recently, many homes that were not built to really benefit its surroundings have come to my awareness. This hurts the resale value. These said homes are most likely in tract subdivisions. One of the most egregious examples is a property I previewed recently to be found on a cul-de-sac lot neighboring to devoted greenbelt area. To the left of the property, and straight out the cul-de-sac as you go into the street is natural ranchland dotted with stunning mature oak trees, local vegetation, and a wet weather creek. A area that is devoted not to be urbanized. It's pure Texas Hill Country scenery of the kind one sees in photos and that you imagine appreciating from a back porch rocking chair or swing. It is way better than looking at a neighbor's house. The person who made the house sure did blow it.



Much to my amazement, the floorplan of this property presents no recognition or orientation to this wholesome setting--not a bit at all. Had I built on this lot, I would have chosen a floorplan that allowed the living room and/or kitchen windows to point out onto the open area, and I would have added a huge roofed patio from which the local Texas scenery could be enjoyed. This property was built without even a roofed patio in back, and the patio itself is a small 5'8 foot concrete lump. Upstairs, the master bedroom is on the other part of the house from the open area and presents no view.

If nothing else, the same floorplan could have been flipped to the reverse side, had a few windows shifted or added to the proper areas, and the breakfast area and kitchen would have had a view and the master bedroom would have looked out over the local Texas scenery.

So why in the world would a person construct a house on this lot that doesn't make full advantage of this wonderful and serene view? In my point of view, people would choose first a floorplan and then pick a lot to place it on when buying for a new house, although they don't make time to decide whether the house is a fine match for the chosen lot. I've also witnessed builder spec houses built with the same lack of thinking as to which floorplan may best make advantage of natural surroundings and/or orientation of the lot.

On the flip side, there can as well be negative characteristics of a lot that better thinking can lessen. An example, would you construct a house with the windows of the master bedroom in the frontage of the house at the 'T' end of the street? No, because the headlights from vehicles at night will shine into your bedroom windows. If you don't consider of things like this ahead of time, you will unluckily discover it the first night after you transfer in.

If you're getting prepared to construct or purchase a new house, pay concentration to how well the house and the lot you've chosen flatter each other. Stay away from houses that grossly ignore this relationship. Be conscious of the alignment of the streets and potential interruption of light from time road traffic to your house. Focus on the compass orientation of the house, the natural sunlight may either flatter or distress your living space .

Because of these types of issues I scratch numerous candidate properties off the list when previewing houses for purchaser prospects. To make a fine house it takes more than a fine floorplan, this is why these houses that look perfect in Internet photos and on paper doesn't survive on the first visit. It has to be the proper floorplan for that lot.