What Is The Most Misunderstood Factor In Building Your Dream Home?  As the title suggests, most people have a greater misunderstanding of an Interior Designers part in the design and constrution of a home than any other part of that process.  In fact, it is safe to say that quite often they have NO understanding of that part.  During a showing of a $4,000,000 home yesterday, the home’s builder flatly stated that without the Interior Designer input, experience and understanding of the entire building process he could not have built the home.  The job she did was exceptional.  He needed her expertise to determine what combinations of stone would be used for the exterior and what paints, fixtures, flooring, lighting, appliances, cabinets, etc. would be used in the interior.  Furthermore, it was her job to coordinate with him to see that all of the materials were delivered when needed.  It is one of those masterfully designed and furnished homes whose finished product makes eveyone who sees it say, “WHO WAS YOUR INTERIOR DESIGNER?!”

Builders, especially those who build high priced homes, have a team of people they work with that cover every aspect of the home: the plan designer or Architect, the Interior Designer, the framer, the electrician, the sound equipment and lighting provider, and on an on.  While people who see such homes come to know that a particular Interior Designer did the interior they often do not think in terms of using one when they are ready to have their dream home built.  The architect is going to design the home, the builder is going to build it, they are going to pick out the woods, tiles, light fixtures and everything else involved and that is that.  Unless they work with an agent that knows what is going on and who explains the entire process to them they are quite often surprised at just how necessary an Interior Designer is. They also do not know that it would probably not be possible for them to give the builder the time needed to provide all the information and selections he will need from them and totally impossible on a “when needed” basis.  For these reasons an Interior Designer is almost indispensable.

Sometimes the Interior Designer will work with the plan designer/Architect from the beginning and at other times the plans have been completed before the Interior Designer become involved. It is better if the Interior Designer becomes involved early on as his or her question will be essentially the same as those of the builder.  HOWEVER, with my clients I insist that they talk to at least two Interior Designers and ones that I know will reflect the tastes of my client and who will be easy to work with.  Nothing is worse than trying to work with a control freak who knows it all and doesn’t hesitate to make it known in many ways.  The Interior Designer selected may well not be the one the builder normally uses.  However, in most cases that does not turn out to be a problem.  With all the building they do they usually know most of the areas best Interior Designers even if they have not previously worked with them.  Another reason I insist that they talk to more than one Interior Designer is that one of them may have all the business he or she can handle at that time.  The honest ones will say so.  An Interior Designer who works with a builder may hesitate to refuse a job for him/her even if he or she knows it will be a real stretch to try and do so. The business of a client I am working with was recently declined by an Interior Designer and we were all pleased with her honesty and candor in doing so.  It saved time and undoubtedly problems downline. 

During the initial meeting a well experienced Interior Designer will dig into every aspect of what a potential client wants but after the initial pleasantry’s will quickly discuss costs, expenses and fees and the clients budget.  This is good business practice and prevents awkwardness and misuderstandings as the processs goes forward.  Both the plan designer/Architect and Interior Designer will want any and all photos and sketches the client has collected to gain an understanding of what the client wants.  I have some 26,000 photos of homes and interiors that I use with clients to help them develop that information before we go to see a plan designer/Architect or an Interior Designer. 

Just a few of the many matters a client has to deal with are interior lighting; both natural and man made. How will all of today’s electronics harmonize with the rest of the room and/or home? Is there a truly unusual aspect of the home that needs to be given consideration up front as it may have an impact on all the rest of the home (storage for 6, 8, 10 automobiles, a large art collection and how it will be displayed, etc.).  Does the client have an eye for color, for furniture arrangement, for patterns, for designs, for fabrics, for accents, for building materials, for home positioning, and a vast number of other factors.  My function with my clients is to assist them in almost every facet of the pre-building and building process: selecting a lot, selecting a plan designer/Architect, selecting a builder, selecting an Iterior Designer, attending all meetings with them and with the cabinet builders, appliance dealers, etc.  I photograph the process for the client and carry them through to competion.  Most of this is rarely done by Realtors so when you start your process find out what services your proposed agent offers.  Since it is rarely done most people who want to build are not aware that such services are available to them and what they miss by not having an experieced agent on their side of the table and representing their needs.  If you want to build a fine home in the Triangle call me or send me an email at the telephone number or email address given below.

