A great Realtor colleague in the south bay just shared this article with me about what buyers want when they are looking for a home. In San Francisco, we are rarely going to achieve the full complement of amenities that this report says buyers want, but it is good to keep in mind. The one that surprised me is the double sink. This seems hopelessly outdated to me as I really like my big farmhouse sinks. One thing that didn’t surprise me – buyers want environmentally friendly features but aren’t willing to pay more. At lease they want them! We will get there eventually!
Read on …
The National Association of Home Builders conducted a nationwide survey on what home buyers are looking for when purchasing a new house. Both people who had recently bought a home as well as prospective purchasers were asked what they felt were the most important features.
- Buyers want a home with a median of 2,226 square feet
- Lot size was important to 75% of purchasers
- Close to half want 3 bedrooms while about 30% want 4 bedrooms
- 65% want either 2 or 2.5 baths
- 57% of buyers prefer a single story home
- Over half want a 2 car garage
- For 65% of buyers, the most critical characteristic is ‘living space and the number of rooms that meet their needs’
- Buyers focus on quality and appearance for most home features
- 85% or more buyers are interested in energy efficiency and organization/storage
- 84% want a walk-in pantry, table space for eating and a double sink in the kitchen
- Over 80% of buyers ant both a tub and shower in the Master bath
- 65% of buyers would sacrifice space in the Master bath for a larger Master bedroom
- 90% of buyers consider outdoor lighting essential
- 50% would like to have a wireless security system in their new home
- 62% would choose a small home with high quality products and amenities VS a larger home without
- 67% of buyers want an environmentally friendly home but aren’t willing to pay more for it