Appraisal Know-How

In today’s turbulent real estate market, an appraisal can make or break the sale of your home. Yet, appraising is far from an exacting profession. Here are a few things to know about appraisals so that the house you are buying or selling is valued properly:

1. An appraisal is one person’s opinion. During our 25 years in business, New American Homes has found that appraisals on the same property can vary greatly. The opinion of one appraiser does not necessarily match the opinion of another.

2. Qualify your appraiser. When the appraiser calls to make an appointment to view your property, ask if he or she is familiar with your neighborhood. If not, call the lender and ask that an appraiser with “geographic competency” value your home.

3. Be proactive with your appraiser. Be prepared to give the appraiser favorable comparables (or “comps”) from your neighborhood. Point out properties that have sold recently and compare well with your property. Tell the appraiser how these comps are better or worse than your property – for example, does your home have more bedrooms, an updated kitchen, a finished basement, more square footage, a preferred location? 

4. Identify foreclosures.  Be sure that, if an appraiser is using a foreclosed property as a comp, this fact is properly noted and the condition of the foreclosed property is known.  (Many foreclosed properties are "stripped" before they are sold, and the recorded sale prices do not take into consideration the cost of bringing the properties back to a livable condition.)

The following link from AOL’s real estate blog, “Inside the Mind of an Appraiser,” is an excellent short video on how an appraiser looks at a home:  Inside the Mind of an Appraiser

Stairway Savvy

Ever trip going down the stairs to your basement? Here's a safety tip from New American Homes, award-winning builder of Newport Cove, a planned waterfront community on the Chain O' Lakes:

In dark stairwells, vary the color of the stair treads. Shown here is the stairwell to the lower level in the LIFEhouse, a concept house featuring universal design and opening soon at Newport Cove. Note how the stair carpet color changes. Note the rope lighting routed into the stairrail. These are two inexpensive ideas to add a smart (and interesting) touch of safety to your home.

The Challenge of Building Accessible Homes

New American Homes, the builder of Newport Cove, has been in the home building business since the mid-1980s.  Over the course of those years, we have been asked four different times to retrofit a home we had built to accommodate a person who - due to either accident or illness - had become wheelchair bound. Then, in each of those instances, once the home owners had decided to move from their residences, we were again hired to remove all of the accessibility features so that the home could be sold.

It is very difficult to sell a home that LOOKS accessible. Buyers do not want to be reminded of the world’s difficulties, the trials and tribulations of illness and aging.

Because of these experiences, we became interested in accessible housing.  It seemed foolish to build a house, retrofit a house and then remove the retrofitting.  The solution, of course, is a design that does not scream accessibility.  Over the years we have begun adding several accessible features to our homes. We – as a matter of course – build wider hallways, wider doorways and stacked closets.  But, the kitchens and baths are always the big challenge.  The average buyers still want the private water closet.  They shy away from grab bars.  They want storage space under their vanity sinks.

This all led to the building of our LIFEhouse, a concept home we are just completing in our Newport Cove waterfront community on the Chain O' Lakes.

The LIFEhouse is a 2,000 square-foot-ranch home with a full basement.  The floor plan is simply one of our standard models TWEAKED a bit so that it follows the principles of “universal design.”  Much of the house is accessible; the rest could easily become so.

The home’s entrances are no-step.  The front porch camouflages a brick paver ramp that comes off the front sidewalk. The front door is 42 inches wide.  The house has a lift that stops at the garage, the first floor and the lower level.  The kitchen, master bath and lower level bath are fully accessible.  A third bath is semi-accessible.  The home has many, many features that are universally designed.  Yet, it is an attractive home.  It is trendy, young-feeling - not at all hospital-like.

We are finding that people from their 50s on are quite interested in the concept.  They like the house.  They like its feel.  They GET the practicality of it.  Will they pay for it?

As you know, elevators and lifts are budget busters, as are some of the new high-tech options – but the little things, including more and better lighting, accessible hardware and faucets, well-placed appliances – these things are easy and inexpensive.

For us, the challenge is to create a universally designed home package that is more or less the same cost as one of our standard homes.  That’s the challenge.

So, here’s a question:  Would you pay extra for the security of remaining in your home as your lifestyle changes?

