Studies Suggest New Home Buyers Desire Modern Homes

It’s no secret that the goal of many adults today is to one day own a home of their own. But where are people looking to buy? Are there benefits to owning a home versus renting? What kind of features and home styles are potential buyers looking for?

For starters, while many people tend to buy homes near where they grew up, Florida is and has been a popular destination for people of all ages. Why? Well, the warm weather is attractive, as is that fact that the Sunshine state is one of seven states that does not collect individual state income taxes. Other states that don’t include Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Florida is also an attractive place to call home because homeowners can receive an exemption for the first $50,000 of value for property tax purposes if they declare their Florida home as their primary residence. That’s not a bad perk at all.

As for benefits to owning a home, well, there are many. Not only do you get the pleasure of owning something that you can truly call home and put your mark on, but many view home ownership as an investment, something that will build equity over the years. Many also enjoy features not offered by apartment or townhome living, like spacious yards and lack of shared walls and neighbors in close proximity.

In terms of what kind of features and home styles buyers are looking for today, well, modern homes have become very popular, especially modern homes with all the bells and whistles and modern amenities. This means buyers are interested in things like stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. A survey conducted by the National Association of Homebuilders also found that many homebuyers want Energy Star appliances, something that is commonly found in newer builds. In fact, newer builds, in general, are becoming increasingly popular, partly because it allows buyers to customize their homes, and partly because newer, modern homes usually have lower taxes than resale homes for the first 12-24 months. New builds are also becoming more common because many states are experiencing housing shortages. Because of that, more and more modern home builders are getting busy building planned communities all over the place to meet the demand for new homes.