As a TOP REALTOR in Northwest Arkansas - I have helped thousands of people buy and sell homes and help with the process of building a home. NOW - we are considering building a home in Northwest Arkansas. Being that I have "seen it all" you would think this should be a breeze but I am very nervous! I think since I have seen it all and heard it all I am afraid I will forget something important. LOL! I am also very picky... (Probably my worst client ever in fact)... I have been looking for a home for over a year and just have come to the conclusion that we had better just build rather than "settle"...
I have done several POLLS on my personal Facebook page over the past several months - for my own knowledge/curiousity of what "my friends" thoughts were on various things about homes and building including: Formal Dining Room or no Formal Dining Room (about 90% said they rarely use a Formal Dining Room and would prefer a larger "eat in kitchen" instead. Another POLL I did was regarding a WHIRLPOOL tub (yes or no) AGAIN - about 90% did not care about or use a whirlpool tub. Although I like knowing what others think I personally LOVE my whirlpool tub and just might put in two when I build (one for my daughter). I mean that is the luxury of building your own home, right!!! Getting exactly what you want.
Last night I did this Poll: For my friends who have ever built a home. What - if anything - do you wish afterwards you would have done (that you may have forgot).
If you are considering BUILDING A HOME in Northwest Arkansas (or anywhere for that matter) MY FRIENDS gave some very helpful tips! Here are some of the results:
- Had a bigger mud room
- Wish we would have asked for a small slab inside our fence for the trash cans to sit
- I really liked my light switch inside the front entry closet that controlled the plugs on the front porch and the plugs in the soffit for my Christmas lights.
- Big mud room and walk in pantry, and of course more closets throughout the house
- Never built...but huge room with washer/dryer and in the same room a massive closet for the whole family
- More storage. Larger pantry. I love my master closet that opens up to my laundry room
- Upgrade granite all through the house. The builders grade I have shows water marks and has absorbed soap. Now it has darker spots on it. Yes I have sealed it 2 times.
- Geothermal heat/cool
- Electrical outlets in walk in closets. Lights for coat closet
- bigger laundry room. like BIG. You cannot make it too big
- Had a gas water heater instead of electric (comes in handy during winter time when power goes off). And make sure light switches were on the correct side of the door when opening to another room.
- Fireplace in master bedroom. Outlets in all closets. Separate ice maker in kitchen or pantry would be a really good item.
- Walk in pantry with load of shelves. Under mount sink in kitchen
- Coat closet next to mud area!
- Stay on budget putting in all extras I forgot in the beginning
- Bigger laundry room, carpet on stairs
- Built in gun safe
- Put in zero clearance fire places people! My electric bill this winter averages $127
- Bigger deck or enclosed one, to keep out flies.
- Big Pantry
- So the things we came up with during the build were:
*Wiring for TV/Cable on the 2 largest walls in the living area and master bedroom instead of one to allow rearranging of furniture
*Putting in electrical outlets in the hardwood living room floor (with covers) so we could have lamps next to the chairs
*Light switch inside to control an outside outlet for Christmas lights
*Hanging rod in the laundry room but not in the closet
*Floored in attic space directly accessible from bonus room upstairs instead of they stairs in the garage
*Any kitchen island should have power outlets
*double gate in privacy fence to allow for riding lawn mower
* covered porch WITH ceiling fan
* in kitchen small cabinet with outlet for coffee maker you can also do another one for a toaster oven.
* oversized garage 25'+ long to allow for storage, shelves, riding mower, trash cans, garage fridge, etc - Large walk in closets in all bedrooms. Sink and laundry folding area in laundry room. Tiled showers in bathrooms. Panic room hidden in kitchen
- Light switches and outlets. Make sure you can turn everything off and on by every door and more than you anticipate needing outlets
- Pocket doors for closets & pantry & Dutch door on playroom.
Mud room
1/2 bath near entry
2nd a/c for upstairs - even if it's only a bonus room up there - return air vents in every room but bath. Place them high if vents are in the floor, low if they are up on the wall. Cut my utilities 30%.
- Huge closets with high ceilings with the third row in top that has the pull down pile on the side that brings the clothes down to a level you can remove them without climbing on a ladder of course those clothes need the plastic covers because they are off season clothes...built in dressers in the closets perhaps..cedar lined closets...off season cedar lined closets...guess you can tell I've had some closet issues.
- Make sure your walls and windows are properly insulated so you don't freeze all winter
- Pocket doors, storage room off garage with hvac for paint chemicals etc, lots of kitchen drawers..pull outs...insulate all walls and ceilings for noise..if you have a staircase make it extra wide..I agree with the return air vents in every room..also make the cooper plumbing going into and throughout house larger than they suggest...had a city water person in Rogers tell me and I can't remember the reason but it seemed like something to remember at the time
- I LOVE pocket doors! I have two in my house that was built in the '60s!
- (FROM A FELLOW REALTOR:) Lots of great ideas here I'm going to write them down
- A friend entertained a lot and in her very nice size laundry room just off the kitchen. One washer. Two dryers. Second dishwasher . Double wall oven . Second refrigerator. Spacious counters and cabinets. In each bedroom have TV cable phone outlets on two walls . Run gas lines for dryer. Hot water. Fireplace. Stove top. Outdoor grill and fireplace. Have two gas supplies to the house if you have a heated pool. One for the house and one for the pool. Have a drain in the garage floor for cleaning. If you have a outdoor mud ~ garden room also have a drain in the tiled floor. In the second floor have a attic/ storage room that is A/C controlled for storage . Run ceiling speakers to each room for stereo, and out doors. Make sure to run TV . Phone. Stereo outlets in the garage and outdoor patio
- Took mostly videos during the construction. Wish i had taken more photos..
- A dishwasher and refrigerator in bonus space.
- Yes dishwasher, regular size sink and full size refrigerator and stove in bonus room area
- I've always wanted to build a house and include outdoor power outlets near the roof line, in the yard and underneath trees for Christmas lights
- Wish I had two dishwashers so the sink is always empty and a 50 pound ice machine.
- One outdoor faucet with hot and cold water for dog's bath
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Nicky Dou
Keller Williams Market Pro Realty
479.236.3457
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