a place for that vase may matter as much as finding a place for the couch.
You might picture it on a shelf. You might know that you want it nearby without forming a mental picture. Either way, the object can have personal meaning.
A photo or a conversation about the belongings you want to bring can give us a concrete place to start. What needs to fit? What do you want to display? How do you use your home each day?
Those answers help us evaluate a property in relation to your life.
First move or fifth move, the plan should work for you
Understanding a room is one part of a move. Understanding what comes next is another.
Uncertainty about buying or selling can affect anyone. I wouldn’t assume it comes from aphantasia, or that having moved before means someone wants less guidance. Your experience, circumstances and preferences all matter.
For a seller, “get the house ready” can be a surprisingly vague instruction. What needs doing? Why? What should happen first?
My approach is to walk through the home together, explain my recommendations, and agree on priorities. We can use a brief overview or a more detailed plan, with examples of what a room prepared for photos could look like.
For a buyer, we can talk through the upcoming steps and decisions, then put the explanation into a format you can refer back to. A checklist, a timeline and a conversation serve different purposes; we can use whichever combination is helpful.
One small way to get started
If you’re preparing to sell and the whole house feels like too much, try this:
Take a photo of one room.
Choose one manageable task, such as clearing the coffee table.
Finish that task before choosing the next.
The photo gives you a concrete reference. This is a starting exercise, rather than a complete preparation plan. We can decide together which changes deserve your time and effort — and if you’re wondering where you stand, a free home value estimate is a good place to start.
Tools that help you move forward
You don’t have to picture a home the way I do. My job is to understand what works for you and provide the tools you need to feel comfortable, make an informed decision, and move forward.
Your next step
Thinking about buying or selling? Connect with Sarah — let’s talk about your plans and what kind of support would help.
Just want to look? Browse Edmonton homes for sale or explore my Edmonton neighbourhood guides.
Curious what your home is worth? Get a free home value estimate.
Explore the film and learn more
Edmonton Screen — film announcement, which reports a CBC and CBC Gem release planned for early 2027.
Related reading: 10 Things to Do Now If You Want to Buy a Home · Your Home Wish List and Your Budget
Header photo: Point3D Commercial Imaging Ltd. on Unsplash