In residential real estate, bid farewell to the 'master bedroom'

Michael Neibauer

Staff Reporter- Washington Business Journal

The “master suite” is being phased out — not from our homes, but from our lexicon.
I surveyed 10 major Washington-area homebuilders and found that six no longer use the term “master” in their floor plans to describe the largest bedroom (with its own bathroom) in the house. They have replaced it with “owner’s suite” or “owner’s bedroom” or, in one case, “mastre bedroom.”

Why? In large part for exactly the reason you would think: “Master” has connotation problems, in gender (it skews toward male) and race (the slave master).

Enter the owner's suite.

“I imagine it’s not only a more accurate description but also a more politically correct term of art,” said Steve Nardella, senior vice president of operations for Winchester Homes Inc.
Either way, the “master suite” has been linguistically shoved aside.

Winchester, Pulte Homes, NV Homes and Ryan Homes (both under the NVR Inc. umbrella), Van Metre Cos. and D.R. Horton Inc. have all replaced “master” in their floor plans, some more recently than others.

Richmond American Homes, Shulz Homes Corp. Sekas Homes Ltd. (in some of its models) and Quaker Custom Homes LLC continue to employ the word “master” in their designs.

In general, said Grant Johnson of Sekas Homes, “we’re using owner suite, but sometimes it will come through as master.”

Over time, “master” will be filtered out entirely, he said. The change is “just working through the industry, and finally, bingo, we got it.”

Randy Creaser, owner of D.C.’s Creaser/O’Brien Architects PC, said he ditched “master” in the early 1990s in his home designs. He vaguely recalled a few lawsuits brought against builders over the phrase. Pulte spokeswoman Valerie Dolenga said Pulte made the shift maybe three or four years ago.
Word of the change is now reaching the resale market, where “owner’s bedroom” is most commonly used in higher-end listings, said Brian Block, managing broker for McLean’s RE/Max Allegiance.

“The terminology has more of an upscale tone to it, particularly in some of the really large homes that truly have a large bedroom, sitting area, enormous walk-in closets, and lavish bathrooms,” Block wrote in an email. “Owner Suite conveys a sense of being distinguished, having ‘made it’ or ‘arrived’ rather than the everyday ‘Master Bedroom.’”

Lorraine Arora, vice president and managing broker of Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. in Springfield and Kingstowne, said older brokers tend to use “master,” because that is what they’ve always used, while the younger agents “want to be more politically correct.” Her office, she said in an email, is split between the two terms.

A quick, terribly unscientific poll of Washington Business Journal homeowners found none who could recall a real estate agent referring to the “owner’s bedroom.” It was "master" across the board.
Now, about the name “Redskins.”

Asheville North Carolina's Mission Hospital - Making A Name For Itself

Asheville North Carolina's Mission Hospital - Making A Name For Itself

Have you been considering relocating to the Asheville area or somewhere in the western North Carolina region?  Perhaps you've looked at communities like The Ramble, Biltmore Lake, Robinson Creek - all in Asheville or The Settings of Black Mountain just east of Asheville or Kenmure in Hendersonville, which is 20 minutes south of Asheville.

If part of your mission when searching for a retirement or second home is to ensure access to premier health care, then mark "mission accomplished" if you decide to live in the Asheville, North Carolina area.  Whether it's the very latest treatment for cancer or the newest form of yoga, you'll find it at one of the five hospitals that comprise the Mission Health network in western North Carolina.  And that's not just our opinion; it's backed by the string of national accolades it's been receiving in recent years - including medicine's version of the Oscar.

In 2012, the not-for-profit Mission Health system - based in Asheville, NC - was named one of the nation's Top 15 Health Systems by the prestigious Thomson Reuters - a rating that came after extensive analysis of every facet of its services.  To put that in perspective, Mission Health was the only health system in North Carolina to received the honor.  When you consider that North Carolina's also home to Duke, University of North Carolina and other internationally known medical schools, that's quite an honor.

Earlier in 2012, US News - citing statistics from the American Hospital Association - said Mission "performed nearly at the level of nationally ranked U.S. News Best Hospitals in 9 adult specialties."  And in January 2013, Mission Health received its eighth consecutive Consumer Choice Award from the National Research Corporation.  Also, the prestigious Becker's Hospital Review's 2012 List of "100 Hospital and Health System CMOs to Know" includes executives from such acclaimed medical centers as Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Scripps Health in San Diego, Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, and (you guessed it) Mission Health.

