Privacy please!
Are you looking for a home that offers privacy from the neighbors? A home where you don’t have to be fully dressed in order to enjoy your morning cup of coffee? You are not alone! (Even if you want to be alone!) Privacy is the #1 feature my buyers are looking for in their next home.
You don’t need five acres to get some privacy.
Land is expensive in my area. And buyers shouldn’t have to pay a hefty price just to get some privacy. Unless the land will be used for farming or raising horses, for example, I advise my privacy-seeking buyers to consider homes on smaller lots. It is possible to have privacy even if the lot is the size of a postage stamp. Here are a few key phrases that may reveal a hidden gem in your search for your next private home.
“Mature landscaping” This has become so overused in marketing but don’t overlook it. Buyers should consider that many times mature landscaping means dense shrubs that can provide privacy. Soaring Arborvitae (a popular screening shrub) and rhododendrons as tall as a small office building can do wonders in creating a back yard oasis.
“Fully fenced” Currently I live in a neighborhood that does not allow fences. (That’s where the Arborvitae is really important!) But fences are not just for buyers with kids or pets. Privacy fencing appeals to just about everyone.
“Home backs to a _____” This means no backyard neighbors! As a Realtor, if I was paid a dollar every time a buyer said they didn’t want a backyard neighbor, I could be running my own country. No matter if the house backs up to a greenbelt, a golf course, a forest, a park, a lake, wetlands, even a storm retention pond – anything but a neighbor – my buyers are in heaven. Just make sure what the home backs up to is something that isn’t readily buildable (like a vacant lot).
Consider house design. Unless you are living on five acres, more than likely you will have neighbors to the sides of your house. Some homes are designed without windows on the sides, which is great to create privacy. Out of sight, out of mind!
What could be. As a buyer looking for homes, try to see the house for what it could be. Check out these ideas for creating privacy on houzz.com. You’ll be inspired, and you may be able to see the potential for a home that other buyers may miss.
If you’d like help in finding your next home that offers some privacy, contact me today and let’s get started!