“In” Items For Homes In 2008.   It’s more a matter of news faces on existing items.  In checking with both local and national sources as to items people are specifically asking or looking for when buying new homes or remodeling their existing pads, here are some of the “we want” items that have been reported to me:  (1) - Bright colors in wall paints, painted furniture, and wall fabrics.  (2) - As I mentioned in a recent post, a great variety of color in kitchen appliances.  (3) - Electronics that control more and more aspects of daily living such as interior and exterior lighting, cooking, music, home theatres and home security.  An item that is being offered and that has caught on is an electronic system that controls a wide range of music and lighting for expensive shower layouts.  (4) - Home elevators have been coming down in price and going up in home use.  More and more midrange priced homes are offering them.  Many homeowners that would use them can’t because their home either doesn’t have space that is suitable for one or the cost of remodeling space that is available plus the cost of the elevator cools the desire.  (5) - Fully concealed appliances.  For those who don’t want the bright colored appliances the demand is strong for a more smooth and seamless look that hides them.  (6) - Pet showers.  The picture of mom or dad sudsing down Fido in the yard is being replaced by a tiled shower area in the garage or mud room.  (7) - Freestanding bathtubs.  They have overtaken whirlpool baths as the soaker of choice.  This is one I don’t understand.  The propective buyers I talk to find them hard to get into and out of and slippery as well.  I think they also stand a good chance of having a very short “in” life and become an item that makes a home more difficult to sell.  None-the-less, they currently make the “in” list.  (8) - Elaborate outdoor patios.  These areas include a large fireplace, perhaps a fire pit, and extensive exterior kitchen equipment.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

More Zip In The Kitchen.   It is time for color appliances, and especially in the kitchen, color is  most certainly king.  Aside from electronic gadgets that will make appliances do everything from cook you food to whistle Dixie this year’s big thing in appliances is color, color and more color.  While kitchens have long been a place for the family and friends to gather in a home, they are now becoming a place to make a fashion statement.  Interchangeable colored panels, metalic colors and oiled bronze are just some the glitz you can view everywhere from appliance showrooms to East Nowhere USA.  Over the long haul they probably won’t replace stainless steel as the over-all look of choice but they certainly make strong inroads into it.  Yes, there have been some kitchen appliances of strong colors before but not with the many shades and hues that are available now. 

Bertazzoni’s professional ranges come in yellow, blue, red, green and burgundy.  Dacor can give you microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators with floating glass front panels of Blue Water, Anthracite Gray, Black, Titanium Silver, Sterling Gray and Slate Green.  Viking, the name most people associate with what you buy when you “care enough to buy the very best” lets it all hang out with their wide selection of colors.  Want Mint Julep ya’ll?  They have it.  Want lemonade?  They have it.  How about Butter Creme?  They have it AND they have 21 other color as well! 

Fridges are available that will display digital pictures, let you operate the oven from your cell phone and, believe it or not, even keep your food refrigerated.  No!  Yes!!   

Cars aren’t the only things that come as hybrids.  The Paragon range as a gas cooktop and an electric oven as well.  Of the two ovens one is convection while the second provides seven modes.  The cooktop has six burners and a device that cuts the gas automatically if the heat goes out. 

Despite all the technical “gee whizzers” color is still the center of attention.  While we are on this “Color Me Wild” kick, GE Monogram offers range hood inserts that can be trimmed with several decorative types of finishes including wood and tile.  So, if you want to go wild with color and get away with it start in the kitchen.

Hues to you!

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

“My Name Is Count Sore Throat Pain!”.  At this time of year the air gets cold and dry.  Thermostats get turned up and furnaces pump warm, dry, dry, dry, dry air into your home.  In your warm and oh so dry home your eyes become dry and itchy. While you rub your eyes you start to scratch your legs and back.  They feel like old parchment.  Your nose is dry, stuffy and looks like the bulb of an old battery filler.  Sleep is a thing of the past.  You touch your wife and its like the old Batman TV series - Pow! Zap! Wham!  Static electricity blows you into the next room.  When you get up in the morning your throat is raw and sore.  The Count and his trouble making associates have arrived.  They are not welcome guests but often they take up residence all winter and their hosts do nothing about it.  Sound familiar?  The question is - what can you do about it?   

