All homes are designed, but few homes are designed well, there are many things to consider when building a new construction home that help to increase its overall value. As a general rule you should always consider ceiling and door heights as well as quality general finishes. Higher ceiling and door heights will always get higher values. Finishes should be neutral and work within a variable taste spectrum to ensure top home resale. Beyond that, here are a few more specific considerations.
Kitchens
Kitchens are always number one. The kitchen should have a functional design. Islands have become increasingly popular these days with bar top areas to sit and enjoy a quick snack. Gas cook-tops with decorative hoods and dual wall ovens will bring the most value. Cabinets should be solid wood and feature soft-close doors. Drawers should be full extension with dove tail construction as also feature soft-close. Granite seems to be the “go to” for counter surfaces lately. Make sure the builder polishes not only the top, but also under the lip of the granite. Pick an edge for the granite that extends beyond the countertops and is not rounded underneath. This will ensure that any spills will go to the floor and not into your cabinets.
Master Bathrooms
The master bathroom is the showpiece of the master suite. Make sure to pay particular attention to the details of tiles and decorative listellos you choose. Wall tiles can be laid in a variety of ways including verticals stack, horizontal stack, vertical brick, horizontal brick, diagonal etc. Make sure that the wall tile pattern matches the home design. Vertical and horizontal stack will work best with more modern or contemporary designs while horizontal and vertical brick patterns work best with transitional designs and the more intricate patterns including your diagonal lays, which will work best with Mediterranean. Showers should have multiple shower heads including a rain shower head. Stand alone tubs are very popular, add a jetted tub to really make your master bathroom pop. Cabinets should be of similar design quality to those outlined for the kitchen. Matching framed mirrors with cabinet designs is very popular. Makeup stations with ample storage are a nice addition. Medicine cabinets are out, and make sure toilets are enclosed.
Functional Laundry Rooms
More and more new construction buyers are looking to have more functionality in their house. How great would it be if you designed your laundry room to be able to actually do laundry in it? Front load washers are very popular and deliver more energy efficiency saving money over the term of home ownership. Make sure to add a sink that is deep and allows room to rinse delicate clothes or fill a mop bucket. Additional counter space is essential to allow room to dump out laundry baskets and fold clothes. Add a hanging rod above the counter space so you can hang clothes as you fold others.
Consider exterior decorative accents:
Tile or metal roofs and brick lanai and driveway pavers will help to increase not only a homes value but also its marketability. Colors should remain in the neutral tans or grays depending on your front elevation designs. When selecting driveway pavers, you may want to consider the darker side of the scale to hide possible oil leaks from visiting vehicles. For your lanai and pool areas it is important to pick lighter colors to avoid burning bare feet around the pool.
Outdoor living space
Florida delivers pleasant weather more than half of the year, consider lanai and pool area designs that allow your outdoor living spaces to seamlessly connect with your indoor living spaces. Sliding glass doors are essential to open and connect these two spaces. You may also consider 90 degree slider designs that will open your indoor space to your outdoor space even more. Make sure that the lanai has sufficient space for a good sized table, this is essential for enjoying summer thunderstorms. Lanais and pool decks should have decorative pavers, and eliminate any columns on the back of your lanai if possible. There is nothing worse than sitting on a lanai and having an obstructed view of your pool or even worse obstructing a beautiful waterfront view. Consider adding outdoor kitchens, fire pits and pre-wire for TV and sound. Make sure your outdoor kitchens include a grill, sink and mini fridge.
Smart home technology.
Everyone wants to control everything from their phone these days, why not control your house too?! Systems can be as simple as a doorbell camera, and as complex as full home management including temperature, lighting and sound. To keep it simple I would focus on adding a system that would include a door bell camera, temperature control and a minimal of 3 sound zones. Popular sound zone areas should be master bath, living area and lanai area.