Open floor plans are now more important to well-heeled American property buyers than 3 years ago. This is according to a new survey conducted by the U.S.-based Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Luxury Institute. This may come as a surprise to property developers, who over the years are including everything, from branded furniture and fur refrigerators to smartphone-controlled automation systems to woo rich buyers.
According to the survey — which focused on the responses of 300 Americans age 21 or older with a minimum gross annual household income of $250,000 — 39 percent of respondents said “open floor plans” and more important to them, followed by 32 percent who chose “fully automated homes” with all the necessary remote controls and voice-activated systems.
Aside from open floor plans and electronic gadgets, the respondents cited pools (28 percent), outdoor kitchens (23 percent), home gyms (20 percent), and home theaters (19 percent) as the amenities they prefer more.
According to the report, well-heeled and younger buyers are driving America’s luxury real estate market, and they are willing to pay more than their older counterparts (on average they spend $2.1 million on their most recent purchase of residential property, about twice as much as their older peers).
Additionally, the younger audience is apparently more interested in property these days: 43 percent are considering purchasing residential property in the next 12 months, compared to 21 percent of those age 55 and older.
Betty Graham, president of Coldwell Banker Previews International NRT, said about the study,
This trend toward younger luxury buyers is leading a change in desired home amenities. Whether these younger buyers have young families or are single without children, they are looking for homes that fit their active and unique lifestyle.
