Builder's Magazine had an interesting article about trends that prospective buyers either look for or appreciate enough that it makes them choose to buy a home. They interviewed builders, architects, real estate agents, and interior designers across the nation, and created a top 10 list.1. Increased ceiling heights from 8 to 9 feet, and moving to more upstairs bedrooms instead of large, hard to heat and cool great rooms.
2. Low-maintenance exteriors and interiors such as brick, tile floors, and little exposed wood. Alternatives are homes in a sub-division that provides home upkeep in the maintenance agreements.
3. Large laundry rooms with space to move around, fold clothes, and even use as storage. According to the article, a larger laundry room is the number one request in America. Wow!
4. Natural materials used for exterior and interior. Granite countertops, ceramic tile flooring, hardwood floors, brick exteriors, tile bathrooms and similar things are preferable now to man-made materials. and carpeting. Surprisingly, wooden porches attract and evoke childhood memories which tend to make a property sell better.
5. Special rooms and nooks for privacy in the home, such as a computer room, library, or personal space.
6. Replacing a formal living room with a den, study, gameroom, or family room.
7. Advanced technology is demanded these days, such as wireless internet, surround-sound across the home, keyless entry, lighting controls, and kitchen gadgetry. Computerized security systems are very popular.
8. Outdoor entertainment areas such as porches and gazebos that can be used for sleeping and parties. Outdoor fireplaces, large pools, jacuzzis and other extras are now demanded instead of being considered a rarity.
9. Master-planned communities which include homes, condos, clubhouses, and other buildings that get rid of the "Pleasant Valley Sunday" look of the 70's 80's and 90's.
10. Having larger garage buildings and putting them behind the house to free up the window views and improve the street appearance of the homes is proving to be a big seller.
With Myrtle Beach real estate sales proving a little more difficult, and vacation homes in Myrtle Beach competing with so many luxurious oceanfront condos, adding extras to the outdoor space could make a huge difference in deciding between the two.
Many of the Myrtle Beach golf communities have thought about extras such as granite, tile, and mixing homes and condos in the same neighborhoods. Fireplaces are more common now in our newer developments, although we probably don't have enough cold weather to give them proper usage.
My friend in Las Vegas lives in a neighborhood that refuses to allow palm trees and the "Florida" look, instead, going with the traditional brick homes. Of course all the desert states like Nevada and Arizona consider pools a backyard necessity, too.
The trendy small towns in states like Texas are big on 2 story stone houses with high ceilings, along with backyard garages with cultured and landscaped yards. Denton, Frisco, and Flower Mound TX homes and communities have gorgeous neighborhoods whose houses include many of the featured trends. Anxious sellers everywhere would do well to think about adding some of these features that get their homes more attention.
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The National Board of Realtors tells us that the number of vacation homes being turned into rental properties is on the rise... Myrtle Beach Vacation Homes.
