by Michele Dawson
Realty Times

Outdoor amenities like patios, decks, lighting and trees are important to new-home buyers. So are kitchen islands and walk-in pantries, according to the National Association of Home Builders' most recent new home-buyer preference survey released last month.

And, for the first time, the NAHB analyzed the desires of new homebuyers by ethnic group. The head of the association's research efforts says the results are "amazing."

"Some of the things these groups want are so different," said Gopal Ahluwalia at the association's annual trade show last month, as reported in the Washington Post Jan. 24.

NAHB conducted a homebuyer preference survey last October, sending questionnaires to homeowners across the country. About 3,000 responded; about 300 were in each of three large minority groups.

Buyers overall said they want a home with a median size of 2,386 square feet. But African Americans wanted 2,845 square feet; Asians preferred 2,583 square feet; and Hispanics like about 2,480 square feet.

The average home size in 1970 was 1,500 square feet. In 2003, just 22 percent of the new homes built were under 1,600 square feet. Some 41 percent of the new homes built were between 1,600 and 2,399 square feet.

When it comes to how much they wanted to spend, African Americans said a median cost of about $238,000; Asians were willing to pay about $333,000; and Hispanics about $223,000.

Ahluwalia said more research would be needed to draw any further conclusions.

Meanwhile, the survey asked respondents their thoughts on 90 amenities, asking whether they thought each was a "must-have," would be desirable, were indifferent to it, or didn't want it.

Builderonline said some of the "must-have" home features were outdoor amenities like a deck, patio area, exterior lighting, and a lot with trees.

The most popular kitchen features are walk-in pantries, island work space, solid surfaces, built-in microwaves, and special storage areas.

In the bathroom, linen closets, exhaust fans, separate shower enclosures, water temperature controls, and whirlpool tubs are the top amenity requests.

And when it comes to overall storage, respondents said new homes fall short when it comes to pantries, linen closets, secondary bedroom closets and the attic.

Gayle Butler, editor in chief of building and remodeling for Better Homes and Gardens and a panelist at the builders' show, said her magazine's research reveals three consistent themes -- a space that is thoughtfully planned, plenty of storage and amenities, and a house that exudes warmth and personality.

"We're looking for the space to be satisfying," Butler said, according to Builderonline.

Butler said new-home buyers want their kitchens and bathrooms to be highly functional, including an island work area to tie together the workstations in the kitchen.

Last month Kate Schwartz, editor of kitchens.com, a consumer website devoted to kitchen design and remodeling, told Realty Times the boundaries of the kitchen will continue to break down in 2004 with it serving as a multipurpose room for cooking, dining, relaxing, doing homework, and paying bills. All the while, it will open up and flow more into the dining and living areas.

"Having a couch in your kitchen won't seem too strange," she said.

In addition, a survey by Home Depot found cook-friendly features, additional workspace unrelated to meal preparation or dining, and a nearby laundry room top the list of must-have features when designing a new kitchen for both men and women.

While the kitchen is still the most important room of the house, homeowners want a separate area to relax in privacy.

And personal spaces are key. Homeowners want nooks, niches and window seats, anything to provide what Butler characterizes as "little getaways throughout the house."

The NAHB also recently released another report, "Housing Facts, Figures & Trends 2004," which found the following:

The median and average prices of new and existing homes more than doubled in the last two decades of the 20th Century.

An average 19 windows, 19 tons of cement and more than 13,800 board feet of framing lumber go into a new 2,272 square-foot home.

In the first year after buyers move into their new home, they spend an average $8,900 to furnish, decorate and improve. Existing-home buyers spend a more modest $3,766.

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