| Almost every log home owner who sells their home | | | | eliminating it altogether in favor of glass doors that |
| will tell you that when they built the house, they | | | | open directly into the great room. But I'll tell you: |
| planned to live there forever. Because custom log | | | | buyers are very disconcerted when they can't find |
| homes are so personal, we sometimes design for | | | | the front door. They walk around the house looking |
| aesthetics and forget about practicality. This isn't | | | | lost. Something is missing. This is a very personal |
| always a good thing! Life sometimes gets in the way, | | | | choice, but doing away with such a major feature is |
| and the owners find themselves in a position where | | | | taking a big risk. |
| the house must be put on the market. | | | | COAT CLOSET: I see a lot of log homes without a |
| The budgetarily-challenged log home owner will be | | | | place to hang your coat. Again, it's not a crisis, but it |
| willing to live without certain things for the sake of | | | | can be a big annoyance. |
| getting the project finished, but you will discover that | | | | FIREPLACE: Everyone expects a log home to have a |
| the next owner will not be so forgiving. Here's a list | | | | fireplace, or at least a wood stove. This can easily be |
| of items that any Real Estate professional will | | | | a "deal breaker". If you can't afford the fireplace right |
| recommend if you want to get your house sold for | | | | away, at least try to design the foundation with |
| the most money: | | | | footers to accommodate the weight at a later time. |
| GARAGE: This is a big one. Very few buyers are | | | | BASEMENT: I strongly advise you not to settle for |
| willing to buy a home without a garage. If you can't | | | | anything less than a full basement. If you are building |
| afford one right away and plan to build a detached | | | | in an area where basements are expected, anything |
| garage later, make sure you set aside a convenient | | | | less will be a huge problem. First of all, the wiring in |
| space near the house, and don't use it for anything | | | | exterior walls will be run from the basement (or crawl |
| else. If the buyer can visualize a future garage, this | | | | space). Secondly, you're probably giving up your attic |
| will make the purchase easier. | | | | if you have a cathedral ceiling, so where are you |
| CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING: We all know that log | | | | going to store everything? Even a healthy 5-foot |
| homes are cooler in the summer than framed houses. | | | | crawl space is considered inadequate by a buyer. |
| However, this doesn't matter to a buyer who is | | | | There is just no compromise. |
| accustomed to central air conditioning. There is a | | | | TINY LOFTS: People like a loft they can put furniture |
| large percentage of folks who will walk when hearing | | | | on. Narrow lofts that run along an upstairs wall full of |
| that the house is not air conditioned. In fact, our | | | | doors can be disappointing. |
| mortgage company made sure central air was in the | | | | Designing for expansion is always the best way. |
| design before approving our construction loan. If you | | | | Some plan a space for a future elevator when stairs |
| can't afford to install the whole system, it would be | | | | become a challenge, or use wider doorways for a |
| advisable to at least incorporate the ductwork into | | | | possible future wheelchair. It's a lot to think of when |
| your design for future installation, so it doesn't have | | | | your biggest worry is staying within budget, but if |
| to be retrofitted. | | | | you plan ahead for your eventual old age, you might |
| FRONT DOOR: I find, these days, that lots of | | | | accidentally be making your house easier to sell when |
| designs with big decks tend to minimalize the front | | | | other opportunities come along. |
| door, reducing it to the status of a side entrance or | | | | |