With Valentine's Day happening next week, Trulia asked 1,200 American couples - currently married or living together - to rank 11 home features based on what they though would best enhance their relationship.As a Denver-area Realtor who shows a lot of homes to a lot of couples, I found some of the results to be spot-on, while others to be a bit off-the-mark compared to my experience working with homebuyers --- but this can be explained by understanding that all real estate is local -- and that features are also very local in nature.
Take #4 - Water View for Sunrises and/or Sunsets...in the Denver Metro area there aren't a whole heck of a lot of homes with water views -- but folks sure love a Front Range mountain view...and a view of Downtown Denver's beautiful skyline comes in a close second.
Storage is always an issue, but especially for couples looking at city-close homes. Let's face it, 100 years ago when most of these homes were built people just didn't need much storage...they hung their Sunday best in the tiny closets and called it done. Fast forward a century, and we each have a big pile of Hudson jeans and a lot of cute shoes to store...for both men and women. So closet space ranks high on most Denver homebuyer's lists of wanted features.* 21 % of womenoverwhelminglysaid plenty of storage was at the top of their list compared to 13% of men.
I also think that #1 is totally true -- and a bit hard to find in some of Denver's hot neighborhoods. A Master Bedroom Big Enough for a King-Sized Bed. In most cases this can only be found if a vintage home has had a major floor-plan overhaul -- combining two small rooms to create a big Master Suite, or expanding into the attic to create a Master getaway. A queen bed usually will fit, but not always with two dressers and nightstands.
Ranking #3 on both the Men and Women lists is Bright and Airy Spaces. I concur. Most homebuyers love a nice open floor-plan that makes the most of the available square footage. They want the flow to make entertaining easy. They want to keep an eye on the kids while cooking dinner or cleaning up after breakfast. (This also ties in #5 -- A Large Kitchen Island) And they want light. Loads of it. Colorado averages more than 300 sunny days per year, and Denver Metro area buyers want to enjoy it whether they are inside or out. So the windows should be big enough to let the natural night shine in -- and tight enough, whether new or old, to keep the cold out. Walking into a house on a snowy winter day and feeling a draft from a closed window is usually a deal-breaker for buyers.
I don't think this is a surprise for most people, but...
* Only 7% of men wanted a man cave while only 1% of women wanted asewing and crafting room
If you think you might be ready to start looking for a new place, or want to sell your home, give me a shout!
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