My New Blog

I do a number of construction appraisals a year, and I have also been involved in designing homes when I owned my own home building business.  From time to time I come across homes that have just goofy floor plans, and most of them are designed by architects.  Six months ago I did an appraisal on a floor plan where the Master Bedroom was in the loft of a chalet, but in order to get to the Master Bath you had to walk 20' across the loft.  Dumb. 

So here are some real necessities that I have found that floor plans need to have:

1)  A master bedroom attached to a master bath on the main floor. This is a real plus in the market and provides added privacy and convenience.

2)  Two bathrooms.  We don't like to wait when we have to go.  Make sure that if you have two bathrooms there is one on each floor. 

3)  A laundry room that is very accessible.  If a one story it should be on the main floor.  If a two story it can be on either floor, but should be near most of the dirty clothes.  Don't put the laundry in the basement!

4)  A main floor bedroom and full bath. I don't know how many two stories that I have seen where there is no bedroom or full bath on the main floor.  As people get older they don't want to walk up and down stairways. 

5)  Open floor plans.  People today generally like to be able to converse with people in the living room while their in the kitchen. 

6)  Two or three car garage.  A one car garage is a real negative.  People today generally have two cars, so make sure the garage is a good size.  Garage space is generally cheap and has a good return on cost.

7)  Stay away from hallways if possible.  Hallways are a waste of space and should be minimized as much as possible. 

8)  Entry closets.  Make sure that you have adequate space to hang those coats and put those shoes where people enter and exit.

9)  Stay away from steps to the main floor.  As the population gets older steps become a real "downer".

10)  Make sure the kitchen has adequate counter space. 

11)  Do not build a bedroom off the main living room, dining room, or kitchen.  Make sure it has some separation from these areas.

If you are getting a home designed, I would suggest talking to an appraiser or someone that sells real estate to look at its design to maximize resale value.