A recent article published by Forbes magazine indicates the top "like to have" for today's home buyers. The study included 4,000 home buyers and asked them to rank 175 different home features.
Toping the list are laundry rooms! Buyers would like to have it on a main living floor, either by a bedroom or kitchen and want to be able to close the door on the mess and forget it. I personally love having a laundry room on the second floor, so I don't have to lug baskets up and down stairs. Big items such as bedsheets and towels are bulky and it's great to have a laundry room where the bedrooms are. A lot of homebuyers prefer it near the kitchen where they spend most time and don't have to go up and down changing loads. It all comes down to personal preference.
Open concept kitchen and eating/dinning area remains important to home buyers and the cabinet stain or choice still remains white. I had read an article a while ago in where nearly 70% of folks preferred white kitchens. Materials preferred on the countertops are granite, and natural stone such as quartzite - not be confused with quartz). Tons of great articles on this material - it's hardier than marble but much fussier than granite. It just needs to be sealed regularly. Engineered quartz designed to look like marble is also a strong trend and so are waterfall islands. What else are they looking for in the kitchen? Center island, double kitchen sinks and stainless steel appliances.
Having a clutter free home is important to buyers, so a walk-in pantry, closets and garage shelving are critical. My family knows I don't like clutter on our counters and whenever they can't find a paper or mail I catch them saying that "mom probably shoved it in a drawer somewhere." The funny party is that most of the time they are right!
Hardwood floors rule, however vinyl and resilient flooring appear to be emerging trends. Desire for energy savings are top on the list: energy star appliance, energy efficient windows, programmable thermostats such as Nests and ceiling fans are things that bring more comfort in the home. While 68% of those surveyed wanted an environmentally friendly home, they did not want to pay more for those features.
What's out? Wine cellars, pet showers, cork flooring, laminate countertops in kitchens and two-story family rooms.
It looks like my rule of thumb as I moved around is still pretty consistent with today's home-buyers. I always wanted to be no more than 10 minutes away from a good mall - ones that had great anchor stores and good chain restaurants like PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory or California Pizza Kitchen. Home buyers want a home near retail space, walking and jogging trails. Today we can be just as content with uber eats, stitch fix, rent the runway or amazon. We just need a good satellite tower!