NAHB's 2007-2008 “Consumer Preferences Survey” sheds a lot of light on what people want in
| Other Survey Takeaways 60% More than 60 percent said they'd like an energy management system. 92% listed the laundry room as “essential” when it came to specialty rooms. 58% A smaller house with high-quality products instead of a bigger house with fewer amenities appealed to 58 percent of respondents. |
The Facts: Of the 2,318 respondents, 65 percent were willing only to pay $5,000 in up-front costs to save $1,000 a year in utility costs. However, they said they were willing to pay the price for their favorite amenities.
What to do about it: Do the math for them. Compare potential utility savings against the price of more luxurious items.
The Facts: Outdoor recreational space such as walking trails and parks have pull. Such features would strongly influence buyers to move to a community, said nearly half the respondents.
What to do about it: Talk about the features within your community or nearby and put it into user-friendly terms: “It's easy to get a 5-mile run in on our trails.”
The Facts: People prefer to keep square footage and leave it unfurnished rather than downsize to save money, according to more than 44 percent of consumers who took the survey.
What to do about it: Remind home buyers how much they could save by leaving a basement unfinished.
The Facts: Wood woos: 63 percent of respondents said they wanted a wood exterior door over steel and fiberglass.
What to do about it: Show prospective buyers the doors you offer — real or fake wood — that would appeal to fans of wood.
The Facts: 70 percent of respondents said they did or would repaint walls within a new home; 30 percent of those people did so to improve paint quality.
What to do about it: If you're using quality paint, brag about it. It adds to the low-maintenance appeal.
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