What’s Old Is New Again
2019 home design in review: What you, our readers, buzzed about the most this year.
December 23, 2019 by REALTOR® Magazine Staff
There’s a cyclical nature to design trends: Those that burn hot tend to flame out quickly—and then experience a revival at some point down the line. This year, many fads of decades past returned to life. Other design topics that took center stage were more business-focused: spotting the flaws in poor design for your clients.
Beware of the Flip
The takeaway: Low inventory and many buyers’ eagerness for new construction and remodeled homes has caused some buyers not to do enough due diligence on a property before committing to the purchase. And some buyers don’t insist on an inspection if sellers won’t permit it as a contingency. Your job is to guide buyers through this rough terrain.
Design Comebacks
The takeaway: In home design, history often repeats itself. Many of the latest trends take their inspiration from the past, whether that’s borrowing from the 1950s’ pinks, the 1970s’ velvets, or the 1980s’ wave of florals. Homes are becoming design time capsules of a sort as ideas evocative of themes and styles from the past spring to life.
Why Expensive Renovations May Not Boost Your Sale
The takeaway: There are two types of homes that sell quickly in today’s market: fixer-uppers and completely renovated properties. If your market has an abundance of investors—who typically renovate anyway for flips or rental properties—your sellers may not need to upgrade their homes in order to sell.
Aging at Home: Where Seniors Really Want to Live
The takeaway: Helping clients who want to purchase or update a home where they can age in place is a growing niche in real estate and ancillary industries. Agents and brokers who are Senior Real Estate Specialists (SRES) or Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS) can help this cohort find homes or stay put and modify their homes to address physical or cognitive impairments.
Accessory Dwelling Units: Game Changer for Homeowners, Communities
The takeaway: Homeowners are recognizing the untapped potential of maximizing a property’s square footage by converting unused areas into living space. Basements and attics have long been hot spots for these transformations, but now so are backyards. Accessory dwelling units—small, detached outdoor structures built for living quarters—are sparking nationwide interest.
