What Home Buyers Want 2019
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The National Association of Home Builders conducts an annual survey (since 2003) tracking what home buyers really want in their homes. The survey gathers information from recent home buyers who have purchased homes in the last three years and from prospective home buyers who plan to purchase a home within the next 3 years. The order of importance of the features they look for ranges from essential/must have to desirable.
The following is a list in order for the “essential” items for 2019 buyers.
- Laundry room – The laundry room has finally come into its own as a bright and organized cleanup command center, whether in a tidy corner of the basement or a nook next to the kitchen. For help updating yours, we have the Update Now Pay Later program.
- Ceiling fan
- Double kitchen sink
- Energy Star rated appliances
- Energy Star rated windows
- Garage storage – Start by cleaning yours out. Sort all items into three piles: keep, donate or sell, and toss. Lay them on dedicated tarps or mark off areas of your driveway with chalk and place them there. What should get the boot: outgrown toys, items that are broken beyond repair, expired household chemicals (which may need special disposal), and anything you haven’t used in two years or more. If you have a hard time letting go of things that have sentimental value, snap pictures as keepsakes.
- Exterior lighting
- Patio
- Walk-in pantry
- Hardwood flooring
Of note is the patio. Although it currently is # 8 on the list, it has increased in importance for home buyers every year since the survey began.
The list can serve as a guide for home sellers also. Upgrading or improving the items on the list has the potential to impact buyers and will give what home buyers want in 2019.