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How HGTV Creates Unrealistic Expectations for Building a New Home

By Amy Wood in Country Classics, in Best New Homes, in HGTV
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9

April
7 hours ago

HGTV shows are a guilty pleasure for many of us. It’s fun to image which house we would pick or laugh at the home hunter’s insistence on a gourmet kitchen when he or she rarely cooks. The shows provide an informative glimpse into real estate styles and trends throughout the country and the world, but they don’t always present the most accurate information.

Unfortunately, if you get most of your real estate information from HGTV, you may have unrealistic expectations when it’s time to build your new home.  Here are a few things you’ll want to consider the next time you watch a house hunting or home improvement show.

Luxury Features Cost More

When house hunters stop by brand new builds on TV shows, they often tour the model or a home that offers every conceivable upgrade. Although it’s certainly possible to include upgraded finishes, fixtures, appliances and lighting in your new home, you’ll pay more for these features. In many cases, homeowners are very happy with the standard packages home builders offer, but if they aren’t, it’s always possible to make changes.

In fact, flexibility is one the best parts about building a new home. If tile is the standard flooring choice for the foyer and you prefer hardwood, it’s no problem to add beautiful oak or maple flooring to the space. When you build a luxury home at one of Country Classics’s communities, you’ll have to access to the Design Studio. The Design Studio offers samples of standard and upgraded features and finishes, which makes it easy to decide which type of kitchen cabinets will look best in your new home.

It’s easy to get carried away when you consider all of the options for your home. Although individual upgrades may be fairly inexpensive, keep in mind that costs can add up quickly if you make multiple upgrades.

Renovations Aren’t Cheap

According to the realtors on HGTV shows, everything is an easy fix. If you don’t like the kitchen cabinets and flooring, it’s an easy fix to tear them out and replace them. It’s also an “easy fix” to completely gut bathrooms, replace windows and change flooring. Although these things can certainly be changed, the project won’t be quite as simple or inexpensive as the shows may make it seem.

Renovation shows are often the worst at misrepresenting the cost of projects. Entire kitchens can be remodeled for $10,000, while floor plans can be changed for a few thousand dollars. Even with labor provided, it would be almost impossible to replace flooring, buy new appliances, add new kitchen cabinets and countertops and install new plumbing and lighting for just $10,000. In fact, the 2017 Cost vs. Value Report estimates that cost of an upscale major kitchen remodel in the Middle Atlantic area is $122,291.

If you don’t add the features and finishes you really want in your new home because you assume that that it will be fairly inexpensive to replace them later, you may face a very unpleasant surprise. Paying a few thousand extra to get the kitchen cabinets you want now is much less expensive than paying $30,000 or more for new cabinets five years from now.

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Older Homes Don’t Always Have More Character

House hunters on HGTV shows often express an interest in houses with character. “Character,” of course, is code for “I don’t want to look at new houses.” Although it’s true that houses in some new home communities look bland, a new home doesn’t have to lack character. All of the touches that set a home apart from its neighbors can easily be added to a new house.

Do you want your home to look warm and inviting? Choose rich hardwood flooring, soft paint colors and upgraded doors. Simple changes, such as selecting uncommon stair railings or an unusual granite pattern for your countertops, can make a new home just as appealing as an older one. When you buy a new home, the choices are completely up to you.

Are you mulling over a new home purchase? When you visit a Country Classics community in Central New Jersey, we’ll provide all the information you need to help you make your decision. Contact us to arrange a tour of one of our model homes. 

Source:

2017 Cost vs. Value Report

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2017/middle-atlantic/

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Amy Wood

Vice President of Operations at Country Classics

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