Many homeowners and Realtors are wondering not only what today’s home
buyers really want, but also what they are ready to leave behind in
light of current economic realities. A new study recently released by
NAHB, What Home Buyers Really Want [2],
was designed to answer these questions, and more specifically, to
provide the most current and accurate information on buyer preferences.
So what do home buyers really want? The first answer is energy
efficiency. Four of the top most wanted features involve saving energy:
94 percent of home buyers want energy-star rated appliances, 91 percent
want an energy-star rating for the whole home, 89 percent want
energy-star rated windows, and 88 percent want ceiling fans.
The second message buyers are sending is they want help keeping their
home organized. The laundry room is wanted by 93 percent of buyers; in
fact, 57 percent consider it essential and would be unlikely to buy a
home without it. This shows that most buyers want to keep the dirty
laundry contained in a room and away from plain view. Moreover, nine out
of ten buyers want a linen closet in the bathroom to help keep towels
and toiletries organized. Space in the garage to store bikes, sports
equipment, or gardening tools also ranks high on the buyers’ wish list:
86 percent want it. And a walk-in pantry in the kitchen is something
most buyers care a lot about as well (85 percent).
What is even more interesting is what buyers are not interested in buying. For example, 66 percent
of buyers do not want to live in a golf course community, 56 percent
reject the idea of living in a high density community, 48 percent do not
want a gated community, and 44 percent would not buy a home in a mixed
use community.
More than half of all buyers also discard the option of having only a
shower stall in the master bathroom with no tub (51 percent), and many
are saying ‘no’ to two-story spaces as well. About 43 percent of buyers
do not want a two-story family room and 38 percent feel the same way
about a two-story entry foyer. Many buyers now consider these large,
open spaces as energy-inefficient – the last thing they want for their
homes.
A complete outdoor kitchen is not an important priority to many
buyers either, as 31 percent flat out discard the possibility of washing
dishes, cooking, and keeping food refrigerated outdoors. For most
buyers (62 percent), an outdoor grill will suffice.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org
