New Market Touchstones (Part 3)

While buyers have largely become choosier (see Parts 1 & 2), a few features have declined in importance.

The wood burning fireplace

As wood burning restrictions near*, buyers are increasingly willing to accept the fireplace as mere visual centerpiece or gas conversion candidate. Hand wringing about the usability, structural thews, or limitations of capped, missing, or unreinforced masonry chimneys has generally relaxed.

*The City of Denver has essentially banned the use of wood burning fireplaces. Air regulators in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento have implemented "check before you burn" restrictions. Bay area cities continue to debate and approve ever more restrictive guidelines.

The garage

Buyers still favor a garage, but chiefly as auxiliary space, storage, or home office possibility. Angelenos don't put their cars in the garage. At least not on my corner. None of us own cars that are worth a lick (unless you count the new Fortwos). None of us want to. Many are satisfied with a storage shed, and a partial driveway (if street parking is an issue).

Swimming Pools

For a growing number, pools are as much a burden as a delight, a safety concern and an eco downer. Even those interested, prefer shallow lap pools to yard consuming giants and diving pools. The hot tub has similarly lost much of its appeal, considered by some goatish and passe.

To be continued...