We’ve probably all felt buyer’s remorse at some point in our lives. Sometimes, we wish we’d spent a little more to get the stereo systems of our dreams or a tailored dress that fits perfectly. And sometimes, we wish we’d spent a lot less. A five-year commitment to a $450 monthly payment for a German sedan can put a serious crimp in your lifestyle, especially when you later decide a Prius would have been just fine.
Home purchases are a leading cause of buyer’s remorse, which is unsurprising considering they are the most significant purchases most people make. Designing and building the home of your dreams, a Forever Home, can be exhilarating and produce high expectations. Regret may set in when the day-to-day reality of living in the house doesn’t mesh with your dream. When you get your first heating bill, you may wish to upgrade to more energy-efficient windows. You may miss having a bathtub in the master bath.
“The most stunning architectural moves can be undermined by minor inconveniences repeated a thousand times,” Architect John DeForest told me during an interview for my book, The Forever Home. “We think a lot about frequent, everyday activities like coming home in the evening and leaving in the morning.” DeForest’s firm gives clients a questionnaire to determine their preferences for activities like getting dressed, unloading groceries, and cleaning the house.
A recent survey by the online real estate search engine Trulia found that 51% of homeowners regretted something about the home they bought or the process of choosing it. For many buyers, 15 percent, the neighborhood rather than the house was the letdown. Before you buy a lot to build a home, make sure it’s where you want to live—that your commute won’t be too long, that the schools are good, and that shopping is nearby.
That said, buyers are more likely to regret something about the house rather than the setting. Many people aren’t satisfied with the size of the home they bought. More people wished they’d bought a bigger house (33 percent) than a smaller one (9 percent). Don’t depend on blueprints to grasp how big your home will be. Spend weekends walking model homes similar in size to the one you want to build. Also, remember that homes feel bigger when important rooms — especially the great room and kitchen — provide strong outdoor views.
Another 26 percent of Trulia survey respondents wished they’d made more or fewer improvements to the house before moving in. While Trulia surveyed mostly people who bought existing homes, the results dovetail with industry surveys of new-home buyers. Avid Ratings, which surveys new-home buyers, always asks, “What would you change about your home?” The responses vary by builder, says CEO Paul Cardis. “But in general, we see comments that indicate people wished they knew all the upgrades that were available. They would have added more features to their home.”
Not surprisingly, the home features that cause the biggest regret are the ones that would be difficult or expensive to change later on. Flooring tops the list. Carpeting is typically the least costly option and may be the best for bedrooms and hallways. But upgrading to hardwood, tile, or laminate flooring creates a more elegant appearance and saves on cleaning later on.
Pay special attention to how your builder plans to put together the stairs. If the plan is to carpet the stairs, the builder may merely run plywood under the carpet. That would make it expensive to upgrade to hardwood stairs later. If you go the solid-wood route from the beginning, consider that stairs are typically stained on site. So, if you select pre-finished hardwood flooring elsewhere, you’ll have to ensure the stains match.
Cabinetry, which is difficult and expensive to change later, is another top regret. Don’t be misled by surface appearances. Even inexpensive cabinets may have nice-looking fronts. However, the box frames that hold cabinets together are the most critical part of the system. They can wind up sagging and warping if made with thin particleboard rather than plywood. The same goes for drawers.
Fixtures also finish high on Avid’s list of regrets. Freestanding tubs are a hot item these days. But they also take up a lot of floor space and can become a tripping hazard in a tight bathroom. They can become a cause of regret if you don’t bathe often. For some people, a walk-in shower may be a better option for the primary bathroom, though you must ensure a bathtub somewhere in the house. If you plan to use a lot of glass for an enclosure, ensure you are ready to clean it often.
Recessed lighting is an often overlooked opportunity. It’s an attractive way to make rooms, walls, and objects look better, and it costs much less to install during new construction than after the fact. Recessed lighting is typically used to brighten up high-traffic rooms, like the kitchen or living room. It’s also an effective way to accent a fireplace or piece of art. You also see it used to wash a key wall with light, which makes rooms appear bigger.
Tech wiring is easiest to do during construction. Structured wiring for TVs and computers is so cheap to add before the drywall goes in that you are better off bringing it to too many rooms rather than too few. Make sure to bring it to every location where you may want to watch TV or use a computer since those appliances hog bandwidth. Wireless speakers and security systems have made great strides in recent years. But you may want to run the wire if you want the best sound and arguably the most reliable security.
Most builders install enough insulation to meet the code, though energy codes are much more stringent than a decade ago. You may want to spring for upgraded batt insulation or spray foam (especially in the attic) to cut utility bills in the long run. The same goes for windows. Upgrading to windows with a low U-value doesn’t cost much more, and it may eliminate a common complaint about new homes — that rooms feel cold or drafty. Also, remember that there are ways to easily soundproof rooms — by upgrading insulation and drywall — that would be great for a home theater or primary bedroom.
A lack of storage space is prominent on the Avid list. It’s important to consider how much storage space you need now and in the future. Remember that growing families tend to accumulate possessions, which they often shed later on. Identifying adequate storage options is especially important if you plan to build your home on grade without a basement. In that case, having enough storage space in the garage and attic becomes crucial.
People buying production homes often lament how long it takes to finish the landscaping. When building a custom home, coordinate the activities of the builder and landscaper. It’s worth meeting with the professionals to discuss potential problems and opportunities. There may be a killer view from the great room that should focus on a key planting or fixture. You may want to plant trees along one side of the house to prevent heat gain.
Paint colors finish high on the Avid list. It’s hard to imagine how rooms might look, sifting through paint chips and using visualization tools in isolation. The best way to see how colors look, alone and together, is to paint big swatches on the wall. That way, you can see their appearance at different light levels. You may want to use more durable semigloss paints in the kitchen and bathroom. Flat and matte finishes, on the other hand, are easier to clean. They may be better in hallways, kids’ rooms, and other high-traffic areas.
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