Millennials, those born a decade or two before the turn of the new millennium, are now at the age of buying or building homes. And as expected, their choices greatly contrast that of their parents’ generation, the baby boomers. Instead of going for the big and bland, they’re opting for something that fits their lifestyle more. They’re not choosing based on looks alone—they’re going for the ones which are feature-packed, future-proof homes.
To learn more about the millennials’ buying preferences, here are the 10 must-have new home features they consider.
Smart homes and all the tech you can add
One thing that’s really common among millennials is their love for technology. They’ve fully embraced tech in their lives, that’s why it is fully integrated into their homes. Most millennials want smart homes—a house that’s connected to the web in all possible ways: safety and security, entertainment, and even everyday appliances.
One of the most common house features of a smart home is the use of voice control devices like Google Home and Alexa of Amazon. These devices connect and control appliances, lighting systems, security systems, and entertainment devices among others. This way, homeowners can just use them through voice commands anywhere in their house. Smart home and its appliances also allows remote access through mobile devices like smartphones, so that homeowners can check in on what’s happening even when they’re away.
A home office or a space dedicated for work
Another practice that’s common among millennials is remote work. It’s because they value having time for themselves and their family, that’s why they find ways to spend more time with them even while working. It’s also proof that they are now looking for careers that won’t tie them down to an office location. Because of this, they’re looking for a home that offers a dedicated workspace, a home office that lets them be productive while enjoying the comfort of their home.
This workspace varies depending on what’s available: it could be a spare space that’s enough to put a desk and a chair, or as large as a regular bedroom complete with an en-suite toilet and bath. Whatever that workspace may be, it is a must-have feature because it gives the homeowners freedom and flexibility to work while juggling family life or enjoying a relaxing time away from the office.
Energy efficiency to the max!
If there’s one thing that millennials love more than themselves, it’s the environment. That’s why energy efficiency is one of the new homes’ must-haves for a millennial family. This means using environment-friendly building materials and appliances that don’t consume too much power.
An energy-efficient home uses LED lights all throughout because this type of lighting lasts longer and uses way less power than the conventional bulbs. Smart homes, as mentioned earlier, also have a programmable thermostat for better energy use.
Relatively low upkeep
Aside from the best new home features like energy efficiency, it’s also an important consideration for millennials to have low maintenance homes. They may want unique-looking, fancy houses, but their main priority is to have one that’s least costly to maintain.
For example, this source lists some of the errors you make on a construction project. One of them is getting transparent with quality. With substandard materials, it’s easy to see early damage and deterioration, thus needing more time to maintain and fix stuff around the house.
Millennials want to spend their time wisely, so rather than wasting their weekend on home maintenance and repairs, they’d rather spend a premium on a house that doesn’t require a lot of effort to maintain. For them, a desirable home should have a new roof, new windows, high-efficiency HVAC, and barely any lawn or shrubbery to keep.
Storage everywhere!
Millennials value efficient use of space, that’s why a lot of them are into minimalist practices, hyper-organized closets, and love for de-cluttering TV shows. That’s why storage space is one of the features to consider when building a home. Whether it’s a walk-in closet, a walk-in pantry, or just under-bed storage, they’ll always ask and look for them for their prospective homes.
Storage space also gives them more options for the future, especially when and if they decide to add more members to their family. It allows them to live comfortably now and still live comfortably later when they have a bigger family.
Modern bathrooms with modern fixtures
Who wouldn’t want an updated bathroom for their new house, right? But for millennials, an updated bathroom means space is used more efficiently by removing old, chunky fixtures and replacing them with new ones. It should have enough storage for all their beauty products, storage for towels and other bathroom implements, and more.
Large kitchen and dining
Just like the modern bathroom, millennials want their kitchen space properly utilized. It may have a small floor area, but it can be made spacious through modern counters, vertical storage, and more. Most millennial homes have an open floor plan, so the kitchen and dining take up a huge area. It’s not only a place to cook or eat, but also a place to entertain their guests. This is why it’s a must for a millennial home to have a large kitchen and dining area.
Open floor plans for the living, kitchen, and dining rooms
As mentioned earlier in this house features checklist, most millennial homes have an open floor plan. This way, even a small floor area can look spacious when the living, kitchen, and dining area opened up and flowing through. Again, this space is used not only for cooking and eating, but also for entertaining guests, and relaxing with the whole family. Any enclosed space, like a separate area for the kitchen, makes the whole house feel cramped and small.
A space dedicated to creativity
Millennials treat their homes as their sanctuary, not just a place to sleep, eat, or bathe in. Because of this, most millennials want a dedicated area for them to practice their creativity. Whether it’s a nook where they can write or paint, or a small, soundproofed studio to play music, a space for creativity really adds value to a millennial home. It’s what home buyers want, and they will take their time looking for it before they part ways with their money.
Outdoor space
While it was said earlier that millennials want a house that requires the least effort to maintain, it’s also true that they yearn for a big enough outdoor space outside their home. This could be a closed-off lawn where they can play fetch with their dogs, a patio big enough to host a barbecue party or a shaded space in the back yard where they can do yoga.
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