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Is anyone listening?

June 8th, 2007 · Comments · By Matt

Seattle PI, When diners speak up online, restaurants listen.

When condo consumers speak up online do developers, architects, interior designers, marketing firms and real estate agents listen?

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  • Re: Hardwoods

    I hate floating hardwoods and/or three strip. Doesn't look good and feels cheap as you walk across it and feel it flex.

    Re: Appliances

    After taking a look at appliances I'd now prefer if they put in 36" ranges to facilitate upgrading to higher end appliances without also having to re-do your kitchen cabinetry and counter.

    Re: Kitchen size

    I think Lumen did a nice job with their galley style kitchens. Those seem to be a good style for the urbanite who eats out or gets lots of take out.
  • jasonC
    I currently rent a well designed 30s studio apartment, which seems roomier that many 1 bedrooms I see on the market.

    My other half and I also have noticed that 1920s and 1930s layouts seemed to be VERY generous in the living area. THe modern layout is all about the "open" kitchen and palatial bathrooms. Kitchens as an area you'd entertain in (or want to entertain in) is really a postwar concept, it's interesting it even extended to urban condo layouts where I always sort of assumed takeaway and restaurant eating was more the order of the day.
  • Phil
    I've decided it's no longer worth buying new; why should I have to pay/live with somebody else's designer mistakes? Poor floor layouts are another complaint of mine. I currently rent a well designed 30's studio apartment, which seems roomier that many 1 bedrooms I see on the market.
    Either I'll buy an older condo/house that is priced for a major remodel, or have something built. Not in any hurry, so I'll still be lurking around here.
  • EconE
    I personally don't have a problem with slab granite myself...as long as it is nice granite (there are varying grades) I do however think that there are many other fine substitutes out there. I do have a problem with tile granite counters, or any other food prep surfaces that have grout.

    With regards to appliances. I think that these are personal preference items and condos should be sold sans appliances.

    Hardwood floors...still a must in my opinion. I just wish that the builders would use a real TIG solid wood floor rather than the engineered wood floors. When the cable guy came recently to hook up my cable he thought the floors were pergo. Canadian Hard Rock Maple for me thank you.
  • jasonC
    Slab granite will date just like everything dates....then the pendulum will swing back. Half of what Live Historic is doing is replacing one generation's idea of a much needed upgrade/improvement with what has come back around (white subway tiles: case in point, they were loathed in the 50s & 60s).
  • Dan L
    Matt - try Stone Specific (brand) Granite Cleaner and Sealer. Comes in a 1 qt. spray bottle, about $10 at Home Depot. I use it on our granite and it works better than anything else I've found. Easy to apply too.

    As for granite and wood floors, I guess it's becoming too common to have much cachet anymore, but it's a proven seller with lasting appeal. I know that if I buy a place with granite counters, in 10 years it probably will appeal to more buyers than a concrete or Richlite countertop, and real wood floors will appeal more than cork.

    I know of one building that was sold as shells, very affordable shells at that: the Banner Building on Western. Amazing building, and some of the resales I've seen are impeccably finished.

    For those looking for something different, The Martin, if it ever gets built, will have very unique fnishes. Some preliminary stuff is posted on their site. I'd be concerned that it's too trendy or has limited appeal though.
  • Dan C
    All the "historic chic" condo conversions (read: Live Historic) should come with "period" pieces to make the house more trendy/historic.

    I am thinking:

    1950's conversion
    Real ROTARY DIAL PHONE!
    A washboard instead of a machine
    A crank start icebox
    Black and white TV's that play the Lone Ranger


    I am sensing a new trend...anyone with me?
  • Re: Granite

    I hate my granite tile countertops. They never look clean! Everything little thing leaves a mark and then when I wipe it clean that leaves a mark. I really want something low maintenance that hides my mess.

    Re: Raw kitchens/bath

    I totally agree and was shocked to find I couldn't buy a shell. Now I've spoken to some developers about this and apparently a few projects tried this in the past and failed. One of the biggest problems is that it is really really hard to finance unfinished units because they won't have a certificate of occupancy. There have also been a few projects (i.e. Monique Lofts) that put in low end finishes on the assumption people would upgrade and if you look at most re-sales very few people actually went to the effort of upgrading.

    I'm happy what Trace has done which is put in okay kitchens and baths so if you don't re-finish it won't look bad but didn't put something so expensive in (slab granite) that you feel bad ripping it out a month after you move in because you don't happen to like their choices. I mean it's still wasteful to rip out brand new bathroom flooring and kitchen countertops but there is no other option now.
  • JasonC
    How about leave out all the designer kitchen upgrades, reduce the already high price by $15,000 and let people do what they want with the interior.

    Yes, I've always wondered why more developers don't offer this as an option. Leaving the kitchen or bathroom completely raw/undone in exchange for a small price reduction. Or are they really making that much money and getting that amazing of a bulk-buying knock-off deal on those stainless microwaves and acrylic bathtubs?
  • Dan C
    How about leave out all the "designer" kitchen upgrades, reduce the already high price by $15,000 and let people do what they want with the interior.
  • JasonC
    "Is anyone else sick of slab granite countertops"

    AMEN! Whats even worse are the cheesy marketing people who still go on and on about how hip and cosmopolitan granite and stainless is. I'm always thinking "yeah, that's what my mother thinks too..."
  • Steve
    I am a Developer Rep for a condominium marketing firm in Seattle and I am just as tired of slab granite and stainless steel appliances as you are. What kinds of product do you want to see? When doing a condominium project there is an enormous amount of risk, our job is to help minimize that risk as much as possible. We know slab granite works but other products like concrete are not as proven. We are listening.
  • kh
    keep telling that to the marketing firms :) maybe they'll actually be convinced if we tell them what we really want.

    the interior designers and architects strive for originality in design! but it's up to the developer and marketing groups to give us the opportunity since they "know what people want".
  • Dan C
    Is anyone else sick of slab granite countertops and hardwood floors? Can we see some originality in design? I understand appealing to the masses...but seriously!
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