“Clarification of affordable or reasonably priced modern homes”
Received from a builder and designer of “modern homes” I am looking for clarification of the term “affordable” and/or “reasonably” priced modern homes.
When speaking of affordable /reasonably priced modern home
are you referring to:
a.) the cost per foot of a new home?
or
b.) the overall cost to acquire the home?
The Kaufmann House “A SEMINAL MODERNIST MASTERPIECE”
Christie’s Realty International, Inc. is delighted to announce the sale of Richard Neutra’s seminal Kaufmann House on the night of Christie’s New York May 13 Spring 2008 Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening sale. Along with Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House and Philip Johnson’s Glass House, Neutra’s Kaufmann House is one of the most important examples of modernist residential architecture in the Americas and remains singular as the most important example of mid-century modernist architecture in the Americas to remain in private hands. It carries an estimate of $15,000,000 to $25,000,000. read more
modernhouston.weekly real estate 5015 Heatherglen
Quintessential Restored Custom Built Mid Century Modern Designed by Architect William Wortham! Fabulous Floor Plan w/Lots Glass & Natural Light. In Era Sunken Formal Living Room & Raised Formal Dining Room that features ‘Saucer’ Bubble Lamp.The Kitchen Touts ‘Intact’ Retro-Modern Suspended Walnut Cabinets w/Original Pulls, Updated Stainless Steel Double Ovens, Stainless Steel Dishwasher, VCT Flooring & Glass Tile Backsplash. Poured Terrazo Floors in the Den & Foyer. Pristine Walnut Paneled Walls in the Den. MasterSuite w/Sitting Area & 2 Walk-in closets. (see more)
modernhouston.weekly featured furniture
Cassina Aspen Sofas in two widths, 70.9″ and 102.4″. The backrest is hallmarked by a horizontal twist that can turn either left or right. The 70.9″ sofas (left and right) can be linked together to form a single item.The elements have visible bases in chrome-plated steel and transparent nylon feet. The inner structure is in steel, padded with CFC-free, differentiated density polyurethane foam and polyester wadding. Removable upholstery in fabric or leather. The model is integrated with coffee tables that can also be placed alongside the sofas. (find out where to buy)
Advantage:Modern by Steven Kleiman
Advantage: Modern Why Modern Homeowners Have The Edge In Today’s Real Estate Market by: Steven Kleiman
Modern homeowners rejoice! If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’re in luck. Even though it’s a buyer’s market right now, you’ve got the advantage on owners of traditional homes trying to sell their properties. Why? Well, it’s a simple issue of supply and demand.
The interest in modern homes has been growing by leaps and bounds of the last few years, especially in Houston. However, only a handful of homebuilders and developers have caught on to that fact. As a result, only about 2,000 properties in metro-Houston are considered true modern residences. That’s a drop in a bucket compared to the tens of thousands of Colonial, French, English, etc. homes. Therefore, in supply and demand terms, supply of modern homes is low and the demand is high, putting modern homeowners in a better position than other homeowners of drawing homebuyers to the property and of striking a deal at, or above, their asking price.
Despite the innate advantage that modern homeowners have in Houston’s current market, the rules of selling real estate remain the same. Modern homeowners will still need to put in the “work” to sell their property such as:
Prepare the home for sale.
You MUST look at your home with an outsider’s perspective. You may love your home as-is but to an outsider, what you think of as a slight imperfection can be major issue that would dissolve any interest they once had in the home.
Have the property assessed for its true value.
A homeowner’s perceived value of his / her home is often very different than the actual market value of a home. So, don’t set price on what you think your home is worth. Instead, price your home in accordance with the market. That’s crucial to getting noticed! FYI: Many homeowners try to price a home according to what they “need” to get for the home. That’s a big mistake too.
Promote and advertise the property.
Image is everything. How you describe your home, show your home, and present your home (and yourself) to others can make thedifference between you selling the home within days and you continuing to pay the mortgage on that home for months. In that sense, selling a home is just like any other business: You need to comeup with a solid marketing plan before putting your home on the market. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting a lot of time, money, and energy.
One final recommendation: Do consider hiring a real estate agent!
It might sound archaic with all of the do-it-yourself options out there but the reality is that what most do-it-yourselfers think they’re saving in real estate commissions, they pay for in mistakes made along the way.
It’s a fact, folks: An Internet site is not going to negotiate a deal for you, translate real estate contracts into “everyday Joe” terms, or make sure that the deal is transacted in your best interest. (want info about Steven)
modernhouston.furniture - Pool Coffee Table
Niels Bendtsen’s Pool Table Collection (2004) is a juxtaposition of undisturbed flat water (like a table) and man-made squares and rectangles (like a pool).Highlighting these shapes are the green edges of the thick glass and reflections in the frosted or black tabletops. Pool’s tempered glass top and sides are permanently fused at mitered corners using a UV gluing process that offers rigid strength and a clean connection.
