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Does Your Home Have The 'WOW' Factor ?

Are two houses of identical design, size and presentation standard always equal? What if the living area of one faces north and the other south? Given that more buyers write ‘north-facing’ on their wish list, the north-facing property is surely more saleable than the south-facing one.

Buyers and sellers alike wonder why apparently similar houses sell for different prices. Many people fail to take into account less measurable aspects of a home’s appeal – orientation, design that maximises natural light, pleasing proportions and other factors that contribute to market appeal. Such qualities are almost too elusive, too abstract to count as features, but they give the property that someting extra - the 'wow' factor.

The 'wow' factor is hard to define and measure but it can be as simple as the overall impression created by regular maintenance and attention to detail in the presentation of the property. However, it is more likely to be a function of the original design concept of the house. 

 After all, it is not uncommon for homeowners to “save” money at the planning stage of building or extensions. They achieve the measurable features they were after but not the elusive 'wow' factor. Good design, especially the skilful use of natural light, window placement and correct orientation on the land adds something you can recognise but can’t always define. Many people add on, or make minor changes as the need arises without taking a holistic view of their property. They think in terms of immediate solutions to particular problems (need large fourth bedroom with ensuite for master bedroom) rather than conceptualising the impact of the house as a whole (small living area and kitchen means scale of property is out of balance).

Extending without reference to the scale of the home, for example, creates an floorplan that is not balanced and harmonious. Such a house is likely to lack the aesthetic pull of more cohesive designs even though the number of features looks the same when listed.

Home owners who want to save money should be aware that skimping on planning and design could mean that the house never reaches it’s full potential in terms of re-sale value, no matter how impressive its many ‘features’.

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