There are hardly any newer houses with real Media Room at 200K price? (Dallas: foreclosures)

[unseengundam]

One things I really wanted to in a house is an actual Media Room, not Game Room or Loft turned into one. I have 61" HDTV and most living rooms/Games Rooms just don't seem to proper place for it. Those rooms tend to be way to open and sounds will come in or go out to other rooms easily. Not mention the light from Sun is very hard to block out here in Texas.

I have been looking at houses but very few of them have real Media rooms that around 200k. I am mainly looking at newer houses. Doing a MLS search results in only 10-15 houses in the Dallas area! And most these seem to be in far out places like Rockwall/Rowlett/Wylie/Sasche. Really doesn't leave me too many choices to pick from. Looks like if my results are accurate I might need to up to 250K+ to get more choices.

Am I doing my search wrong somehow? Are actually lot more newer houses around 200k with Media Room that my results? Or this results should I except?

[lh_newbie]

First - I wanted to thank you for saying you "really wanted to in a house is an actual Media Room" and didn't say you needed one. People saying they need something is a pet peeve of mine. So - thanks.

I had bought a home that was a 4 bedroom home, where the 4th bedroom was above the garage, making it overall a 20 x 18 room. Since I wanted the 4th bedroom to be a media room, I added a 3rd bay onto the garage and extended that room above the garage - along with a slight reconfiguration of the closets (making them a little smaller, so the room was a full rectangle and 20' wide by 26' long. There were only windows on one wall also. There was a smaller closet in one corner I had planned to use as an equipment closet, so I had speaker wires run into there and had an electrical outlet added (dedicated 20 amp plug even). I also had the builder put insulation in the interior walls between that room and the rest of the home. Since I was building, and had verbally written up the specs prior to signing a contract, I was in the position to be able to negotiate a good price. I sold that home in Allen about 3 years ago for ~ $200K. It was definitely rare to have that sort of setup in a stock plan, but if you're going to build - it can be done without making your home difficult to sell.

Brian

[loves2read]

media room is not usually the first item on a builder's list--
that is what they do with the left-over space so to speak
in that price point--I am surprised that you see any media rooms frankly--and that is why they are in outlying areas--land is cheaper--building costs are not as expensive
but building a true "media" room involves--as the other poster said--special construction--there should be correct ratio for room size and viewing angles--soundproofing--electric/sound wiring that supports use as media room
you just aren't going to find that in too many houses in that price range...

[Vague2628]

if you are able to do a new construction, look into highland homes or horizon homes for that price. you can get almost any floor plan with a "true" media room(enclosed and no windows, and wired for whatever you want).

i will be building a home through them this winter with a media room along with everything else i shall need/want over the next few years for under 200K.

[lh_newbie]

Something of note on the windows - getting a room with NO windows means it can't be used as a bedroom, which may hurt you come resale time. There are blackout shades - which are cellular shades that, on the inside of each cell, have a foil lining. They even have side tracks to stop the light from sneaking around the side of the shades. This allows for more options in the future. I mention this because in the 200K range, you really don't want to have a room that isn't flexible for resale purposes. In the home I sold above, the new owners were ecstatic about the room being somewhat soundproofed and over the garage... they had kids and this was the perfect playroom for them. They might not have been so excited if it didn't have any windows. Not to mention it could NOT be used as a bedroom without windows (fire code).

[Korel]

An actual Media or Theater Room in a home priced <$200K is very rare. This is a room about 18'x20' (the guys at the Hillcrest hifi store requests 18'x24' for sound phasing) and with theater seating. That's where the floor steps down towards the screen. In some cities (The Coloney), if a room has a closet and a door than can be closed from the hallway, regardless of what you might label it on the plans, the plan reviewer will consider it a possible bedroom and therefore require the two means of egress as per IRC R310 (it's a building code not directly a fire code). One means of egress is the door to the hall, the other should be a door or window to the outside. Which the thought comes to mind. A solid door meeting the required size could be the 2nd opening. Nothing in IRC R310 says it has to be a window. JK

[nsumner]

That's a tall order. There are only a couple of builders that are including media rooms in their plans in the low 200s but they are in Princeton, Lavon and Fate. There are a few homes in McKinney & Frisco that are resale or foreclosures that have a media room. Then there are those that are using the gameroom or a 4th bedroom or formal dining turned into a TV room and they advertize it as a media room.

Is your heart set on new construction only?

Naima