Outdoor spaces are important in a home, not only for resale value, but for enhancing your lifestyle. The only hard fast rule to outside areas is there must be space. If spending time outside of the house at home is a necessity, one must have the area available to create that al fresco environment.
“Being a great agent isn’t just about sales and pricing and market time; it more relies on me knowing my clients inside and out and anticipating their needs,” confides Millie Rosenbloom, who has brokered over $1 billion in residential real estate over her career. “Every client is different, and therefore has different wants and needs when it comes to outside space.”
Some homeowners can do without an open air environment in exchange for an indoor wish list. Others are pleased with a deck or balcony just large enough to fit a patio settee for 2 and a flower box on the railing. Many are comfortable with a postage-stamp-sized back yard that can accommodate a sand box, a pet run, and a grill, while still others need a vast amount of aesthetically pleasing outdoor space for mass entertaining, dining, and daily living and playing.
For families or pet owners, outdoor space that has a direct visual line from indoors can be important for seeing the kids or pets play in the yard or on the patio. Green space as opposed to concrete or wood, is key for others who want to plant, play, or create a specific mood or environment. Privacy or direct contact with neighbors can be a key factor for outdoor space as well. Fences, tall landscaping and permanent architecture is perfect for those who desire an outdoor retreat from the outside world, but those same elements can serve as a deal-breaker to those that appreciate socializing with neighbors from the lanai. Tuning in to your own personal lifestyle is important for home owners and seekers when it comes to creating or seeking viable open air space.
“While there is no typical buyer,” claims Rosenbloom, “a vast majority of my clients want outdoor space to relax, grill, dine, and socialize. With outdoor space at a premium in the city, you have to make the most of the space you do have or seek. As long as you have the space, I can feed you the ideas for a DIY overhaul or direct you to the vendors that can make it happen for you.”
Rosenbloom is not only a property specialist and local icon in the real estate industry, but also considers herself an outdoor connoisseur, after having recently rehabbed the outdoor space at her personal residence in a way that reflects the lifestyle she shares with her husband, Honorable John Simon. Entertaining frequently and in numerous seasons, dining outdoors and unwinding in a space that is both beautiful and peaceful was important to the couple. The coolness of the grey pavers, warmth of the IPE wood, billowing fabric that protects against rain and sun, and strategically placed lighting was used to create an extension of their home outdoors, complete with a rooftop terrace, grilling area, and deck. Green space was created with ornamental trees, perennials and wildflowers. A fireplace and Richard Schultz furniture that can be left out all year rounds out the peaceful ambiance.
“We put in a lot of work, and much thought went into the planning of the remodel, but the transformation was well worth every minute and dollar spent,” Rosenbloom happily states. “Instead of altering our life to meet the outdoor space we had, our open air grounds actually amplify our way of life!”
For more information, visit millierosenbloom.com, or contact Millie Rosenbloom at 312.607.5882 or millie.rosenbloom@bairdwarner.com.
