Home 2.0 Blog Archive

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

FIRST SUBURBS CONSORTIUM

Housing M to S: Millennials to Seniors

I've blogged a couple times about attending the Neighborhood Summit that the City of Cincinnati puts on each year, but there are many other 'fist suburb' neighborhoods in Hamilton County outside of the city limits that have a lot of interesting development news to share as well. Fortunately, the 'First Suburbs Consortium of Southwest Ohio' provides a forum where this type of collaboration can happen. Today I had the opportunity to attend my first, First Suburb meeting with the theme for the night being 'Housing M to S: Millennials to Seniors'. 
It was neat to hear what some of the different jurisdictions were doing to initiate housing development in their areas and how it compares to the City of Cincinnati where my first two housing projects are located. However, the City of Blue Ash was especially interesting for me with it's Community Revitalization Area that implements a Tax Abatement program for new home construction around its neighborhood business district, similar to what Cincinnati has in place. Blue Ash with its great schools, major employment centers, and lower barrier to entry than the neighboring community of Montgomery, makes a Starter Home 2.0 Blue Ash development an intriguing prospect in future years.


Monday, January 30, 2017

WALKOUT DESIGN REFINED

Basement Detailing Updates

Last week in my 'Stepping Down' blog post I wrote about the decision to update the drawings to accommodate a walkout basement, substituting a sliding glass door and basement patio to replace what was previously merely an egress window. While still moving forward with the walkout basement concept, the detailing and execution of it is has become a bit different than what I had originally posted in a couple of ways.
The first being the decision to leave the top of the basement foundation wall at a consistent height instead of stepping it down like the previous rendering had shown. The reasoning for this is that making the step down change has a domino effect that adds a surprising amount of complexity to multiple trades, including concrete, framing, insulation, and siding. More complexity means more time, more money, more coordination and more opportunities for mistakes in the field. While I would argue certain design features are worth these risks, the reality with the side and rear elevations on the Oakley Home 2.0 is that with the neighboring homes so close together, those facades will go largely unseen and ultimately not worth the added expense. That said, the exposed foundation is certainly not a bad look, which is why it was originally design that way and not a big deal to take things in that direction.
The second bit of detailing that is different from what was previously shown in the rendering is the stairs leading up from the basement patio out to the backyard. This amenity provides another level of flexibility and freedom of movement to and from the basement that residents can take advantage of in a variety of ways should the finished basement space be used as a 4th bedroom, recreation room or for some other purpose.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

REAL ESTATE LLC PROCESS

7 Step Oakley Home 2 LLC Setup Guide

Earlier this week I met with one of my colleagues on the Pleasant Ridge Development Corporation to go over the logistics of setting up an LLC to hold the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella Lot and run the business of building and selling the house. In simple terms, there are 7 steps to getting this entity structure up an running, which are outlined below. The current plan is for me to complete steps 1-3 and the attorney I'm hiring to do steps 4-7
  1. Complete and File Articles of Organization for a Domestic Limited Liability Company in the State of Ohio
  2. Obtain a Tax ID (EIN) Number
  3. Open an LLC Bank Account
  4. Obtain a form for a Deed
  5. Fill out the warranty or quitclaim deed form
  6. Sign the deed to transfer property to the LLC.
  7. Record the Deed
I have already completed step 1 with the company name being 'Oakley Home 2 LLC' and should be able to move on to steps 2-3 within the next week.
http://www.counseltocreativity.com/focus-on-structure-the-llc/

Sunday, January 22, 2017

STEPPING DOWN

Stepped Foundation & Walkout Basement

This past week when reviewing the scope of work with Mike Brown Construction LLC for the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella project, it was decided to modify the finished basement design to become a walkout. Some of the changes associated with this modification include the introduction of a stepped foundation that 'steps down' with the change in grade, the addition of a glass sliding door to replace what was previously a slider window, and a new exterior frost footer, slab and retaining walls outside the sliding door. I also learned that with the fall in the topography from the front of the lot to the back of the lot, that a sump pump is not required as the foundation drain can simply run to daylight near the rear of the lot.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

