NEW YORK — Dreaming of settling down one day in a 10 bedroom, 20 bathroom mansion surrounded by countless acres of green pastures? Would you believe you’re actually in the minority? A recent survey found the average American’s “dream home” is a refreshingly modest single-family house with some added modern amenities to vacation-home feel.
The survey of 2,000 Americans by Homes.com tasked participants with describing their dream homes. Researchers then used the results to draw a picture of what the average American wants in a home.
The analysis of the data revealed the ideal features of an American home: four bedrooms, three bathrooms, an open kitchen plan, and hardwood floors covering about 2,756-square-feet. Other popular amenities included a gourmet kitchen, stainless steel appliances, a two-car garage, walk-in closets, a swimming pool, ample storage space, smart-home technology, and beach-house decor. A backyard deck or a balcony with a view were also ideal features.
When asked to estimate what their dream home would cost, the average amount was $879,000.
The survey showed that millennials tend to dream the biggest, picturing themselves buying a 4,000- to 5,000-square-foot home, while baby boomers indicated all they need is a house no more than 1,500 to 2,000 square feet.
There were plenty of other notable differences between the oldest and youngest segment of respondents. Millennials were more likely to prefer living in penthouse complete with a rooftop deck and elevator, particularly in cities like Miami, Malibu, San Diego, or Austin, while baby boomers showed a high preference for retiring in a beach house. As for the most important room in the house, millennials would go all-out on their bedroom, whereas older adults would put their greatest attention on the kitchen.
Millennials also lean towards the unusual, picturing a house with hidden rooms, a movie theater, wine cellar and library. Baby boomers simply need walk-in closets, lots of storage, and lots of windows.
Interestingly, about 1 percent of all respondents say their dream house is on another planet all together.
But a dream house is truly nothing more than a fantasy for many participants. According to the survey, 40 percent of Americans don’t ever foresee themselves living in their dream home, though 80 percent still think about it regularly. Do you?