Oprah has one. So does Ted Turner. What do these media moguls have in common aside from their success in the entertainment industry? Both own log homes. The “Today” show’s Jill Rappaport is building a handcrafted 4,700 square foot, 5 bedroom, 7 bath log house on 18 acres in the Hamptons. Her log home will probably exceed $1,000.00 a square foot with a final sales price somewhere around $5 million dollars.
Demand for luxury log homes is rising, as busy executives and retiring baby boomers seek the peace and tranquility of “the great outdoors”. Since 1995, sales of log homes in all price ranges have increased 46 percent with luxury log homes accounting for 7% of the custom-home market. Today, these custom homes are priced from $500,000.00 to well over a million dollars. In addition to celebrities, the homes are gaining in popularity with outdoor enthusiasts and environmentally conscientious clients. Internationally, Canada and Spain have both reported significant growth in the luxury log home market.
In response to the increasing demand, established log home companies and start-ups are designing larger and more luxurious homes for these affluent buyers. Just entering the market is a company formed by Rocky Mountain Homes and Orvis, the Vermont-based outdoors and sporting goods retailer. Working together under the Orvis brand, they plan to build luxury log cabins throughout the United States. Their plan is to capture a segment of the baby boomer market that is looking for a home designed to accommodate their outdoor lifestyle. The company’s marketing plan focuses on the fact that the homes are “environmentally friendly”, using only dead trees in their construction and the company’s commitment to donate 5% of the pre-tax profits to conservation initiatives.
The “Rouge” is the company’s largest and most expensive log home. The 3,944 square foot home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms along with an expansive great room. Also included is a “Sportsman’s Room” built to store sporting equipment and a special room for pets. The estimated price of the home is $1,155,529.00. The price does not include the price of the land.
Town and Country Cedar Homes, located in Detroit, Michigan is currently building a series of luxury, custom-built wood homes in the exclusive Boulders at Stonewater subdivision. Floor plans range from 4,000 to 7,000 square feet and prices range from $700,000 to more than $1 million dollars. Town and Country teamed with Michael Moceri Design Build, a well known and respected builder, to create custom log homes that would blend in with the traditional homes in the subdivision. “People are looking for the comfort of natural materials that you get when you are on vacation. They want a homey, relaxed feel and as people spend less time away, log homes are more in vogue as a primary residence”, explains Beverly Moceri. “We’re actually departing from our normal way of doing business by bringing a niche product that blends traditional and cedar. The homes have sparked high interest and we are genuinely excited about its possibilities”.
The log cabins of the past are evolving into the luxury log homes of
today. For buyers who desire a home that combines the best of the past
and the present, a log home may be the answer. Combining the functionality
and luxury of modern day homes with the historical significance of the
past, the demand for these homes continues to increase.
Copyright: 2005 The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Dallas, TX
Members have permission to reprint or use on their websites
