Buy or Remodel Your Home: What is the Future Home Trend?
A drive around any neighborhood these days will reveal that the home trend
is toward the big and the flashy. Many homeowners are looking
for a way to make sure their homes are in style not only today but in
the future as well. After all, a home is the single biggest investment
most of us will every have, and it makes sense to keep the value of that
asset as high as possible.
The decision of whether to remodel your current home or purchase a new
home depends in large part on what you feel the future trend of housing
will be. In order to get an idea of where housing trends are headed,
however, it is helpful to know where they are now.
Today the average home is 2,400 square feet in size, and more than half
of single family homes purchased in the last year have been two stories
or more. But, the rush toward ever bigger houses has begun to slow
somewhat, with 65% of buyers saying they would prefer a smaller home
with a higher quality standard and greater amenities to a large home
made with lower quality materials.
Less than one quarter of new home on the market feature three or more
bathrooms, but 37% of those homes do feature at least four bedrooms. In
addition, buying a new home with a fireplace, or adding a fireplace
during a remodel, is a good idea, since 55% of homes around the country
now have fireplaces. In the cold climate of the Midwest that number is
an even higher 61%.
The family room is one of the most popular rooms in the modern home and
the home trend here is toward high ceilings. One recent survey found that 37%
of homebuyers prefer ceilings of at least nine feet, with an additional
29% preferring 10 foot high ceilings on the ground floor. Even on the
second floor, 42% of homebuyers prefer ceilings of nine feet or higher.
Despite homebuyers' preference for high quality building over size,
average home sizes are not expected to change greatly in the next ten
years. Housing experts predict that the average home size will remain in
the 2,300 to 2,500 square foot range.
One home trend expected to occur is the elimination of the living room in
favor of the den, parlor, library, home entertainment center or music
room. Only those upscale homes with living space of 3,000 square feet or
more are expected to retain the traditional living room.
The home trend is also moving toward open floor plans with fewer walls, so
those homeowners planning a remodeling project may want to consider
removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room.
In the future, special features like arches, pillars and ceiling
treatments will define living areas instead of walls. This means that
the dining room, living room, kitchen and family room may be part of one
great room, with the areas defined by floor coverings, ceiling
treatments and archways.
The importance of the kitchen is likely to continue unabated, with
upscale kitchen appliances like stainless steel stoves and marble
countertops making their way into homes of all price ranges. These new
kitchens are likely to include central islands, more table space, double
sinks and even walk-in pantries and storage areas.
In the bedroom, master bedrooms are expected to contain separate
dressing, sitting and sleeping areas, with his and her walk-in closets
becoming more and more commonplace on homes of all prices. In addition,
the master bedroom suite is expected to feature his and her bathrooms,
with the toilet often compartmentalized away from the sink.
Understanding the future home trends expected to hit the housing industry can
be a huge benefit, both to new homebuyers and to those remodeling their
homes. Including as many of these modern features as possible in a home
remodeling job will help to enhance its value, and knowing which
features are of value will help you get the most home for your money
when it comes time to buy.
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