According to a report by Fixr, the open floor plan is the most desirable design feature in single-family homes this year. The report was based on a survey of industry professionals who were asked questions about the most desirable house plan and layout features, as well as about emerging home design trends.
Other features the report identifies as highly sought by homeowners include natural light, home offices, and energy-efficient designs.
Energy-Efficiency Identified as Top Emerging Trend
Among three emerging trends in single-family construction, energy efficiency ranked highest, with 78% of industry influencers predicting it will be trendy among homebuyers. Smart homes, in which various systems like room temperature can be controlled by smartphones, ranked second at 77%.
Homes with sustainable or “green” designs and features ranked third, with 55% of industry experts seeing this being incorporated into more new single-family construction. Of six sustainable design trends ranked by survey participants, natural light ranked highest, followed by solar energy, passive solar design and water conservation.
Safety Features Desired in New Single-Family Homes
Since flooding and the potential for water damage are among homebuyers’ top safety concerns, mold-resistance features topped the list of safety features that homebuyers want in new homes.
Smoke alarms ranked second, followed by carbon monoxide detectors, third. Heat, radon or electrical failure, and childproofing were also noted, although they didn’t rank as high in desirability.
Outdoor Spaces Still Important
Outdoor spaces continue to be a deciding factor for many buyers purchasing new homes. Porches ranked as the most desirable outdoor feature for homebuyers, followed by backyards and gardens, second. Hardscaping, man-made landscaping features such as walkways and walls that give lawns a more polished look, ranked third.
Lakeside Title Streamlines Real Estate Transactions
Lakeside Title Company offers title insurance and numerous title services to streamline residential and commercial transactions in Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia and Southern Pennsylvania. To learn more about our comprehensive title-related services, give us a call at 410-992-1070. We look forward to the chance to serve you!
