Reader Carol recently wrote me this: “I’m encountering problems with folks looking at my house and being “Afraid” of buying the house.  Because it’s a pole barn house rather than a stick house.

 What can I tell these folks to help them understand pole barn houses are still a good purchase?”

I happen to live in a “pole barn” (aka post frame) home and can tell you it is a fantastic building. Here is my response to Carol:

“Some of your challenge may be in how your home is being presented. If you are telling people it is a pole barn house, you are probably turning them off just because of the term “pole barn”. Whether post frame or stick built, what you have is a “wood framed” home. Period, end of story. Same with when you have an appraisal done. If your post frame home is not attached to a continuous perimeter concrete footing, then the foundation should be listed as being, “Pressure preservative treated wood foundation”. It all just comes down to a matter of concept.

Post frame construction happens to be fully recognized by the IBC (International Building Code) as being a conforming structure. Having the engineer wet sealed plans for your building also allows you to market your home as a building which is actually designed by a Registered Design Professional – not just somebody winging it together. In most areas, very few if any, homes are actually engineer designed. In the event you do not have the original engineered plans, it may behoove you to invest in an engineer who can provide “as built” plans for you.

As in selling anything, make a list of the features your home has which are exceptional, along with the benefit to the end user of each feature. A feature without a corresponding benefit is not going to make the cut. All the prospective buyer cares about is what is in it for them. Once those benefits are perceived as being greater than the prospective investment, all of those fears go away.”