By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine
During the housing boom days, media rooms, wine cellars, and large expansive bonus rooms were all the rage. But ask today’s home shopper what they want most from their home and their wish-lists have gotten much more practical.
Today, it’s all about energy efficiency.
In fact, four of the top most desired home features center around saving energy, according to a new study released by the National Association of Home Builders, “What Home Buyers Really Want.”
With rising utility costs, more home buyers are thinking not just about the price of buying a home — but also how are they going to maintain it and keep it affordable once they move in?
Ninety-four percent of home buyers say they want energy-rated appliances; 91 percent want an energy-star rating for the entire home, 89 percent say they want energy-star related windows, and 88 percent want ceiling fans, according to the NAHB study.
They want the floorplan of the home to be energy efficient too. More buyers are showing less desire for a two-story entry foyer, the study finds. These large, open spaces are known as being less energy efficient.
So while energy efficiency seems to be chief on buyers’ minds these days, they’re also devoting a lot of time to sizing up the home’s storage space. Ninety percent of buyers say they want a linen closet in the bathroom to store towels and toiletries. Eighty-six percent say they also want space in the garage to store sports equipment and gardening and yard tools. And 85 percent say they want a walk-in pantry in the kitchen.
