From Custom to Commonplace

From Custom to Commonplace
What Used to Be Add-Ons Have Been Built Into the Base Price of New Homes

By Kendra Marr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 22, 2007; Page F01

There's a point when home shoppers get past their initial awe and realize that no, the wet bar featured in the model isn't included in the base price. Neither is the home theater with stadium seating, nor the high-tech kitchen appliances.

But what is, beyond four walls and a roof? The specifics vary by location, builder, size and price, but in general the answer is that a "standard" new house is more elaborate than it used to be. Many features once regarded as exotic are now everyday: Consider central air conditioning and garbage disposals, both luxuries in the 1960s and '70s and now basics in new homes. Especially in the past two years, builders have been offering plenty of free upgrades to attract buyers in a slow market, such as finished basements and plasma TVs.

Source: The Washington Post. View Article.

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