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

Raleigh, North Carolina. Home elevators.  I received an email from a couple who are thinking about having an elevator installed in the home they are going to have built.  Since more and more high end homes either have an elevator or have plans that provide for the installation of one later on, this is a good time to discuss them.  Some are installed just for the sake of convenience (or perhaps to show off a little) while others provide a solution to very real need such as physical problems or getting heavy items from floor to floor.  Typical home elevators range in price from around $13,000 to $30,000 while custom elevators can START at about $50,000.  You can personalize the elevator cab with glass, match the wood used in your home, paint a mural, whatever you think goes well with the style of home being built and the interior woods and paints being used.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

COST - The cost varies and is based on size, cab finish, drive system and speed.  WEIGHT CAPACITY - Capacity ranges from about 450 to 1,500 pounds.  I think you should opt for one that can handle 900 to 1000 lbs.   CAR SIZE - Common sizes are 36 x 48,  36 x 60,  40 x 54  and 42 x 60.  You need to work this out with your plan designer/architect and/or builder.  WARRANTY - Most companies offer a one-year warranty on materials and workmanship.  You would do well to see if your builder will give you a one-year warranty on any installation work he does.  SERVICE CONTRACT - Ask the company you are considering purchasing from if they offer a service contract for maintainance and what it covers.  CODES - Forgive the vulgarity but CYA ALL THE WAY!  Have your builder provide you with both the national and local codes that apply to residential elevators.  A building permit is required prior to installation.  You want to know what it says and you should go over it with your builder.

There are four types of residential elevators: Winding Drum, Traction, Hydraulic and Pneumatic.  The two most commonly used are Winding Drum and Hydraulic.  The Winding Drum has a set of cables attached to the car.  Winding the cables in one direction lifts the car while unwinding lowers it.  There is a backup battery that is used to lower the car in case of a disruption of power. Advantages of this system: (1) It has been around a long time and is a proven system.  (2) No need for a separate room to house the machine  (3) While it costs less than a hydraulic system, the battery backup makes the prices of the two systems about equal.  Disadvantages of the system: (1) As many winding drum systems have the motor in the shaft it can be noisy.  (2) As the motor is in the shaft they are more difficult to repair.  (3) A relatively large motor is needed to carry the weight of the car  (4) Room is needed above, below or to the side of the elevator to house the motor and the back up battery. 

Hydraulic Systems move an elevator by pumping oil in and out of a cylinder.  The most used technology is cable hydraulic. The car in pulled up and down from above.  In this system the motor (which is a pump) in only needed for the up direction. Gravity is used for the down direction.  For power outages a battery is needed but a smaller one than is needed for the winding drum system because gravity takes care of most of what is needed to lower the car.  Advantages of the sytem: (1) - They provide a smoother ride.  (2) - The motor doesn’t have to adjoin the car  (3) - They are quieter because the motor is surrounded by oil which buffers the sound.  (4) - It can be put in any temperature-controlled area away from the core living space.  Disadvantages of the system:  (1) A separate room is needed for the hydraulic pump and battery.   

The kind (brand if you will) of elevator you get will usually depend on your builder, his local suppliers, and/or where it has to be ordered from.

Some of the elevator manufacturers are: (1) - LEV Home Elevator - www.dreamelevator.com  (2) - Cemcolift - www.cemcolift.com  (3) - Elevator Concepts - www.elevatorconcepts.com  (4) - Inclinator - www.inclinator.com  (5) - Schumacher Elevator Co. - www.schumacherelevator.com  (6) - Universal Elevator - www.universalelevator.com  (7) - Waupaca Elevator Co. - www.waupachaelevator.com

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

The majority of people who build their dream homes in the Raleigh/Research Triangle area don’t get all they paid for!  They either don’t know, totally ignore or work with incorrect information when they don’t take advantage of a very valuable asset during their home building process that would cost them - NOTHING! 