In all likelihood the solution is a humidifier.  A humidifier puts moisture back into the air that the cold, dry air has removed.  Cold air can’t hold as much water as warm air and when you heat it, it drys out the air even more.  Humidifiers come in all sizes, from tabletop units to an attachment for your furnace system.  What you use depends on what you determine your needs are; from a single room to your whole house. 

What is the ideal humidity level?  Recommendations range from roughly 30% to 60%.  However, some testing sources say that you should stay below 50%.  They say that levels above 50% encourages more of the Counts friends: mold and dust mites.  For those of you who are allergy sufferers this is another reason to keep the level under 50%.  As with many things experimentation will help the user determine the best level.  The control of humidity levels is also important for the protection of wood furniture, art work, musical instruments, etc.  Conservation of these items indicates the 30% to 50% level.  If you have very valuable items along any of these lines you would do well to check with experts to see what they recommend.

How does a humidifier work?  Basically it consists of three parts: The first is a Reservoir that provides the water for the output of moisture.  The second is a wick which is a filter that absorbs the water from the reservoir.  Evaporation of water from the wick depends on the relative humidity.  A room with low humidity will have a greater rate of evaporation than one with high humidity.  The third part is the fan which blows air onto the wick which helps the evaporation of water within the wick.  Not all units have exactly these features.  For example, a vaporizer does not have a fan. But, this gives you the idea of the process.

Three Other Types of Humidifiers are vaporizers, Impeller and Ultrasonic.  The Vaporizer or warm mist humidifier (steam humidifier) boils water which releases steam into the air.  To help with coughs a medicated inhalant can be added to the steam. They don’t use a fan and are, except for a slight bubbeling or steam hiss, very quiet.  That fact that the water is boiled helps keep the humidifier and its mist clear of mold and bacteria.  If you have hard water you should look for a unit that offers a mineral absorbing pad. While warm mist units cover less area that cool mist units they can be aimed at a particular location, such as a bed, for maximum effectiveness.  The Impeller (cool mist humidifier) has a disc that rotates which propels water at a diffuser.  THe diffuser breaks the water into small droplets that spray into the air. These units make a little more noise than the others. As they don’t heat the water there isn’t much build up of residue so they are easier to clean that a warm mist humidifier.   In the Ultrasonic humidifier a metal diaphragm vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency.  This creates water droplets that the humidifier ejects in the form of a cool fog.  Some units offer the option of cool or warm mist from the same unit. It operates with very little noice.  This type of humidifier needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent bacterial contamination. 

Consideration and Extras.  Items you may want to consider are size, ease of filling, ease of cleaning, tank capacity, frequency and cost of filter replacement and the ability to adjust the humidity level.  Much of this depends on where the unit will be used, the uses it is intended to take care of and who will be using it.  Many humidifiers include a hygrometer that measures and displays the humidity in the vacinity of the unit.  If a unit is going to be used constantly you may want to opt for a unit that permits the user to set a desired humidity level.  If accuracy of the level is important there are stand alone hygrometers. 

Humidifier types by Size.  Table Top Humidifiers.  You can move them around and store them easily when not needed.  You can set them on the floor or on a table and they hold anywhere fron one to four gallons of water.  They are best suited for one room but I can tell you from experience that they cover more area than this.  They are the least expensive of the three types.  Console Humidifiers.  They are usually styled to look like furniture.  They have a larger capacity and can humidify several rooms.  They are mostly cool mist type.  Central Humidifiers.  These units are installed in the ducts of the furnace system and works with the heating and cooling system to humidy the entire home and uses the home’s water system as its source of moisture. Because of this the homeowner doesn’t need to fill a reservoir.  While they don’t require much maintenance they are, for the most part, the most expensive units.  If you purchase a furnace humidifier look for one with a humidistat which lets you set the humidity level. 

Joann and I are going to have a furnace unit installed.  It’s one of those things we have just never gotten around to doing.  For years we have used a portable steam unit that we fill with water (four gallons) and plug in.  Each one has lasted about five years before the steam producing unit gave up the ghost.  They work well and provide a lot of relief from the problems mentioned at the top of the post so that’s why we have not gone for the full size package before now.

