The Top 5 Features Which Attract Home Bu...

Editor’s Note: Dennis Fassett is a former corporate finance executive turned real estate investing “Cash Flow Mercenary.” Dennis specializes in single-family and multi-family cash flow properties and thoroughly enjoys assisting his fellow investors with their own strategies, including how to buy your first apartment building.

As an ongoing contributor to Mogul’s “Market News Updates,” Mr. Fassett provides us with his own unique, lively, and thought-provoking commentary on the timely industry news and events of today that are impacting our industry. And be sure to check out his other super-helpful Market News Updates. For now, enjoy...

From Dennis Fassett, Cash Flow Mercenary...

I read an interesting piece recently that talked about a survey that the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) did.

The article was called "Build and Sell Real Estate Investing: 5 Features Which Will Attract Home Buyers"

I’ve never done a new build. And while I have done my share of flips, I’m not doing them anymore. But still, when I read the results of their survey, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. In fact, several of the top 5 things that ranked high for them were a total surprise to me.

So I wanted to run it by you to get your take...

In the said survey, NAHB asked the builders to rank home features in a typical single-family home to be built this year, from 1 to 5, with 1 as least likely to be included and 5 as most likely to be included.

Builders ranked them in the list by considering their popularity among consumers. Based on their survey, here are top 5 features that will surely attract home buyers (so they say).

1. Walk-in Closet in Master Bedroom

Isn't it easy to find the shirt or dress you are looking for in a spacious boutique?

Thus, having a walk-in closet is beneficial. For couples, having a his-and-hers closet is ideal. This will minimize time looking for certain apparel or accessories and will help couples to easily organize. It's also one less source of a petty fight.

Most wives dream of having a separate closet for all their clothes and accessories. Take the case of Manny Pacquiao's one reason for buying the $12.5M Beverly Hills home, formerly owned by P. Diddy. He thought his wife would love the his-and-hers closet.

2. Laundry Room

The laundry room is often overlooked in designing a home but it is one of the most used rooms in the house, says Houzz. With careful planning, it can serve as an organized store room and even a grooming area for your pets, adds the website.

3. Low-e Windows

According to Lowe’s, low-emissive (low-e) glass is a window glass that has been treated with a metallic oxide coating, enabling a surface that reflects heat but still lets light in. During summer, low-e windows reduce the amount of UV light that enters your home, and in winter, these windows may keep your homes warm.

Depending on your needs, different types of low-e glass may be installed to allow for high, medium or low solar gain.

4. Great Room (Kitchen-Family Room-Living Room)

A great room is an open room that serves many purposes. Without walls, it creates a more comfortable living space for healthy interaction among members of the family as opposed to most members just isolated in one part of a compartmentalized room.

For instance, your mom might be alone in the kitchen while some are watching TV in the living room or others are having light snacks in the dining room. Thus, a great room helps create happy memories and bonding moments for a family.

5. Energy Star-Rated Appliances

Energy Star is a "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency," describes its website. This means that if you're throwing in appliances with the property you're selling, you might as well add on appliances that are Energy Star-rated.

(If you aren't planning to let go of any of your appliances though and plan to sell the property au naturale, look to high ceilings to do the trick instead. High ceilings give an impression of elegance, grandeur and stature to a home, notes Fortikur. Aside from that, high ceilings create a comfortable atmosphere and a more spacious room.)

Here’s the Rest of the Top 10:

9-foot ceiling or more on first floor
Energy-star-rated windows
Programmable thermostat
Two-car garage
Granite countertop in kitchen

hmm See what I mean by strange?

Walk-in closets? Low-e windows? Energy Star appliances and windows? Programmable thermostat? Two-car garage?

I was shocked to see these items even on the list, because I thought they would be part of the base plan for any new build. I took the survey to mean that people actually have to ask for a programmable thermostat these days.

How crazy is that?

I get the 9 foot ceilings and granite. But where is the 3- or 4-car garage, the den/office, or the second-floor laundry?

I’m still scratching my head.