Builders Can Find Big Advantages in Smaller Lots - 4/5/2004 - Home Exterior Environment Landscaping

Builders Can Find Big Advantages in Smaller Lots
By Dave Porter

The first thing to do is make a mental list of the pros of a small lot and the cons of a large lot. These should be part of a salesperson’s knowledge bank. Too many site agents and builders apologize for the lot size. But lots that conform to GMA do a great service for many people. By building homes close to each other, we minimize urban sprawl. We can house the same number of families, but with less invasive development.

Smaller lots accomplish several other things that home buyers don’t realize. For one, they create a sense of community. The advent of the television set changes so much, including the elimination of the front porch as folks moved indoors to watch TV. Now we are seeing a resurgence of the front porch, a great way to meet neighbors as they walk by. So often, communities with larger lots distance home owners from their neighbors. When you live in a community of high density, you will see and meet neighbors. You are more likely to speak to a neighbor who is 25 feet away than one 150 feet away.

The biggest advantage to owners of smaller lots is saving time. We are all pressed for time and want to use our time wisely. Forty-five minutes a week in maintaining a yard during peak spring and summer weeks adds up to nearly 20 hours. Imagine what you could do with an extra 20 hours!

Consider also the cost and conservation issues of watering the lawn and using fertilizers. Plans can be expensive, and landscape projects can run into the thousands of dollars. A smaller lot allows for a nicer yard, rather than a larger but possibly lesser-quality one. Gardening is therapy for many folks, and using raised garden beds in smaller spaces can easily accommodate this need. Some shrubs are wall and fence growers and even look like trees, creating a nice “tree effect” without taking up the space a normal tree would.

When positioning a “space efficient” yard, be sure you rethink the outdoor furniture as well. Instead of oversized patio chairs, consider a small teak table and benches that look nice but take up less space. A bistro set (taller table and two stools) can take up less space than a traditional table and cost less, yet serve the same function. Its novelty can be an attention getter.

I recently spoke with Rick Lawton, director of sales at Stafford Homes. Like many other quality production builders, Stafford, too, has had to rethink and reposition selling homes in light of the smaller home sites. Rick says we need to understand that different groups have different expectations. Baby boomers value more space than the “X-ers” or the “Boomer-rangers.” The latter groups have different lifestyle requirements. Builders and site agents who are boomers need to realize that a smaller lot may not be an issue for new home buyers as much as it would be for them.

As Rick mentioned, what large lots often offer is privacy. But privacy can still be achieved in a small lot if the home is designed and positioned on the site correctly. Cleverly placed windows and well-positioned outlooks to a focal point can pay big dividends. Windows can be set higher in rooms, for example. Most likely you’ve seen the smaller, two-foot-by-two-foot windows high on a wall. These can provide plenty of natural light without allowing a view of the neighbor’s home 10 feet away.

Selling homes on smaller lots is an issue of quality, not quantity. Offer desired features, such as outdoor lighting or carefully positioned plants and water features like a pond or small waterfall. A well-placed trellis and colorful vine can be a focal point. You can also learn great lessons from the art of feng shui. Many of its disciplines are common sense in space management. These specific concepts apply to all home buyers, not just a targeted group.

Dave Porter is first vice president in the Pacific Northwest for Countrywide Home Loans, National Builders Division. Contact him by e-mail or call him at 999-877-4879. (dave_porter@countrywide.com)

Reprinted from NW Builder Magazine/Builder News