As Market Rebounds Homebuyers Look for Luxuries

Builders are busy again now that the housing market is rebounding. More importantly, buyers are buying. Sitting on the sidelines for years didn’t stop future homeowners from dreaming big, with a long list of bells and whistles on their wish lists.

Now that buyers are spending money, they want what they want. Items that were once rare expensive add-ons are now becoming more commonplace.

And when buyers demand it, builders deliver it, often as part of the base price of a new home.

Now, with the touch of a button, you can dim the lights and close the blinds as a movie screen lowers from above. Or if you’re out of town, a high-tech security system lets you log onto a computer and view the inside and outside of your house from many angles.

Some condominiums are including concierge and maid services. On top of that, the penthouses have private pools, and guests of the owners can stay in their own units for the duration of their visits.

“It’s part of the mentality now,” said Truly Burton, executive vice president of the Florida Atlantic Building Association, a Hollywood, Fla.-based trade group. “People have begun to expect that in their homes.”

First-time buyers and young professionals aren’t likely to find these amenities when shopping for new homes priced at $300,000 or less. But the extras are becoming more common for move-up buyers looking for properties below $1 million.

Source: Florida Realtors®