The Size of Home That Buyers Say They Most Want

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine



The “small home” craze continues as buyers say they find less square footage more desirable. Nearly half of Americans say their ideal home size would range from 1,000-1,999 square feet, according to a recent survey by Relocation.com of nearly 1,500 home owners and buyers.

Just five years ago, the National Association of Home Builders reported the average home size to be 2,400 square feet — that’s 400 square feet larger than what buyers say they now want.

So what’s to happen to all the McMansions out there from just a few years ago when big homes were in their heyday?

Naturally, you would assume that the cost of homeownership has gotten buyers thinking smaller. But according to this survey, when asked whether cost was a main deciding factor in choosing a home, most respondents said it wasn’t very important. In fact, only 29 percent of survey respondents said that living costs was the most important reason when considering a move.

So why have buyers gotten so practical with their home buying decisions?

“As home owners rethink how much space they need, I think we’ll continue to see more innovative approaches to living well and sustainably within a smaller footprint,” said Sharon Asher, Relocation.com chairperson and founder, in a public statement about the survey results.

Other notable findings among the survey results:

Sububia reigns: The Relocation.com survey also found that 54 percent of Americans continue to find a home in the suburbs the most desirable. They want to live near the city but prefer the peace and quiet of the suburbs. Urban and rural neighborhoods were only preferred by 24 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

Main priorities in selecting a home: Neighborhood safety was an important factor in choosing a home. Buyers judged neighborhood safety by the upkeep of homes and front lawns in the neighborhood, word of mouth reputation, and local crime reports and statistics. Besides neighborhood safety, respondents also ranked proximity to decent shopping and having a large backyard as important factors in selecting a home.

Most sought-after features: Survey respondents said the most desirable features of a new residence are central air conditioning (87 percent); custom, walk-in closets (50 percent); and “top of the line” dishwasher and/or refrigerator (43 percent).

Least sought-after features: The least desirable home features were custom window coverings, followed by an in-ground pool or spa.

The ABC'S of Moving the Kids to College

By Jeff StricklerRISMEDIA, August 18, 2010--(MCT)--

Every director of college dorms has a horror story about freshman move-in day: People pulling up with overpacked rental trucks, overpacked trailers and overpacked rental trucks towing overpacked trailers.

But nobody can top Charlie Strey's story: a semi."

It was a little disconcerting to see that pull up outside the dorm," admitted Strey, assistant dean and the director of the Resident Life Office at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

The incident happened at a previous job, not at Gustavus, where, he assured us, parents are much more level-headed. Still, it happened in Minnesota, so we're not completely off the hook in terms of group embarrassment.

In retrospect, Strey realizes that he should have seen the warning signs before the semi showed up.

"The parents called me during the summer and asked if they could send an interior designer to take measurements of the room," he said. "She did a complete makeover of it. The ironic thing was that they never talked to the roommate. He didn't like it, and they ended up taking out most of it."

Two lessons are here: Roommates should communicate with each other long before move-in day. And parents need to get a grip on their overprotective instincts.

Marjorie Savage, the parent program director at the University of Minnesota, has written the book on moving kids into dorms — literally. It's "You're on Your Own (But I'm Here if You Need Me)" (Simon & Schuster, $16).

The over-reactive parent is understandable, she said. Many of them look at this as their last chance to take care of their children before sending them off into the cold, cruel world to fend for themselves.

But learning to fend for themselves is a crucial step toward adulthood, she said."When kids are in high school, parents are encouraged to be involved," Savage said. "When the kids get to college, some parents don't understand what the appropriate level of involvement is."

She's not suggesting that you abandon your children. "You don't have to let go, but take a step back," she said. "Let your kids test the waters a bit for themselves."

At St. Catherine University, Heidi Anderson, director of residence life, coaches parents on how to handle that inevitable first college-life crisis.

"It's not that we don't want the phone calls from parents," she said. "But we want to work together with the parents to develop the students' life skills. When the students face a problem or have a concern, we give tips to the parents on how they can help the students solve the problem on their own."

Many parents also are taken aback by legally imposed distancing. By law, when students turn 18, colleges cannot share a lot of their private information with their parents — including their grades — without the students' permission."

That's a big transition for parents," Anderson said. "For 18 years, the parents have been in control. Suddenly it's their daughter who is in the driver's seat.

"The most common mistake parents make is sending too much stuff. The average dorm room is about 12 by 20 feet, with 75 percent of the space already occupied by the beds, desks and bureaus. There are things you can do to increase the floor space, such as "lofting" the beds if the school allows that. But you're still talking about a room that is smaller than some of the walk-in closets kids see on "MTV Cribs."

"We stress the theory that 'less is more,'" Strey said. "Don't bring everything you need for the whole year. You don't need your winter coat in September. Bring enough for the first two months. By then, most students either will have gone home for a visit, or they can have things shipped to them."

