by Peter Dettore, community sales manager, J Thomas Homes
One of the most enjoyable parts of my day-to-day responsibilities in the world of new construction home sales is managing the selections and options for buyers. Helping people choose the finishes for their new home is a huge task. I have worked with people who truly agonize over every little detail of the home and others who don’t stress at all, having the attitude that finishes are just “stuff.”
The upgrades and options offered will always vary from builder to builder. A builder that does not restrict the buyers in any way with home upgrades and selections is considered a custom builder. In today’s world with social media in play, many buyers are looking for the latest and greatest ideas. A custom builder can meet those wants and needs, but most often it will come with a higher price tag. Some buyers are OK paying more to get the things they want for their home.
A builder that offers upgrades and options with only a small range of choices is a production builder. This builder will still deliver quality options while working to keep the buyer grounded.
Here are some things that are being seen in Cache Valley’s new construction homes this fall. You may want to consider inquiring some of these things if building a new home is in your near future.
- Large flat kitchen island.
- USB ports in bedrooms and family rooms. This is handy to charge electronic devices.
- LED Can Lights.
- Additional electric outlets being added in places like the walk-in pantry, walk-in master closet and garage.
- Subway tile in various colors and sizes for kitchen backsplashes and bathrooms.
- Painted gray or white kitchen cabinets.
- Glass in a few kitchen cabinet doors.
- Mixed hardware finishes (oil-rubbed bronze, chrome and brushed nickel).
- Nest Thermostats/Smart Home Technology so temperatures and home systems can be adjusted easily from a smart phone.
- Cut-and-loop carpet, also known as “sculptured carpet,” which is offered in a variety of surface patterns and does well in high traffic areas.
A local designer shared some advice for someone building a home and stressing about selections, options and finishes: Limit the amount of information you are using to make decisions on selections and options. In many cases, people get overwhelmed with advice from friends and family and feel pressured into picking things because they are trendy but end up not being practical. The information they receive is not always accurate and people will end up choosing things they might not have picked or wanted. If you limit the places the information is coming from, you are more likely to choose things important to you and your family. After all, it is your home.
