The Hit List: Latest Buyer Trends

HOME buyers are looking for fewer but bigger rooms, a bedroom with a view and the latest in technology. Not to mention a great location and water tanks!

The trend is for fewer but larger rooms, and while the formal dining room went out of fashion a long time ago, spare bedrooms and the third bathroom are the next to be crossed off the home buyer's shopping list.

A master bedroom with a view is the ultimate desire. And while it doesn't have to be on another floor, there does have to be a bit of distance between it and other bedrooms. The ensuite must have plenty of room, where owners can sit in the bath and see outside. And, despite current water restrictions, they like to have a spa.

Home theatres are still on the "must have" list but now we also want plasma or LCD screens throughout the house: in nearly every nook and cranny, including in the kitchen, bedroom, near the pool and even in the bathroom.

Technology continues to affect our homes and it is also now important to buyers that their home has a wireless connection so they can work from home, throughout the home without having to compete with the rest of the family for cable access.

When it comes to looking into the crystal ball to see what will be the most desirable asset of your home in the future, the location remains the ultimate key.

Schools in particular, shopping centres, public transport, parks and lifestyle conveniences such as, cafes, restaurants and gyms are all desirable aspects.

From most buyers' viewpoint, the really important features for the location of their home are that the neighbourhood is safe, close to schools, medical services and shops, and also close to their workplace or to reliable public transport.

The aesthetic characteristics of a suburb or street also rank high on most homebuyers' list of desirable features.

A recent survey by Archicentre asked home buyers about what feature they would place above others. Almost 80 per cent said a water tank for gardening while 14 per cent said a spa in the en-suite and 6 per cent went for the large plasma screen.

Sustainable housing practices, such as rainwater tanks, are becoming more popular across the board given that water restrictions are unlikely to disappear in the near future.

Simon Turner