Homes With Benefits

You may have heard the words “planned community” or “planned urban development (PUD),” but what do those words mean to a home buyer? In the simplest sense they indicate that, when the property was zoned, certain amenities were built into the plan. The land wasn’t just cut up into as many home sites as possible. Instead, space was left for common areas – for parks, natural habitats, green belts, perhaps a stand of old trees. A "planned community" also means that the development has certain guidelines and standards which typically are higher than the normal zoning code. Perhaps all the architecture is required to be the same “style”. Maybe all roofs must be the same color. Some PUDs prevent the permanent parking of commercial vehicles - boats or campers, as examples, or limit the numbers of pets homeowners can shelter.

Today governmental bodies and municipalities encourage PUDs, especially for significant pieces of land being developed. This allows the land to be thoughtfully designed. In a sense, it’s urban planning on a small scale.

Lifestyle, convenience and aesthetics draw people to planned development. Our Newport Cove community on the Chain O’ Lakes is one example. Homeowners say they have moved there for the waterfront lifestyle and the quality environment. “We want a place where our friends, our kids and grandkids will want to visit,” is something we hear time and again.

Housing choices

Planned communities typically offer variety in the size and type of houses. Maintenance-free smaller houses, like Newport Cove’s Cottages, meet the need of empty nesters or second-home buyers. Custom-designed larger homes satisfy a growing family. Houses built using universal design or aging-in-place principles assure a home that will meet owners' changing needs. What ties these housing choices together is not uniformity, but rather attention to details that cultivate community. Front porches and shared common grounds allow neighbors to know one another and congregate as they see fit.

Architectural integrity

Architectural guidelines assure integrity in the look and building quality of a planned community. Adherence to these guidelines creates a consistently pleasing environment. For example, all the homes at Newport Cove use a coastal-style architecture featuring siding and stone facades, all with white trim, and this brings a bright, clean look to the community.

Amenities

Vacationing where you live is a theme of many planned communities. Recreation possibilities may include golf, fishing and boating. New, state-of-the-art, easy-maintenances homes allow for more time to enjoy these amenities. At Newport Cove owners can be seen congregating on the walking paths, strolling along the lake, picnicking in the community gazebo, fishing from the piers and – of course – spending time in their boats.

Open space

Land planning is important in a PUD. Attractive natural landscapes with open spaces are increasingly appealing to buyers. Carefully constructed street scenes and walking paths provide views of the natural environments. For example, Newport Cove’s  acres of wild flowers and natural grasses will add more and more interest to the environment as the years go on.

If you were planning a community what would you want to include?

Window Shopping

Positioned appropriately and installed correctly, windows spread light, increase ventilation, insulate and complement a home’s architecture.  Details make a difference.  When window-shopping for your new home, think beyond the floor plan to a wall plan.  Create affordable comfort in your new home with the right windows.

How to choose

Windows come in many shapes and sizes.  Decide on a consistent window treatment – pattern, trim and casing.  Then select the scale, quantity and style of your windows, relying on the treatment for design unity.

If you have ceilings nine-feet or taller, you may want to bring the top of your windows to an eight-foot height rather than the six-foot eight-inch height that is typical.  This extra 16 inches of light can make a huge difference in the brightness of your home.

Consider how window placement affects heating and cooling. Windows opposite each other create passive ventilation.

Rooms with more than a view

Imagine the view from outside of the house as well as from the inside. What side of a room do you want the light to come from? East and west windows accept a lot of light from the sun during spring and fall so, if the room is being used for television watching or computer work, this can be an issue.

When the living room overlooks a pleasing outdoor area, you might choose big windows to extend the space. Use your windows to accentuate your best views. We have seen many, many homes on beautiful sites with living rooms that, rather than focusing on the grand vista outside, have two-story fireplaces or massive walls blocking the view of the water, the woods or the golf course.

On the other hand, you can skimp a bit on windows for rooms that aren’t used much during the daylight hours. A formal dining room is one example.

Energy savings

Energy-efficient windows will reduce your heating and cooling bills.

Window glass (or as it is called in the trade, “glaze”) is important for achieving good insulation and temperature retention. The glaze is measured in R and U values. Look for a glaze with high R-value and low U-value.

Low-e windows – windows with a coated glass that offers protection against both heat and cold – are a proven energy-saver. Double-pane or, even better, triple-pane windows, ensure a better insulated home.

A window for your lifestyle

To save time on home maintenance, choose top and bottom tilt-in sashes for easy cleaning. Anti-water systems around bay windows make them a worry-free choice.

Do you like blinds or shades? Be sure your windows have low-profile, fold-away handles that minimize hardware obstruction.

New manufacturing processes and window technology are creating multiple possibilities for indoor comfort. Here’s a room with a view at Newport Cove, our waterfront community on the Chain O’ Lakes.