The Everest Newsletter: Residential, October ’18 Edition
What does it take to stand the test of time?
Today’s top residential designers tell all
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Just the Peaks This newsletter, at a glance
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Smart investors pore over financial stats and market trends in hopes of making the best buying and selling decisions. But despite the best due diligence, property sales are a difficult code to crack—especially when dealing with residential homebuyers. Satisfying their wants, needs and (impossible) expectations can seem like a hopeless task.
To a certain extent, market research makes it easy to ballpark a particular home’s sales performance. Still, emotion usually overpowers logic and reason in a person’s choice to pull the trigger. Can I picture my family living here? Is the place big enough for the kids? Is this a good area for us to retire? Are the neighbors nice? Do I really want white cabinets…?
Building a mystery
These unpredictable questions lead eager sellers to become frustrated. What one family calls their ‘wish list’ could be a deal-breaker for another. And just because the house next door sold for top dollar doesn’t mean yours will do the same. So, how can savvy sellers protect their investments? Is it possible to future-proof a house, or does attracting a quality buyer require certain psychic powers?
Luckily, the industry’s most talented realtors, designers, architects and builders share their secrets for how to seal the deal in 2018 and beyond. Drawing from decades of experience and various aesthetic theories, we’ve compiled the best strategies for ensuring your home stands the test of time. These tips are also helpful if you’re in the market to buy, flip or renovate a space in the near future. It’s important to understand what attracts prospective buyers across the majority of demographics.
Before we break down today’s top future-proofing designs, let’s take a look at what people want. Instead of the usual per-year approach, let’s consider location. Trulia compiled the most popular keyword hits in recent for-sale listings across America.
Top Home Amenities
by region
Northeast
From Philadelphia to New York City to Boston,
buyers are looking for beautiful hardwood floors
Midwest
In states like Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin,
sellers flaunt decks above all other features
West Coast
Picky Californians are obsessed with granite,
seeking kitchens with the finest counters
Deep South
Down in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi,
house hunters want lots of storage inside and outdoors
Southwest
Stunning views are a must-have in New Mexico,
but also in resort states like Florida and Hawaii
Central
For heartland and prairie homebuyers, decks are highly prized
Forever functionality—or farce?
Though trends come and go, the answer is yes: there are plenty of timeless design decisions you can make to increase a home’s universal appeal. Here are the top 5 ways to future-proof your space for maximum relevance:
- Step down – If you can help it, keep staircases (and multiple levels, for that matter) to a minimum. When you account for very young, very old and disabled occupants, one-level living is king.
- Get wired – Anticipate future technologies and accommodate young buyers’ desires by investing in updated wiring, especially if walls are opened up during construction or renovation.
- Make things private – Solitude never goes out of style. Even if the property is small, you can achieve a sense of seclusion via design such as carefully placed windows, tall trees, mature shrubbery, etc.
- Hardwood everywhere – Kitchens are extremely costly to renovate. It’s even worse when floors were previously installed around existing appliances, so always install wall-to-wall if you have the choice.
- Garages are great – A living room can be easily transformed into a bedroom. But a garage is a whole other story. Decades from now, people will still be concerned about their cars. Do not convert!
Future-proof to reach the peak
Climb with Everest for more tips and tricks
of the residential real estate trade