2015 home buyers are looking for some specific updates when they are on a home search. To expedite the sell of your home – and to gain an edge over the competitive and new homes in your area with more bells and whistles – you might want to add some of the following updates to your home. Just make sure that the updates you invest in are going to be recouped at resale.
Compiled from several surveys, consumer reports and advice from the professionals, here’s what we know home buyers are looking for in a home in 2015:
Outdoor digs
Buyers are looking for a home with space available to create an attractive outdoor living area according to the buzz at recent builder trade shows. Exterior lighting in particular ranked high on homebuyers’ priority list. It’s important to note that while buyers are looking for an outdoor living space or a yard that is large enough to create an impressive play area for the kids, they don’t want to spend all weekend doing lawn care.
When updating your outdoor space, choose low maintenance landscaping plans that include something like stone pavers, or create decorative spaces using mulch, ground cover plants or low maintenance flower beds.
Closets to die for
A walk-in closet in the master bedroom is one of the most desirable features for 2015 home buyers. According an NAHB survey, 98% of homebuilders would include a walk-in closet in a new home because they are so popular with homebuyers.
Including built-in shelving or adding some type of closet organizational system will make your closet more appealing to buyers. Functional, decorative lighting in the closet is also a feature that buyers find appealing.
Worthwhile window treatments
The NAHB survey also identified low-E windows and energy-star rated windows as the most likely features to include in a new home in 2015. Installing new windows could be a draw for buyers who are interested in energy efficiency plus brand new windows will make the whole home look brand new. Indoor shutters have also increased in popularity and can make an older window good as new.
Kitchen window treatments can make the area feel more modern and updated. With some shutter designs, you can add hardware that will complement the decor of the room. This is a decorative feature that many buyers will notice and appreciate.
Getting techie with it
ERA Real Estate and HGTV reported 46% of consumers see smart-home technology as important for their current and future residences. Especially Millennial buyers are looking for homes that feature the latest in wireless technology. They want to be able to control their garage door, their thermostat, door locks, security system and much more using their smartphone.
Making your home tech-savvy is becoming an increasingly popular way to impress young home buyers. In fact, 94% of buyers surveyed would sacrifice 1,000 square feet of space for more tech in their home.
Color me beautiful
Updating the colors in your home is one of the fastest, easiest and affordable ways to make your home more appealing. The 2015 colors trend includes bold, bright colors that can be used to cover an entire room or used to create an eye-catching accent wall. Vibrant or deep rich shades of blue and green are part of the 2015 color trend. Gray is now the most popular neutral color to use in your home. A fresh coat of paint, in a trendy color, can make a dramatic difference in how appealing your home is to buyers.
Kitchen upgrades – duh.
The kitchen has been the heart of the home since forever and that’s why it has so much sway when it comes to a homebuyer’s final decision. 82% of builders say granite counter tops are still very important, as well as a central island in the kitchen according to the NAHB survey. Open shelving remains popular, but keeping those shelves looking attractive isn’t always easy. Many buyers are looking for kitchen that has a spacious pantry area. A pantry that has organizational shelving can be a positive and appealing feature in your kitchen.
Home updates typically tie in with lifestyle trends. Simplicity is still a key factor in home decor. Clutter consumes space and time, and today’s lifestyles are geared more toward simplicity than to the excessive acquisition of material things.
Young couples and families want to be able to enjoy their home and their outdoor space, but they also want to have time to pursue hobbies and socialize. Incorporating technologically advanced systems in your home and making your home more environmentally-friendly will strike a positive chord with young people looking to buy a home.
This guest post was written by Anita Ginsburg. Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO and often writes about home, family, real estate and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing.
