Miami-based designer and author Marianne Cusato knows a lot about the touchy subject of buyer’s remorse. She has spent years talking to homeowners about what they like–and don’t like–about their houses. BUILDER talks with Cusato about what building pros can do to make sure their customers are happy after move in.
What are the top home buyer regrets?
Financial
surprises are at the heart of most regrets. According to a recent Chase bank
survey of recent home buyers, 90% of people felt prepared to make a purchase, but 56% admitted they
wish they had more information about financial aspects before purchasing. 34%
said owning a home was more expensive than they had planned. Hidden
expenses beyond the monthly mortgage are typically to blame for these
surprises. The expense of commuting, heating and cooling, and general maintenance
can add up fast. Additionally, according to the same Chase survey, 80% of
people thought they were buying a house that was move-in ready, yet 76% said
they had already renovated or were planning to do so in the near term.
What do buyers tell you
are the biggest pitfalls to finding their perfect dwelling?
One of the largest
pitfalls that I see is mixing up dreams and expectations. A dream is the
vision, expectations are the strings we put on that vision. For instance, you
might dream of having a big yard, that’s fine. The trouble comes when you
expect that your kids will spend time playing in that yard. The pitfall comes
when you are frustrated mowing and paying to maintain that yard that your kids
don’t go in because they never have the time.
Similarly, a dream might be a chef’s kitchen. With this might come the
expectation that you will have family meals every night. This adds many
stresses when schedules don’t align or preparing meals becomes a
burden.
How can builders avoid the issues that lead to these regrets?
Offer cost
per month information. How much will it cost to heat and cool this home? How
much will it cost to maintain the yard?
What are some of the top features
that buyers are looking for right now?
Americans want homes designed for
people first, cars second–homes that are connected to walkable communities
rather than auto-dependent mono-cultures. These type of communities have garages pushed to the side or back of the homes, sidewalks, trees, and a
connection to walkable amenities, ideally shops and restaurants.
Your new book is the Just Right Home. What is that?
The Just Right Home is one that strikes the tricky balance between function, cost, and delight. It must work for the way your customer lives, both in layout and location and it must be affordable for them to live in, maintain, and operate. Yet, beyond these purely functional features, your buyers or tenants must love the place. Balancing in all three requires trade-offs and a true understanding of not just your clients’ wants and needs but also what they are willing to sacrifice and what they are willing to pay for.
Please tell us a bit about your new venture, Dwellaware.com.
I am an Advisory Council member for the
start-up Dwellaware.com, which is currently being tested. The long-term vision is to create a
resource that plays matchmaker between an individual and their ideal
neighborhood as well as ideal home. The site focuses on livability and comfort
balanced with monthly expenses and cost of living to create Dwell scores for
different homes and locations. The company is currently only in the San
Diego area, but plans to expand.
