Last week, I provided an overview of Better Homes and Gardens market research. This research suggested that Americans want smaller, greener homes. Today, I will provide more detail on some of the other research results.
Home Offices
Image: JAGwired / Flickr
Last week we noted that respondents were looking for more organized space. A big component of this is that respondents want to ensure their home includes a home office: nearly 60% plan to have them in their next home. But they are moving away from the idea that home offices should be separate spaces. A third want them to be a multi-use space, while 28% want a separate office – down from 64% in the previous year’s survey.
Family Rooms
The most important room in the house remains the family room. Sixty-two percent of respondents say that a family room that is cozy is their number one priority when they are shopping for a new home. And those decorating with flat-panel TV tips might be needed by more and more people: 50% of respondents want one for their new family room.
Home Improvement
Respondents are still financially tight, particularly south of the border, and are not considering anything very ambitious in terms of home improvement. However, many respondents are still thinking of fixing up their homes if there are obvious problems. Budget-focused renos that have a big bang for their limited buck are also popular.
Slightly over half of respondents felt they were going to make necessary repairs to their house, and three-quarters confirm that the recession has damaged their ability to make big changes. The little things that can brighten our perspectives remain popular, however, such as painting, redoing the flooring (once again, perhaps with our tips!) and simple redecorating of a room.
Energy efficiency
Perhaps because these improvements can help people save money, energy efficiency renos are also high on respondents’ agendas. When they next fix up their house, a third of respondents will try to put in energy efficient windows, better heating and cooling systems and energy saving appliances.
The overall picture is clear: people want to save money and energy, but are cautious about making any big changes to their life. What they want are flexible, comforting spaces that can work for a variety of uses and that maximize their limitations. And they want excitement and fun – people still want to redo their houses! – but they are learning to appreciate the smaller things in life.
It’s a positive way to look at life even in misfortune, and perhaps we should try to keep this view point alive even when the economy is good.
Heleen Jacobsen
Broker of Record with InfoMarket Group GMAC Real Estate
www.infomarketgroup.com
