The Home of the Future. What will it look like?

The Home of the Future. What will it look like?

I had an interesting opportunity to sit privately with some of Clark County's leading building experts last week to discuss future trends in the building industry. More to the point: What homes will be most in demand in the next 3, 5, and 10 years?

The answer isn't surprising. What is surprising is that nobody is building them!

We have entered a time when the largest and most wealthy segment of the working population in America is entering retirement. The Baby Boomers. As a group, they are the healthiest, and wealthiest generation of our time. They are smart and they know what they want. They have been planning their retirement lives longer than any other generation and they don't take "No" for an answer!

Their wants are really kind of simple. They want single level homes with 3 car garages that are built for a retired life.

What is a retired life?

A retired life to a Baby Boomer is a life that will be lived on a fixed income with a minimum of sacrifices. The home may get a little smaller but the features and finishes will get better. They don't mind downsizing from 3500 sq. feet to 2400 sq. feet but they aren't going to give up the granite counter tops, professional grade appliances, or their jetted tubs!

They aren't going to make sacrifices in their lifestyle either. They still plan to entertain. Open floorplans and layouts with multiple master suites are in high demand. A floorplan that allows fun spaces to gather in the daytime but gives everyone privacy at night is a must have.

They still plan to travel. That means that the home must be low maintenance, durable, and inexpensive to operate. Andrew Shepard of Earth Advantage in Portland Oregon puts it like this, "Green certifications like Earth Advantage Platinum assure a very energy efficient home that is durable and offers saving on energy bills of over 50%. This protects the owner against future raises in energy costs."

In a nutshell, the home of the future will be a single level home of  2000 to 2500 sq. feet with a very well appointed master suite, a gourmet kitchen, open entertaining space, and built to the highest standards of energy efficiency. Its not just for baby boomers. It sounds like a smart choice for everyone.

As Eco Brokers and Earth Advantage certified realtors, we specialize in quality built hiogh performance green homes. Anything less is obsolete before you move in!