Clothes are something parents tend to overpack, Savage agreed. The typical college wardrobe consists of shorts, jeans and sweatpants combined with T-shirts when it's warm and sweatshirts when it's not, she said. If you want to send two or three nicer outfits for special occasions, that's fine, but limit it to two or three.

Parents also need to remember Isaac Newton's law of gravity: Whatever goes up (into a dorm room) must come down.

On move-in day, most schools have student volunteers standing by to help, but the same is not true at the end of the school year. Those two burly upperclassmen who so graciously lug your futon up to the sixth floor will be nowhere in sight when the time comes to take it back out.

Here are some dorm do's from the experts:

—Find out what the school provides. Some dorm rooms come with small refrigerators, and many have vacuum cleaners available (not that they get a lot of use). Some rooms have wastebaskets, some don't. Find out what the school bans. Most dorms don't allow popcorn poppers, others limit the number of electronic devices.

—Coordinate what each person is bringing. There might not be room for your futon and the roommate's bean bag chair. And you don't want to end up with two microwaves and no mini-fridge.

—Remember that closet space is limited. Most dorms barely have enough storage space for oft-needed items. Skis, golf clubs and the sousaphone are best left at home.—Think of things from your kid's perspective. If you have to choose between an ironing board or an Xbox, go with the latter.

—Keep decorating urges in perspective. Personalizing a dorm room is a great way to make it feel comfortable, but don't overdo. A favorite poster from home is good; a 200-piece Beanie Baby collection, not so much.

(c) 2010Star Tribune (Minneapolis)Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Renting Can Be a Good Option for Sellers Home owners

Daily Real Estate News June 29, 2010
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Renting Can Be a Good Option for Sellers Home owners who have been trying to sell their properties for a year or more might consider lease or a rent-to-own option.A lease option agreement gives the tenant the option to buy at a predetermined price for a rent that is slightly higher than market. In a lease purchase, a buyer commits to buying the property. In exchange, the seller credits a percentage of each payment toward the purchase price.Either arrangement is likely to attract serious renters who would like to buy the property if they can. In exchange, they’ll take good care of it.Negotiating these agreements can be tricky, and the owner should always get help from a real estate attorney.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, June Fletcher (06/16/2010)

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Allergy- and Asthma-Proof Your Home

If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from allergies, the key to relief is to control allergy triggers -- allergens. There's a lot you can do to make your home more comfortable.

Avoid Dust, Dander, and Pollen

Dust mites (really, their droppings) are the most common trigger of allergy and asthma symptoms. These tiny insects live in the dust particles that naturally collect in our homes. Pet -- and human -- dander ( skin cells) and pollen, of course, also are common culprits that trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. The key is to have as few places as possible for particles to collect on, and to keep these places clean.

•Keep windows closed and use air conditioning. Don't use fans, which stir up dust. Also keep the house dry.
•Replace wall-to-wall carpet, if possible. Carpeting traps dust. Flooring like hardwood, tile, and linoleum is better. Use small rugs that can be cleaned easily. If replacing carpet isn't feasible, vacuum it at least weekly. Use a vacuum with double bags or a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate) filter.
•Cover mattresses, box springs, and pillows with plastic cases or special allergen-proof fabric covers.
•Avoid down pillows or comforters.
•Avoid upholstered furniture, which can trap allergens; try to use only wood, plastic, leather, or vinyl furniture that can be wiped clean.
•Replace dust-collecting blinds and long drapes with window shades or washable curtains.
•Wear a mask and gloves when cleaning and vacuuming.
•If you have pets (of course, it's better for you not to have pets), keep them out of the bedroom, since we spend the majority of our time at home in the bedroom. Bathe your pets regularly as well. And keep them off of upholstered furniture.

Prevent Mold

Although there are thousands of kinds of molds, few are toxic. But household molds can trigger allergy symptoms in allergy sufferers. So avoiding mold can help you avoid asthma, congestion, and other allergy-related symptoms. And the best way to avoid mold is to avoid moisture.

•Keep the house dry.
•Don't leave wet clothes in the washing machine where mold can quickly grow.
•Wash shower curtains and bathroom tiles with mold-killing products.
•Don't have too many indoor plants -- especially in the bedroom; mold can grow in plant soil.
•Fix any leaks or seepage in the house, indoors and out.
•Put plastic over dirt in crawlspaces and keep them well-ventilated.
•Use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom.
•Turn off humidifiers if you see condensation on windows.
•Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners in basements and other areas of the house where mold tends to grow, especially in hot humid climates.
•Clean dehumidifiers and humidifiers every week.
•On concrete floors, remove carpet and use area rugs that can be lifted and washed, or install a vapor barrier over the concrete.

