Do You Know What Your Buyers Want?
"Bigger isn't better" is the message architects say they're getting from consumers.
"Households are putting less focus on the amount of space in their homes and more on how that space is being used," concludes the American Institute of Architects in its most recent quarterly Home Design Trends Survey.
"Rising home energy costs and concerns over affordability are resulting in a decrease in extra interior spaces that add to heating and cooling expenses," observes AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. More than one-quarter of residential architects report that home sizes are decreasing. Slowing, too, is demand for volume created by higher ceilings, with only 31 percent of those surveyed reporting demand for higher ceilings compared with 47 percent in 2006 and 51 percent in 2005.
Flexible Designs
Compared with previous generations, Baker says "home owners are looking to use their homes differently and therefore are looking for different layouts." Driving these changes are growing demands for accessibility: wider hallways, fewer steps, and homes with a single floor design. Almost three-quarters of architects, 74 percent, report increasing demand for accessibility.
Also high on consumer wish lists are rooms that can serve multiple needs of a household. More than two-thirds, 67 percent, of architects report increasing demand for multifunctional space, and 56 percent point to a growing trend toward more open space layouts.
Outdoor Living Still in Demand
Although lots are growing smaller, outdoor living continues to be strong, with two-thirds of architects noting this is a trend. Also in demand are spaces to help merge indoor and outdoor living.
Updated landscaping and outdoor amenities - such as fireplaces, gazebos, courtyards, swimming pools, and tennis courts - continue to become more desirable for consumers. There's also strong demand for fences, walls, and outbuildings, such as barns, sheds, storage facilities, according to AIA.
* Information provided by Camilla McLaughlin for REALTOR Magazine Online. Article from NC Association of Realtors - Realtor Report
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