AZ Condo Living 07-17-2016

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Big ideas for designing small spaces />:: $1% ">.%78>2& 0> '#<> By Kristine Burnett

Robson Resort Communities

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o make an area appear larger and more open, Kristin Varker, design associate with Morgan Kofron Design, suggests using a light, neutral color palette. “Dark, heavy colors will make an already small space look even smaller,� she said. “Use color sparingly in accent pieces like chairs, throw-pillows and art.� Echoing those sentiments, Karri Kelly, senior vice president of residential and commercial design at Robson Communities, which offers an attached townhouse product called the Villas, said that choosing a wall color that’s too dark or too bright can be overpowering in smaller spaces. “We choose neutral for overall wall color and then bring in pops of color with pillows, rugs and accessories,� she shared. “You can also do one accent wall if you want to add a little more color in the space.�

56<%786<> 8918 .8: Experts often say that one of the most frequent design mistakes that many people make is not matching the scale of their furniture with the size of their rooms. “As a general rule, avoid heavy furniture like giant sofas and blocky wood tables,� Varker said. Instead, she recommends smaller, lighter furniture like glass tables and Lucite chairs. “Furniture that you can see through and that doesn’t block the view gives an airy feel,� she said. ,9##:> 1 89>'> Weaving in a common design theme is also important in smaller spaces. “You could be standing in the dining area and be able to see into the bedroom, living room and kitchen,� Kelly commented. “Choose and stick with a style and theme that carries throughout the entire space to add continuity.� Kelly also stressed the importance of measuring before shopping for furniture to ensure a good fit. “It’s all about planning ahead,� she said, adding that while accessories can add pizzazz and personality, don’t go overboard. Varker agreed, stating: “Always take one thing away. You don’t want to have too many vases and things sitting out. Less is more.�

Movin’ in

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By Debra Gelbart

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ust like with a move-in-ready single-family home, the biggest advantage to a move-in-ready — or ‘spec’ or inventory — condo or townhome is how quickly a buyer can take possession rather than waiting for a brand-new residence to be built, said Gregory Patterson, marketing director for Serenity Fulton Ranch in Chandler, a community that features condominium villas and resort-style amenities. “Serenity Fulton Ranch’s proximity to the Chandler Technology corridor generates interest and demand for movein-ready inventory,� he said. “Often, new residents moving into Arizona want to buy rather than rent, and for this market sector, move-in-ready is key.� If the finishes and options in alreadybuilt units are appealing to buyers, he said, “then it’s a great opportunity to start living at Fulton Ranch right away. The units are completed and changes or upgrades will not be holding up the new resident getting keys to their new home.� Some buyers can’t easily visualize what the finishes or floorplan in a condo not yet completed will look like, said Keith Mishkin, owner of Cambridge Properties in Phoenix. Cambridge Properties represents several new condo developments in Greater Phoenix. Sometimes it may be easier to

buy a residence where the design selections already have been made by the builder’s interior designer, Mishkin said. ,9##:7%; .%7:9>: 1%" .(86<>: Some move-in-ready condos may still offer buyers the opportunity to select some of the finishes after signing a purchase contract but before taking possession and moving in. “This inventory is generally unsold condos that builders specifically set aside to

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“Serenity Fulton Ranch features stainless steel GE appliances and granite countertops so our move-inready units rarely stay on the market for longer than 30 days.�

offer buyers quick-move-in opportunities,� Mishkin said. In Arizona, he said, “most developers will select the majority of the finishes and complete unfinished residences with the typical upgrades that other buyers have selected so they feel like fully completed residences. Some leave out the carpet and countertops to allow buyers a few [personalized] selections.� “Typically for a newly constructed building, we leave any unsold condos in the drywall stage of construction where the new buyer can still customize their interior selections,� said Allison O’Dea, marketing and closing coordinator for the Statesman Group of Companies, developer of The Cays at Downtown Ocotillo in Chandler. “We accommodate each buyer as best we can and our sales team can show each buyer the elements that are low- or nocharge to change out,� Patterson said. “This can also help a prospective buyer with revisions such as repainting or upgrading a finish material should they elect to make those types of renovations.� 3#'> !<#: 1%" $#%: Just about the only drawback to a move-inready condo, Mishkin said, is that “the earlybird buyer often gets selection of their ideal location and finishes which may or may not be available later on.� In addition, move-inready buyers don’t have the opportunity to completely customize the residence to their specific or unique taste, he said. What a buyer can expect to pay for a move-in-ready condo [compared with one yet to be built] varies. “For a finished condominium, a buyer can expect to pay more [than for one under construction] since we have incorporated an option package within the finished condominium,� O’Dea said. A unit that’s been on the market for more than 90 days, Patterson said, may be available for less than the asking price.

—Gregory Patterson, Serenity Fulton Ranch

The Cays at Downtown Ocotillo

MOVIN’ IN; continued on page CL3

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