Control Cockroaches

Cockroaches' droppings contain a protein that is a primary asthma trigger. Cockroaches need water to survive and they thrive on what you leave behind, so they'll be less likely to be a problem in a clean, dry house. Fix leaks, keep food in containers, don't leave out dirty dishes, clean the kitchen thoroughly after meals including under appliances, and take out the garbage regularly. Also block any openings through which cockroaches could enter from outside, including windows, wall cracks, and floor gaps.

from Healthwise. WebMD Features. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD on February 09, 2009
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

WebMD Content may not be published, copied, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written authority of WebMD.

Access all of WebMD’s healthy living content at www.webmd.com

SOURCES: WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with The Cleveland Clinic. WebMD Medical Reference

The Mayonnaise Jar - a Life Lesson

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"

I just did......

Just an Observation, especially for Short Sale Buyers

Here’s what I have been noticing lately. First time buyers who are asking for the moon but have earthly money and expectations.

Yes there are a lot of other people losing their homes. Yes you may well be able to get those homes at a lower pricing than they had originally paid for the home. Yes, you may be able to finally move into a home of your own with all the responsibilities that do go with that move. And finally yes, you may be able to take advantage of the national IRS tax credit for moving now. You may though need to take 2 steps backward as far as optimum area from where or how you are currently living to be able to get your foothold on that homeownership dream. Just remember we want/need you in a home of your own.

First let me be one of the first to congratulate you on actually FINALLY making that move. Neighborhoods are stabilized by having more homeowners than renters living there. Homeowners actually have to care more about a neighborhood and its well being than a renter and the landlords because they are supposed to be living there longer; say 10-15 years; or at least 5-7. The time goes quickly when you are trying to make this new place a home and not just a house where you live and come to rest your head at the end of a long day’s work.

We will invest a lot of time in you and are banking on your integrity and honesty with us. Kind of have an idea or a feel to what the home of your dream is. We will try to find it for you, if it’s available, now that you are ready. You need to be patient. The right house will hit you. I really do mean literally. It will hit you and you will know that you have found it. Even if you are thinking of it as a move up house/home for you. It will reach out and touch you. Or at least the neighborhood will. You will be haunted in your sleep regarding this house and very disappointed if your offer is not accepted. And super elated when it is. As you should be.

Now give your Realtor® a little slack. We should be previewing and eliminating the homes before you see it so we know what we are taking you to. Sometimes, but rarely, we will ask you to see the house without us. The circumstances would probably be that you needed to see this one immediately and we had a prior appointment with another buyer. Please go to it and let us know immediately if it’s a go or no go. It’s probably a property we think is in very high demand. Not all the houses on the market that seem to meet your preordained requirements actually do. That is our job to really weed them out so you are not wasting your time. When we say this is a house you should jump on, if you trust us, you should jump on it. Reason being if we have the money and credit, we would for ourselves. No joke. Most of us do not have the extra disposable money or credit to carry another investment property, so we will find a buyer for this house we think you should have jumped at. Ask us why we think it is such a great home for you and we will tell you. Be honest with us back though. Our feelings are not hurt if you do not agree with our choices. This is a business. You are our customer. We are not working for ourselves when we are working for you, we are working for you. Let us know what we need to tweak for you.

Now, when we tell you that you need to speak to the banker and have that pre approval letter in hand when we first meet and you will need to make sure we have updated financials on you, please help us and do it or have them ready when we write the offer(s) for you. We, personally are not interested in your personal financial shape, just can you comfortably qualify for this home and get a loan that is comfortable for you unless you are a cash buyer. It does neither of us any good to put you in a place where you may default on it 3, 6 or even a year or two out. No good at all. You will to person blame us. Even though we are the least culpable in this. We can only go by the information you and your banker provide us. Your banker knew, you knew, you knew your future financial prospects or expectations, but we are more than likely to get the harshest brunt of the blame when things go wrong in your new home purchase. If we tell you it will take 4-6 months to get an approval for that short sale home, please believe us and add on 2 more months for just in case something goes wrong or there is another delay on the seller’s part. Please believe, we want to put you in the best place for your money. Unless of course you just insist on being in a neighborhood we see no future in. There may be extenuating circumstances for your choice. Let us know what they are. We can keep this in the back of our mind when we are culling through our lists.

There are some caveats to purchasing that first home. You need to take care of it or be able to hire service providers who can for you. Paint and new carpet or flooring or the yard or lacks there of, if there is space, are inexpensive if you love the house but don’t like these items. The current homeowner did them for their family as you will for yours. The important items are, does the house and its surrounding area suit you? Construction, such as moving a toilet, adding a room, changing a kitchen and its fixtures are or can be expensive. So can be homes with no permits for the additions or changes made by the previous owner. Please do not dismiss the non permitted items. They can bury you financially. If this is your first home, I would not advise you to start there. Stick with cosmetic fixable items only.