But Mission Health hasn't rested on its accolades.  In recent years, it has added new treatment centers, expanded its diagnostic capabilities, and even new hospitals to its network.  In addition to Mission Hospital in Asheville, there's Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard.  And in January 2013, the Rutherford (NC) Regional Health System took the first step toward joining Mission Health.  Like officials at McDowell Hospital, board members of Rutherford Health signed on because, by design, Mission Health allows member facilities to "maintain a strong, long-term voice in the strategic direction of the health system," according to the agreement they signed.  Mission's own "mission" statement states that member hospitals must be "governed by volunteer boards of directors representing the communities they serve."  Mission Health has even moved many Asheville administrative offices to satellite locations to make room for more new treatments and new services.

Although it calls the mountains home, we're not talking "hillbilly health" here.  In addition to the more traditional cancer, neurosciences, cardiac, trauma and other modalities, at Mission Health you'll find a wide range of new services, such as physicians working alongside musical therapists or acupuncturists.  And you'll find classes on weight management and diabetes control as well as massage, yoga and tai chi instructors.  It's all part of the new effort to integrate alternative medicine into Mission's -- er, mission.  Mission explains it this way:  "We bring together the best practices of complementary and Western medicine to maximize the body's innate potential for self-healing for the whole person; Body, mind and spirit...  We see firsthand how therapies such as healing touch can help patients recover faster and feel better when experiencing potentially stressful procedures such ... undergoing intensive chemotherapy."  Mission also works with "Paws On A Mission," which offers weekly visits to patients by trained volunteer teams (human and canine).

Another new Mission Health offering is its Adult Medicine practice, which specializes in adult and geriatric care.  At its new facility, which opened in November 2012, physicians are "able to diagnose, treat and manage diseases and conditions that require a special approach for older adults," according to a Mission press release.  “Our philosophy is that age is not defined by the number of years you have lived but rather defined as to the age at which you function – mind, body and spirit,” said Ellen Marie Kaczmarek, a physician at Mission Adult Medicine.  “It is critical to provide services specialized to adults and even more important that we engage them earlier in their own health so that they may live long and healthy lives.”

And, perhaps under the category of "If you can't come to us, we'll come to you"... another new service is making "science fiction" science fact:  In January 2013, Mission Health's TeleStroke program conducted its 100th remote consultation.  Using a robot in Angel Medical Center in Franklin, NC, a neurologist was able to successfully treat a stroke patient 70 miles away.  Here's how it works:  A robot wheels itself to a patient's bedside, then its video screen lets the patient and physician to talk in real time.  The robot then displays test images so the doctor and the patient can review results simultaneously and collaborate with local staff on a recommended treatment plan.  Dr. Alex Schneider, medical director of the Mission Hospital Stroke Program, said that, "By using the TeleStroke program, we are typically saving one hour of brain time for these patients, which ultimately improves their long-term prognoses."

Also in January, another new service called "Telehealth" successfully performed its first remote genetic screening.  Via 2-way audio/video conferencing, two patients at Rutherford Regional Medical Center were connected to specialists at Mission's Fullerton Genetics Center, some 60 miles distant.  Jamie Ingraham, Rutherford's cancer outreach program manager, said, “We have a great need for genetic counseling in our community as we often screen for hereditary cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancers.  The Telehealth service is very convenient for patients, allowing them to experience face-to-face meetings with a genetic counselor without having to travel.”

Mission Health Systems is unique in North Carolina in many ways, but one that surprises many people is that it operates the only hospital in the Asheville, NC, region.  That's because the state legislature approved what's called a Certificate of Public Advantage - provided Mission doesn't stray from its mission of remaining a not-for-profit network, that it's overseen by local residents, and that it is scrutinized yearly by the state, and by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  Mission Hospital is also obligated to financially support a myriad of outreach programs, including the local school nurse program and school-based clinics in both Asheville and Buncombe County schools, as well as pediatric dental care for low-income children in the region, and community-based medical clinics.