In the Research Triangle area high-end homes market ($1 million and up) the vast majority of speculative built and presale homes are built in existing and/or newly developing subdivisions.  Couples who want to build their dream home will drive through subdivisions, having homes in the price range they are interested in, and talk to the on-site agent about available homes and/or lots.  The on-site agent will show them homes and provide information about them and the available lots.  Most of the lots the couple may become interested in are owned by the builders who comprise the developers building team for the subdivision.  If the couple decides to get serious about building and about a specific lot, the on-site agent will introduce them to the builder who owns the lot of interest.  If the couple hits it off with the builder the builder will discuss what they have in mind with them, review any plans or other information they may have collected and then introduce them to the Home Designer or Architect he usually does business with.

During the entire process of finding a lot, finding a builder, finding a Home Designer or Architect and developing the home plan, selecting an Interior Designer and the subsequent selecting of all the materials, appliances, etc. that will go into the home, the couple has no one to directly assist them and represent their interests or to review the contract the builder will ultimately present to them.  The on-site agent will most certainly provide some assistance but they are employed by the real estate company that is marketing the subdivision for the developer and, in so doing, directly represent the interests of the builder/seller. Thus, unless the couple is brought to the on-site agent by a Buyers Agent or unless the couple finds and introduces an agent as their agent before the process gets underway, they have no one on their side of the table to assist them, to make suggestions and to provide the information that years of experience working with on-site agents and builders that their agent (if the use one) should have.

Often times the couple having the home built will purposely not use a Buyer’s Agent because they are of the mistaken opinion that they are saving the Buyer’s Agent portion of the commission (in this area that is usually 2.5% of the 5% new homes commission) and that the builder will have that amount to use to give them a lower price. NOT SO.

The real estate company that markets for the developer has a marketing agreement with the developer which specifies how much they will get and how the commission will be divided.  The builders in the subdivision agree to pay the 5% commission plus another 1% marketing fee for the services provided by the on-site agent(s) and the agents who bring buyers or pre-sale candidates to the subdivision.  Half of the commission of a sale (either of a new home or a presale) goes to the on-site agent and half to the Buyer’s Agent - if - the Buyer is represented by a Buyer’s Agent.  The actual split of the 2.5% the on-site agent gets is determined by the agreement the on-site agent has with the house (the real estate company marketing the subdivision).  If there is not a Buyer’s Agent involved the 2.5% that would have gone to the Buyer’s Agent does NOT go to the builder nor does he or she have it to use when negotiating a price with the Buyer.  That 2.5% goes to the Developer and since the Developer is not involved in the transaction it is not, as previously stated, available to negotiate a lower price.  Incidentally, the portion of the 2.5% the Buyer’s Agent gets is determined by the split arrangement that exists between the agent and the firm he or she is with.

This is not to say that all agents get deeply involved in the presale process with clients they may bring to a subdivision.  In fact very few do.  Quite often, once a couple is introduced to the on-site agent, the Buyer’s Agent will let the on-site agent carry the ball and do little more than show up at the close for a commission check.  This is because they don’t know the building process, don’t know the builders and don’t want to get involved in all the time and effort it takes to assist a couple in all that goes on during the time frame of building which can anywhere from seven or eight months to as much as two years, depending on the price and size of the home.  If problems arise during the time the home is being built a couple may call their agent for assistance but that assistance is often not very satisfactory since the agent has little or no knowledge of the circumstances involved in the problem. The many fine builders I work with tell me that very few of the presales they do are with couples who have been introduced to them by real estate agents.  In determining why this is the case I have found it is because of the two factors discussed above (1) - The Buyer’s belief that they are saving commission money by not using a Buyer’s Agent and not knowing the valuable services an experienced agent has to offer  (2) - The lack of knowledge and/or experience in working with couples involved in presale process on the part of most real estate agents. 

There is much that a Buyer’s Agent can do to help the entire process of finding a lot, finding a builder, finding a Home Designer or Architect, finding an Interior Designer, working with the onsite agent be an interesting and pleasant one for the Buyers. Remember, all of this costs the Buyer(s) - NOTHING - SINCE THE BUILDER PAYS THE COMMISSIONS!  Yes, the commission is built into the price of the home but it will be whether the Buyers use a Buyer’s Agent or not.

If the subdivision the Buyers build in is one that is owned by one or two builders who do not have a marketing agreement with a real estate company or if the Buyers have a home built on a tract of ground they own the Buyer’s Agent commission may not be involved.  Again, however, Buyers in such situations who do use a Buyer’s Agent quite often find the commission they pay an experienced agent for their assistance was worth every penny.

