New home construction is hot, hot, hot! Builders across the country are reporting higher levels of home sales and we can expect to see even more new communities in the spring of 2016. Here’s what we’ll likely see:
Brand new homes are actually getting (slightly) smaller. This one seems hard to believe, but the average new single-family home dropped about 10% from its peak in 2010 to the current size of 2,152 square feet. This is still quite a bit bigger than 1800 square feet, which is the average of all single-family homes for sale. Experts believe that this small shift toward smaller spaces may be accounted for by an aging buying population, and a greater emphasis on eco-friendly cooling and heating costs.
It’s all about the bathrooms! Homes may not be getting much larger, but they’ll certainly be adding bathrooms. Builders are reporting adding more and more bathrooms in their new communities. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a home to have as many full bathrooms as it has bedrooms! Greater privacy is the goal for many families. You can also expect to see more elegant, freestanding tubs — or no tubs at all!
Warm and cozy kitchens are the new trend. Remember the ultra-chic, contemporary kitchen that was recently en vogue? They’re so 2013, according to the latest reports. Instead, builders are swapping clean, white cabinets and sleek fixtures for Shaker-style cabinets, and plenty of eating space for the whole family. Warm colors are expected to rise once again in popularity, and the breakfast bar will be more prevalent than ever.