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ONE DAY I SPOKE with an elderly woman from the Midwest who was visiting the Mendocino Coast. She told me it was the first time she had ever seen the ocean. “It’s very beautiful” she said, “but I thought it was much bigger.”
People have a powerful emotional response to views. It could be our territorial imperative – the need to control and defend the land around us. Or it could be that primal instinct which led our early ancestors to walk upright so they could scan the African plain for predators.
We have a biological need to see and connect with our natural surroundings on a daily basis. According to some studies, exposure to bright sunlight can relieve depression. The daily and seasonal movement of the sun stimulates a small organ in our brains called the pineal body – the same organ which birds and whales use to navigate during their annual migrations. People who participate in experiments where they live in caves with artificial lights for extended periods often suffer ill effects long after the experiment has ended.
People will pay more for a good view. But how much more will they or should they pay? And what are they really getting for their money? Many properties with views, especially ocean views, can vary widely in price for no apparent reason.
Some kinds of views are definitely worth more than others. But why? To help solve this problem I developed the following categories for comparing and analyzing views. When describing a view, I try to analyze the potential view from the property as if it were undeveloped. Then I look at how well the house or building captures the view through its design, window placement and site improvements.
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What is actually in the view? Any view of water (rivers, lakes and oceans) is always high on the value scale. But other types of views can add value too, including trees, mountain ridges, geologic formations, parks and city lights. An ocean view may include specific features such as “blue water” ocean, “white water” ocean, offshore rocks, sand dunes, a river mouth, a beach, a lighthouse or anything else that people like to look at. The value of a particular feature depends on local taste. The more dramatic and rare and esthetically pleasing the feature, the higher the value.
Proximity
How close is the property to the view? A premium view draws us like a magnet. An ocean front, river front or lake front view is more valuable than the same view from a distance. However, it is one of the mysteries of real estate that people will put their property and even their lives at risk to get a better view.
That’s why you see expensive homes built right on the beach in Malibu, even though these houses are sometimes destroyed and even wash out to sea during heavy storms. People who live along the Russian River endure repeated flooding and property damage rather than move to higher ground. All along the California coast, people have built right on the edge of fragile bluffs to maximize their ocean views. Ocean front homes are also exposed to constant wind, salt and moisture that can obscure windows, corrode metal and reduce the normal life expectancy of most building materials.
Many zoning regulations now require engineering reports to ensure that new construction is set back a safe distance from ocean bluffs and floodplains. This increases safety but can reduce the quality of the view. However, many buyers still pay more for existing homes with unsafe setbacks and better views.
Height
Have you ever seen the ocean view from Hearst’s Castle in San Simeon? It fills half the sky. The world expands below you when you’re standing on a mountain because the horizon appears to rise to meet the level of your eye. Hillside and hilltop views are more valuable than views farther down, but their value can be offset by difficult access, poor slope stability, wind exposure and increased fire hazards.
Zoning ordinances increasingly discourage building on the top of hills or ridges because this destroys other people’s view of an undisturbed skyline. But good site planning has always put the premium home sites slightly below the top of the hill. This is what the Army calls the “military crest,” because it provides maximum views combined with concealment and protection.
Width
A wider view is more valuable than a narrow view. A hilltop view can encompass a full 360 degree circle, while the typical ocean front view might be 180 degrees at most. However, there are some ocean front homes built on points of land which have 270 degree ocean views! Many things can limit the width of a view, including land forms, trees and the house next door.
Exposure
A house will almost always be oriented toward a premium view, regardless of the sun or wind exposure. The exceptions are the oldest homes on the Mendocino Coast. In the late 1800s, people directed their houses toward the sun and away from the wind, often planting view-obstructing windbreaks on the north and west.
In the northern hemisphere, the most valuable views face south because this maximizes exposure to the sun. In Mendocino County, a southern exposure also provides the most protection from the prevailing northwest winds. The next best exposure is west (into the warm afternoon sun), then east (into the morning sun), followed by north, which is the least valuable view exposure.
Obstructability
An unobstructable view is more valuable than an obstructable one. The property may have a fabulous view, but what happens when the neighbor builds a tall house or lets her trees grow? No more view. In rare cases, a view may be protected by an easement over adjacent properties, or by the restrictions of a homeowners association.
Permanence
A permanent view is more valuable than a temporary one. A forest view is worth more if the trees are protected within a state park than if they’re scheduled for harvest on commercial timber land. Also, that vineyard or pear orchard next door could be tomorrow’s housing subdivision. Not all open space is permanent. It’s important to check the surrounding zoning, and even that can change when powerful market forces prevail.
View Capture
How well are the views captured by the design of the house or building? When the best views can only be seen from the second level, a house will sometimes have a “reverse” floor plan (kitchen and living room upstairs, bedrooms downstairs). This usually has a negative influence on value, because most buyers prefer single level or conventional two level floor plans.
When the best views are to the north, a house will sometimes have a “reverse” orientation. This can decrease value, because most buyers prefer local homes to be oriented to the south, toward the sun and away from the prevailing wind.
Sometimes a house can capture a much better view by adding or enlarging windows, altering the floor plan or removing a few trees. Smart buyers who can see remodeling potential can occasionally pick up a bargain.
Views can add considerable value to real estate, but sometimes our emotional response to a view can override good judgement and common sense. Buyers are becoming more aware of fire, flood and geologic hazards; and they’re paying closer attention to details like access, solar exposure and wind protection. Also, zoning ordinances are becoming more strict about bluff setbacks, building in floodplains and hillside development.
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Chet Boddy, Real Estate Appraisal, Sales and Consulting
43300 LR Airport Road, #59, Little River, CA 95456
707-937-4011, office
707-937-4818, fax
chet@chetboddy.com
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Copyright © 2002 Chet Boddy, All Rights Reserved
Chet Boddy is a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser, Realtor“ and real estate consultant who has lived on the Mendocino Coast since 1976. Look for this and other real estate columns on Chet’s web site at www.chetboddy.com
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