According to research compiled by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, homebuyers indicated that design is given priority over price and rivals location in terms of criteria for purchasing their next homes.
Even when this data is broken down by region, market, and just about any demographic category, the findings from this research hold true. Today's buyers are placing heavy emphasis on the design of a home and are willing to pay more to get what they want.
So what's behind this design-focused trend? Much of this can be related to housing affordability being at record levels in most markets, especially in Central Florida in recent years. Therefore, it will take a truly compelling home to motivate someone to move rather than just a home with a great price.
For many buyers, the design of a home starts from the inside out. Considering this, here are a few important design features that today's buyers want in a home:
A great room is preferred over a more formal layout.
We recently talked about the rise of the open floor plan and how we should expect for this trend to stick around for a while. Today's buyers want a functional open space for entertaining and keeping an eye on children, so having a floor plan where the kitchen, family room, and dining room spaces are all open to each other is very appealing.
Outdoor space is essential.
While today's buyers want an outdoor space that is ideal for entertaining and recreation, they also want the privacy factor. Courtyards, covered patios, and fences can help to provide privacy while also creating a welcomed design feature.
A layout that connects the indoor and outdoor spaces is especially appealing.
Including a wall of windows or attractive doors that provide easy access to your outdoor space can help to accomplish this seamless indoor/outdoor connection.
Casual and comfortable home design is valued.
We've seen this with many of our clients that go through the custom home building process. They want a home that not only fits their personality and lifestyle needs, but also is a space that they can truly be comfortable in. Research across all age groups indicates that today's buyers want a more casual and comfortable design instead of something more formal.
Contemporary interior design is on the rise.
Today's buyers appreciate homes with clean lines, particularly on the interior of a home. However, buyers are more hesitant to opt for a contemporary exterior design as they fear the home's appearance could become outdated in the next decade.
With today's buyers placing so much emphasis on design, it can be difficult for them to find the perfect home given the current inventory of homes on the market. However, to get exactly what you want, one option to consider is going the custom home building route.
Please contact us at Empire Custom Builders to learn more about how the custom home building process works and discuss important design features that you would like to include in your dream home.
For design inspiration, please take a look at our online portfolio. We have successfully completed more than 500 projects in Central Florida and are experienced in working with a variety of design styles and layouts.