Newly constructed homes built by San Juan College students featured in open house

FARMINGTON — Potential new home buyers will have the chance to check out two houses built by students in the building trades program at San Juan College during an open house this weekend.

The event takes place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 in the building trades carpentry yard on Technology Trail on the college campus, 4601 College Blvd. in Farmington.

Bidding on the two houses opened in September and ends at 2 p.m. Oct. 22.

Both houses are 1,000 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and each home features a starting bid of $55,000.

Chad Triplett and Zachary Pettijohn, both assistant professors in the building trades program, are excited that their students will have the chance to show off their work during the open house.

"We're hoping for a good turnout. We've encouraged the students to bring their families," Pettijohn said, noting that the students in the program last year never got to display their work publicly. No open house was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Triplett said interest in the houses seems high this year, explaining that he was contacted by people as early as this summer asking when the homes would be put up for bid. He said the spike in the cost of building materials during the pandemic has led folks to look for less-expensive options, and he thinks that bodes well for the sale of these houses.

"The buyers I have talked to on the phone are interested in buying both houses and not just one," he said.

Of course, anyone who puts in a bid on either of the houses still needs to have land to put it on, he said. But he said the affordability of the two homes makes them an attractive option for anyone looking to save money during a time when prices for real estate and building materials are climbing.

Each house also features a laundry room, a mechanical closet and ceiling fans in the bedrooms and living room. They are both 50 feet long and 20 feet wide.

One of the houses, built this year, has a green-and-yellow exterior. The living room and kitchen feature vinyl flooring, while the bedrooms all will have carpeting.

The second home, which has a two-tone gray exterior, has a nearly identical floor plan. It features real hardwood flooring made of red oak throughout, except for the master bedroom, which will be carpeted. It also has ceramic tile in the bathrooms and laundry room.

The two houses have been built to be moved, according to a news release from the college.

Pettijohn said anyone who puts in a bid on either of the houses is supporting the building trades program in addition to possibly acquiring a home.

"It's a great time to be in this program," he said, noting that the increase in new home prices during the pandemic has contributed to an increase in new home construction, which is good news for his students. "Everyone is very busy, and everyone is hiring."

Call 505-566-3365 for more information about the open house or to learn how to submit a bid.

Mike Easterling can be reached at 505-564-4610 or measterling@daily-times.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription.