Study lists homeowners’ favorite features
Builders are keenly interested in homebuyers’ preferences that determine features they include, or don’t include, in new homes.
The National Association of Home Builders in the spring released a new publication, “What Home Buyers Really Want,” that includes the results of a 2012 nationwide survey conducted by NAHB’s Economics and Housing Policy Group.
More than 3,600 buyers in 6.8 million homes across the nation were asked about their preferences for home type and size, room layout and design, kitchens and bathrooms, windows and doors, accessibility and outdoor features, electronics and technology in the home, energy efficiency and choosing a community.
The buyers purchased their homes in 2009 and 2010.
Local homebuilding industry professionals believe the majority of the results of the national survey can be seen in the preferences of local homebuyers.
First and foremost among preferences, buyers want energy-efficient homes that will save them money on utility bills.
They want Energy Star-rated appliance and windows. Nine of 10 respondents said they would prefer to buy an energy-efficient home compared with a less energy-efficient home costing 2 percent to 3 percent less.
A large majority of respondents want features that will help them organize their home. They want storage areas, walk-in pantries, laundry rooms and linen closets in the bathrooms.
They want a sense of open space in the kitchen and living areas. More than 75 percent want a kitchen that opens to a family room.
In Las Vegas, we find that buyers like kitchen islands that are large enough to accommodate diners. They want a sense of luxury in the kitchen: granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances and premium-look cabinets.
Buyers want pleasant features in the master bedroom, such as separate tub and shower, or a large shower that may have a built-in seat.
Not surprisingly, the results reveal different preferences among buyers based on demographics. For example, first-time homebuyers are concerned about price and proximity to work; trade-up buyers are focused on the design of the home and the neighborhood.
The median preferred home size is 2,226 square feet, but that number changes based on buyers’ age. Buyers who are younger than 35 preferred 2,494 square feet; those who are 65 and older preferred 2,065 square feet.
In Las Vegas, there is a segment of buyers who want a new home designed to accommodate several generations. They want dual master bedroom suites and separate living/family rooms for the different generations sharing the home.
What features would you like to see in your next new home? We’d love to hear from you.
Send your questions or comments about new homes to monica@snhba.com.
We will try to answer as many questions as we can given space and time limitations and constraints. For more information about SNHBA, visit www.snhba.com. This column is published bimonthly in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Saturday real estate section.
Rocky Cochran, vice president of construction operations at Pardee Homes, is the 2013 president of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, the largest and oldest trade organization representing the residential construction industry in Nevada. He is a third-generation homebuilder.
