These days everyone is working harder to be more competitive, but in my opinion something is missing. Amped-up web marketing and sales strategies help, but to really survive in this economy, builders need to refine and refurbish every aspect of their business, especially their product offering. Builders... if you show today's discerning buyers new and innovative floor plans instead of the same old ones you've been using for the past 10 years, I'm confident that you will see results!

Smaller and Smarter

Fidelity Homes Cordoba Model Architect: The Evans Group

Due to today's economically conservative climate and the movement for more eco-friendly and energy conscious lifestyle, buyers are looking for smaller, more modestly sized homes. But the most popular homes are not just smaller, they are designed more precisely to function better. Replace the wasted space with creative uses that fit the lifestyle of today's buyer. In Fidelity Homes' Cordoba Model, The Evans Group designed the kids' work and study center to wrap around on the back side of the kitchen wall, and adjacent to the laundry room. In this 2,312 sq ft home, parents are able to prepare dinner, oversee their kids' internet browsing, and manage laundry easily and simultaneously. As we move into an era where there may be two cooks in the kitchen, this house is wisely designed with plenty of prep counter space to accommodate both Mom and Dad cooking together.

Fidelity Homes Cordoba Model Architect: The Evans Group

Also, note the kitchen's convenient proximity to the garage - a must-have when considering the trek for unloading groceries. We merchandised the laundry room as a multi-use space that also functions well for wrapping gifts, storing cleaning supplies, keeping Fido's doggie treats and doing crafts. The adjacent Florida Basement makes the perfect mud room for storing kids backpacks, sports gear that would normally clutter the garage, and hobby items for gardening or golf.

Open Floor Plan = Appetizers at Our House!

Connor Bros. Construction Arrowstone Model

The "cocooning effect" is back with families staying home to watch movies and eat dinner rather than going out to spend money at a restaurant. What does that mean for the home? Entertainment at home has become much more popular. Open floor plans with seamless connections from the kitchen to the family room and dining rooms make it easy for socializing with family and friends at home. In the empty nester community, National Village in Opelika, Alabama, we merchandised the Arrowstone Model with soft contemporary dining table set for eight. The kitchen bar displayed attractive appetizers (fake food works well in models, but real appetizers will give your prospective buyers a more tasty experience of the home!) and wine glasses set for four. The dining and kitchen spaces are open to an adjacent great room with an impressive stone fireplace.

Reynolds Plantation Creek Club Cottage

Also remember that outdoor living is a popular way to demonstrate lifestyle in your floor plans to entertainment-savvy buyers. The modestly-sized porch at Reynolds Plantation's Creek Club Cottage model in Greensboro, Georgia made a perfect cozy location for winding down with companions, with a glass of wine in hand and dinner sizzling on the grill. While summer kitchens are still popular, they have scaled back in size.

Floor Plan No-No's and Yes-Yes's

Some floor plans are just plain... flops! We've seen the good, the bad and the ugly, so we want you to learn from the mistakes of others rather than your own. Be very careful to preserve the sanctity of the master bedroom suite. Don't allow the master bedroom to share a wall with the laundry room's noisy washer and dryer, or the kitchen's cabinets. If "dad" wakes up early and starts banging around in the kitchen, waking up "mom", that won't make for a happy house!

We also suggest that it's important not to overwhelm buyers with too many floor plans. Rather, psychology has shown that your buyers will be more satisfied with their choice if they have only a handful of floor plans (we recommend offering between 4 and 5) to select from. How, then, will you provide options to your buyers who like customization? How can you appeal to a wider range of buyer demographics and life stages? Jenny Sullivan's article last year on Builder Online talks about how a California builder offered only a few plans with a variety of flexible floor plan configurations to "accommodate spaces such as a formal dining room, hobby room, guest suite, or extra garage space, as well as universal design features" (see source below). People want options, but some people are willing to provide their own options.

After touring parade of homes entries in the suburbs of Jacksonville, Florida last month, an innovative floor plan by Lennar Homes caught my attention. After talking with the sales representative, I learned that their innovative product, combined with the company's "what you see is what you get" sales strategy appealed so much to today's buyer, they have sold 8 homes in the past month! Do-it-yourself buyers loved the simplicity of buying the home without added upgrade costs. These buyers are confident in their own ability to install (or hire someone to install) their own crown molding and granite countertops. With today's affordable rates offered by remodelers (see this recent article by New York Times), self-installed upgrades are perhaps just another way home buyers are willing to compromise to save money.

Wrap-Up: Roll-out New and Different New Home Products

Before the invention of the television in the 1950's, there was no family room... only a formal living room. Before we had washing machines and dryers, there was no need for a room dedicated to those laundry appliances.

Dock Street Communities Rutledge Model

Builders, I encourage you to think about today's buyers and how different their lifestyle is now that we have laptops and iPods. Traditional office/den spaces are not as necessary because of wireless internet, but many people are starting store-front businesses in their mixed-use live/work home, like Dock Street Community's Rutledge townhome that we merchandised with an art gallery on the first floor. Space inside the home's entry for stop-and-drop has become more important for home owners to dump their wallet, cell phone, PDA, iPod and digital camera. I challenge you to work with your architect and interior merchandiser to really examine your product and determine if your floor plans need a facelift. Your success in this competitive market hinges on your willingness to innovate and update!

Sources: Sullivan, Jenny. "Sliding Scale." Builder Online. 15 August 2008. http://www.builderonline.com/best-selling-communities/sliding-scale.aspx