STORYTELLING 101

Advocating Through Better Stories

Earlier this evening I attended a presentation by Katie Gerfen, who is the Editor of design coverage at ARCHITECT and BUILDER magazines, the Editor of Residential Architect and Custom Home magazines, and is in town as a part of the AIA Cincinnati VISION Lecture Series. The title of the presentation was 'Advocacy: Beyond a Press Release' with a focus on the importance of storytelling. With the topic being very much on point with what I am doing on the Starter Home 2.0 Project, I thought I would summarize the talk with a couple key takeaways I plan on putting into action with respect to the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella.
Takeaway #1 - Understanding what storytelling is and why it is Important: Storytelling in the context of architecture and real estate development is about sharing the information beyond the press release and beyond the real estate listing that simply state facts like the size of the building, date it was built, and where it is located. Storytelling, on the other hand has an audience, an intent, and a mission to change people's minds by being interesting and memorable. 

The Starter Home 2.0 Story, as an example, is geared to the Millennial Generation of home buyers who desire a residence with the proximity and walkability of older established neighborhoods, but the amenities of newer homes often associated with suburbia. The intent is to change the mindset that you need to settle for one or the other, and prove that contemporary new homes can be built in the context of established, walkable neighborhoods, with the flexibility to accommodate growing households in future years.

A secondary story associated with all of this, is describing the process behind the Architect-Developer model I practice in hopes of empowering other architects and designers trained in place-making to become more engaged in shaping their built environment through real estate development.

Takeaway #2 - Don't be afraid to use other formats for storytelling: In today's world, the average human attention span has been reduced to a mere 8 seconds (one second less than the attention span of a gold fish), while the amount of time per day spent staring at a screen of some sort has jumped to a whopping 10 hours. Taking this into account along with the fact that 65% of people are considered visual learners (35% are auditory), it means that stories need to be told in a variety of ways ranging from video, to Instagram, to virtual walk-throughs with an emphasis on visuals to be memorable and effective in changing minds. 

While I'm still holding out on opening up any Instagram accounts, I do make an effort to try and tell the Starter Home 2.0 story not only through this blog, but through online photo albums, videos, walkthroughs, and virtual panoramas. I imagine certain formats are more effective at telling the story than others, but I also believe that format changes from person to person, which makes it worthwhile to continue to experiment across all media.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

LLC FORMATION EXPLORATION

Legal and Tax Structure Options

As construction on the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella nears, one of the items I am in the process of working through is finalizing the legal and tax structure for this project. Oftentimes real estate developments, including single-family homes, are structured through a Limited Liability Company (LLC), but I need to confirm whether or not that is the best scenario for this particular project. I'm certainly not an expert on this subject, but fortunately I know some legal, financial and insurance folks who are and will report back with their recommendations in a future blog post.
In the meantime, I have started to fill out the Articles of Organization paperwork for a Domestic Limited Liability Company in the event I might need it.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

TOP FLOOR REVIT WALKTHROUGH

Second Floor Video Tour

Below is a virtual walkthrough of the second floor of the Oakley Home 2.0 project set to start construction in the Spring of 2017. The path of the walkthrough is shown on the furniture plan for reference.

Friday, January 13, 2017

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS

A LESSON IN CINCINNATI PROPERTY TAXES

One of the things I like most about being an Architect and Real Estate Developer is that I am always learning something new. Unfortunately, it often involves learning things the hard way. Case and point, learning what the Real Estate Tax Bill Term: 'Current (Special) Assessment' meant as a result of an unexpected $3,000+ line item for this on my most recent property tax bill.
A 'Current (Special) Assessment' as it turns out, represents a special charge paying for certain services and/or improvements such as sewers, lighting, or urban forestry. In my case, this charge primarily went to paying off the past demolition of the house previously occupying the property. The Hamilton County Auditor's site provides further details on the specifics of the charges and payment schedule for special assessments, an example of which is illustrated below.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

PARKING THE YUKON

Garage Clearances

Today I had to travel to a couple meetings out of town for work and was given a GMC Yukon to drive as a rental car. While it felt like driving a semi-truck compared to my Toyota Camry, it reminded me that many Americans own large trucks and SUVs, and have the expectation they will be able to park it in their home garage. Fortunately, I remembered to take this into account in the design of Oakley Home 2.0 garage and dropped in a model of a GMC Yukon in Revit to verify that was the case. 

