The 2020 homebuyer wish list is in as the word “home” is taking on a whole new meaning this year. Buyers are starting to look for new features as they re-think their needs and what’s truly possible!
The Home Office
The desire for a home office has been steadily sneaking its way onto homebuyer wish lists pre-COVID. 65% of survey participants in a 2018 National Association of Home Builders survey said they wanted a home office in their next home. However, there is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has quickly brought working from home top-of-mind even for employers and workers who hadn’t entertained it before.
A PwC June survey of executives and office workers has shown that “a permanent flexible workweek (and perhaps workday) has broad support. Most office workers (83%) want to work from home at least one day a week, and half of employers (55%) anticipate that most of their workers will do so long after COVID-19 is not a concern.”
The Outdoor Living Space
According to HomeAdvisor expert, Dan DiClero, in an interview with Forbes “In the past, a deck or patio might have been seen as a nice amenity for occasional barbecues. But now this outdoor space is an essential expansion of the home’s living space… Sure, it’s a place to grill hamburgers for an open-air meal, but with the right furnishings and shade protection, it might be a place for kids to do their homeschooling. Or maybe there’s a wellness corner, with room to roll out a yoga mat or put down a meditation cushion.”
The Home Gym
From more outdoor space to virtual classrooms for their children, home offices aren’t the only item on a growing list of what buyers would like to see in their homes.
The anticipation of long-lasting gym restrictions that include occupancy restrictions, mandatory mask-wearing, and limited class and machine spaces has many people thinking about a home gym, with reports indicating a 170% sales increase in home gym equipment since the COVID lockdowns began in March.
What Do You Think?
Are home offices, big backyards, and home gyms items on your “new-home-wish-list”? They have been for a few of our clients as of late; and for us as well! If your home needs are changing in any way, for any reason, and you are looking to take the next step, let’s connect!
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