New trends are emerging in the luxury home marketplace. Why drive to the movie theater or gym when you can have your very own fitness center or home theater at your own estate – for a price. But then again these buyers are not concerned about the sticker price. They just want to escape into their own little oasis and get away from it all.
Here are the top 8 things luxury buyers are craving these days.
1. Yoga Rooms– Along with exercise rooms the newest trend is having your own yoga room. The room is a great place where a homeowner can go there and find their serenity and Zen.
(Photo by Georgia Perry)
2. Tennis courts – Who needs to go to the country club when the country club can come to you. There’s an incomparable luxury for a property to have its own private tennis court. The ability to play whenever one wants, at a moment’s notice, simply by walking out of your house, is a priceless attribute for the busy person who enjoys not only tennis, but basketball as well, since some private tennis courts also have at least one basketball hoop for a half-court game One of the many reasons homes with tennis courts are automatically called an “estate” is that given the amount of flat usable land that is required, it invariably elevates the value of the property luxury category.
3. Wine cellars – Wine cellar creates the proper environment for wine to stay protected and age properly. It must be protected from heat, light, vibration or fluctuations in temperature and humidity. These environments can spoil the wine. In addition to protecting your wine, it is a great way to display your collection and an easy way for you to track your inventory. Wine cellars are an excellent way to save money on wine as well. Throughout the season, different types of wine are in season and tend to be cheaper in price. If you have a proper wine storage facility, you can purchase these wines at peak season and store them properly to enjoy any time of year.
4. Movie Theatres – Home theater expert Wesley Fenlon says “Every year, while movie theater tickets prices go up, HDTV prices come down. That gives the home theater two big advantages: convenience and affordability. At home you can watch what you want, when you want, and movies are making the journey from the silver screen to DVD faster than ever.”
5. Home Gyms – The home gym is an amazing resource that you should be taking advantage of. Between hectic schedules to the non-sense going on in commercial gyms, home gym training is the safe-haven for people looking to train at a moments notice. Sometimes despite our best-laid plans, life gets in the way and unforeseen obstacles can interrupt your training schedule. Having a home gym that you can rely on will ensure that you can fit in your training sessions and stay on track despite the uncertainty of life.
6. Elevators – Homeowners are living longer in their home. According to the National Association of Realtors, home buyers are expect to live in their home 15 years on average, more than double the 6-year average in 2007. Buyers 65+ years of age expect to live there even longer, on average 20 years, now purchasing their homes with the intention of ‘aging in place’ near families and friends and in their local community. As such, it should be no surprise to hear last year alone over 94,000 homeowners found a residential elevator essential to install in their new homes. Regardless of age, when remaining in a home for an extended period, people often find themselves caring for parents and family with reduced mobility. Either for yourself or a loved one, an elevator in the home ensures convenient, safe multi-story access, oftentimes being the difference between staying in your home and moving to another residence.
7. Outdoor Patios or Roof Top Terrace – In California outdoor living space is essential in luxury homes. In today’s living your outdoor space such as; patio, fireplace and gourmet kitchen is truly an extension of the home. However in an urban setting roof top terrace is a must especially where space is a premium. Outdoor terrace living areas help luxury buyers increase the size of their home and provides more living space – This applies to rooftop decks, as well. By installing a deck on the roof, you add that much more square footage for family use plus you have a birds eye view of the city, bay, beach or mountains.
8. Multi-Million Dollar Views – Those of us who are lucky enough to call La Jolla home either full time or part time home know the therapeutic role a million dollar views of the Pacific Ocean. There is nothing like spending a day at the beach at Windansea or The Cove or at La Jolla Shores to wipe away your stress and leave you at peace. Having those views year round is pure luxury.
Which trend is your favorite?
If you are thinking of buying or selling your home, give us a call 619.980.2738 or 619.851.4084. We are here to help!