Design Trends For Tomorrow’s Communities
Why have design trends for new communities changed so in the past few years?
Changes in what a new home buyer wants in a new community has stemmed from the COVID pandemic’s demands on what a home base should look like after stay-at-home orders. Developers are finidng ways to incorporate things like the latest techonolgy or shifting the look and feel of a community to attract new generations of home buyers.
The biggest way to know what future residents want in tomorrow’s communities is to survey current buyers. “Survey and consumer feedback has always been an essential part of developing and evolving Cresswind lifestyle programming,” shared Jennifer Landers, community director for Kolter Homes, which designed the Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes development. The housing market has definetly shifted due to the COVID pandemic.
Developers are creating new ways to fit consumer interest into new communities. The current market shows that they want flexibility, connection with nature, and sustainability. Some examples that developers are adding to communities include multifunctional spaces, community gathering spaces, community gardens, pet-washing stations, outdoor fitness centers, water activities and equestrian trails.
“Developers and home builders are working to make better connections with nature both in terms of amenities and within the homes themselves,” observed Carol Morgan, president of Denim Marketing. “For developments, the standards include wide sidewalks, walking trails, dog parks, fire pits and connectivity with any trails in the area.
“For home design, builders are including lots of connectivity to the outdoors with patios, porches, decks, etc.,” she added. “Many of these are covered to provide year-round protection from the sun and rain.”
Developers also want to keep it affordable to homebuyers and want to stretch their development dollar. Homes are more affordable if a developer can find ways to minimize the cost of the project. A great example of this is desiging road’s networks along the site’s natural contours. At the Tyler, Home on the Lake, development in North Carolina, they converted the developments 60-acre lake from a decorative feature to a usuable amenity.
“We installed paved sidewalks around the lake’s perimeter, worked with local experts to improve water quality and clarity, stocked the lake with fish, and constructed a fishing dock and kayak launch to allow residents to take full advantage of this incredibly unique community feature,” Fidler noted. “The dock is now so popular amongst the residents that we actually had a small community wedding take place there last summer.”
“Amenities are a great focus for marketing campaigns as they portray the lifestyle of the community,” Morgan stated. “We focus on amenities and lifestyle by creating a series of graphics and storyboards for social media and blogs. It is important to tell the story and help potential buyers see how the community will live.”
“Supply is rebounding, and potential home buyers will soon be back to having multiple options to choose from,” she stated. “This is when factors like community layout and design, amenities and location will come back into play and influence home buying decisions.”
