Today I saw the best yard ever. Large, level, fenced and sunny, it had everything I look for in a yard. There were flower gardens and vegetable gardens. The patio had covered and open areas - both large enough for a table and chairs. And of course there was an area for the grill. I want that yard.
This sort of thing has happened to me before. One of the interesting aspects of working in real estate is that you see different versions of the standard features. Sometimes the features are basic elements of the property like the home style, topography, or view. These features cannot be reasonably replicated elsewhere. In this case I can’t have the yard unless I buy the house.
Other times the interesting features could be replicated. For example, I could use the ideas of a particularly well done kitchen in a different house. It wouldn’t be exactly the same, but close enough to capture the feel and functionality of the space.
The ultimate in collecting unique features is to build your own home. You get to make all the decisions (not always a good thing) and set the priorities for the design. I’ve always thought that it would be really interesting to work with a professional to design a home that brings together a collection of my favorite features into a single cohesive property.
My home wouldn’t be over the top. It would have relatively common features like a kitchen with built-in electronics, a master bath with heated floors and towel bars, second floor laundry, and an entertainment system with projector in the family room. I would also want some less common features like a rooftop deck, elevator, and rainwater collection system. All of this would be wrapped up into a traditional design with historic elements. I think it could be done, but I would certainly have to save my nickels.
Now if only I could build it on that yard…