Exposed edges are polished flat, making them smooth to the touch. The top’s color is silk-screened on the bottom of the panel and then baked to give a flawless and permanent hue. A variety of sizes offer several nesting possibilities, easily arranged to fit individual needs. 13.75″ W 41.5″ D 19.75″ (where to buy)
modernhouston.featured Artist Aaron Parazette
Aaron’s recent work utilizes the letterforms in words culled from surfing terminology; words such as Dealing, Rock Dance and Shine are broken down into individual letters and used as compositional elements. read more about Aaaron
modernhouston.weekly featured real estate 403 Westminster
THIS IMPORTANT HOME DESIGNED BY HARWOOD TAYLOR RESTORED BY STERN AND BUCEK, IS SITUATED IN A PEACEFUL SETTING OVERLOOKING BAYOU. THIS HOME IS RECOGNIZED BY GREATER HOUSTON PRESERVATION ALLIANCE AND A RECIPIENT OF GOOD BRICK AWARD. AMENITIES INCLUDE 5/6 BDRS,5+BATHS, GUEST HOUSE ATTACHED BY BREEZEWAY, NEW LUXURY POOL, JAPANESE STYLE HOT TUB, INCREDIBLE DECKING AND LANDSCAPING, KITCHEN HAS STAINLESS COUNTERS, EUROPEAN APPLIANCES, WALLS OF GLASS THROUGHOUT, SOARING CEILINGS, ELEVATOR TO 2 ROOMS.DOWN.
(details)
Green Is the Ultimate Mod
Hold on to your hats, folks. If you want to keep up with the Jones’ on the housing front, going bigger isn’t going to cut it anymore. Today, for the Jones’ and others on the forefront of home trends, it’s all about how
much green you’ve got…and I’m not talking about money.
Green modern homes, or eco-friendly houses as they’re sometimes called, are “what’s hot” in modern homes right now. That’s because of two reasons:
(1) Green modern homes are designed (literally) to save the environment.
(2) Living in a green home is easier on the pocketbook than a traditional home.
So, as you go out green house hunting, whether you’re a sightseer or a buyer, here are some features to look for:
◊ Solar panels on the roof, but make sure the technology is current. (No pun intended.)
◊ Insulated windows above and beyond traditional double panes
◊ Tank-less Water Heaters
◊ Low-flow faucets and showerheads and low-volume flush toilet tanks
◊ Fluorescent or LED lighting throughout the house
◊ Environmentally friendly flooring (i.e. Bamboo instead of hardwoods)
◊ Rainwater collection system and drip irrigation in the flowerbeds
◊ Appliances with high EERs (energy efficiency ratings)
◊ Low-maintenance Xeriscape-based landscaping
If you’re thinking about custom building a green home or purchasing a newly constructed modern home from a green builder, consider requesting the following:
Recycled Building Materials. The home should make good use of recycled materials and / or biodegradable materials. For example, use salvaged wood instead of newly cut wood for building and use recycled glass for countertops instead of marble or granite.
Rooftop Landscaping: Another emerging trend in green homes, though less common to see in your everyday neighborhood, is rooftop gardens. It’s not just for downtown high-rise buildings anymore. They’re great if you have the opportunity to add one on because the vegetation will help to regulate your home’s temperature.
It may not be easy to find a modern green home with many, if not all, of the “green” features listed above, but more and more consumers are demanding “greener” homes when they build or remodel. To have a green home that’ll one-up the Jones’, make sure that the home is built by a green builder and / or is certified green through an organization such as the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org).
Do you live in a Houston-area modern green home? Great!
Tell me why you went green and how going green has changed how you live.
Biography:
Steven Kleiman is a licensed real estate broker and the owner of Houston, Texas-based
Oakington Realty. The firm provides agent services to buyers, sellers and investors
interested in real estate inside the I-610 Loop. To learn more about modern real estate
in metro-Houston, contact Steven at: realestate@modernhouston.net
A Contemporary Take On “Modern Real Estate” by Steven Kleiman
This is Modern Houston, so it only makes sense that a column from me, your local Modern Houston Real Estate Specialist, would focus on…what else? Modern homes!
Hi everybody. I’m Steven Kleiman, and there is so much to know when it comes to modern real estate. Lucky for you, I have no shortage of things to talk about! Now, since this is my inaugural column, I figure that I’d give you a crash course on exactly what modern / contemporary real estate is.
A “modern home” (aka “Classic Modern”) is often considered a house that was built in the early 20th century, usually anytime from the around the 1920s through the 1980s, because the predominant architectural style for the homes was more simple than the highly ornate homes built prior to the 1900s. Meanwhile, homes built from the 1980s to present day are often called “contemporary homes” (aka “Contemporary Modern”). Contemporary homes often exhibit even more simplicity than modern homes. That simplicity is conveyed, not only in the structure of the home but also the landscaping, interior design, and living space.
Semantics sticklers may differentiate between Modern / Classic Modern and Contemporary / Contemporary Modern; Generally, I don’t. I tend to use contemporary and modern interchangeably because out here in the real world of real estate, the styles often mesh. In fact, I like to describe modern / contemporary real estate to my clients as structures characterized by amazing architecture, smart design and an environment that fits the homeowner.
Contemporary real estate is an exciting topic to explore and I look forward to sharing my contemporary real estate knowledge with you. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll teach me a thing or two as well. Here’s hoping! If you live in a modern home or if you see one while you’re out, send me a picture with some information about it and why you think it’s a great example of a modern home. It may just become a talking piece for my next column!
Biography:Steven Kleiman is a licensed real estate broker and the owner of Houston, Texas-based Oakington Realty. The firm provides agent services to buyers, sellers and investors interested in real estate inside the I-610 Loop