Prices.  The table top units run from $30 to $100, console units from $100 to $200 and furnace humidifiers from $150 to $300.  These are general ranges and you can find ones that are more expensive.  I am not going to list units since you can find who makes them buy going to Google. Furthermore, a little homework will help you to get what YOU want and need.

Now then, for those of you who are old enough to remember, Count Sore Throat Pain was in TV commercials for Isodettes Throat Lozenges some years ago.  If you don’t remember them you can guess what he looked like.  

John Fish (919) 696-3474    Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com    Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  Hands-Free Faucets No Longer Just For Public Rest Rooms.  Hands-free faucets for kitchens and bathrooms are coming to homes near you; perhaps yours.  These faucets are LONG over-due.  While they have been available for commercial use for nearly 20 years they have not been user friendly for home use.  The hands-free variety are activated when a hand or glass in placed under the faucet and near the activating sensor.  Early units had infrared sensors that could even be triggered by variations in background lighting or by the color of a user’s clothing.  Some new units use technology used by auto-focus digital cameras.  The sensor measures the distance between your hands and the faucet and turns the faucet on accordingly.  One manufacturer, Kohler, for example, has features such as a high-temperature limit stop and a temperature adjustment lever on the side of the faucet so users can regulate the temperature to suit themselves.  Their use of flexible supply hoses and above-the-deck electronics and valving also ensures easy maintenance.  Some faucets can also be manually set to cold for hands-free delivery of drinking water. 

Convenience is certainly not the only benefit of touchless faucets.  Other benefits are water conservation, improved hygiene (because you don’t have to touch controls with your grubby paws) and temperature control.  The sensor activation system is powered either by a plug for a standard outlet or a 6-volt lithium-ion battery.  Another neat thing you can add is a low-flow aerator which flows at 1.5 gallons per minute vs. the usual 2.2 gallons per minute.  With so many areas short on water that’s a 30% saving and not to be sneezed at.  With regard to kitchen faucets, Keith Kometer, director of product marketing for Kohler Faucets says, “A hands-free faucet isn’t intended to replace a primary kitchen faucet where the user controls water flow and temperature.  Instead, our Wellspring Touchless faucet is task-oriented to offer enhanced convenience, functionality and water conservation in the kitchen work zone.  It’s perfect during food preparation, for example, when you don’t want to risk cross-contamination after handling meats and other raw foods.” 

Currently, hands-free faucets are expensive and not many of the manufacturers offer them.  The need to conserve water, alone, will be reason enough to see other manufacturers get on board.  The added competition will also cause prices to come down.  At the moment Kohler and Moen are the two main producers. Others include Danze and Brizo who offer the more accurate sensors; side-mounted handles; manual overides for more control and built-in battery packs with no electrical work required.  For more information try www.us.Kohler.com  or call 1-800-4-KOHLER and www.Moen.com.  Danze is www.Danze-Online.com and Brizo Faucet is www.BrizoFaucet.com.  At the moment the online information that I could find, regarding the Danze and Brizo touchless faucets was very limited.  If reps from any of these companies pick up this post and would like to add or update info. I would be happy to do so.

John Fish (919) 696-3474    Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com    Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  Thousands shiver in the shower!  Is one of these bathers you?  You step into the tub turn on the water and then jump to the back of the tub to escape the freezing stream of cold water that blasts out of the shower head.  That process is uncomfortable, wastes water and costs you money.  Traditional gas or electic tank heaters have been around since the early part of the twentieth century and have been little changed during the last 25 or 30 years.  Most have heating elements at the top and bottom.  One of them cycles on or off constantly whether you are home or not and so that increases your heating bill.  Most of us heat our water to very high temperatures, often times dangerously high, in order to have a maximum amount of hot water available when we want it.  When you turn on the hot water faucet the tank adds cold water which, of course, lowers the overall water temperature in the tank.  This causes the element to use more power to reheat that water.  You, in turn, turn on the cold water faucet and fiddle with both faucets until you can achieve a suitable temperature for your use.  Sound wasteful?  It is.  A 60 gallon tank has 45 gallons of useable hot water.  Furthermore there is a “stand-by” heat loss.  This is the radiating loss of heat a conventional tank is constantly losing.   

