The pandemic lock-down has sparked a new wave of buyers looking to make a change. Prior to the pandemic they tended to focus on amenities… like granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors.
Since the pandemic buyers tend to be focused on more space and outdoor features as home becomes the place where they do most everything… including working, relaxing, cooking, playing, even schooling!
Online searches surged as things opened up after the lockdown. Searches in both the first-time homebuyer bracket of $200k-$300k and the move-up bracket of $500k-$750k are up.
While buyers are looking for abundant square footage with room to spread out, even more important than actual square footage is floor plan design and efficiency… they are looking for more walls and more separate rooms. It’s hard conducting an online meeting when everyone in the household is gathering in the same room. Perhaps this is why even small families are looking for more bedrooms… not for sleeping space but so they can have separate, private offices.
I shared data from a survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors about buyers’ shifting priorities last month in Buyer priority shift… top features buyers want since COVID.
The following charts from a recent survey of more than 5,000 US adults conducted by Homes.com show that layout has taken over as the most important interior feature to today’s home buyers by far… way ahead of flooring and kitchen appliances.
The most important exterior features also relate to interior living… the amount and size of windows both ranked high, as did a porch or patio. If you think about it, windows and patios or balconies visually expand the feeling of spaciousness, even if you spend most of your time inside… and an abundance of natural light can even help lighten our mood and help fight depression.
Spending so much time at home has re-established the need for privacy and personal space… as I like to call it, ‘getaway’ space. Gone is the allure of ‘fishbowl’ living with everyone gathering together in the same space and everything taking place in one big room.
Prior to the pandemic our homes had been more focused on a central gathering space to relax with family and friends after coming home from work and school… it was more of a ‘pit stop’. Now that home has become the center of all parts of our lives, home buyers are more focused on spreading out… with more private living space, more natural light and bringing the outdoors in.
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
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