What Type House / Property is The Next Big Thing???
 

What style house and property type do you think the next generation will want/ buy?? -As in: Suburbia

From what I have read.......interest in medium to large SF homes on postage-stamp size land is waning in the Northern Va /DC area. Seems there are more of these than there is demand even given the current market conditions.

I have also understood the largest segment of RE buyers still consists of the Boomer generation. That they are indicating that smaller, one level SF homes with modest amount if acreage (1/2 - 1 acre) will be the most sought after in the next 10-15 years. Retirement (55+) communities, especially golf only centered seem to be falling out of favor now.

The next upcoming large group of RE buyers (people in their late 20's to early 30's) are saying they also want small to modest size SFH, small acreage, easy upkeep. No McMansions or homes on a 4000SF lot.

Anyone have experience with this or predictions?

Seeing a lot of boomers downsizing to single level living. Ranches and/or first floor masters are becoming more popular.

With fuel prices going higher, I think that redevelopment of city centers & old inner ring suburbs is the next big thing. High quality housing that is not too big should be popular. Suburbia is the worst of all worlds, have to drive to everything, and 12 neighbors staring in your back yard.

Newer developments are trending to more of a community- or small town feel. I think alot of people want to live, work & play in the same area. Maybe our zoning will reflect that.

Personally, I have always loathed the Mcmansion Monstrosities. Typically they have too many conflicting architectural styles under one roof: Palladian mixed with Tudor and Victorian? What is up with that?

Sure they boast big sq footage, but most of it is useless. A huge foyer, a sitting room, a sitting room off the master bedroom and a living room, a dining room and an eat in kitchen. 2 baths and 2 half baths.

I mean how much foyering, sitting, eating and shltting can you do? And most families aren't exactly the 8 children families that they were at the begining of the 20th century.

Don't get me started on low quality materials! A complete waste that just plays into American's appetite for ostentation, waste and more ostentation.

Of yeah, I forgot to mention, I like the "Cottage" style of the 1920s. Small homes with good materials and lots of detail work on moderate sized lots.

That is all.

Urban dwellings. The suburban trend isn't necessarily dying, but a clear migration of populations back to the urban centers has been observed in recent years. The ones that can design/develop beautiful and individual spaces in the urban areas, rather than on their peripheries will do rather well. The demand for apartments, condos and lofts won't necessarily fill this demand in its current form - I think a new concept with more sensitivity to individual space requirements and lifestyles is called for. For a precedent of where I think there's a real demand, look at Salieri's Arcosanti - developments like this I think will prove quite popular in the years to come. . .

The appeal of living right in an urban area and still having most of the things that appeal about suburban living (adequate space to call one's own, etc.) is hard to beat if it's done properly. If this catches on, it will result in a lowering of density in urban centers I believe, but it will be a more pleasant and ultimately more sustainable way of living to the residents.

Something to consider anyway. . .

Garth,

I found myself nodding.

I'm a 20-something with a 1600 sq. ft. house. I could see myself moving up to 2000 sq. ft., but not much bigger. Too much work to keep clean; too much space to heat/cool.

I think the grand social experiment that was the Baby Boom generation is coming to a close, and things will in some ways go back to how they were before the golfball in the rattlesnake.

I am still stunned everytime I go into one of these houses and see bathrooms that are 200-300 square feet. What the hell do these people do in their bathrooms?

I grew up in a 4000 sq/ft house. Didn't realize how big it was until I got my own house which is 1800 sq/ft.

I would like to move up to a 2500/2800 sq/ft and have .75 to 1 acre of land.

+1

I love the "craftsman" era homes of the 1920s. My wife's family has a row of cottages, all built in the 1920s. Small, simple buildings, but very well built with quality materials and fine woodwork. You notice the quality & craftsmanship, instead of "showy" design or large spaces.

FWIW, with the rising cost of materials, labor and energy, I could see a return to smaller homes, or even condos or rowhouses.

I think the next big thing will be residential elevators. They are getting cheaper (down to $20K) and the boomers are aging.

