As a leading custom home builder, Alair Homes Nanaimo is always tapped into the Nanaimo community and stays on the cusp of the latest trends in home building. Homes are also investment pieces, so we asked Karen Ayou to give us her opinion on what rooms should be carefully considered when building a custom home to best maximize your return. Karen Ayou is a second generation Realtor living in Nanaimo on beautiful Vancouver Island, and her keen passion for investment drives her to find the best properties for her clients.
Building your own home will be one of the most exciting processes and one of the biggest investments you will make in your lifetime. For that reason, you’ll certainly want to maximize any time, effort, and money you put into your investment. Although you may plan on living in your home for a long period of time, it’s a reality that one day you may need to sell – and some simple foresight in the preparation process can set you up for success down the road!
Kitchen
Times have changed. It used to be that families congregated in living room areas, but now, the kitchen is considered to be the heart of the home. Kids jump up on to the tall stools at the kitchen island to chat about their soccer practice highlights and do their homework as Mom and Dad prepare dinner. As our living and entertaining styles become more casual, the design, functionality, and layout of our home spaces have drastically changed. In many instances, the living areas and kitchens are an open-concept design and easily flow into one another.
Consumers have embraced modern advances with state-of-the-art appliances and environmentally friendly technology, designed to accommodate today’s busy lifestyles. More than ever, a home’s modern ‘look and feel’ is determined by the appliances and layout of the kitchen.
And size matters, too! The most common remodeling project that we see as realtors is an attempt to enlarge the kitchen; both to increase productivity and to create a more modern look. When designing your new home, be sure to pay close attention to the kitchen – you can be sure that your family, guests, and potential future buyers certainly will!
Master Bathroom
In the busy lifestyles of today, buyers are seeking to find a retreat within their own home. Nothing says “relaxation” quite like an intimate, inspired master bathroom outfitted with the latest modern upgrades. Dual vanities, soaker tubs, low-flow toilets and showerheads are some of the luxurious features that buyers expect from a custom-built master bathroom. The feeling of ‘romance and relaxation’ in the master bathroom can be enhanced with modern soft lighting fixtures, built-in towel racks, and a soothing color palette. Elegant, unique mirror solutions can add to the glamor of the master bath. When possible, skylights pouring natural lighting into the master bathroom is an added bonus; also, as a spot to stargaze from the soaker tub!
When in doubt, be sure to consider the perspectives of a future potential buyer while planning your home. You’ll also want to take into consideration your family’s current and future lifestyle – in order to maximize the return on your investment and create happy memories for years to come! And the most important part? Be sure to enjoy the process, and take lots of photos to put into your photo albums to look back on with your kids.
Karen Ayou, Realtor
Re/Max of Nanaimo