What are buyers looking for? From mundane to gadgets.

November 20, 2008

Just today I came across an ad for a garage lift (Garage Lift) showing how you can park two cars in a single car garage with the help of a nifty lift that tucks one car away in the basement. Supposedly saves you money from building an additional garage…Knowing my luck, I’d crush the car on top trying to get mine out from the basement! I can see where it might be a valuable addition to homes with a tight footprint in high cost areas, but for most of us with the luxury of ample lot space, a double car garage is the much more easy alternative!

Kitchens and baths are still extremely important. Kitchens that can double as a living space are incredibly popular. It’s difficult to cram party goers into an 8x8 foot space while you finish up cooking the appetizers. Updated appliances make cooking easy and fast. I built a new home a few years ago and I wouldn’t trade my Advantium microwave/halogen oven for anything – same goes for my induction cook top. Having set fire to my previous kitchen I appreciate the fact that nothing will burn on the cook top! However, guests who bring over a ceramic saucepan with their potluck are a little bemused as to why my stove doesn’t work for them but it works for me – “Magic!” I say.

Buyers are looking for bright, inviting kitchens, with plenty of space for all the gadgets they’ve accumulated over the years. Many cooks drool over walk in pantries and space for a matching fridge and freezer. Solid surface counters are still one of the most desirable features, but now there are other options such as composite granite, cork, stainless steel to choose from. Islands are starting to look like furniture and freezer, refrigerator and warming drawers still remain popular, and are even migrating out of the kitchen into other areas of the house. I wish I’d gone with a warming drawer instead of a heated towel rack in my bathroom – the rack only warms the section of the towel it touches. Hardly worth turning on in the morning. And talking of bathrooms - over 50% of Japenese now have some kind of water washing toilets. Charmin beware. You can find these nifty toilet seats on Amazon for less than $500 - it's worth watching the promotional videos! (Toto Washlet)

Many buyers appreciate good lighting – from well designed artificial light to energy efficient windows that let in sun and open the home to views. Other improvements are integrated sound, ipod docks and of course, home theaters. With motorized screens, projector lifts and darkening shades, it is possible to combine a living space with a home theater with a flip of a button. During the day, a formal living room – by night a ground shaking cinema showing the latest Indiana Jones movie!

As of 11/27/09 the Ronald Hill RePage is ranked at 12,062 with 20 points.
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Local Information for Saco, ME

Latitude: 43.510425 -- Longitude: -70.44492

Other Area Cities: Saco Kennebunk Biddeford Portland

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Granted in 1630 by the Plymouth Company to Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonython, the town extended 4 miles along the sea, and 8 inland. Settled in 1631 as part of "Winter Harbor" {as Biddeford Pool was first known), it included Biddeford. It would be reorganized in 1653 by the General Court of Massachusetts as "Saco," like the Sokokis (or Saco) Indians who once hunted and fished along the Saco River. The community would be incorporated in 1718 as "Biddeford," the fourth town in Maine. The northeastern bank separated in 1762 with the name "Pepperellborough," in honor of Sir William Pepperrell, a late proprietor. It was renamed "Saco" in 1805, and incorporated as a city in 1867. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Maine 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Saco	Maine	United States
Population	16,822	1,274,923	281,421,906
Median age	37.2	38.6	35.3
Median age for Male	36.1	37.6	34
Median age for Female	38.1	39.6	36.5
Households	6,801	518,200	105,480,101
Household population	16,581	1,240,011	273,643,273
Average household size	2.44	2.39	2.59
Families	4,594	340,685	71,787,347
Average family size	2.93	2.9	3.14
Housing units	7,424	651,901	115,904,641
Occupied units	6,801	518,200	105,480,101
Vacant units	623	133,701	10,424,540

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