| Preliminary findings from a recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) survey reveal that the preferences of home buyers continue to change. Based on some 2,000 responses from households that bought a new home in the last two years or plan to do so in the next two years, the survey uncovered few dramatic surprises but pointed to trends that deserve watching.
Although the size of American households has been on the decline, consumer preferences can be expected to keep the size of new homes growing, according to NAHB researcher Gopal Ahluwalia. The largest number of those surveyed, 34 percent, said they currently live in homes with less than 1,500 square feet of finished space, but only 15 percent of the consumers who were polled said that they would prefer to buy a new home that small.
The largest number of consumers, 31 percent, voiced a preference for homes with areas in the range of 1,500 to 1,999 square feet; 25 percent were in the market for 2,000 to 2,499 square feet; 14 percent wanted 2,500 to 2,999 square feet of living space and a like number wanted 3,000 or more square feet.
The Census Bureau reported that 35 percent of new homes completed during the first half of this year had 2,400 square feet or more. For that same period the average size of a new single-family home was 2,265 square feet. That’s way up from 1,500 square feet in 1970.
A majority of consumers, 49 percent, want three bedrooms, but 41 percent want four or more. Two bathrooms were the choice of 36 percent of survey respondents; 30 percent want 2 1/2 and 17 percent want three or more. A two-car garage was preferred by 53 percent; 24 percent wanted room for three cars.
Only 18 percent said that they preferred a completely separate kitchen; 42 percent want a kitchen from which they can see into the family room and 23 percent want the kitchen completely open to the family room. One big kitchen large enough to eat up the space of a family room was the choice of 8 percent of those polled.
Most popular kitchen features included a walk-in pantry (78 percent), an island work area (71 percent), extra long counters (57 percent) and a built-in microwave oven (50 percent).
Popular bathroom features included a linen closet (88 percent), exhaust fan (87 percent), a separate shower enclosure (69 percent), water temperature control (67 percent), a dressing/make-up area (52 percent) and a private toilet compartment (49 percent).
Must-have areas of the house included a laundry room (92 percent), dining room (79 percent), den (54 percent) and sun room (46 percent). While the living room is still a mainstay of the home, 34 percent said they didn’t need one.
Desirable or essential outdoor features included exterior lighting (85 percent), a front porch light (83 percent), a rear deck (82 percent), a lot with trees (81 percent), a rear patio (74 percent) and a fenced yard (73 percent).
Forty two percent of the surveyed consumers prefer brick exterior walls followed by vinyl siding (23 percent), stone (12 percent), stucco (12 percent, down from 28 percent in the previous 1996 survey), wood (7 percent) and aluminum (4 percent).
Community amenities that are good inducements for moving into a new community include a park area (62 percent), walking and jogging trails (58 percent), open spaces (46 percent), a lake (42 percent) and playgrounds (40 percent).
Final survey findings will be presented during the International Builders Show in Atlanta later this month.
For more information, contact Ahluwalia at NAHB, (800) 368-5242, Ext. 480. | 