Three reasons why we’re ‘shipping’ this one-of-a-kind, environmentally friendly container home in Washington, listed by RE/MAX agent Louise James.
Building a shipping container home is a big project with special considerations. But for this $2M home, the work that went into constructing it was surely worth it, according to RE/MAX Equity Group agent and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist Louise James, the listing agent for the gorgeous 4,074 square-foot container home currently for sale.
Built using 11 shipping containers and customized with Asian-inspired aesthetics throughout, James says the idea for this one-of-a-kind home in Vancouver, Washington, originated as a sketch on a piece of paper in 2015 by builder, owner and designer Edward Merced.
Described as a mid-century modern Japanese design, the eclectic 4-bed, 3.5-bath home has been featured on HGTV’s “Container Homes” and is classified by James as both a “feat of engineering” and as a “sanctuary.”
Here are three reasons to love this home:
1. It’s Eco-Friendly
“Seventy to 80 percent of the house is built with recyclable material,” James says.
Transforming a lightly used shipping container into a livable home is a meaningful example of recycling. James notes sustainability was important to the builder and in addition to using these containers as the primary materials for this home, he also incorporated other eco-friendly features like the sinks in the bathroom, which are made with stones from a local quarry.
“The house is also extremely well-insulated,” James adds.
Following the ups and downs of the lumber market thus far in 2021, renewed interest in alternative building materials has been accelerating and solutions like repurposing shipping containers that would otherwise sit in a landfill are becoming more attractive.
“Sometimes you even forget you’re in a shipping container home when you’re at this house,” she says. “The ceilings are all at least 9 feet high, with large windows and some drywall and wood. It’s both industrial and warm.”
2. It’s ‘Oh So Luxurious’
Tranquility radiates from this property – the primary bedroom is none other than a treehouse, and the courtyard Koi pond is visible from all areas of the home. In fact, the sunken living room is designed with aquarium glass windows looking into the pond.
“The house literally sits around the pond,” James says. “No one thought that could be done but here we are and it’s beautiful.”
Among her favorite features of the property, the traditional Japanese tearoom, which can be used as a meditation room, is what really makes it feel like you’re inside a sanctuary, James says.
3. It’s a Pad Straight Out of an Entrepreneur’s Dream
James envisions an entrepreneur finding this vibrant and creative space to be the ultimate work/live environment.
“The architecture, privacy, entertaining spaces (shout out to the commercial-sized kitchen and tastefully hidden food prep room!) and unique design make it a place no one has really ever seen before,” James says. “This would be ripe for an entrepreneur who would want to create from here or bring a family as an escape from a big urban center.”
Selling a Unique Home
James, a passionate and committed real estate broker, met the owner of the container home at an open house for another property she was listing. The two hit it off, and when he asked her to list the house, she jumped at “this really cool opportunity.”
Born and raised in England, James moved to the United States 23 years ago and specializes her career in relocation, short sales, auction, new construction, and guiding first-time buyers and sellers. James joined RE/MAX four years ago after being drawn in by the sheer size of the RE/MAX network and its international presence.
“I like dealing with people from all over the world and would love more opportunities to do just that, so RE/MAX was enticing to me,” James says. “RE/MAX has been around a long time, but it’s still innovating, and our leadership is taking us to the next level.”
Leveraging her extensive experience in negotiation, strategic marketing, and technology, James creates websites for each of her listings that are complete with a 3D rendering of the home. This virtual tour experience allows prospective buyers to “walk through” the home online simply by clicking on any of the rooms in the rendering – this is a key strategy for James, who knows luxury clients aren’t always local or available to tour the residence.
While this is the first luxury container home of this size in her area, James thinks this is a trend that will continue as a tactic to battle ever-rising home prices and increasing consumer awareness of environmental footprints.
To learn more about this property, reach out to Louise James.
Article originally appeared on RE/MAX.com.
