Survey Says…Builder’s Single-Family Homes in 2014
The most important part of being a builder is being able to not only exceed customer expectation but also to anticipate the customer’s needs by staying ahead of the swiftly changing world. With greenhouse gasses becoming a real concern, and energy efficiency taking a precedence over other standard amenities in many homes, builders must be on the cutting edge of technology and knowledge in order to compete with other builders in the industry and in their area.
At Ron Lee Homes, Ron Lee and Nancy Lee are constantly striving to re-educate about the building industry as the real estate industry in St. Tammany Parish grows and changes. The way that they are able to stay abreast of the latest home building trends is to become certified with the National Association of Home Builders in the many different certifications that are offered. Ron Lee has a Certified Graduate Builder Designation and the Certified Green Professional Designation while Nancy Lee has achieved a Certified Marketing Professional Designation from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Following this trend, the NAHB recently did a survey of its builders to learn the design trends for single-family homes in the United States in 2014. The survey had some very opinionated results from a selection of builders.
Based on ratings from 1 to 5, where 1=not at all likely and 5= very likely, the top rated design details were walk-in closet in master bedroom, low-e windows, laundry room and great room. If you have ever toured a home built by Ron Lee Homes or Hearthstone 
Homes by Ron Lee, you were probably blown away by the unique design of the great room and the master bedrooms created and architecturally produced by Ron Lee. Our great rooms or family rooms feature unique single, double, and triple crown molding that is sometimes crafted by separating columns and come complete with a wall of windows and a custom-designed fireplace finished with crown molding and imported marble. Our great rooms have also featured brick, stone, and real wood beam finishes as well as built-ins for bookshelves and large screen televisions.
Our master bedroom closets all are walk-in and usually are completed with custom closet shelves, shoe racks, drawers, and cubbies in order to properly organize the closet. Low e-windows have been a standard in homes by Ron Lee since they were introduced to the real estate industry in the early 2000’s. We take laundry rooms to the next level by including a “farm sink” and mud room type feel in the laundry room. We also include built-in cabinets both overhead and installed on the floor in our laundry rooms. Below you can see a complete breakdown of the most popular items.
.In addition to these items, there were several energy efficient items that were popular picks for the builders that were surveyed: Energy-star rated appliances and windows, a programmable thermostat, and insulation higher than required by code. Being a Certified Green Builder, Ron Lee has always taken great care to utilize as many “green features” as possible in his new and custom homes that he builds in St. Tammany Parish, so for 2014, there will probably be a greater prevalence and variety of green features from which to choose.
Finally, the list of popular features chosen by builders is finished by interior features such as a double-sink in the kitchen, granite countertops and a kitchen island. The kitchens designed and built by Ron Lee Homes are some of the most highly customized kitchens designed by builders in St. Tammany Parish. You can view them here. We anticipate continuing to exceed each of our last custom homes in design for many years to come.
Outdoor design elements that were picked to be popular in 2014 included front porches, patios and custom outdoor lighting. In Southeast Louisiana, home buyers are very interested in their outdoor spaces because of the beautiful warm weather of our region. 
Many buyers whether they be single professionals, couples, or families spend much of their time enjoying the exteriors of their homes, so Ron Lee Homes builds homes accordingly. Our ornately designed deep-South, covered front porches offer plenty of room to rock on the porch at night, listening to the tree frogs and night owls. We also install sound systems, custom lighting, and ceiling fans to complete this outdoor space. Our back patios are sometimes completely fabricated utilizing brick design, and Ron Lee Homes also has a portfolio of custom homes that offer outdoor kitchens, fountains, and courtyards.
The future looks bright for Ron Lee Homes in 2014 as we have stayed on the cutting-edge trends in which home buyers are interested in 2014. For Information in Building a New or Custom Home, Contact Us Today at 985-626-7619 or E-mail [email protected].
