Below is a list of items that may lead to an undervalued appraisal:
- If the house is viewed as a "log home", then the
appraiser sometimes assumes that log homes are "unusual",
and will therefore have fewer potential buyers. They then give
the log home a lower appraised value then a similar sized conventional
home. In answer to this common concern the National Association
of Home Builder's Log Homes Council has shown in a nationwide
study that log homes sell for prices similar to comparable conventional
homes.
- A Log Home from Wilderness is virtually a Hand-crafted
custom built home and comparing it to a conventional prefab
or spec home of the same square footage is like comparing a Toyota
Corolla to a Lexus. Here are just some of the features that separate
a Wilderness Log Home from a conventional home:
- Exterior walls are constructed of 2" x 6" Studs
of top grade lumber with 6" batt insulation versus conventional
2" x 4" studs with 4" batt insulation.
- Exterior walls are covered with 1" foam sheathing instead
of OSB.
- Exterior Walls have a wood siding 5" thick providing
a total wall "R" value of 31.56, far exceeding
all current standards.
- 5/8" tongue and grove Douglas Fir floor sheathing instead
of ¾" OSB or CDX.
- The Roof system uses 5/8" Douglas Fir sheathing instead
of CDX or OSB (same as the floors), 15# felt, 300# shingle with
a 30 year warranty versus the conventional 250# shingle, and 12"
of ceiling insulation with an total roof "R" value
of 40.74, again, far exceeding all current standards.
- High insulation, solar control, UV protected, Hurd windows
and patio doors with a total unit performance of "R"
value 3.2 versus conventional "R" value 2.0.
- The Flooring for most of the house is an engineered oak wood
product with a ten year warranty by Kahrs. Unlike conventional
oak flooring, the Kahrs flooring is impregnated with an acrylic
which makes it extremely durable, easy to maintain and impervious
to humidity.
These quality construction features alone could easily account
for a 20% increase in total cost over a conventional spec built
home. A closer inspection of the materials list would highlight
many additional enhancements over a conventional home .
We are taking delivery of ½ the building materials on Tuesday,
May 14 and I would encourage you to visit and see for yourself
the quality of the materials.
Sincerely,
Joost Korpel