I've read that the Toll Bros McMansion will be the tear-downs of the 2020s. I'm not so sure, since they're built in mass dense tracts - why tear down a McMansion and build a nicely proportioned cottage, you'd still be surrounded by hulking McMansions.

In terms of livability, design matters much more than square footage. You can easily build a 4000 sq ft house that a couple won't rattle around in, even on a traditional floorplan. I live in one.

The entire reason for McMansion layout is livability. It seems that not too many Americans need a formal dining room for fancy dinner parties, so they merged it into the equally unused formal living room.

One thing I'm surprised by is the demise of split level houses. That is totally fashion-driven. A split level house is much more livable--especially with limited floor space--but people have this fantasy of grand entry halls and 5-over-4 curb appeal.

I was recently up in Wheaton, IL for the first time in ten years. I drove around my grandparent's old subdivision.

I was horrified to see many of the stately, high-quality, post-war 2500 sq. ft. houses sitting on nice-sized lots had been razed and huge McMansions had been shoehorned in their place.

You just described my dad's neighborhood in Montreal. Beautiful 1940s & 50s homes on 1 acre lots, along the water. They're being torn down, and having McMansions built in their place, almost touching each other. My dad's property value has probably doubled in the past 5 or 6 years, but it breaks dad's heart. It used to be a street of mature lots with lots of trees and friendly neighbors.

Is this a survey on what you'd like to see or what you think you'll see?

like to see: smaller, well-built homes constructed in well-planned communities. Planning commissions must not be pushovers to developers. Don't build communities without the proper infrastructure.

think you'll see: apartments and small homes, because folks can't afford to heat and cool the bigger homes. Bloggers report monthly utility bills ranging from $350-600/month for dinky 1500 SF homes in inland CA and Arizona.

Americans have been pushed towards the consume and destroy mentality and homes are not exempt from this theme. A transition towards well-designed and well-constructed homes would require a massive change in America, and I'm not sure anyone is truly prepared to embrace that change.

We recently sold our 2800+ Sq Ft. home with no back yard and bought a 1200 Sq Ft. home with a big back yard (by CA standards anyway) with a bonus garage/workshop in the back.

Single level, wood construction, original hardwood floors, lathe and plaster built in 1950. It still needs a lot of updating, but my loan to value is now about 50%, my monthly payment went down 25%, insurance went down 25% and best of all.. no more stairs!

Come on, let's burst that bubble already! I have a large line of credit ready and waiting to pounce on some property!

Love the craftsman styled homes.

Around the corner from me is a 20 year old upscale (for the time) development. We traditionally have seen a lot of executive relocations in this neighborhood, but now are choosing some of the newer areas a few miles away. Resale values suck due to these homes nearing the end of the useful life of the roof, windows, driveways, and have outdated kitchens & baths.

Here is the future problem with the McMansions: Can you imagine the costs for replacement of major items on these things? The stretch buyers can't afford it - heck, they didn't have any cash when they bought the house. Unless these developments are located in a desirable area, the next buyers will move on down the road to buy the next trendy house. I don't see alot of upside in resale for them.

I'm asking here because I'm trying to focus on my next home purchase as an investment vehicle and want to maximize my potential in 10-15yrs. In West-By-God suburbia is where I want to be.

I'm in the Northern Va area and have lived here most of my life. I really like it. Why I like it is because it's where / how I grew up. I desire a SFH with at least some yard and garage with some space around me.

I do like the urban contemporary style of living but must confess that I'm still a little redneck at heart and want some space around me, garage full of toys, a yard for me and the dog to pee in (if we want)

My agent has advised me that a quality built medium to large rambler with a basement on at least 1/2 acre is the E-ticket over the long haul

Other interesting notes on the Mcmansions is that when buyers were given a choice of size (SF) over quality.....................they always picked SIZE!! .

It's like Cadillac Tailfins in '59 and SUV's in '02 doesn't seem to make sense but that's what people want............for now.

Increasing energy costs= increasing interest in gentrification and planned communities that include convenient retail outlets within walking distance.Let the market sort itself out for a year or so before diving in.