Builder - February 2009 - (Page 30) SUCCESSSTORIES Porch D 14’ x 12’ MBR 14’ x 21’ Great room 23’ x 18’ Courtyard Study 10’ x 12’ B 14’6” x 11’6” G B 11’6” x 12’ E COURTLY LOVE: A secluded courtyard garden in the lap of each home (Drayton interior and floor plan shown here) provides a private fresh-air retreat while bringing natural light inside. Somerset’s answer to those life changes is a picturesque neighborhood of detached, single-story homes that are certified as both EarthCraft (green) and EasyLiving Homes (universally designed) dwellings. All homes feature wide, no-step doorways with options for exterior ramps, lever handles, abundant natural lighting (via windows, skylights, and sun tunnels), and other seniorfriendly features. Accessible? Yes. Institutional? Hardly. With their wide porches and traditional architecture, the homes exude a familiarity that is comforting. This is a big deal for buyers who are undergoing the self-imposed shock of cutting their living and yard space in half, Romeyn says. The largest floor plan in Somerset is 2,750 square feet on a half-acre lot, but all of the residences have proportionately more storage space than the average single-family home, recognizing that boomer buyers typically come loaded with decades’ worth of stuff. Kitchens have oversized pantries; garages are expanded to accommodate extra shelving or workbenches; and attics are accessible via fi xed stairs. Many buyers have opted to fi nish their attics into playrooms or home offices, he says. And that’s just the beginning where customization is concerned. “Our buyers have owned lots of houses in their lifetimes,” Romeyn points out. “They have serious opinions about what they want, and we do our best to accommodate them whether it’s a pool, a spa, or a bonus room. We just did a temperature-controlled wine room for someone. It has its own cooling GOOD BALANCE T he houses at Somerset are just 12 feet apart, but courtyard configurations give each residence its own private outdoor space while channeling more natural light into the interiors. Homes in the center of the site plan feature alley-loaded rear garages, while those around the perimeter are front-loaded. “Alleys are not particularly good when you’re working with rolling land, but we’ve made it work and people really like it,” says builder Steve Romeyn. “As a result, we’ve found that more people are willing to buy. And in this market, we are not trying to maximize price; we’re trying to maximize sales.” system, and the walls are super insulated.” Managing such demands, he says, is made easier with an integrated construction management system that aggregates sales, purchasing, and warranty terms in a shared database. “We can take a special request and run it through our process very quickly so it becomes part of the contract. We never end up with any arguments at the end because everybody knows in real time where we are cost-wise,” he says. “Even though we are a small company, we have systems that usually would only be found in larger building companies.” Windsong has further entrenched itself in buyers’ good graces by offering $15,000 to $20,000 worth of free upgrades on every new home. “We are not discounting the houses themselves,” Romeyn notes. “If you do that, your present buyers are not happy with you. Perhaps they won’t give you referrals, but the bigger issue is you need their endorsements when potential buyers walk through the neighborhood and in our case, that happens a lot.” So far so good. While many small builders have come to equate spec homes with a kiss of death, Windsong has found that having a couple on hand is actually good for business. “It’s true that in today’s market, fewer people are willing to contract to build a house in anticipation of selling their old house,” Romeyn says. “But when they do sell their old house, then suddenly they need something (see page 32) right away.”—J.S. photo: Dan Carmody 30 ■ B U I LD E R F ebrua ry 2 0 0 9 W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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