Going green, connecting to nature and creating cozy spaces are just a few of the trends CRSs are seeing in 2015.

By Daniel Rome Levine

In the Los Angeles area, today’s homebuyers are looking for properties that are as technologically savvy and environmentally friendly as they are.

When James Chen, CRS, president and managing broker of 13 East Realty, in Torrance, California, meets with prospective buyers these days, the topics they are most interested in are green features and technology updates. “Tell me about the impact we’ll be having on the environment if we live here?” is a question he often hears.

Green Buyers

Most of Chen’s buyers are in their 30s and 40s and are purchasing their first home. They are putting their money where their mouth is, he says, insisting on green features such as a high-efficiency, tankless water heater; an artificial turf lawn or desert-friendly landscaping that doesn’t need watering; and energy-saving dual-paned windows.

Chen’s clients are not alone. Across the country, homebuyers are increasingly concerned about the impact their living space has on the world around them. The National Association of REALTORS® 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that environmentally-friendly features are important to buyers. Nearly 70 percent of survey respondents stated that energy-efficient appliances and lighting were either very or somewhat important to them, while nearly 90 percent said the same about a home’s heating and cooling costs.

What else are today’s buyers looking for in a home? How else have their tastes changed over time? To find out, The Residential Specialist asked a handful of CRS members across the country to share what they are seeing.

Tech Savvy

Many of Chen’s buyers want to make sure their new home is automated and technologically connected. Smart thermostats are high on their lists. Especially popular, he says, is the one made by Google’s Nest Labs. These thermostats learn your daily patterns using motion detectors and automatically adjust the temperature according to when you’re at home and when you’re away. The thermostat can also be controlled and monitored from a mobile device. There is even a similar smart smoke detector that allows you to receive alerts on your cellphone when you are away from home. “Automation and connectivity are huge features that a lot of younger buyers, in particular, are looking for,” says Chen.

Security cameras are another feature Chen’s clients want. They typically place them at entry points and the garage, and they want to be able to view images remotely from a computer or mobile device. “There have been a lot of home break-ins and holdups in California, and people are nervous,” says Chen.

No More ‘Swagger’

In Austin, Texas, Gail Boston, CRS, broker owner at Austin x Boston Properties, says many of her buyers are also focused on the environment. “I have a lot of clients who are specifically seeking green builders because there is such tremendous waste in construction,” she says.

That eco-friendly mindset is also playing a role in the size of homes people are buying, she says. “I’m thrilled to say those big, what I call ‘swagger,’ homes that everyone wanted when I started selling in 2006 are relics of the past,” says Boston. “Some of my same clients who bought 6,000-square-foot homes are now buying 2,500-square-foot ones closer to town. People’s priorities have changed.”

Besides the environment, the shift is being driven, she says, by a desire to save energy. Many of her clients, especially empty nesters and millennials, are also looking to live closer to central Austin to cut down on their commutes.

Cozy Comfort

Interior features that Boston says buyers are asking for include “pocket libraries” and other small, intimate tucked-away spaces that provide privacy and help break up the big, open floor plans of today’s most popular homes. “These cozy spaces are something we’re seeing a lot more interest in,” says Boston. “People still want open floor plans, but they want them broken up a bit to give the home a more intimate, cozy feel.”

Boston is also seeing more buyers turning away from granite countertops in favor of other options. “Granite is a great material, but it’s a little tired,” she says. “For the first time, I’m seeing people seeking out alternative materials like Carrera marble, which is great for bathrooms and kitchen wall splashes, stone composites and even laminates with interesting patterns.”

Connecting to Nature

Buyers are also looking for homes that put them closer to the outdoors, she says. “People are now inviting nature to be part of the home in a whole host of ways,” says Boston. That means more buyers asking for screened-in porches. “These have really made their way back after being out of style for a long time,” she says.

Expansive outdoor kitchens are also hot items. “Even as people are moving toward smaller homes, they are not giving up entertaining,” says Boston. “Elaborate outdoor kitchen spaces are very popular places to do that.”

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Some 1,700 miles northeast of Austin, Judy Reynolds, CRS, a broker/owner with Evergreen Realty in Sterling, Massachusetts, is also seeing an increasing number of buyer clients who want their homes closer to nature. “A lot of people are designing three- and four-season porches into their homes,” says Reynolds. “They really want to connect to the outside.” People are installing little gas stoves or gas fireplaces in these porches, she says, which make them especially inviting spots in the winter.

Planning Ahead

Among homebuyers who have become empty nesters, Reynolds is seeing a trend of designing new homes with two master bedrooms, one situated in its traditional second-floor location and another on the first floor for when the buyers anticipate they may have trouble climbing stairs.

One buyer Reynolds worked with actually built a first-floor, walk-in closet specially designed for easy conversion into space for an elevator in the future when the owners may not be able to navigate the stairs.

“Buyers are not only putting in features they can enjoy right away,” says Reynolds, “but also ones that will benefit them in the future.”

 

Daniel Rome Levine is a writer based in Wilmette, Illinois.

Check out highlights from the 2014 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers here.