Photo credit: www.blue-ribbon-construction.com
With all the options available to new home buyers out there, it’s essential for builders to find ways to woo their prospective buyers. In today’s market, many of the most popular home features over the past ten years or so, are continuing to remain popular with buyers. This includes granite countertops, nine foot ceilings, and pre-wiring; however, home builders aren’t selling homes as easily as they once were, so they are continuing to add options that they feel will both create uniqueness and be appealing to buyers. Below is a list of features that are more and more frequently making their way into new homes.
Courtyards – A courtyard adds sophistication to any house. As a newer feature to show up in upscale single-family homes and semi-custom homes, courtyards offer a place for family and friends to gather. More often than not, front courtyards are decorated with seating areas, water features, and a fireplace for those chilly winter nights. Interior courtyards, where the living quarters of the home wrap around an outdoor living room, are also showing up more in custom builder designs.
Turrets – Turrets are an “old world” feature where new homes are designed with castle-like round rooms with distinctive roof lines. Often new home communities that implement Spanish-influences into the design aspect of the homes, will feature one or more floor plans which include turrets.
IceStone Countertop
Luxurious Bath & Shower – A luxury master bathroom is every buyer’s desire and should be every builder’s key selling point. Luxury bathrooms are quickly gaining more attention as buyers often want Jacuzzi-style tubs and showers with multiple spray nozzles and built-in seating.
Energy Efficiency – We all want to do our part when it comes to reducing out carbon footprint and preserving resources, and homeowners are no different. Homeowners know that reducing energy use also reduces energy costs, so it’s no surprise that buyers are seeking out new homes that offer energy efficient appliances and building materials.
Windows – Windows come in all shapes and sizes, but finding the shape and size that separates your homes from the competition’s homes, while also keeping in mind that buyers want low-e windows that let in a lot of light and keep out the heat of the sun, is an important design feature to keep in mind.
Countertops – Big, open kitchens have been popular for many years and for good reason, buyers want areas ideal for entertaining guests. With this in mind, countertops are important because countertops are often a main focal point of both the homebuyer and future visitors. There are some really impressive eco-friendly countertops being produced from materials such as paperstone, which is made out of recycled newspaper, and IceStone, which is a product made from recycled concrete and glass.
Bonus Room – Buyers simply like the word bonus, so it’s no doubt that if a specific floor plan includes an extra work area, hobby room, or den, you may be attracting more potential buyers. Hobby rooms are a little bit different from a den, in that a hobby room might include laundry closets and built in cabinetry around a designated work space.
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My husband promised me that we will build a new house next year and I am very forward about it. We make a variety of plans and schedule rooms in the house. Large and open kitchen is certainly required.
Luxury bathrooms are incredible. A friend of mine has a really large one in his house with a walk in shower, and I’d love to add one to my house.
I think with the market the way it is in most of the country taking some of these extra steps is going to be essential in making sure that new construction sells. Frankly we have the expectation that homes we buy in a down market are going to require less work then they normally would.
The Real Estate market is really going down and it’s a big deal to all real estate builders to get a potential buyers. The word “LUXURY” makes this business more competitive and complicated. Every builder is dying to make their property as luxurious as possible to attract the potential buyers.
This is great advice. With the current state of the property market, these essential steps will add value for little cost.
people want value, Anything you add will help the bottom line. The more you give the more you will sell
It sad thing is that the majority buys whit their eyes and not with the brain. I have many example there the buyers just buy cosmetics houses. Cheap houses with the latest fashion colors, fake luxury chitchen and bathrooms. Think before you buy – what are you really buying.