Technology, Walkability, and Resilience are the Key Housing Words for 2016

As building companies get back to the business of constructing houses, they find the housing landscape has changed significantly. While the economy and housing market has been sluggish, technology has surged right along. Young people embrace technology and are less inclined to seek employment working with their hands. To remain competitive, builders must not only attract young buyers, but also find ways to attract them as workers to help build homes. To do both, construction companies and builders must learn to utilize technology to their advantage. A top feature young buyers want is walkability. Another issue that is always a major concern for every home owner is how well their house can withstand inclement weather. Builders and REALTORS  must understand the issues currently relevant to home buyers and those issues that will continue being important in future years.

Technology

According to the National Association of REALTORS report "Real Estate in a Digital Age," 68 percent of first-time home buyers are Millennials. Thirty-two percent of all home buyers are between the ages of 25 and 34. These buyers begin their search online and are connected to the internet 24/7. Many older generations also rely on technology to find homes and research things like title insurance and mortgages. Even old marketing techniques like open houses that were near extinction a few years ago are finding new life thanks to technology. Savvy builders and REALTORS use Twitter and Facebook to post live updates and promotions that will entice all potential buyers in the nearby area to stop by. The QR code has little worthwhile use in many industries, but it provides a wealth of information about a home for sale to interested buyers. Every real estate agent and builder who has filled one of those little plastic information boxes with flyers, only to get an angry caller the following day complaining it is again empty, understands the value of providing pertinent information on-site at all hours of the day. Technology can do that in a variety of ways. Increasingly, buyers are expecting builders to use technology for communication and showing things like elevations, floor plans, and site maps.

Walkability

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) conducted a Home Design Trends Survey in the third quarter of 2015. Their survey found more buyers seeking a sense of community and opting to located in or near one of the many expanding metro areas across the United States. Some of the community design trends that are currently gaining strength and expected to remain popular for the foreseeable future include walkable neighborhoods, access to public transportation, multi-generational housing,  and mixed-use buildings. AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker said there has been a significant change in driving habits of the population in recent years. More people use public transportation and want to be near their employment and other commercial activities. For single family homes, these buyers look for contemporary-style with low-maintenance features. Some traditional wants like single-story layouts and front porches remain popular. Regardless, owners still need quality title insurance to protect their investment. A growing number of households are single adults with or without children. They like smaller, simple spaces with an emphasis on aesthetics.


Resilience

Presenters at the recent BUILDER Sustainability Summit emphasized the need for community leaders to think about resiliency before disasters occur. Threats like hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and heavy snow can affect people in all parts of the United States. Regardless of where a home is located, it needs title insurance and must be able to withstand one or more of these natural disasters. Alex Wilson is an architect who believes resilient design doesn't have to be expensive. Wilson listed ways builders can construct houses that are better able to withstand disasters:

• Include timber framing and hurricane straps on houses in storm-prone areas.
• Improve living conditions of homes that lose power with better insulation and passive solar features.
• Limit the need for mechanical cooling by orienting homes on an east/west axis, install better windows with some shading, attach awnings, use larger overhangs, reflective roofs, and natural ventilation.
• Have flood barriers along driveways in low-lying areas.

Walkable communities are more resilient. When disaster strikes, it is much easier to provide needed services in areas that are pedestrian friendly. Just as home owners must protect their investment with title insurance, community leaders must protect their local area through resiliency planning before the natural disaster occurs.