What’s the alternative?  A tankless water heater.  It is a compact heating unit that provides hot water on demand.  For this reason it is also known as an “on demand” system.  It does not store hot water like a traditional tank-type water heater.  When a hot water tap is opened water enters the heater. The system senses the demand and a gas or electric heating device starts heating and delivering hot water at a predetermined temperature. The electronic ignition system eliminates the need for a pilot light.  The heating element shuts off once the water flow stops. Since the tankless water heater only uses energy to heat the water as it is used your savings are estimated to be 20% to 40% OF the 20% of your energy bill that goes into heating water and not that of your entire energy bill.  None-the-less, on an annual basis that amounts to a bunch of bucks.  You are a candidate for a tankless water system if your current water heater has gone to heater heaven (more likely the city dump), it is not providing enough hot water or you want to lower you energy bills.  Take a look at the price of oil and tell me if that matters.  The time to think about this is before you MUST.  You really don’t want to hear ”John the water is freezing and the crawl space is full of water!!”  When you change from a “regular” water heater tank to a tankless system your plumbing will have to be modified.  Items such as a recirculating loop take time to install and, depending on local ordinances, you may have permits and licenses to deal with.  Tankless water heaters have been popular in Europe for many years but are relatively new to the U.S.   The down and dirty of these systems is that they are somewhat limited in the amount of hot water they can produce at one time and they cost more than a conventional storage type water heater.  Since they don’t start heating water until you call for it, it can take longer for you to get it.  However their are specialized pumps are available that, when combined with the waterless tank system can get hot water to you in less than half the time it takes if you turn a faucet wide open using a conventional water heater.  Also, you don’t have to worry about a water tank rusting out, leaking or breaking and doing substantial damage to your home; especially if it is located on an upper floor.  A building contractor friend of mine has a 9,000 square foot home that has 5 Rinnai units in it.  It provides all the water his family needs without limitation.  He says that one unit can, generally speaking, handle the needs of a 2 1/2 bath home.  He further states that with a recurulating pump and storage tank owners will rave about the system while without them they will rave at it.   

So now you are interested in a tankless water heater.  Who makes them?  Manufacturers include Bosch, Eemax, Noritz, Paloma, Powerstar, Rheem, Rinnai, Seisco, Takagi and Titan.  In the U.S. companies such as Eemax and Seisco have taken some innovative approaches to these systems and are worth checking out.  Rheem was bought out by Paloma (Japanese) in 1988.  None-the-less, Rheem still has a line under its name as does Paloma.  There are, of course, electric models, natural gas models and propane gas models.  As you might immagine the electric models take longer to heat than the natural and propane gas models.  You would do well to look into the ratings of an eletric unit to see you much hot water per minute it produces and calculate how much water is simultaneously use in your abode.  Propane units heat quickly and efficiently.  However, propane is stored in a tank on your lot and not piped into your home.  An air supply is needed to provide for proper combustion and to be certain that the gases combusion produces are safely vented out of your home for both propane and natural gas systems.   If you already have natural gas to your home running it to your tankless heater system is no big deal.  Again, keep in mind that in most situations a permit will be required and the work will need to be approved by a city or county inspector.  Bascially, there are two types of systems: Point-of-Use and Whole-House.  A Whole House tankless water heater can produce from 2 to 5 gallons of hot water per minute and are designed to provide hot water to the entire house from a central location.  Point-of-Use tankless water heaters are designed to heat enough water for one or two fixtures only.  They are used when you need hot water at some distance from a home’s central system such as guest house shower or sink. With normal maintenance a tankless water heating system can last 20 years or more.  That is about twice the life of a standard tank heater.  More than 7.3 million tank water heaters are dumped into landfills every year so the more tankless systems that go into use the less junk for the dump.  Furthermore, the U.S. Department of energy says that if all the tank-type hot water heaters were replaced with tankless units there would be a saving of 290 million gallons of fuel oil per year; 164 million gallons of propane or 6 billion hours of kilowatt electricity.  I am not about to suggest what type of unit you should use.  The very best advice I can give you is to have a heart to heart with your building and/or plumbing contractor.  What units are available in your area and IN PARTICULAR the local plumbing companies that have experience in installing such units are of far more importance to you than one unit vs. another.  I can promise you that almost any contractor that handles only gas units will tell you that electric units stink and visa versa - and prove it!  When you are doing your homework and if you are interested in electric units I would recommend you go to Google, type in - tankless water heaters - and look for an article by David Seitz called - THE GUIDE TO TANKLESS WATER HEATERS.  His credentials are impressive and he certainly makes a strong case for electric vs. gas systems.     

