By Jay McKenzie
What do our neighbors to the north have to teach us about the Top 10 Features Home Buyers want?
Plenty, it turns out. It's clear the preferences of Canadian home buyers closely match those of American home buyers.
The nationally-recognized designers from Rooms in Bloom shared their experience in a recent blog post. As the 2012 Home Staging firm in Canada, they should know. These expert interior designers devote a big portion of their firm's work to helping real estate professionals and home builders "stage" or decorate homes that are currently for sale. Like many top interior designers, Heather Cook and Alana Merrit of Rooms in Bloom find the challenge of staying one step ahead of the latest trends while staging homes for sale to be of great value in all of their interior design work.
As you search for a home, look for these trends. You'll find today's new homes deliver on the features home buyers like you want most. And when you've found your new dream home, keep these ideas in mind as you feather your new nest.
Let's take a look at how today's new homes compare to re-sale homes in delivering:
The Top 10 Features Home Buyers Want
- Open Concept Homes -- New homes offer spacious, flowing floorplans and high ceilings that older homes don't provide
- Smaller Homes -- McMansions are expensive to heat, cool and maintain. The wide array of new homes make it easy to find the size just right for you.
- Outdoor Living Spaces -- True in Canada and even more so in the many temperate areas of the U.S.
- Neutral Decor -- Probably best for selling a home, but as a new home buyer, don't be afraid to display your true colors
- Modern Kitchens -- The heart of every home and where new homes shine with the latest & greatest design, cabinets, countertops, lighting and appliances
- Smart Growth -- Many of today's Master-Planned new home communities offer Community Clubhouses and Pools, protected nature areas, hiking trails, playgrounds and more
- Going Green -- Hands down, new homes win here, too.
- Linen Closets & Smart Storage Options -- New homes take the win in this category, too. Simply compare the far larger walk-in closets of today's new homes with the cramped closest of old homes.
- Energy-Efficient Fixtures & Appliances -- Our new vs. resale home comparison is turning into a rout! Today's new homes feature enormous energy efficiency in appliances and through-out. A typical new home of today is much more energy efficient than a home built just five years ago. And a new home compared to a 10-20 year old home? Game over!
- Double Car Garage with Organized Work/Storage Space -- You'd be hard-pressed to find a new home that doesn't score a "10" on our Criteria #10. And, in many cases, three-car garages or greater are available with storage space to make the man of the house grow weak in the knees.
It's looking like a landslide win for new homes vs. used houses in delivering the features home buyers want. The odds are good that a new home is your best bet to realize your dream home. And while you may plan to stay for many years in your next home, it's also clear your new home will be much more likely to meet a buyer's needs (should you ever wish to sell it)compared to a used home that's already out of date today.
To learn more about the award-winning designs and designers at Rooms in Bloom, click here: http://decoratingdivas.wordpress.com/2011/03/05/top-10-home-features-buyers-want/
To shop for your Perfect 10 home on the scale above, take advantage of the unmatched selection of new homes and communities here at www.NewHomeSource.com.
Jay McKenzie heads up content and social media for NewHomeSource.com.
