The top 5 things today’s homebuyers want varies differently from just ten years ago.
Homebuyers today are younger and extremely tech savvy.
They grew up with smartphones, apps, and Google searches. They want to use technology not only in their search for a home but throughout the home, too.
Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
As the homebuyer evolves, so does the home. Here are five things today’s homebuyers want.
1. Man Caves and Smart Homes
Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The media room or “man cave” emerged in real estate marketing a few years ago. Many buyers prefer high-tech rooms with surround sound, large screen TV’s, and the most up-to-date A/V equipment to formal dining rooms.
But some aren’t limiting technology to the home office or man cave/entertainment room. They’re transforming an entire property into a “smart home” with home automation systems.
2. Home Offices
A home office tops today’s buyer’s wish list. Many prefer to have one place dedicated to their laptops, printers and work-related stuff. A dedicated home office is better for tax purposes, too. Either way, try to make your home office as appealing to the next buyer as it is to you. And keep in mind that, provided you don’t build-in a desk or bookshelf, the space can easily be reverted back to a bedroom.
3. Carrie Bradshaw Closets
In the first Sex and the City movie, Mr. Big surprises Carrie Bradshaw by dramatically remodeling a cramped closet into her dream closet, with glowing, glass-enclosed sub-closets.
Today, the walk-in closet is a must-have on many buyers’ wish list. Some homeowners are pairing down a four-bedroom home to three by transforming one bedroom into an oversized walk-in closet.
If you intend to expand a closet or bedroom into a grand walk-in closet, be careful not to overly customize it. The more specific you get with your taste, the fewer people your closet will appeal to when you go to sell.
4. Hardwood Floors
If you walk into a home that hasn’t been on the market for decades, you’ll probably see a lot of wall-to-wall carpeting. This was common in the mid 20th century. Not only did carpeting help reduce heating bills, it was seen as physically comforting and less sterile.
Today, most buyers prefer gleaming hardwood floors. They make a space feel less confined and give it a new, clean feeling. If you see a home you love with wall-to-wall carpeting you don’t love, ask the agent what’s underneath it.
5. Urban Homes With Amenities
Homebuyers today often see large yards as “maintenance.” They’re opting for living in big cities like New York as well as smaller ones such as Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and San Jose. They want active lifestyles and opportunities to socialize; to be near transit hubs; and buildings with amenities, such as a full-service gym.
Think Long-Term
Trends in kitchen countertops, paint colors and bath fixtures come and go. They’re based on larger design or style trends and even fashion trends. However, as society and culture change, the larger fixtures and features of our homes evolve more gradually. They don’t mirror the latest trends so much as they reflect shifts in how we live. As a result, investing in long-term home shifts will usually be a better idea than paying extra money for the latest home fad.
