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It's about the Garage!

I just had the opportunity to wander through the October issue of REALTOR(R) magazine. Cars and Cable caught my eye (pg. 14). As I had previously mentioned in a blog post in July, oversized garages made a pretty good showing. Second place.

Now, before you go gloating about second place, keep in mind that first place was central air conditioning... which is pretty tough to beat, and almost everything on the market is already equipped. Also notable is that garages moved up from 5th place in the last survey (2004). And it is a HUGE jump. A full 56% of buyers said they were ready to spend premium money for an oversized garage this year, vs. only 6% in 2004.

Sure, SUVs have contributed to the desire to have a larger garage, but we have a car-centric culture. Americans LOVE their cars. And we love having a lot of them. And... we want to park them inside.

I'm not surprised... I'm just ahead of the curve.

When you are ready to step up to a big garage in Gwinnett County, I am the REALTOR(R) that knows garages AND houses.

Posted by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People on 10/02/2007 01:20 PM

Comments (13)

auto enthusiast, buyer, seller, garages, hobby, investment, upgrades, improvements

This post has been included in Georgia Information Gwinnett County, GA Information

13 Comments on It's about the Garage!

Lane:

Hmmm....

Didn't it used to be Kitchens?

10/02/2007 01:30 PM

by » Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator

Lane, you would love my uncle's house in Ohio -- he's got a 30 car garage. He calls it his small house with a giant garage (it's not such a small house either). He's a Corvette collector (not a cheap hobby!)

10/02/2007 07:36 PM

by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)

I also thought that Kitchens were number 1!

10/02/2007 08:13 PM

by Michael Klijanowicz - Relocation Specialist - Baltimore & Harford County (Baltimore & Harford County Maryland - Long and Foster )

I can believe kitchens are becoming less important. After all, we need somewhere to store everything, where better than the garage:)

10/02/2007 10:22 PM

by Indianapolis Real Estate | Paula Henry (ReMax Excel)

Hmmm. Kitchens are a room, not a feature... Granite counters scored below the garage... and they're a feature. How many houses are you guys selling without kitchens?

Brian, I'd love to have a 30 car garage... and 30 cars. Boy, the fun i could have just picking them.

Paula, have you been talking to my wife? She seems to think the garage is for overflow. I have found that covering everything she puts in the garage with metal grinder dust, and weld slag means that fewer things wander into the garage.

10/02/2007 10:29 PM

by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People (Diamond Dwellings Realty)

Hey Lane; I am glad to find there are other garage guys out there too! In my second home market area, you cannot believe how many mountain homes are built with-out garages! Crazy, especially when you consider we do a some winter here in Hiawassee. Keep up the car stuff and PS: I just listed one on the lake with an oversized 3 car which is big enough to put big SUV inside and still lift the back lid! Smart builder.

02/15/2008 09:20 PM

by Bill Herold CRS, GRI,"Your Man on Lake Chatuge"in GA (Charlotte Ledford Realty)

This is news to me as well. I never thought of garages being prime real estate although I do love my oversized garage.

02/16/2008 08:19 AM

by Latonia Parks (Keller Williams Realty)

Bill - I ran across one last week that was big enough for me to pull my truck into and open the tailgate... and walk around my truck... but that one wasn't for sale. Pretty good for a truck that is 24.5' long.. 26' with the tailgate down. But, I think I know a few with that kind of size that are on the market.

Latonia - Garages are unloved by many. They want to perk, but they just don't think about it.

02/16/2008 09:47 AM

by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People (Diamond Dwellings Realty)

Sold one on Lake Chatuge in 2005 with a triple long enough for double cab F250 and let the tailggate down. Even with gas prices all over the place, there is still high demand for big garages. I have found that 75% of the buying decisions are made by women; however a big three car can get the male checkwriter something to debate about with the decision-maker.

02/16/2008 09:53 AM

by Bill Herold CRS, GRI,"Your Man on Lake Chatuge"in GA (Charlotte Ledford Realty)

Bill - Mine is an F350, Dually, crew cab... long bed. Lotsa truck.

02/16/2008 10:32 PM

by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People (Diamond Dwellings Realty)

Lane, You are a serious truck guy! PS: I saw the duece couple logo somewhere in my surfing and didn't bookmark. Send along the link if you will. Will certainly keep you in mind if any prospects heading your way that are car guys. Thanks, Bill

02/16/2008 10:43 PM

by Bill Herold CRS, GRI,"Your Man on Lake Chatuge"in GA (Charlotte Ledford Realty)

Lane, I am the kind of agent who LOVES to sell a home with an oversized garage. My excitement just bubbles up because I can see all the fun future uses of the extra garage space.

02/17/2008 06:32 PM

by Sam Miller (RE/MAX Stars Realty)

Bill - GarageHomesUSA is my website. I have the logo on my blog now, too.

Sam - Me, too.

02/17/2008 10:01 PM

by Lane Bailey - The REALTOR for Car People (Diamond Dwellings Realty)

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