I Wish, or I Want

Things once considered luxuries are now becoming regarded as necessities as the home has become more the centre of our universe after our experiences through the pandemic. We now are more likely to want features that make living and working from home exciting and comfortable.

As homes have expanded to become our office, our gym… a destination… a staycation, the tables have turned on what buyers expect and now they’re calling the shots on what’s required in a home. Keeping on top of the trends is important, as it enables sellers to gear towards them – as ticking the most property boxes often means getting the best price.

Scott Mackey, Principal of RE/MAX Precision says, “we keep our finger on the pulse of market trends and take time to focus on buyers’ needs so we can educate up-and-coming vendors.”

“We’ve been really lucky in Bundaberg to have had minimal disruptions to our daily lives through the pandemic, but people still want their home to be a haven should there be a lockdown or need to quarantine over an extended period,” Scott says.

Almost every home buyer wants a work-from-home space as we anticipate what was once necessity to linger into a more popularised working reality. Gone are the days of accepting little to no choice in your employer’s office design, or having a desk squeezed inside the guest bedroom and calling it your ‘home office’. 

Now, people are taking dedicated workspaces seriously and feeling great liberation in the design process. Preferring spacious, quiet rooms that give a great Zoom background, a stylish home office is now an important selling point. Consider converting a shed, additional guest room or sun room into a work room to die for and boost your value potential.

Aussies have always loved outdoor spaces and with people focusing less on eating out, we’re creating more space to bring entertaining and gatherings closer to home. Renovations are transforming traditional decks, patios and backyard barbecue spaces, blurring the lines between the indoors and outdoors with state-of-the-art kitchens and eating spaces.

The desire for more child-friendly amenities has hugely increased since we experienced working from home and home-schooling as part of everyday life. Large playrooms, sand pits, jungle gyms, swimming pools and half courts for basketball, scooters and skating are now important.

Buyer also want space for hobbies and sporting activities they’ve taken up – perhaps even simulated putting greens or batting cages and basketball courts. It’s important to be able to let off some steam in a world that has become so different to 2 years ago. A space for artistic expression, meditation or creating crafts can open up a whole new world, and become a big bonus to the new owners.

The home gym is a non-negotiable for many. Bring on the state-of-the-art home fitness space, with Pilates equipment and weight rooms, so we don’t have to worry about centres and gyms with restricted hours and capacity.

Home buyers are now impressed by kitchens with extra-large pantries or adjoining storage rooms should they need to stock up. What might have been a hobby in 2020 could now be the makings of a 2021 Masterchef contestant, with amateur cooks and bakers finding their passion in (lock) downtime and wanting more space and top-notch appliances.

Sanitizing amenities and air filtration systems have become increasingly popular. Luxury buyers are very keen on the salon-at-home, ready for the hairdresser, nail technician and masseuse to make a house-call. They want their at-home pampering space ready and welcoming.

To keep up to date on what’s trending in property and the local market, be sure to follow our weekly blogs. If you want a personal consultation with our experienced team on selling your home, give us a call today!