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Our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design, with expert advice and insider neighborhood knowledge.
The new homes on the block
What buyers want in freshly built single-families: Earth tones, the latest gadgets, open concept, and the list goes on.
White kitchen cabinets have been in vogue for longer than anyone can remember, but buyers of new construction have moved on to earthier tones. And that’s not all they want.
As of July 8, there were 743 new single-family homes listed for sale in Greater Boston, according to figures compiled by ERA Key Realty, which has 15 offices across the region. The median list price was $1,150,000, but goes up as high as $13.85 million. For that kind of money, buyers want some extras.
Chris Doherty, broker/owner of Doherty Properties in Lowell, said in addition to different cabinet colors, people who buy new or renovated homes today increasingly expect technology that makes their lives more convenient.
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“They want the latest thermostat that they can control from their phone, if they want to,’’ he said. “They’re looking for security like doorbell cameras and other cameras. Not everything necessarily has to be connected to the internet, but they want smart home readiness.’’
He said the open floor concept is still very popular, too, as people move away from separate formal dining rooms to an eating area visible from and adjacent to the kitchen.
“People want to be able to be cooking in the kitchen and still be able to see what’s happening in the living room or the family room,’’ Doherty said. “They want to be able to see guests intermingle. They want to be able to entertain. They want spaces that just flow. High cathedral ceilings and an open floor plan.’’
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“Granite countertops used to be the big thing, he said. “Now, it seems to be quartz. And gray is dead. Everybody wanted gray, right? They put gray floors into every new house. Now I’m seeing a return to the earth tones.’’
Doherty said two full bathrooms will no longer cut it with today’s home buyers, either.
“It’s got to have two and a half baths minimum,’’ he said. “They want that half bathroom on the first floor and they want a full, primary bathroom off the main bedroom and they’re going to want a common full upstairs.’’
Agents said buyers of newly constructed homes don’t voice a preference for “green’’ features because many are required by the Massachusetts Energy Code, which mandates new construction must align with the state’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Doherty said lowering annual energy and exterior maintenance costs are selling points.
“People like tankless water heaters because the energy cost is lower with them,’’ he said. “In the higher end, we’re even seeing some turf in parts of the lawn because they don’t want to have to maintain a large lawn.’’
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Teri Adler, an agent in the MetroWest area with MGS Real Estate Group, was in the midst of a renovation of her own home when she was interviewed for this story. She said in the luxury market, yards are still important, at least enough yard or patio space for outdoor entertainment. She said most buyers are looking for Colonials, but there is a smaller pool that likes a more modern design.
“Pre-COVID, three-season porches were a throwaway — no one really cared about them,’’ she said. “Now you hear gasps when people see a really nice three-season porch. People are spending more time in their yards.’’
Adler cited other features that became more important during and after COVID.
“I hear a lot of buyers ask for golf simulators,’’ she said. “A home gym is also super important — people like the option to work out at home. And a private office is very important on the first floor, but away from the center of the household. Some people want two offices. If an office is missing on the first floor plan, people take notice.’’
She said people really respond to having warm spaces throughout their new homes.
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“Radiant heat in a mudroom is kind of nice,’’ she said. “They want very warm spaces. The days of cool grays seem to be gone, and more earthy colors and materials is really at play now.’’
High interest rates, a skilled labor shortage, and the rising cost of materials such as steel and aluminum because of tariffs have combined to drive construction costs to all-time highs.Ellen Connelly, of RE/Max Real Estate Center in North Attleborough, said the cost of construction is so high that she sees smaller homes being built.
“In Bristol County [south of Boston bordering Rhode Island], new homes are between 2,000 to maybe 3,000 square feet for around $1.3 million,’’ she said. “So to compensate, they’re doing little special touches in the house, like the mudroom is big. [Buyers] love a flex space. For example, everyone wants a dining room, but they don’t really want it to only be a dining room.’’
Buyers want enough land for an outdoor entertaining space but not so much that it’s difficult or expensive to maintain.
“In the higher-end houses, buyers want outdoor living areas,’’ she said. “We have a big neighborhood that a lot of the Patriots players move to in this area with relatively small lots. But the big thing is, can they put a spa or a pool, outdoor kitchen area like, those are big, big selling points.’’
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There is one feature buyers love that isn’t required by the state’s new energy code, but builders are including more regularly.
“Everyone wants an electric vehicle [EV] charging station in the garage,’’ she said. “That’s become a standard thing when they’re building.’’
More people are planning for multigenerational living, so in-law apartments and “granny flats’’ — or simply the potential for them — are also increasingly sought-after by home buyers.
“For example, I have a barn on my property and I have public water and sewer,’’ she said. “I could finish it and probably get it approved pretty easily. A lot of people have little sheds, or little artist studios, or like a she shed or like a guy’s workshop, and as long as it’s not a septic issue, or it meets certain criteria, it’s pretty easy to get them approved, depending on your town. And many buyers are looking for that.’’
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