Part 1 ~ The Beauty
This June marks the 16th year I have been a Realtor. That realization gave me pause, as I thought about all the homes I have shown over the years. Needless to say, I have seen a lot of houses. Some of them were breathtakingly beautiful. Others made me want to call for an exorcism.
Homes can be attractive either because of their architecture or their decorating. The Best, are those that cause you to fantasize about putting a for sale sign, in your yard as soon as you get home. On more than one occasion I have called my husband to announce we will be moving soon, as I have found the PERFECT home. Don’t worry Dear Reader, because taste in homes & décor is so personal, the homes that cause me to drool don’t always excite my buyers. And I would never talked a buyer out of buying a home that I wanted for me. Not to mention the quality details that get me hot & bothered in a home are often ignored by buyers. I got over the shock that not everyone appreciates quality (enough to pay for it, at least) a long time ago.
Signs of quality in a home are always in the details. It is the smallest of items that separate the cream from the milk. To find it you will need to look up. What do the ceilings look like? Is there crown moulding? If so, what size is it? How many pieces does it contain? How detailed is it? I love going to old homes, the ones with 10’ + ceilings and intricate crown moulding. It reminds me of the “Painted Ladies” in my original hometown of San Francisco. Look down at the hardwood floors. Do they have a Rosewood inlay? I have seen some amazing hardwood and marble floors. The kind of floors that you don’t want to put a rug on top of because they were designed to be admired, like a piece of art.
I know you are thinking, what does the Kitchen & Master Bath look like? Because these two rooms are most important to buyers, just look at any survey, or ask any agent. Who cares, I say. What?! Yes, I said, "Who cares!". Why? Because all nice homes have nice Kitchen & Baths, it’s a given. Nobody who gets the details right, gets those two rooms wrong. Let’s look at the spaces that tell you what you need to know. The forgotten spaces…like the area that you pass through on your way in from the garage. Is there a bench? Does it have a place for you put your shoes, keys, book-bags, purse, jackets, etc.? I love the ones that have a seat with a top that lifts to reveal storage. What about the laundry room? Does it have cabinets for storage? Is it big enough? The best ones of these have a laundry chute and a pass through cabinet to put the folded clothes and linens in once they are clean.
Okay enough about what I appreciate in a home. What are some of your favorite features? What would you do, if money was no object, to your home? Replace your hollow doors with solid ones? Add working transoms above the doors in your home? Add built-in bookcases or window seats? Okay, your right these are more of my favorites, so enough about me…tell me what you would do…
Part 2 ~ The Beast, coming soon…
1 comment:
Great blog, Gina! Such good points you made. I really love built ins and a home and things that are different. Our home has a big window right on the staircase landing, so as you're coming up the stairs you feel like you're walking among the treetops. I also look at the way a house is positioned on the lot. Do you have good views? Are there trees and enough spacing between houses? Can't wait to read "The Beast."
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