Sure, it can be refreshing to see a new homeowner decorate their house to make it unique to them, but how much more refreshing would it be to see someone with a bowling alley in their basement? That's where I'm at with custom homes: make them to suit your needs, not just the status quo.
I have always dreamed of incredibly unique features in a home, despite my aspirations being commonly referred to as outlandish and preposterous. A bowling alley is not a bad idea anyway; it can be done and one or two lanes is all one would need. I have done more research than was probably necessary for this idea and found that used lanes can easily be bought online for little more than the cost of tile or hardwood floors.
I will admit to lacking any kind of polished bowling skills, but there is no good reason why I should not hone them, especially if I were to have my very own alley!
The fact of the matter is: swapping that extra bedroom for a den will presumably do little for the homes value, it will simply preserve the room count and land you smack-dab in the middle of a plethora of comps. Go for it, build that big house on a hill and save yourself the stress of traditional sales comparison appraisals.
Buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders alike feel the pressure of waiting on appraisals primarily because a typical house will only ever be valued at what those in the surrounding area are, foreclosures and all. A house with a bowling alley will have the opportunity to be appraised based on its absolute value, a cookie-cutter house will surely never be so lucky. It might sound crazy now, but when it comes time to sell, time to buy, time to lend, and time to appraise, that house will stand out.
Buyers should not be bound by what builders think they want, they should have the resolve to purchase a home they actually want. Ultimately, a house is strapped to the appraisal-philosophy that it is only worth what someone will pay for it.
Buyers are too often taught to believe straying from the norm is expensive. In a time when a home is the biggest financial investment the average American consumer will make in their lifetime, more attention should be paid to the details which make their house a home they truly want to be in. Buyers: go out there and get your dream home.
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