How do you determine your needs and the unit you should use?  The following information about this is from  Chili Pepper Appliances. Since, without the proper pump, you have to let the water run longer to get your water there can be water wastage. They produce pumps that are used to solve this problem.  They say the first thing you need to do is list the number of faucets and shower heads you expect to have open at any given time and add up their flow rates.  This equals the desired flow rate for the water heater.  Once you know this, THEN go looking or have your plumber or contractor look for the unit you want.  Water flow for various appliances is -  Faucets: 0.75 gallons (2.84 liters) to 2.5 gallons (9.47 liters) per minute.  Low-flow showerheads” 1.2 gallons (4.54 liters) to 2 gallons (7.57 liters) per minute.  Standard (bring it on!) shower heads: 2.5 gallons (9.46 liters) to 3.5 gallons (13.24 liters) per minute.   Clothes washers and dishwashers: 1 gallon (3.79 liters) to 2 gallons (7.57 liters) per minute.  Unless you know otherwise, assume that the incoming potable water temperature is 50 degrees F (10 degrees centigrade).  For most uses you will want your water heated to 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for most uses and 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for dishwashers without internal heaters.  To determine how much of a temperature rise you need, subtract the incoming water temperature from the desired output temperature.  Most tankless hot water heaters are rated for a variety of inlet water temperatures.  Select the model closest to your needs.  Chili Pepper gives the following example:  Assume one hot water faucet open with a flow rate of 0.75 gallons (2.84 liters) per minute.  One person in the shower using a shower head with a flow rate of 2.5 gallons (9.46 liters) per minute.  Add the two flow rates together.   If the inlet water temperature is 50 degrees F (10 degrees C), the needed flow rate throudh the heater would need to be no greater than 3.25 gallons (12.3 liters) per minute.  Faster flow rates or cooler inlet temperatures will reduce the water temperature at the most distant faucet.  Some systems are thermostatically controlled.  They can vary their output temperature according to the water flow rate and the inlet water temperature.  This is useful when using a solar water heater for preheating the inlet water.  If, using this example, you connect this same tankless water heater to the outlet of a solar system, it only has to raise the water temperature a few degrees more, if at all, depending on the amount of solar gain that day.  Thank you Chili Pepper Appliances. 

A tankless hot water heater can be installed in a garage, laundry room or just about anywhere that is covenient, even outside.  Size-wise the Rinnai tankles hot water heater, for example, has a wall mounted unit is 14″x24″x9″ vs approx. 20″ in diameter x 47″ high for a 40 gallon tank while the weight is 46 lb. vs. about 250 lbs.  The system features digital controllers that allow the user(s) to select the desired water temperature.  Using wireless remotes or wall-mounted digital controllers, users can change the temperature from wherever they are in the home.

