Housing trends and styles are changing constantly. Today, more than ever, buyers have a strong sense of what they want in a home.
 
Today’s desirable home features depend greatly of the type of buyer.  Buyers can be divided into two main groups. The first group are first-time buyers which is pretty self-explanatory. The second group are the move up buyers, which are looking to move into a home that addresses the shortcomings of their existing home. They aren't necessarily second-time buyers but they are often people that have out grown their current home. Buyer age is also a main factor in deciding the desired home features.

This article will focus on what is hot in the housing market today. Whether you are planning on renovating, selling, or you are looking for a new home, this information will help you make choices that will contribute to both your real estate enjoyment and investment.

Home Exterior
Today, stone and stucco are very popular choices. Of course, brick is the standard material used with mass builders, but the more customized and trendy home builders are using stone and stucco on a more frequent basis.

Floor layout 
Bungalows are hot nowadays. Excessive floor level changes are no longer popular as people desire to live on one or two levels.

Rooms
Room sizes have been gradually increasing for a number of years. Buyers tend to place the most importance on 3 key rooms which include the Kitchen, the Family room and the Master bedroom. You can expect to see these 3 rooms continue to increase in size over the next 10 years while rooms such as the living and dining room are likely to get smaller or disappear altogether. Many new homes scrap the living room and instead incorporate that space into the Family room or the 'Great' room.

Buyers still, ideally, desire four bedrooms in their home and would like, if possible, two living areas. One of the living quarters can be the recreation room in the lower level (basement).

A master bedroom on the main floor is ranked very important for buyers 65 and older. A two-car garage with ample storage area and a main floor laundry area is desirable for the move-up buyers.

Kitchen and bathrooms
The kitchen is becoming the hub of the house. The most desired features for the kitchen include: an abundance of counter space, a butler’s pantry, deep drawers and two sinks. Stainless steel appliances are also very popular today, and in the upper end market, appliances concealed as cabinetry are very chic. 

Large kitchens with an island and counter tops made of granite or marble are very desirable for the move up buyers. . However, this must be matched with stylish kitchen cabinets.  

Luxurious Bathrooms with separate tub and multiple shower heads along with pedestal sinks and large mirrors with a spa like feeling, attached dressing rooms and a place to sit are all desirable features. Master suite soaker tubs and Whirlpools are still desirable for many home buyers, but they clearly went down a notch.

Energy efficient
with the green movement becoming more popular, energy efficient appliances, high-efficiency insulation, eco-friendly treatments, and environmentally smart building plans are among the "green" features touted in homes.

Tech-readiness
satellite and internet wired along with multiple phone jacks and central air are what people want. With today busy live style relaying heavily on technology, even a day or two without high speed internet could be a major inconvenience.

Home office
Today many people would much rather have this space than a formal dining room. Simple work from home opportunity can be a blessing in disguise in troubled times of today. Those who find their regular incomes diminishing due to recession and those who are laid out of jobs can use simple work from opportunity to make money online

Outdoor living space
the popularity of outdoor spaces continues to grow. Patios, deck, exterior lights, fenced yard and fire bit extend the outdoor living space at home and make a great extra feature.

Other Notables
Some other notable features that home buyers consider very important when buying a home include central air conditioning, recessed lighting, hardwood flooring, energy efficiency and the potential to turn a profit should they decide to sell that home in the near future.

Today’s buyers are looking for a little luxury and features and treatments that are the highest quality the price range will permit.

Justin Havre

CIR Realty