In addition to Mission Hospital and Mission Children's Hospital, others in the network offer a full range of medical services:

• Transylvania Regional Hospital, located between Brevard, NC, and Pisgah National Forest, is a 84-bed facility with more than 120 active, consulting and courtesy physicians representing a full spectrum of specialties. It joined the network in 2010.
• McDowell Hospital, which is in Marikon, NC, is licensed for 65 beds, and has nearly 450 employees, including 120 registered nurses.
• Blue Ridge Regional Hospital served the needs of many High Country residents; located in Spruce Pine, its combination of technology and roots serves Mitchell, Yancey, lower Avery and upper McDowell counties in North Carolina.
• Angel Medical Center in Franklin, NC, is a full service, nonprofit, critical access hospital with an 80-member medical staff. Its newest service is a digital mammography system allowing us to more readily spot abnormalities and diagnose breast cancer in its earliest stages.

Housing: It’s Becoming a Seller’s Market

By Nick Timiraos

National Association of Realtors

The National Association of Realtors said on Thursday what home buyers in many parts of the United States have known for months: it’s becoming a seller’s market.
The number of homes listed for sale in January fell by 4.9%, leaving 1.74 million properties on the market. That’s the lowest since December of 1999, when there were 1.71 million homes on the market. By contrast, there were 2.91 million homes on the market two years ago at this time.
After adjusting for seasonal factors, home sales rose by just 0.4% in January, to an annual rate of 4.92 million units. Still, that’s up from 9.1% one year ago.
The upshot is that there’s a growing pool of buyers chasing a shrinking supply of homes. If the trend holds, prices will keep going up. At the current pace of sales, it would take just 4.2 months to sell the current supply of homes available for sale, down from a 6.2 months’ supply one year ago.
While inventories typically increase in the spring, the Realtors’ group has expressed growing concerns that sales volumes are being held back by the lack of choice. This is good news for homeowners who have watched home prices drop over the last six years, but it’s bad news for buyers—and for anyone that makes their living selling real estate.
Inventory declines have been the most dramatic in California, Arizona, and other markets that witnessed some of the largest home price declines. Those cities have large numbers of underwater borrowers—people who owe more than their homes are worth—while many others may have equity but aren’t willing to sell because prices have fallen so far.
Investors have also been aggressive in buying up properties that are selling for less than their replacement cost.

National Association of Realtors

Home sales could rise to 5.2 million units this year, an increase of nearly 12% from last year, according to economists at Goldman Sachs GS +2.08%. They base their forecast on household formation and demographics, which both suggest rising demand for housing in the coming years, and affordability measures such as mortgage rates and home prices.
But the economists note that there’s a considerable amount of uncertainty that could make those targets hard to hit, particularly if there’s nothing for would-be buyers to purchase.
Follow Nick @NickTimiraos

Just Listed - 329 Mill Ridge Drive

Stunning Arts & Crafts Home
329 Mill Ridge Drive
Mills River, NC 28759 

 

$689,000
MLS # 513460

 

Stunning Arts and Crafts home in desirable Mill Ridge community. Fantastic open layout with over 3300 SqFt, 4 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, and spectacular long range views. HUGE 3 car garage with partially finished bonus room on the second level. Chefs kitchen with a huge island, Dacor gas range/oven and microwave, walk in pantry, and beautiful built in cabinet buffet. Incredible foyer leads into inviting and bright home. Custom finishes throughout!

One of Asheville's Finest Custom Homes - Just Listed!

168 Anderson Oaks Drive
Fletcher, NC 28732 

$1,100,000
MLS #513288

 One of South Asheville/Fairview's finest custom homes featured in House Beautiful, Kitchen & Bath and American Dream Home magazines. Nestled on 4 private, level acres, this home boast a true gourmet kitchen w/ Thermador and Sub-Zero appliances. Great huge room w/ massive stone fireplace w/ amethyst inlays. Views!

Just Listed - Premier Merrimon Avenue Lakefront Home

1215 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804 

Offered at $450,000
MLS #512184

Premier Merrimon Avenue Lakefront Property! Enjoy open, one-level living with large living areas, 3 spacious bedrooms, 2 fireplaces, and a beautiful array of outdoor decks, covered patios, decorative gardens and picturesque views of Beaver Lake. This move in ready home offers a full unfinished basement ready for an in law conversion, home office or hobby room. Enjoy lakefront living and use of Beaver Lake dock, trails and boat slip.