I was able to find an independent study done by the Okaloosa Gas District in Valparaiso, Florida which measured a Rinnai system against both a gas fired, and an electric 40-gallon hot water tank.  It measured three key factors: hot water recovery time, energy efficiency and economic savings.  The testing procedure guidelines were developed, in part, from the Federal Register which provides a standard for fair comparison between energy efficiency, energy use and the operating cost of each water heater under the same testing conditions.  Hot water was drawn from each heating system every 30 minutes each weekday from 7 am to 3 pm for a total of 360 draws.  Before starting the tests each was set to output water at 135 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, the energy meter readings and cumulative water drawn were recorded at the beginning of each draw.  Results showed that the Rinnai provided consistent 135-degree water.  The electric and gas heaters could not maintain that temperature.  The Rinnai operating costs were considerably lower that both of the others.  The monthly average cost with the Rinnai was $21 less than the electric 40-gallon tank and about $6.50 less thatn the gas-fired 40-gallon tank.  With regard to energy consumption, the electric 40-gallon tank used 332.9 kilowatts per hour while the Rinnai used only 0.6 kilowatts during the same test period.  When measured against the natural gas-fired tank, the Rinnai saved an average of 6.6 therms of natural gas.  As recovery time, the test evaluated the time it took each unit to reheat water to a desired temperature.  It took the electric tank system approx. one hour to fully recover while the natural gas-fired tank took thirty-three minutes.  The Rinnai was not part of this test since the unit doesn’t store water.  It is directly connected to water line and heats water only when a hot water outlet is tapped.  This allows owners the luxury of using several sources of hot water at the same time without any loss of temperature consistency. 

In this day and time we all need to be concerned about the best way to do anything and everything.  I hope you find this information to be of use.

John Fish  (919) 696-3474     Email: Marvmax@mindspring.com    Website: www.JohnFish.com

Raleigh, North Carolina.  ‘Gears of War’ the movie will be coming your way.  New Line Cinema has acquired the movie rights to ‘Gears of War’ from Raleigh’s Epic Games.  ‘Gears’ has been a record breaking seller for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and has won many industry awards as well.  Mark Rein, Epic’s vice president, has some reservations as to how well the movie might do since other movies based on video games have not done well.  However, he feels that the exposure will help the franchise by giving the company exposure to people who are not into video games.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

Durham, North Carolina Homes - Colvard Farms provides interested buyers with a great deal to choose from.  There are currently 26 Multiple Listing Service Colvard Farms listings.  Colvard Farms is in Durham on Rt. 751 just two miles south of the intersection of  Rt. 751 and I-40.  That intersection is also the location of the huge Streets of Southport shopping mall.  Colvard Farms works well for people working in Research Triangle Park as from home to one’s Park office ranges roughly from 4 to 9 miles.  The current listing range in price from $599,500 to $2,899,000.  Of these homes, 15 are new and complete (or nearly so), 7 are under construction and 4 are resales.  Sizes range from 2934 sq.ft. to 8819 sq. ft.  Lots sizes range from 1/4 ac to about 1 ac with a majority being one half acre or slightly more.  Of these homes 16 have 5 bedrooms and 3 have 6 bedrooms.  14 have 4 full bathrooms, 6 have 5 full bathrooms and 1 has 6 full bathrooms.  Two homes have basements and 22 have 3 car garages.  Since there is a wide variety of home styles and types to choose from it is possible to view a lot of homes in a relatively concentrated area, in a relatively short period of time and be reasonably certain of finding a home that will fit one’s needs and desires. 

If you would like information on any of these homes and if you would like a tour of the area and some of these fine homes call me at (919) 696-3474 or send me an email at marvmax@mindspring.com.

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Website: www.JohnFish.com

National Housing Market - What’s Hot & What’s not.  The Parade of Homes in Raleigh and throughout Wake County is almost upon us which means you should have in mind those things the national markets are looking for as you view homes of any price.  Other areas have either had or are about to have their Parade of Homes as well. 

High ceilings have certainly been popular around here for a long time but the preferred heighth (perhaps because of heating costs) is currently 9′ to 11′.  Most buyers are looking for four bedrooms and despite the fact that people continue to eat more and more meals out, dining rooms are still in. Formal living rooms are going the way of the Oldsmobile and where found are, more often than not, converted into an office or library.  Home theatres continue to be in demand whether in a top of the line “It costs WHAT!!!” form or simply an area that can be used for media purposes.

