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Must-have new home features, by generation

October 19, 2016

Each person has a unique vision of the “dream home”. It could be spacious and luxurious or a country retreat. Maybe the house offers single-level living or has several stories. Everyone seems to agree that spacious island kitchens, and updated bathrooms with separate tub and shower are essential. Still, different age groups are looking for different “must-have” features in their next home. How does this list fit your new home wishes? Baby Boomers

• Single-level home. They don’t want stairs!
• The coziness offers special comfort.
• Low-maintenance surfaces. Granite and quartz are preferred.
• Walkable, sociable communities. Boomers want walking trails and common areas to come together with friends, family, and neighbors.
• This generation wants more detail, done with quality, like crown modling and built-ins.
• Flexible space. Their lives are changing. Kids are moving out. They want the next home to be easily converted.
• Storage. Even though they are often down-sizing their life, they want to be able to organize everything they keep, for easy access.

Gen X

• Breakfast bar. Generation X (Echo Boomers) like to relax with their coffee and read the latest on their tablet while sitting at a counter.
• Eco-friendly. New homes have energy-efficiency built in, but appliances aren’t enough. Home systems (HVAC), light fixtures, windows and doors—it all needs to respect the environment.
• Upstairs laundry rooms. This generation of homeowner wants two (or more) floors, and they don’t want to haul laundry up and down those stairs.
• Closet organizer. Gen X is particular about their clothes, and they will appreciate the value of a spacious, organized closet to store them.
• Second-floor loft. Specifically, they are seeking a getaway to be alone with their laptop.
• Outdoor fireplaces. They grew up with campfires but they want something more updated now.
• Natural light. Their parents tolerated fluorescent lighting (to a point), but Gen Xers want ambient light streaming through windows.

Millennials

• Open interior: The fewer the walls, the better. Open floor plans are ideal, so they can designate the purpose for themselves.
• Low maintenance: No carpets or wood-burning fireplaces or stoves. Easy-care floors and surfaces, gas or ventless fireplaces are the way to go.
• Spa bathrooms: While most homebuyers want a nice bathroom, Millennials will likely accept nothing less than the latest trends, from vanities to showers and tubs to plumbing fixtures.
• Tech-ready. They want everything “smart” so the new home must be ready to handle the Millennial’s ever-expanding technology needs.
• Energy-efficiency. Their new home must be eco-friendly, from construction materials to systems and appliances.
• Less detail. Millennials aren’t impressed by crown molding and fine details.

New homes are always exciting. Finding the perfect one can be a chore, but remember, it’s out there!