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Luxury Homes and Coat Closets

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Real Estate Agent with Long and Foster Real Estate VA License # 0225089470

Luxury Homes and Coat Closets

The other day I was at a walk through of a luxury home my Buyers contracted to have built.  It was truly stunning.  The builder set a really big expectation of quality construction at the first appointment.  Their attention to detail and quality of materials was going to be higher than their competition.  I have to say, they were right.  My Buyers are going to have an amazing home.  The soft close drawers in the kitchen, granite counters, flooring and even moldings were gorgeous.

Then we opened the coat closet.  You know...the one that is closest to the front door.  It looked odd, but I couldn't place my finger on it.  Turns out I wouldn't have been able to hang my coat in it either  Mrs. Buyer was the first to solve the oddity.  "There's no rod!" she exclaimed as if solving a puzzle in a game show.

You would think the automatic response to that discovery by the builder's foreman would be, "Noted.  We'll take are of it."  It was NOT.  The response was, "Well, it depends on what trim package you got whether you get the rod in that closet.  Only the upgraded trim package gets it." 

Are you friggin' kidding me?  It is a coat closet in a LUXURY HOME.  There should be no differentiation between trim packages and whether or not there is actually a place to HANG the coats.  In the configuration meeting my Buyers trim pacakge, this is essential a place for a coat pile that can be hidden by a door.  UNACCEPTABLE.

What was more ddd to me was the response I got to suggesting that every home they build should come with that rod.  I actually got push back.  To them, the rod was minor.  Sure.  It's less than $50 installed, I'm sure.  All the more reason why it should already be done. Somehow, I think a buyer of a new construction home has a reasonable expectation to be able to use their coat closet in a normal, functional fashion.  That is a detail that should not go overlooked.  It's too simple to do.

 

 

Comments (28)

Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Belinda:  They will, but it shouldn't be a point of discussion. 

Patricia:  Closets are a big deal, and so far, the builder has knocked it out of the park with regard to design and space of closets.  But to choose to draw the line at a rod in the closet?  Makes zero sense.

Laura:  It might be, but we're talking a luxury home.  It should be included, no matter what trim package a buyer picks.

Nov 15, 2014 01:05 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Ed:  No.  Just this one.  And if it was a mistake and the foreman wanted to blame someone else, I don't like that either.  If you can't own up to something you did wrong, that makes me very nervous.

Tom:  Sounds like they designed a seven bedroom home around a four bedroom square footage.

Nov 15, 2014 01:07 AM
Elite Home Sales Team
Elite Home Sales Team OC - Corona del Mar, CA
A Tenacious and Skilled Real Estate Team

That is very funny no rod but easily fixed.  Not something that should effect the overall purchase of a home.  LOL

Nov 15, 2014 01:24 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Chris Ann, That is just plain crazy! All the details in the luxury home and a rod in the closet comes down to a trim package. I think that builder missed the boat.  The foreman's response needs polishing ... that is for sure!

Nov 15, 2014 01:28 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Chris Ann -- You're right - that's a dumb move that sends the wrong message for any luxury home builder, over such a little deal. Senseless stubbornness isn't a good sign either. Nice at least that the rest of the home is good enough to overlook that.

Nov 15, 2014 01:38 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Chris Ann,

What an oversight, and what a silly way to save a few bucks...Sounds like the foreman was not properly trained.  And Life Goes On, LOL A

Nov 15, 2014 02:17 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Chris Ann,

 Sorry I had to pick up my jaw as it hit the desk, I work for a home builder and I worked for one in 130's and I am just saying it was standard and this is a luxury builder hmmm? I guess they do not value customer service..if you only knew some of the ridiculous things we do for clients..this one should be standard just like walls!

Nov 15, 2014 03:14 AM
Sharon Paxson
Sharon Paxson, Realtor® EQTY Forbes Global Properties - Newport Beach, CA
Newport Beach Real Estate

Hi Chris ann - that is very odd that they did not put a rod in the coat closet and it was dependent upon the "trim package". How much more were they charging for this trim package?

Nov 15, 2014 03:50 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

EHST:  It is an easy fix, but I really feel it should be the builder doing it...all the time.

Kathleen:  Foreman didn't strike me as the sharpest tool in the shed.  I don't like the immediate deflection to sales.

Dick:  I see we are very like minded.  That stubbornness is what bothered me more.

Nov 15, 2014 03:55 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Alexandra:  Yep.  Life goes on.  I'll remember to buy closet rods for buyers using that particular builder as a closing gift.  

Yolanda:  This is a small builder that thinks they are better than they are.  They don't like agents and don't want us involved at all.  That tells you something right there.  They are not great at the finesse of the job.

Sharon:  I wish I remembered. 

Nov 15, 2014 03:57 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

I am still shaking my head over this one...isn't a closet without a rod just...a very small room with little utility?

Nov 15, 2014 05:15 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Susan:  It could be called a broom closet, I suppose.

Nov 15, 2014 05:50 AM
Pat McCormick
Long and Foster Manassas - Manassas, VA

That is truly bizarre.  I could see having different trim packages resulting in different types of closet hardware, but there should definitely be a base level that actually includes a simple hanging rod.

Nov 15, 2014 05:59 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Pat:  It was the denial of the need of one with whatever my clients had chosen.  It was surreal.  You are a building and luxury home and want to tell me why they CAN'T have a rod in the coat closet.

Nov 15, 2014 06:04 AM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

A linen closet has shelving.  A coat closet has a rod.  This room must have been the "time-out" room or ???  They should put the builder in there. 

Nov 15, 2014 09:47 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

I had a similar experience with an elevator. The elevator shaft was there but no elevator--that was an upgrade. Say what? Then take the damn shaft out. Who the heck wants a door that leads to a shaft going three stories down? Not me.

Nov 15, 2014 10:48 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Judi:  I like the way you think.

Tammie:  Yikes!  That would be scary.

Nov 15, 2014 11:08 AM
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Good morning, Chris Ann... I can't picture a luxury home having ANY CLOSET WITHOUT A CUSTOM DESIGNED PACKAGE IN IT.... everyone here uses California Closets to design and construct the interior of all closets and storage areas...I even had them do bike racks in the garage of my last home with  storage units on one wall of the garage.... 

Nov 15, 2014 07:29 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Barbara:  No wonder you love selling new constrution!  Down here, we think it's special treatment to get solid wooden shelves in a pantry vs. that wire mesh crap.

Nov 16, 2014 12:14 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Chris Ann that is beyond stupid.  I've sold many luxury homes and the idea of the front closet not having a rod to hang coats is just - again, stupid. Not only a rod but a nice little system seems appropiate.

Nov 19, 2014 04:13 AM