Now back to the purchase of this your new home. Let me also just tell you now, that finding that perfect for now house for you is only 1/3 of our job. We also need to meet all the inspector, appraisers, workpeople that need access to your property, do some background research if necessary, make sure you are given in a timely manner your forms and publications, regulations information, and lastly make sure you understand ALL that you are signing. And getting your keys when they said you would.

Here’s how you can help us. Make sure and interview us. If your gut does not feel comfortable working with us; DON’T. All in all it all boils down to a gut feeling not a logical reason as to why we do what we do. You will be asked to sign a buyer agreement and you should. It holds both of us accountable to each other for the duration of our working relationship. Work with one realtor at a time. If a reputable realtor finds out that you are cheating on them or trying to undercut them, we will drop you. That said, if you do not wish to work with us anymore let use know and why. Let us know your work schedule as much in advance as possible so we can schedule showings at your convenience, unless we say we have a hot one for you to see. Sometimes we may have to write an offer sight unseen, we can always get out of an accepted contract if you do not like it once you have seen the interior. There are some things beyond our control.

Most of all though, we just want you to ENJOY YOUR NEW HOME

Herm.

Home Sizes Fall as Builders, Buyers Embrace Economic Reality

By Steve Kerch

RISMEDIA, January 28, 2010—(MCT)—New-home buyers responded to the tough times in 2009 by opting for smaller houses, driving down the average size of a house built in the United States for the first time in 27 years.

Data recently released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found the average size of a new home that was completed in 2009 fell to 2,480 square feet from 2,520 square feet in 2008. The last time the average completed-home size fell by a statistically significant amount was 1982.

“You’ve heard the mantra ‘downsize me’ and ’small is the new big?’ Well, last year was definitely a downer,” said Carol Lavender, president of Lavender Design Group, a residential design firm in San Antonio, Texas.

Homeowners surveyed by Better Homes and Gardens magazine said downsizing was becoming a bigger priority: 36% said in November 2009 that they expected their next home to be “somewhat smaller” or “much smaller” than their current home versus 32% who said that in 2008. “Not surprisingly, we see a ‘cents and sensibility’ approach when it comes to buying or improving a home, with practicality and price being the top priorities,” said Eliot Nusbaum, the magazine’s executive editor of home design
.
While the small-house movement in the United States has been gaining steam for a number of years, the recession has accelerated it and home builders have responded.

“The era of easy money is over. You really have to think before you go out and decide you need that five-bedroom, five-bath home,” said Rose Quint, the NAHB’s assistant vice president for survey research. “Couple that with the energy cost concerns of consumers today and I think we will continue this trend. Houses will not shrink drastically, but they will shrink.”

Although actual square footage of homes didn’t fall until 2009, the percent of homes with four or more bedrooms in them has been falling since 2007, NAHB data show. And in 2009, the number of homes with three or more bathrooms fell for the first time since 1992.
Two other trends in home construction are contributing to the declining square footages: The prominence of first-time buyers in the housing market and the increasing number of households with members 55 and older who are buying homes.

First-time buyers, driven into the market in good part by the availability of an $8,000 tax credit, are more likely to compromise on home size in exchange for a lower price. And the 55-plus crowd tends to purchase single-story homes, which generally are smaller because of the land costs that favor the more-efficient two-story plans.

“Barely over half of new homes today are built with two stories or more,” Quint said. Two-story homes peaked at about 55% of the market in 2006. For 2010, home builders say they will focus on lower-priced models and smaller homes. More than 95% of builders surveyed by NAHB in January said that was the way they saw their business evolving this year.

The penchant for smaller homes will necessitate some design changes. Builders, attempting to respond to those consumer demands as well as hold the line on prices, told the NAHB surveyors that they were most likely to include these features as standard in their houses this year:

-Walk-in closets in the master bedroom.
-Laundry rooms.
-Insulated front doors.
-Great rooms.
-Energy-efficient windows.
-Linen closets.
-Programmable thermostats.
-Energy-efficient appliances and lighting.
-Separate shower and tub in master bathrooms.
-Nine-foot ceilings on the first floor.

Among the things that builders said they were least likely to add to houses in 2010:

-Outdoor kitchens.
-Outdoor fireplaces.
-Sunrooms.
-Butler’s pantries.
-Media rooms.
-Desks in kitchens.
-Two-story foyers.
-Eight foot ceilings on the first floor.
-Multiple shower heads in the master bath.
-Smaller kitchens.

“You can see that builders are concentrating heavily on energy-saving features,” Quint said. “But a lot of the luxury items are on the chopping block or on hold as builders try to lower costs.”

(c) 2010, MarketWatch.com Inc.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Happy New Year for 2010

Here's to everyone starting their New Year off with a Big Bang. Herm.