Certain characteristics negatively impact property improvements ratings. These factors also range in importance as Highly Significant, Important, and Moderately Important, and generally describe as:
Highly Significant Negative Characteristics
- Poor quality of construction, resulting in strikingly negative appearance
- A unit mix of small studio and one bedroom floorplans without inclusion, or limited presence, of other unit types
- Multiple bedroom apartments include only one bath
- Bath detail includes Masonite, or vacuum-formed plastic, tub enclosures; no medicine cabinet is provided; bath sinks are free-standing
- Restricted interior storage
- No private patio or balcony
- Ramp (motel) type unit entries, or interior corridors are narrow and poorly lighted
- Incomplete, or low-end, kitchen appliances (i.e., no dishwashers; refrigerators are single door, or non-frost free double-door; ranges are small).
- Kitchen cabinetry reflects a high degree of obsolescence of appearance (i.e. dark wood patterned laminate-faced), and/or kitchen storage availability is limited.
Important Negative Characteristics
- Ceiling heights are below standard (i.e. seven feet)
- Limited, or no, architectural appeal
- Floorplans offered are significantly (20% or more) smaller than market average size
- Second floor systems are composed of plywood (not finished in Gypcrete)
- Lack of (limited, or no) covered parking availability
- Lack of refrigeration in warm climates
Moderately Important Negative Characteristics
- Sparse landscaping
- Central metering of electric utilities
- Flat roofs
- Second floor stair landings are wood (rather than concrete)
- Kitchen lighting is by a standard incandescent fixture