Sunday, January 8, 2017

OAKLEY HOME 2.0 VIDEO BLOG UPDATE 8

Weekly Update for January 8, 2017

This is episode 8 in a series of weekly updates on the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella project that will serve as a supplement to my other Starter Home 2.0 Project Blog Posts.

Friday, January 6, 2017

SURVEY MARKINGS

Plot Plan Notes

When I was a Freshman in college in my first year architecture studio at University of Cincinnati, I was given an assignment to interview a local Architect to get the scoop on what the profession was like from an insiders perspective. Looking back I don't really remember much from that interview except for one key piece of advice, which was 'Good Architects = Good Communicators.' 
I'm sure at the time I thought that being a good communicator just meant being good at public speaking and good at drawing, which while certainly part of that equation, doesn't tell the whole story and lacks specifics. As I've gotten older, worked jobs, earned degrees, and completed projects, I've realized that perhaps the most important component of communication is the ability to ask important questions in a clear and concise manner. I was reminded of this today when I received the survey back for the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella and noticed some differences between the plot plan drawings and the assumptions I had made with respect to the architectural design. The result of this investigation was the PDF mark-up in the following screenshot, which while simple in appearance, speaks to a multitude of disciplines (described in more detail below).
For example, the comments about revising the building setbacks take into consideration elements of structural engineering (foundation design), building and zoning code (fire rating requirements related to property line proximities), and construction logistics (mobilizing equipment) that are all impacted by the location of the building relative to the property line.
Similarly, the comments about grading also speak to code and egress concerns (space below deck for egress), construction budget implications (additional retaining walls), and potential impacts on the real estate sales price (4 bedrooms vs 3 bedrooms).
In the end, I think the key to communicating effectively as an architect is being able to look at a project holistically, identify how seemingly disparate parts are interrelated, and communicate the essence of a problem or solution to the person on the project team best able to respond to them.

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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

ORDER OF OPERATIONS

Sequence of Events Leading to Construction Start

When the Starter Home 2.0: Pleasant Ridge house was being built, I referenced 'Critical Path Activities' as it related to the physical construction of a project, but that term can also be applied to pre-construction items as well. With regards to the Oakley Home 2.0 @ 3874 Isabella, two critical path items I am currently waiting on are (1.) getting a plot plan prepared and (2.) getting a construction cost estimate finalized. The plot plan is needed in order to submit for a building permit whereas the construction cost estimate is needed in order to finalize the construction contract that is basis for the construction loan. I expect to receive the plot plan in the next few days, so stay tuned for updates on that in a future blog post.

Monday, January 2, 2017

STARTER HOME 2.0 BLOG IN YEAR 3

What's on Tap for 2017?

On January 1, 2015 I posted the first of what has now become 400+ Starter Home 2.0 Blog entries, dozens of videos, and thousands of images across multiple platforms related to the Starter Home 2.0 project. So what does Year 3 and 2017 have in store? That remains to be seen, but here are some new ideas for topics and formats I would like to explore in addition to the continuation of the content I've been providing the past two years.
  • Alternative Point of View Pieces: Probably not formal sit down interviews, but I would like to add some blog content that provides some perspectives from people that have visited and been involved with the design, financing and construction of the Pleasant Ridge and Oakley Home 2.0 projects. 
  • On-Site Video Blog Entries: So far all my Oakley Home 2.0 video blog entries have been filmed from inside my house, but once construction starts I plan on doing those from the 3874 Isabella construction site on a regular basis.
  • Off the Beaten Path Topics: While I certainly plan to focus on topics related to the Starter Home 2.0 mission of designing, developing and building contemporary new homes in established walkable neighborhoods with the flexibility to accommodate growing households in future years with my posts, I think sprinkling some 'Off the Beaten Path Topics' can add some interest and variety to the blog. These post would still tie-back to the central themes of the Starter Home 2.0 Blog in some way, so nothing outlandish or inappropriate, but mixing in posts like '2016 Wisdom', 'Ownership & Community' and 'Real Estate on the Run' are fun to share (and read, hopefully).
Finally, I'll close with posting what is the first new rendering of the year, which is a view from the back yard looking up at the deck off of the main living and dining space.