When Americans shop for a house, one-third are looking for a simple "plain vanilla" model - or most anything they can afford.
"Often, they are just glad to own a home," said demographer Brooke Warrick, who conducted a study of homebuyers' values and desires for Custom Builder, a trade magazine.She said 31 percent of a national sample of 1,400 homeowners bought "the least expensive and smallest home style because these homeowners have the least disposable income to spend."
At the other end of the survey, 11 percent of homebuyers bought what Warrick described as a "winner" house. These monied homeowners looked for an impressive entrance, a formal, luxurious living room used mostly for special occasions and a formal dining room.
Warrick, president of American Lives research firm in San Francisco, divided the rest of the homebuyers into these categories:
- "Wannabes," 18 percent of the sample. "This homeowner aspires to the winner home style but cannot afford the full treatment," Warrick said. "The wannabe is likely to be an older or less expensive home with a lot of decorating and remodeling, yet it leaves out features that make a home more livable."
More than others, these buyers emphasized an impressive-looking house, front window treatments and greenery in front of the house. They were less concerned than the average buyer with a large family room.
- "The Classic," 17 percent. These buyers own mid-priced houses, don't care much about making an impression or having a luxurious living room.
- "The Nest," 14 percent. Nesters regard the home primarily as a safe haven. They put emphasis on privacy, a gourmet kitchen, an office in the home and a usable living room. "Nesters are also affluent but display is unimportant to them," Warrick said. "They opt for privacy, comfort and informality. This home style is the second most expensive."
- "Informal," 9 percent. These buyers are similar to Nesters but have less money. They put heaviest emphasis on a family room close to an eat-in kitchen (85 percent looked for this feature), but they don't care much about a dining room.
Among all homeowners, these are the most valued design features:
- Usable living room, 31 percent
- Luxurious living room, 24 percent
- Large, usable family room, 25 percent
- Kitchen big enough for company, 31 percent
- Gourmet kitchen, 29 percent
- Eat-in kitchen close to family room, 23 percent
- Formal dining room, 27 percent
- Adult privacy, 28 percent
- House as a safe haven, 28 percent
- Office in the home, 26 percent
- Greenery in front of house, 26 percent
- Impressive entrance, 24 percent
- Decorating and remodeling, 24 percent
- Front window treatments, 21 percent