Issue: 6
June 2014

Cheaper? 

Different groups of prospective home buyers and Realtors were shown the same exact home. MLS listings, comps and all supporting documentation were displayed in the kitchen. The only difference-asking price. Some were given a below market listing price, others saw a listing price in line with comparable homes, and still others saw a listing price about 20% higher than the cheap asking price. Again, everyone involved toured the same home.

 

[1] The listing price swayed people's opinions of what was a reasonable price to pay for the home. This is true of many expensive items we don't buy frequently.  Should the 1ct. diamond platinu wedding ring cost $10,000? $6,000? You want one of those new, "smart", 3D big screen TVs. Best Buy� has a 65" Vizio model for $1749. Is that reasonable? Best Buy also sells a 65" Sony model with what appears to be similar specifications for $2,799. Is that price reasonable? What does the pricing difference between the two TVs say to you?

 

[2] When the listing price was perceived to be a "bargain", people focused on what made the home cheaper. When the listing price was high, agents and prospects alike focused on what made the home worth a premium price. Continuing with the big screen TV example above, it's easy to envision starting to try to rationalize the difference between the Vizio and Sony TVs. The Sony brand has been around a long time and is highly regarded (a "quality" reputation weighs in on "fair price" and there's less perceived risk with such a respected brand.) You may have had prior experience with the Sony brand. You may look at the same signal feed on the two TVs and perceive one is superior...

 

Price and affordability are always important. In a recent blog post, business guru Seth Godin wrote, "Henry Ford earned his early success by using the ideas of mass production and interchangeable parts in a magnificent race to the most efficient car manufacturing system ever. But then, he and his team learned that people didn't actually want the cheapest car. They wanted a car they could be proud of, they wanted a car that was a bit safer, a bit more stylish, a car built by people who earned a wage that made them contributors to the community."

 

So, do you want people focusing on why your homes are cheaper or justifying why they're more expensive and worth it?  

Designing with natural light.

 

Environments with natural light make us feel better, perform better and positively affect our emotional and mental health. That's why school, institutional and office building design is increasingly revolving around daylighting. Though still not as energy efficient as the surrounding walls, advances in energy efficient window construction are allowing architectural designers to use glass more creatively. How?

  

Windows in bathrooms are particularly problematic because of our need for privacy. One of the first things homeowners do is add coverings for those windows and depending on their placement, some of those window coverings are never opened-defeating the purpose for having windows in the first place. Skylights, glass block and high transom windows are becoming more popular in bathrooms. Additionally, bathroom designers consider the placement of mirrors to reflect the natural light.  

 

When the kitchen adjoins an exterior wall AND when abundant storage has been provided (i.e. a big pantry), the trend is towards deleting some of the upper kitchen cabinets in favor of adding windows. When that is not an option, we're seeing the use of awning windows and glass block installed above a short backsplash, between the base and upper cabinets.  

 

Windows on 2 sides of a room allow daylight from different angles and can lessen shadows cast from having light from only one direction. Most interior doors at home are left open. Therefore, placing windows directly opposite the door leading into a room elevate light levels in the hall or adjoining space leading into that room. 

 

Not only are beautiful window shapes available, the grouping of these windows can be dramatic. Repeating arched windows...  staggered thin vertical windows...delightful transoms above the likely head board location in a bedroom...all speak to design aesthetics. Skylights, due to their angled orientation to the sun, pass three times as much light as window installed in a vertical wall. And skylights can create unmatched interior drama.

 

Screens. Window screens can reduce natural light passing through that screen by as much as 40%, but some of the new screen materials filter out significantly less light. Covered porches. Covered outdoor living areas are wonderful, but how much daylight will the porch roof diminish? Interior transoms can allow natural light to flow from sunny spaces into adjoining interior rooms. Finally, sun orientation needs to be considered. Glare can be an issue for east and west-facing windows at certain parts of the day. South-facing windows usher in considerably more light than north-facing windows.
#6710BL the Kincaid
2-Story Owner's Suite on the Upper Level
1,297 sq. ft. 3 bedrooms
#50012 the Kauffman

1-Story / Rancher 

2,160 sq. ft. 2 bedrooms

 

#43029 the Menlo

2-Story Owner's Suite on the Upper Level

1,660 sq. ft. 3 bedroom
#43041 the Vermillion 

2-Story Owner's Suite on the Main Level

2,772 sq. ft. 4 bedrooms
 See us at the
Sunbelt Builders Show
July 23-24, 2014 - San Antonio, TX
 
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Now Available!

Her Home Spring 2014


 

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In This Issue
Cheaper?
Designing with natural light
Featured Home Plans
Her Home Magzine

 

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