If you’ve been contemplating taking the log home plunge but have been holding off, Scott McGillivray has some advice for you: “Now’s the time.”
As the host of the DIY Channel’s award-winning show “Income Property,” as well as in his roles as a Realtor and licensed contractor, Scott has been helping folks figure out how to make their home ownership dreams come true for more than a decade.
This season, its 11th, focuses on vacation properties, including log homes, and he’s got some good news for us.
“In the current real estate climate, opportunity is high and price points are good. Plus, there’s a trend toward texture in homes today, especially in aspirational properties,” he says. “Reclaimed wood and that rustic log look is in — even in traditional stick-framed houses. This back-to-nature feeling is hot in the rental market.”
In fact, Scott says that building a log home with the intention of renting it out for awhile to offset costs may be a smart strategy to help you afford it; and he has some sage advice to help you:
- Target the top 5 percent of the rental market (the high end). Not only will the income potential be healthier, your experience as a landlord will be better, as this clientele is more likely to treat your home with respect.
- Design it with timelessness and quality in mind. Doing so will encourage renters and improve your own long-term satisfaction with the home.
- Incorporate aging-in-place amenities into your design, whether you need them now or not. Features like wider doorways, a curbless shower and varying counter heights are selling features in the rental market and will give your home a luxurious feel.
- Ensure you have plenty of windows to encourage natural light. A home that’s bright will show better.
- Seamless flooring makes a space feel larger, so keep your flooring material consistent between spaces. For instance, there’s no need to delineate the living area from the kitchen by switching from hardwood to tile. Instead, look above to define spaces with a change in ceiling height or a drop-down coffer.
- Personalize the space, but don’t clutter it with a lot of knickknacks. Let the structure speak for itself.
Scott, himself, has an affinity for log homes. Though he doesn’t own one of his own, he and his family have rented them and appreciate how comfortable and cozy they feel, even when they are quite spacious. His kids, in particular, were amazed that the trees were “right there.”
“Log homes are in a class of their own,” Scott says. “They will never go out of style. The rental market for rustic getaways will always be there and be strong.”
For more, check out Scott on Twitter: @smcgillivray and Instagram: @scott_mcgillivray
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