Today’s buyers are looking for well-designed homes with efficient, family-friendly floor plans and open concept layouts that also incorporate smart technology. They value more space in central living areas such as kitchens, low up-keep features such as hardwood flooring, and are all about space maximization, energy conservation, and technologically savvy equipment.
At Kootenia Homes, we are seeing more and more of these trends emerging with every passing season. Lets dig a little deeper into the value of each of these home features.
Large, Eat-in Kitchens with an Open Floor Plan
The kitchen has become the hub of the home. It is the spot your family will often congregate, along with the family room. An open space that can seamlessly transition from the kitchen to great room or family room is ideal for the majority of buyers today. This is also prevalent because of the way people today entertain. They want a flow to rooms during social gatherings rather than separating people into different spaces. A sense of community and togetherness is key. Eat-in kitchens have also made their way to the top of buyer’s wish lists. According to the National Association of Homebuilders 2016 Housing Preferences, 80% of buyers want an eat-in kitchen in their home. Eat-in kitchens are especially valuable for families. The kitchen is where the entire family will greet one another to begin their day, having breakfast and getting off to school and work, and where they will meet at the end of their day for dinner, homework, and conversation. The open concept with eat-in kitchen trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so this home feature is definitely worth consideration in your home.
Hardwood Floors over Carpet
Another extremely popular home feature is hardwood flooring. Unlike carpet, hardwood flooring is more durable, easier to maintain, and offers a much cleaner look than carpet. Furthermore, there is a vast array of options to choose from in a multitude of price points; meaning even people on a budget can utilize this feature. Hardwood also lasts a lot longer, while only needing to be refinished periodically, whereas carpet needs to be replaced every 8-10 years. According to the National Association of Homebuilders 2016 Housing Preferences 82% of buyers want hardwood floors in their home. Buyers like hardwood for the same reason they like granite countertops – they’re both attractive and relatively hassle-free. Low maintenance features are especially appealing to young buyers. A shift in societal priorities has occurred, where homeowners would rather have weekends to themselves as opposed to having a long list of things that need to be done around the home, so the less up-keep required the better.
Work Stations in Living Areas
The number of people that work from home (at least occasionally) has skyrocketed in the last decade. Therefore more and more people are interested in having a space they can use to work while home. And that doesn’t always have to mean a separate, formal office. Many areas of a home can become a workspace. The important thing is that they are functional and may serve a dual purpose. Having a desk surrounded by built-ins in spaces like living rooms, lofts or kitchens is a great way to create a workspace that serves more than one purpose. Flexibility is key in this situation.
Technology
Technology equals convenience and convenience makes your life easier, so it’s no surprise that homebuyers in today’s world are interested in homes that incorporate smart technology. Home automation systems that can control lighting, temperature, security and entertainment with a touch of a button are extremely popular with buyers in 2018. Technology also equals efficiency, and in this case smart home technology can mean energy efficiency, a huge incentive for buyers today. According to energy.gov, you can save as much as 10% annually on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat back 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day. This means you can program your thermostat to automatically adjust while you are away or sleeping at night. This not only conserves energy, it also saves you a bundle.
At Kootenia, we take pride in the ability to offer full customization of your home. Whether it’s an open concept eat-in kitchen, hardwood throughout, a workstation, smart home technology, or something else, we believe in fulfilling the dreams of our clients. The beautiful thing is it’s all up to you!