Family Product? Surprise the Kids

From ballet and sailing to rock-and-roll and tennis, merchandising models targeted to families often translates to secondary bedrooms themed specifically to appeal to boys and girls. But builders are grabbing kids attention elsewhere in the model, too.

Forgotten spaces in yards or under stairwells that would otherwise be overlooked by buyers are being transformed into space for kids to explore while their parents are touring the model. They also serve to demonstrate the possibilities of a home.

Kids tagging along with mom and dad at Griffin Communities' Montecito Estates at Riverwalk in Riverside, Calif., often spend time playing in a "secret hide-out" connected by two doors at opposite ends of a storage/closet space under the stairs of Residence Two.

Sales staff commented on how much of a draw the spot is for kids and how it allows them a few minutes to speak with parents uninterrupted.