What Westport Builders should be doing Now! (What your potential buyers want you to know)

Transcription

1 What Westport Builders should be doing Now! (What your potential buyers want you to know) ABSTRACT This is a special report prepared for residential property developers in Westport, Connecticut. Included are 10 strategies / trends that builders can implement immediately to build homes that potential buyers want, and to sell them faster than the competition. John Jones Registered Architect, CT, NY, MD; NCARB, AIA

2 Introduction About 30 years ago, I had an architecture professor who closed the semester with this remark: Many architects are looking to the past as they design for today. This is unfortunate; it s like driving down the highway, but only looking backward in the rearview mirror. Here in Westport, we ve been told over and over that the magic formula is five bedroom, five bath, 5000 square-foot, yada, yada, yada. As an established, expert Westport architect with feet firmly planted in both the developer/spec and the homeowner/custom residential architecture markets, I see significant disparities between the assumed wants that builders project on their future buyers and the actual needs of homeowners. And I m happy to share them with you in this report, because I care about the future of Westport, just as you do. It s time to quit looking in the rearview mirror, and look to, even guide, where Westport is going. And as a developer, you truly have a tremendous role and responsibility in shaping Westport s future. My hope is that the following pages will challenge your thinking, and encourage you to become even better at what you already do so well. If you disagree with any of my points, I d love to hear about it ( )! John@JohnJonesAIA.com [1]

3 1. Less is more - really! Less bedrooms, less bathrooms, less floor area, less trim! I m seeing some beautiful houses with a ton of trim that just aren t moving. And to drive the point home, I recently designed a modern farmhouse colonial that sparingly used trim, but rather was designed to evoke the simple comfort of home. It sold during construction, while the same builder has more typical trimmed out homes built before this one that are still on the market. A simple farmhouse colonial can evoke the feeling of home quicker than all the swoops, trim, and multiple rooflines in the world. If there is no emotional connection, there is no buyer. 2. More is more. But.Just more of the right things. More indoor/outdoor space, more attention to detail, more flexible space, more SPECIAL (i.e. connection ) spaces. A window seat or small alcove in or next to large family room provides intimate for reading a book or having a conversation, while still being connected to the family. (Hint: It is very easy for a family of 4 to become disconnected in a 6000 sf house is this what we are trying to achieve?) 3. The first floor master is coming to stay. Already a staple in southern and western homes, and something I m advocated since I started my practice over 19 years ago, this is finally starting to trend. You can set yourself apart by leading the way. For the time being, this is in addition to an upstairs master. Nearly 100% of my homeowner-driven designs require a first floor master, or at least a flexible office/guest room with a private or semi-private bath on the first floor. Aging parents are coming back to stay, or are visiting for longer periods of time. Our culture is shifting back to multi-generational homes which leads to my next point: 4. Universal Design. There is no building code mandate for accessibility in single family home, but again, homeowners are demanding comfortable, accessible spaces for their aging parents. As an expert in accessible design [I personally evaluated, reported, and made recommendations for compliance for every town-owned facility (Town Hall, every school, every park building, every art, senior and civic center; over 80 facilities ) for an ADA Study for the Town of Greenwich], I can make simple, cost-effective solutions as we design your next home together. John@JohnJonesAIA.com [2]

4 5. More Indoor-Outdoor Connection. Picture your own home for minute. Which room are you most comfortable in? Is there more exterior glass there than the other rooms? Most likely. At least one family-centric room needs a full commitment to bring the outside in. Covered porches should no longer be an afterthought, but a requirement. If not the lemonade, rocking chair porch that especially should be on small lot homes, then at least a deep, covered back porch for sheltered outdoor enjoyment. Don t overlook the importance of covered outdoor spaces. John@JohnJonesAIA.com [3]

5 6. Energy efficiency. Buyers care more about their wallet than they care about Green. If something green works, then by all means, sell it in the right way. Using spray-foam insulation in the rafters and R-21 batt insulation in the walls makes perfect sense from an energy and economic point of view, but does your potential buyer know they are looking at an energy-bill-saving AND a never-have-an-ice-dam-again-guaranteed home? It s high time we see more Solar PV and HW panels on homes as well. Show your buyer the electric meter spinning backwards, and it s all over. 7. Don t overlook the simple things that can set your home apart. For every project, there are no-cost / opportunity cost pre-sale features that should be no brainers. Certainly, there is enough left over material on each job to create a custom mail-box, doghouse, or small outdoor (or even indoor) play house in the same style of the house itself. And there s always a worker standing around trying to figure out what to do next. These simple things show your consistency of detail for the whole property. It s no longer just a spec-house. 8. Upsell the Custom Upgrades. Granted, it just makes sense from your standpoint to finish the attic or basement during construction; the opportunity-cost just works that way, vs. offering finishing them later as an up-sell. But as you get to know your buyer s interests and passions, there are certainly customizations above your sale contract that can be win-win. An obvious one is an outbuilding (a pool-house, a shed, a covered pavilion), obviously in the style of the home itself. Buyer s love outbuildings. They now have something beautiful on their property to look at from inside their home, verse the 1960 split level in dire need of a paint job (or full makeover) across the street. And the outbuilding provides the owner a place to look with pride on their own new home. It s an emotional thing, it s important to the buyer (even if they don t know it yet), and it can put more money in your pocket! An outbuilding can be a sanctuary from the home itself. Special places make memories. Other examples include tennis courts, pools, spas, bocce courts, treehouses, custom playsets or playhouses. For the interior, show the owner how you can swap out a kitchen island cabinet for John@JohnJonesAIA.com [4]

6 a custom pet crate, or build a kitty-condo under the mud room stair. Pet-friendly customizations can make the difference between your house and the competition s! 9. Embrace the remodel. Let s face it; it is so much easier to tear down an older home and start from scratch. Yet, there are older homes that can be successfully remodeled or added to, and be sold as a beautiful new home. Again, we re looking to the future of Westport, and our larger community. There are already a few developers who recognize that some homes are worth saving, and making over. If not for cost-savings and for limiting waste, for preserving part of Westport s character. The original cape is still in there, but the transformation is dramatic and in scale with the neighborhood. 10. Take a minute to reflect and breathe. We are passionate about what we do and we work our off, but we should be enjoying the ride. I can t imagine doing anything else than architecture; I was created for this. Hopefully, these pages have inspired you to reach to the next level. We can t rely on yesterday s victories as we look to tomorrow. Embrace change! John@JohnJonesAIA.com [5]

7 Your thoughts: List 3 take-aways from what you just read: Write the ONE thing you can do to make a difference (today, this week, this month ): About John Jones, Registered Architect CT, NY, MD If you want to discuss anything, I m here for you. I ve lived in Westport since 1999; I m happily married with 5 kids and 2 Havanese puppies, and I m here for the long haul. Sooner or later we ll cross paths (if we haven t already), and I promise you ll never regret having me in your corner (I ve been the best man six times. That should say it all). John@JohnJonesAIA.com [6]