If you are thinking of building your dream home it would be my pleasure to discuss what you want to do with you. There is no cost for this service and I can show you aids to your home building process that no other agent in this area can or does offer.  I look forward to hearing from you.

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

North Raleigh flower extraviganza.  If you love flowers, if you are a photographer always looking for something worth photographing or if you are just interested in a relaxing, fun afternoon I would highly recommend the annual Poinsettia Open House at Raleigh’s Homewood Nursery on November the 18th.  This is an annual event and those of you who have previously been to it wouldn’t miss it for anything.  Those of you who haven’t - listen up.  Homewood Nursery has an annual display that has to be seen to be believed.  They have thousands of Poinsettias of all kinds and colors and they display new varieties as well as those that already have an established market.  Homewood also, has a wide variety of Christmas items on display that are well worth looking at as well.  They ply you with live music, punch, coffee and cookies so - eat, drink and be merry for it is a great way to kick off the Christmas season.  Homewood Nursery is located in north Raleigh at 10809 Honeycutt Road.  For more information call them at 919-847-0117

If you would like a sample of what you may expect to see send me an email and I will emails you photos I have taken from previous years. 

From previous posts you know that if you have a serious interest in moving to the Raleigh area I stand willing to show you the area and to introducing you to what the Raleigh area has to offer.  Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with a delightful lady from Ohio who is considering a move to this area to escape Ohio winters and to take advantage of the variety of cultural activities this area has to offer.  Will this be the city she decides to move to?  I don’t know but I think it was a day well spent for both of us.

ATTENTION!!  As you know, the north Raleigh Keller Williams Realty office has moved to 9121 Anson Way.  One exciting aspect of this move, for me, is that our office building has a conference/meeting room that will seat at least 80 people.  I intend to take full advantage of the room and our location to do more of the seminars I have done previously and, for that matter, to expand both the kinds and number of those seminars.  For those of you who have properties to sell and who would like to find out how you can legally escape paying taxes on that sale, or sales, I will be doing a 1031 Exchange seminar in January.  If you would like to attend and would like more information call me at 919-696-3473 or send me an email at marvmax@mindspring.com.  An email would probably be better as I can schedule to call or email you the specific date and time once they have been set.  ALSO, for those of you who are thinking of building your dream home and would like to see how the design and pre-building process works, I will be doing a seminar with a gentleman who is probably this area’s best know home designer. It should be an evening of interest and information you will not want to miss.  Again, use the above telephone number or email address to advise me of your interest.  Finally, for those of you who are first time home buyers, those who want to buy but think you can’t (for whatever reason), and those who have just plain “had it” with apartment living and with building no equity value by paying rent - I will be doing a seminar that will show you how to get the job done.  As with the other two seminars, use the telephone number or email address to advise me of your interest.  He (or she) who snoozes - loses.  As these seminars usually fill up, the more rapidly you advise me of your interest - the better.

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

I do seminars concerning how you go about building your dream home.  While I get a continuos stream of questions about all manner of factors concerning the process, the one I am most often asked is “What are the quoting catagories builders use when they provide a building quote and what are the selection catagories couples should be thinking about?  This can break down in several ways and will most certainly change according to the builder and size of home and the stage you are in, in getting ready to build.  As I have been asked three times in the last week and as I am pressed for time at the moment I am combining the two to provide a down and dirty list.  I think the following should prove helpful.  A frustration I have is that my blog site won’t (as yet) allow me to do a list without a full space between each item in a list.  Therefore, I am providing the list with comas and in alpha order by catagory:

Cabinets-Kitchen, Cabinets-Bathroom, Central Vacuum, Countertops, Decking, Doors (interior), Doors (exterior), Electrical, Exterior Trim - (Brick, Stone, Stucco), Faucets, Fireplaces, Flooring, Furnaces, Garage Doors, Glass Block, Gypsum Wallboard, Hardware, Housewrap, Home Theatre, HVAC, Insulation - (Fiberglass,Foam,Rigid), Interior Molding, Lighting (Interior-Exterior), OSB, Paints & Stains, Plumbing, Radiant Floor Heating, Roofing, Siding, Skylights, Tiles, Toilets, Trusses, Water Heaters, Windows.

I will be doing some in-depth posts about this topic and others related to home building in the future.

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