Realty.com

Builders Now Think Small is Cool

Posted March 4, 2010 by Matthew Denton

Forget about the extra area, these days, it’s all about the size.

There’s nothing that can save you the extra thousand bucks but to take heed of these experts’ belief: small houses are in. In a special feature by newsobserver.com , builders are focusing more on what’s functional and practical and there’s no better way to design a house in this aspect but to reduce the typical American house by its size.

The report has several interesting parts:

• KB Home Raleigh is offering new models this spring at subdivisions in Clayton, Durham and Cary. By removing nonessential hallways and rethinking formal spaces, the company has found it can reduce a home’s size by 200 to 300 square feet without losing functionality.
• GreenHawk Corp., a Raleigh company that specializes in taking over troubled properties, conducted its own focus groups after it purchased the L’Hermitage subdivision in Apex out of foreclosure. Craig Briner, GreenHawk’s president, said the days of larding extras into a home are largely over.
• Dave Servoss, president of Vanguard Home, said Vanguard, which was historically focused on the lower segments of the market, hasn’t tinkered with floor plans too much. One area where homebuilders aren’t cutting back is energy-efficiency. Including the latest green building techniques helps differentiate a new home from one built just a few years ago and offers buyers real long-term savings in lower utility bills.
But what does a smaller home mean in this recessionary period? A lot.

Imagine the savings you can get from paying less property tax. The lower market value pulls down your taxes. You won’t also worry about the high cost of mortgage payments. In fact, you can complete the principal without digging deep in your pockets.

Maintenance is also not a hassle. Repairs on the roof, floor, plumbing and anywhere else are easier to manage. Add to that the effort you put into cleaning. Smaller homes are cheaper to heat and cool too. This means you’ll be saving on energy costs.

Of course, this will only apply if you only have a child or two. Or if you’re Dee Williams.

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