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Homes Talk to Women as it Relates to Her Story

Homes Talk to Women as it Relates to Her Story

by | Nov 6, 2019 | HER Home

Rear Foyer - Elise, MaggieWelcome to Part 2 of the ‘Homes Talk to Women’ series focusing on as it relates to her story. Homes Talk to Women through her life experiences. What has she experienced in her current home or apartment? What does she like; what would she change if she could? Having lived in a home with no garage, for Aimee, the idea of walking into her home from the garage directly into the kitchen without a rear foyer was simply not on her radar screen. Now, homes without a rear foyer say to her, “Thoughtless!”

Homes Talk to Women through her knowledge. That’s one reason for touring model homes, watching HGTV, and surfing the internet. She may love the idea of a door-less walk-in shower (no door to clean!), but she may not know that it can get really cold without that door to keep the heat in. Incorporating a radiant towel warmer is an easy addition!

Homes Talk to Women through her culture, as different backgrounds may have significant influences on her preferences. Cultures that emphasize academic success may have strong interest in the Family Lounge concept where parents are involved with their kids’ homework. Feng Shui has significant influence over home design. The lack of a formal entryway, a closet directly opposite the front door, stairs facing the front door, or a bathroom door facing the front door all say to her, “This is not the home for me!”

Homes Talk to Women through her lifestage, appreciating the shifting needs of how people live in the home at those particular lifestages. Priorities and needs differ among newlyweds, growing families, empty nesters, and multi-generational households. Big closets in all the bedrooms say – ‘A place for everything’, and tells her she won’t be hearing any more, “But mom, there’s no place to put it!” from the kiddos.

Everyone’s life experiences and living situations are different. What’s your story and how do you prefer your home’s design to fit your story?

Next week learn how ‘Homes Talk to Women’ through the home’s livability. 

If you missed the other segments of this four-part series, click the links below:

For more resources on thoughtful design: 

Forward Framing

Forward Framing

by | Sep 18, 2019 | Great Design

Your best framers may not be part of your construction crew; rather, they just might be found among your sales team. Known as forward framing, they employ the power of suggestion to influence prospective purchasers’ expectations regarding your homes. When visitors to your model home hear, “There are so many amenities you’ll find in our (model) home you just won’t see in other builders’ homes,” those hopeful buyers are primed to notice, appreciate, and remember those amenities.

In 7 Secrets of Persuasion, James Crimmins writes, “You can completely change the outcome of a test drive by leading the driver to anticipate the positive aspects of acceleration, braking, handling, and road feel. If you don’t set the expectation beforehand, there is a good chance the driver will miss key selling points.” Some key selling features are obvious – the stone countertops, for example; others might be overlooked – the pull-out drawers in your base cabinets can’t be appreciated if visitors don’t open those cabinet doors. And then there are amenities that are hidden assets – such as high-performance insulation; it’s covered up with drywall.

Visitors arrive at your model home and start in your garage sales center. Since the weather’s lousy, they begin their model home tour by entering from the garage. Maybe not the optimal first impression; however, if they hear, “Did you know, 92% of the time we go in and out of our homes through the garage rather than via the front door? That’s why we focus just as much attention on the design of the rear foyer as we do the front entry foyer,” those visitors will notice the rear foyer design and its amenities.

While visitors pause in the rear foyer, your new home sales professional uses forward framing in pointing out that the drop zone keeps clutter out of the kitchen, the bench is handy for tying or removing shoes, and lockers or cubbies for organizing the kids’ school needs for the next day helps de-stress the morning rush, getting everyone out the door on time with everything. Beyond merely noticing those amenities, this helps people appreciate, and value, them.

Your model home was built from Design Basics’ Cedar Hill (#42435) home plan. In talking with your prospective buyers, you find out his parents, who live in Oregon, come to visit every fall so they can take in a couple of their grandson’s football games. Using forward framing, your salesperson helps the visitors envision and appreciate having two owner’s suites as well as a third main floor bedroom. Then she shares her own story of moving her mother-in-law in after a fall and broken hip, and how wonderful it would have been to have an actual second bedroom suite.

Cedar Hill – #42435

The persuasive power of personal experience, and the emotion that comes through such stories, implants that thought and makes the dual owner’s suite concept more memorable. The hopeful buyers consider the fact that one day, they too, may want to move aging parents in and how desirable that suite would be. Another benefit, being more memorable, such amenities are more likely to be talked about, jump-starting word-of-mouth on your behalf. 

As your salesperson leads the visitors into the kitchen, she talks about the importance of storage as she points to the oversized, work-in kitchen pantry. Again, forward framing makes certain design features more noticeable. She goes on to point out the electrical outlets in the pantry, suggesting that’s a great place for keeping small appliances plugged in and ready to use – an amenity that might have been underappreciated or perhaps missed entirely. Ultimately, visitors have a better model home experience due to your salesperson’s forward framing… and, your company sells more homes!

At Design Basics, we have the tools to help you stand out from other builders:

Contact us today to learn more: 800.947.7526

When Pets Rule!

When Pets Rule!

by | Dec 26, 2017 | Great Design, HER Home

We have a retriever that loves to run around a nearby lake made by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. She especially loves to roll around in the bait and any dead fish left on the banks of the water. The smell…

When we get her home, it’s bath time—no big deal if the temperature’s above 40 degrees—but when it’s cold, we bathe her in one of the bathtubs or showers. Unfortunately, we have a two-story home and all of the tubs and showers are upstairs on the second floor with the bedrooms, which means picking up the stinky, wet, dirty dog and carrying her to an upstairs bathroom. The struggle and the mess!

Oh how I wish we had designed a rear foyer with a pet center, complete with storage for pet food and other supplies AND a doggie shower! What a convenience to have everything right there and not have to traipse through the house. When it comes to pet centers, there are many ways to design. The photo above shows a pet bath, while the photo at left shows a pet shower. With a larger pet, the shower may be more ideal than an elevated shower for getting her in and out. Also, think about storage needs – bathing, brushing, food, treats, leashes, etc.

Keep in mind, a pet center isn’t just designed for a dog, a cat or other pet needs a place for their stuff, too. And, that shower is handy for rinsing off after working in the garage/yard or dirty kids or equipment/toys!

For more on designing with your pet in mind, visit our resources library for “Home Design Dogma, Creating a Pet-Friendly Home.”