Kitchen’s that open into the family room and breakfast area are also a priority.  Whoever inherits the kitchen duties still wants to be part of the action.  Home buyers are, more than ever, taking the Good Book to heart by saying, louder than ever, “Let There be Light!”  Being able to see out and get out - is most decidedly in: French doors - yes.  Sliding glass doors - no.  Speaking of the kitchen, the more the merrier is the name of the game for counter space.  Deep drawers, two sinks, and a warming drawer are all to be seen.  In larger homes two dishwashers are becoming almost a standard and more and more large home have two full sized refrigerators.  No longer is number two frig consigned to the garage.  Butler’s pantries that in years past have come and gone and come back again are most certainly in current demand.  While I hear a lot of complaining about it being almost impossible to keep stainless steel appliances looking good, they are in ever higer demand as are appliances with designer colors and cabinetry to, in many cases, conceal all of them.  In fact, kitchen cabinets that look like furniture are keeping many a local cabinet maker working seven days a week. Regardless of size an eat-in kitchen is a must for most home buyers.  Granite counter tops are still in and concrete is gaining ground although not as much as has been anticipated because of weight considerations.

Wall space for the large, flat TV screens is needed as is wiring that not many years ago have put many a good-sized office building to shame.  Consider the wiring and wiring plans needed for cable TV, computers, internet, phones, surround sound, interior and exterior automatic lighting systems that boggle the mind, home theatres and the electronics needed to support an in-home office.

The need for more cabinet space to accommodate TVs, associated electronics, glass-ware, collectables, books - you name it - continues to increase. Other storage needs expand as well: larger laundries, master closets that are sometimes of a size that would have been good for a master bedroom in the past, walk-in and, in some cases, walk-thru pantries.  The beat goes on.

Stained concrete and wood flooring is warm, functional and in demand. Stone and large rustic tiles are current favorites as well.  The warm luster of Brazilian Cherry floors has lost a lot of appeal because it seems to scratch rather easily and the lady of the house it finding it difficult to keep them looking good. Laminate and patterned cultured marble have taken a “deep six” as well.  

Before continuing with what is going on inside, lets take a look outside.  Last year’s Parade of Homes saw another increase in the number of Tuscan, French, Spanish and English “old world” style homes.  They feature stone and stucco walls, heavy wooden beams, tile roofs and iron fixtures.  These types of homes and features continue apace this year. 

The craftsman style, farmhouse style, and ranch styles are gaining momentum again in many parts of the country.  However, the slowdown in home sales in some parts of the country certainly puts a damper on a lot of builders plans and may well throttle any move toward a significant increase in ranch style homes since it is much less expensive to build the two-story box than it is the more spread out ranch.

A three car garage is becoming the norm and in many upscale homes four car is a must with five and six car garages now not all that uncommon.

Now, back to the interior.  All the “goodies” that go along with the European style homes are in demand such as heavy wood and iron entry doors.  Brushed nickel and weathered brass hardware, wood covered ceilings, heavy wood beams and weathered flooring are part of the package as well.  Front porches, covered patios, outdoor fireplaces, are also being looked for.  According to interior designers around the country soft colors are in and faux finishes are out.  However, with regard to faux finishes, I have seen quite a few expensive homes, currently in the finishing stages, in North Carolinal, Virgina and Georgia that have faux finishes and they looked as elegant as ever.

 Energy efficient products are in more demand than ever such as high efficiency AC, low-e glass, top qualify insulation (sprayed insulation of several types), etc.  However, in a way that is same old - same old.  The really high powered approach to energy efficiency such, as solar powered homes, while gaining a little in demand still lags badly.  Perhaps people won’t get truly interest until h— overtakes them and we run out of oil or it gets to $100 and more per barrel and stays there.

Bath fixtures are of many finishes: nickel, bronze and chrome.  Old style two-handle faucets and farmhouse sinks are in fashion as are bath sinks of stone, stainless, glass and granite.  Antique sinks and antique cabinetry are in as are pedestal and wall hung lavatories and free standing tubs.

If you are purchasing a home you get what the package delivers.  However, if you are building a home or buying one where you can still select many of the items in it, I would suggest that you give servious thought about how wise it is to have such items as old two-handle faucets, farmhouse sinks and free standing tubs.  These fashions come and go very quickly and when you want to sell they can become a drawback if they are not in at the time.  Buyers always have other things they can look at so beware as to how you match the old and the new.  Actual antiques or antique style lavatories and cabinetry (wherever used) have a good chance of being in demand for a long time.       

As you wander through the Parade homes think about these things and , as always, ENJOY!

John Fish (919) 696-3474   Email: marvmax@mindspring.com   Web Site: www.JohnFish.com